The ground shook as the gun pushed back to the end of the carriage. The moment the backward motion stopped, the counterweight yanked the cannon back to its former position on the track.
"Galzar's Great Ghost! Very impressive, Kyblannos."
All the artillerymen grinned like proud fathers, including Kyblannos. "It means that the crew doesn't have to waste half a candle aiming the gun again."
One of the wheelwrights came forward. "Not even the Daemon Kalvan has these recoil beds!"
"I never saw anything like it before. Kyblannos, making you General of the Hos-Harphax Royal Artillery was one of my smartest decisions."
Kyblannos beamed. "Thank you, Captain-General."
"Where did you get the idea for these recoil carriages?"
Kyblannos paused to take his pipe out of a pocket in his apron and stick it in his mouth. "Back when I was younger and a camp follower, I was drafted into the Agrys City Traveling Dramaturgical Theatre Band as a prop artificer."
Phidestros laughed. "I don't know where you get these stories, but you have more of them than a one-eyed Trygathi troubadour!"
For a moment Kyblannos looked hurt, and took his pipe out of his mouth, sticking it back into his pocket.
"I'm sorry, old friend. Please, continue."
"I remembered we used to build drawbridges that, when lowered, flew back up again."
"Yes, like the counterweights on a portcullis."
"Exactly, so I used the idea of counterweights on the carriage bed, only with a cannon instead of a drawbridge."
"Ingenious, old friend. I swear by the Wargod's Beard, this recoil gun carriage looks like one of Kalvan's wonders. Now, how many of them can you build by spring?"
Kyblannos looked crestfallen. "I can have eighteen six- and eight-pounders on Kalvan-style carriages ready by spring, and maybe four more on these recoiling ones." He held his hands out. "For these new recoil carriages, there's not enough time. They take three times as long to build as the Kalvan, I mean, new-style carriages, and we're still working out the kinks in the rigging."
"I was afraid of that. Do your best. I'm going to need all the mobile guns you can build for me. The Usurper's got the edge on us there, but maybe we can show him a surprise or two."