Low Tech cannons mortars and shells

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Polydamas

I think it depends on which fragments: my understanding is that as others have said, simple cast-iron shells tend to produce a few big fragments which can slice things off, whereas balls from a Napoleonic shrapnel round or splinters from a modern shell are more bullet-like or arrow-like.

Shrapnel does piercing, as it happens.