Power of Prussian artillery pieces during the Napoleonic Wars

Question

I'm developing a RTS game which is set during the Napoleonic Wars and want to implement these artillery for the Prussian side:

• 6 pound cannon
• 7 pound howitzer
• 12 pound cannon

Unfortunately, I have no Idea how much force the gunpowder created to accelerate the cannonball. Is there any historical reference for this?

In the best case I'd need the ammount of gunpowder used and/or the muzzle velocity to simulate it properly.

Answer 1

I have the following figures to hand for weight of shot and charge, for a range of weapons that may have been used by the Prussian Artillery during the Napoleonic Wars.

              Shot (kg)    Charge (kg)

12-pdr M1761    5.93        2.30
12-pdr M1768    5.93        1.60
12-pdr M1809    5.93        1.60

 6-pdr M1762    3.0         1.40
 6-pdr M1768    3.0         1.40
 6-pdr M1787    3.0         0.89
 6-pdr M1809    3.0         0.89

 7-pdr M1762    6.54        0.90
 7-pdr M1790    6.08        0.69
 7-pdr M1809    6.95        0.69

I don't have the corresponding figures for range or muzzle velocity for these guns. However, given the intended use for the information, all of these weapons had sufficient range to cover a Napoleonic battle field.

[T]heoretical maximum ranges were usually unimportant. The Prussian General Monhaupt noted that 'a 12-pdr is able to fire its roundshot 460-600m further than a 6-pdr, but this has no influence on the outcome of the battle...a hit at such a distance is purely accidental'

It goes on to say that the theoretical advantages of the 12-pdr were 'often negated by its slower rate of fire'.

^{source: Napoleonic Artillery. A.L.Dawson, P.L.Dawson & S.Summerfield (Crowood Press, 2007)}