The Rapid Fire Cannon is usually the first unit to be unlocked in the Progressive Era. One Rapid Fire Cannon can also be acquired from the quest 08/15, on a fighting path.
Compared to the Breech Loader of the previous age, the Rapid Fire Cannon gains 5 attack, 3 defense and 2 movement points. Bonuses on hills are increased from 9 to 12 and it has strong bonuses against heavy and fast units. It also keeps the special ability Dug-In, so the Rapid Fire Cannon receives a defense bonus of 26 when the attacker is more than 2 hexes away.
Usage[]
Due to the 1.5:1 battlefield scaling in the Progressive Era, the Rapid Fire Cannon is significantly more advantageous in terms of its range against Industrial Age and Colonial Age units, as although the Field Gun and Breech Loader had the same range of 15, much of it was negated by the relatively small battlefield size.
However, as with previous artillery units, they still have a bad disadvantage of low base attack and defense, so the Rapid Fire Cannon does become significantly weaker when fighting against same age units in high attrition.
Against Same Age Units[]
Tank[]
The Rapid Fire Cannon counters the Tank very effectively: with its superior range of 15, along with a bonus attack and defense of 25 against the tank, the Rapid Fire Cannon will dominate these encounters. Furthermore, the great defensive bonuses from Dug In and heavy unit bonuses the Rapid Fire Cannon has means that they take little damage from the Tank. However, due to the Rapid Fire Cannon's low base stats, they are significantly weaker when fighting Tanks with high boosts, and the Rapid Fire Cannon will be unable to deal much damage to the Tank.
Sniper[]
The Rapid Fire Cannon is rather weak against the Sniper. Neither unit has bonuses against each other, and both units have long range. The Sniper's marginally higher attack and much greater Dug In and terrain defense bonuses prove the Sniper much stronger when fighting the Rapid Fire Cannon.
Armored Car/Champion[]
The Rapid Fire Cannon is somewhat strong against the Armored Car/Champion due to its bonus of 25 while attacking or defending. However, due to the high movement and decent range of the Armored Car/Champion, the Rapid Fire Cannon will not be as dominant as against the Tank, and may become very weak against the Armored Car/Champion if they have strong boosts, especially as the Armored Car has very good attack and movement. The Tank is generally a much better choice when fighting the Armored Car.
Conscript[]
The Conscript's bonuses against artillery makes the Rapid Fire Cannon very weak against them. However, due to the long range of the Rapid Fire Cannon, and the only modest movement and range of the Conscript, the Conscript is not an immediate threat to the Rapid Fire Cannon, and can still be eliminated by other units before they prove a threat, though the Rapid Fire Cannon is generally weak against the Conscript especially if they are attacked.
Image[]
Rapid Fire Cannon in battle
Other Military Units[]
Legend: 
= Light Unit Class 
= Ranged Unit Class 
= Artillery Unit Class 
= Heavy Unit Class 
= Fast Unit Class