Bulgarian siege gun during the siege of Adrianople

Siege artillery (also siege guns or siege cannons) are heavy guns designed to bombard fortifications, cities, and other fixed targets. They are distinct from field artillery and are a class of siege weapon capable of firing heavy cannonballs or shells that required enormous transport and logistical support to operate. They lacked mobility and thus were rarely useful in more mobile warfare situations, generally having been superseded by heavy howitzers (towed and self-propelled artillery), strategic bomber aircraft, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and multiple rocket launchers in modern warfare.

Muzzle-loading artillery

Caliber (mm)Weapon nameCountry of originDesign
1144.5-inch siege rifleUnited States1862
121Canon lourd de 12 GribeauvalKingdom of France1775
134Canon de 16 GribeauvalKingdom of France1775
14824-pdr M1839 rifleUnited States1839
153Canon de 24 GribeauvalKingdom of France1775
16332-pdr M1829 rifleUnited States1829
17842-pdr M1841 rifleUnited States1841
200KartouweDutch Republic16th century
230Abus GunOttoman Empire16th century
650Dardanelles GunOttoman Empire1464
660Dulle GrietHoly Roman EmpireFirst half of 15th century
735Faule MetteHoly Roman Empire1411
820Pumhart von SteyrAustrian EmpireEarly 15th century
890Tsar CannonRussian Empire Tsardom of Russia1586

Breech-loading artillery

Caliber (mm)Weapon nameCountry of originDesign
889 cm Kanone C/79German Empire1879– World War I
10742-line siege gun M1877Russian EmpireRusso-Japanese War
12012-cm Kanone M 80Austria-HungaryWorld War I
120Canon de 120 mm modèle 1878FranceWorld War I, World War II
12012 cm Kanone C/80German EmpireWorld War I
120Obusier de 120 mm modèle 1890FranceWorld War I
149.115 cm Kanone M 80Austria-HungaryWorld War I
149.115 cm Ring Kanone C/72German EmpireWorld War I
149.115 cm Ring Kanone C/92German EmpireWorld War I
149.115 cm Ring Kanone L/30German EmpireWorld War I
149.1Type 96 15 cm cannonJapanWorld War II
149.715 cm Mörser M1881German EmpireWorld War I
150Obusier de 15 cm TR Schneider-Canet-du-BocagePortugal / FranceWorld War I
152.46 inch siege gun M1877Russian EmpireWorld War I
152.5BLC 6 inch siege gunUnited Kingdom1902–1915
152.46 inch siege gun M1904Russian EmpireWorld War I
152.4152 mm siege gun M1910Russian EmpireWorld War I
152.4Cannone da 152/45Kingdom of ItalyWorld War I, World War II
155De Bange 155 mm cannonFranceWorld War I
155Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1881FranceWorld War I
155Obusier de 155 mm C modèle 1890FranceWorld War I
18018 cm kurze Kanone M 80Austria-HungaryWorld War I
2038-inch mortar M1877Russian EmpireWorld War I
20921 cm Mörser M1880German EmpireWorld War I
20921 cm Haubitze M1891German EmpireWorld War I
210210 mm M1894BelgiumWorld War I
210210 mm gun M1939 (Br-17)Soviet UnionWorld War II
210Mortaio da 210/8 D.S.Kingdom of ItalyWorld War I, World War II
210Mortaio da 210/9 modello 1914Kingdom of ItalyWorld War I
210Paris GunGerman EmpireWorld War I
220Mortier de 220 mm modèle 1880FranceWorld War I
220Skoda 220 mm howitzerCzechoslovakiaWorld War II
2299-inch mortar M1877Russian EmpireWorld War I
233BL 9.2 inch HowitzerUnited KingdomWorld War I
24024 cm Mörser M 98Austria-Hungarypre-World War I
24024 cm Haubitze 39CzechoslovakiaWorld War II
240Canon de 24 C modèle 1876FranceWorld War I
240Canon de 240 L Mle 1884FranceWorld War I, World War II
240Canon de 240 TR Mle 1903FranceWorld War I, World War II
24024 cm Kanone M. 16Austria-HungaryWorld War I, World War II
24024 cm Kanone 3Nazi GermanyWorld War II
240Type 45 240 mm howitzerJapanWorld War II
240Type 96 24 cm howitzerJapanWorld War II
260Mortaio da 260/9 Modello 16Kingdom of ItalyWorld War I, World War II
270Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1885FranceWorld War I
270Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889FranceWorld War I, World War II
280Obice da 280Kingdom of ItalyWorld War I, World War II
280Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider sur affût-chenilles St ChamondFranceWorld War II
28028 cm howitzer L/10JapanRusso-Japanese War / World War I, World War II
28011-inch mortar M1877Russian EmpireWorld War I
28011-inch gun M1877Russian EmpireWorld War I
28328 cm Haubitze L/12German EmpireWorld War I, World War II
28328 cm Haubitze L/14 i.R.German EmpireWorld War I
293Mortier de 293 Danois sur affut-truck modèle 1914FranceWorld War I, World War II
305BL 12 inch HowitzerUnited KingdomWorld War I
305Type 7 30 cm HowitzerJapanWorld War II
305Obice da 305/17Kingdom of ItalyWorld War I
305305 mm howitzer M1915Russian EmpireWorld War I
305305 mm howitzer M1939 (Br-18)Soviet UnionWorld War II
30530.5 cm M. 11 (Škoda)Austria-HungaryWorld War I
30530.5 cm M. 16 (Škoda)Austria-HungaryWorld War I, World War II
35535.5 cm Haubitze M1Nazi GermanyWorld War II
370Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 FillouxFranceWorld War I, World War II
38038 cm Belagerungshaubitze M 16Austria-HungaryWorld War I
381BL 15 inch HowitzerUnited KingdomWorld War I
42042 cm Gamma MörserGerman EmpireWorld War I, World War II
420Big BerthaGerman EmpireWorld War I
42042 cm Haubitze M. 14/16Austria-HungaryWorld War I, World War II
540Karl-Gerät 041Nazi GermanyWorld War II
600Karl-Gerät 040Nazi GermanyWorld War II
800Schwerer GustavNazi GermanyWorld War II

See also