Allright. Semi-randomly assigning engineers myself... Rolling...
802 Report By the time the newyear rolled around, much more had changed in the base. Some new faces arrived, new designs where coming out of the workshop and being tested out in an joining field, and the visiting brass expressed hopes of an easy potential war with the monarchists.
The first design churned out this year, the Pattern 801 Light Revolving Cannon, was an unparalleled success. Firing the new (and also quite good) 10x60mm rifle cartage, the gun and its five barrels only weighs in at a total of 15 kilograms, costs about as much to produce as its larger cousin, the Pattern 793 Revolving Cannon, rarely fails to fire a round (and if it does, the round is ejected anyways), and feeds via a system that allows for potentially unlimited fire, as new rounds can be added at will.
However, there was also a second firearm designed this year, a lever-action revolving rifle entitled the Pattern 801 Revolving Rifle Mk1. Although not quite following the design specifications (inorder to allow for one feature it was decided that the round should be moved out of the cylinder into the breach before firing) the resulting rifle is quick to fire, removes cylinder gap (mostly by containing everything within a mostly sealed area), is easy to handle, and only costs slightly more than our current weapon. There are a few issues with the weapon (reloading can be a pain, ejecting fired rounds can take more time than putting the new ones and muck can get in thanks to its lever-action nature), but all in all it is well liked.
Two different forms of ammunition where developed this year, the 10x60mm centerfire rimmed rifle round, and the slightly odd 10x30mm smokeless "Special", which is a bullet that contains its own propellant. The former is perhaps the best rifle round currently in existence, as it hits like a horse, has a mostly flat trajectory, and is simple enough to produce, but the latter? The latter is something special. Despite the (comparatively) small amount of propellant and the fact that the single gun designed in any way to use it (the Pattern 801 Revolving Rifle Mk1) requires some significant modifications to use it the round is as good, if not slightly better, than most of this days pistol rounds, although the 12.5x30mm pistol cartridge still outmatches it slightly. However, by removing the need for the revolving rifle to eject the round, and the fact that it is slightly lighter than a standard rifle round the possibilities are worth considering. The cavalry in particular have expressed interest.
-Pattern 801 Light Revolving Cannon
A fire barreled, hopper fed, hand cranked weapon using the new 10x60mm rifle round. Weighs in at only 15kg, almost never fails to fire when it needs to, and well liked by its testing crews, who have worn out the two prototypes in gleeful abandon stresstesting it.
Costs 9.5pp each
-Pattern 801 Revolving Rifle Mk1
First thing to consiter is that there are two forms of this lever action rifle, that chambered for the 10x60mm rifle round and that chambered for the 10x30mm "Special". Both are lever action, weigh around 8lb, are about 46 inches long, and have a 10-round rotating magazine wherein the projectiles are held in place via clips and pushed into the gun by the lever action. In the 10x60mm version the fired round is pulled back into place after firing and is removed via a hinged port on the right side of the gun and is fed into the gun from 5-round chargers (inserted into the same space). In the 10x30mm version the gun is loaded almost exactly the same way (the chargers are different), though it does not need to extract rounds. provisions are, of course, made for mounting a bayonet.
Oh, out of the ten rifles made (five of each type) we only know what has happened to seven of them, all of which have, quite simply been shot to death. Infact, the (now idle again) factories have had their workers making up rounds just to keep up with the demand.
Costs .6pp each
-10x60mm centerfire cartage
A centerfire, smokeless, rimmed rifle cartridge used in the Pattern 801 LRC and the Pattern 801 RR Mk1. About as best as it can be for the time, though it is still a round-nosed round.
-10x30mm "Special" round
A caseless centerfire round used only in certain versions of the Pattern 801 RR Mk1 (notated with a "B" after its name), this round is surprisingly powerful for what is in effect a pistol round that has to carry its case with it. However, its light weight and surprisingly low cost excite many of the officers who have seen it shoot.
Five off-site factories producing ammunition (2x 10x60mm(black) cartridge, 1x 10x30mm(black) cartridge, 1x 37mm cannon)
One on-site factory complex with four production lines, each with 300pp worth of production
One on-site workshop, for designing new things
One on-site design studio
One harbor, mostly blocked by sediment and the scuttled hulk of a wooden sailing ship
Eight newbie engineers
Seven basic engineers
Two Basic Firearms Engineers
One Amazingly talented though still novice firearms engineer
In the confidential news this year we have received word that the Monarchist's Royal Design Core has started work once again. The leaders of our fair Republic are worried that they aim to go to war with us, and are in particularly worried about our fine nations naval forces. Or rather, the complete and utter lack thereof.