Known as ‘the smasher’, the carronade was a short, lightweight gun that fired comparatively heavy shot at close range. It was introduced into the Navy in 1779 and was used with great success during the French Wars. At sea, carronades were mounted on wooden truck carriages. The heaviest shot fired was 68 pounds but 12- and 24-pounder carronades were more common in naval vessels. The great advantage of the gun was that it required a smaller crew than the heavy ‘long’ guns of traditional pattern.