The Paternian Army wanted to know which was better: the 105mm Coil-Howitzer M305, which is already in service, or the Awwami QDSPA-306. They will be judged by four factors: firepower, accuracy, mobility, and range.

To the left is the 105mm Coil-Howitzer M305, and to the right is the QDSPA-306

FIREPOWER

This is the determination between rate of fire and hitting power of the individual shells.

The firepower of both weapons systems are comparable. The 105mm ammunition used on the M305 is less effective than the 120mm shell used on the QDSPA-306, but due to the layout, the M305 can attain a higher rate of fire, up to 8 shells a minute with a skilled crew, while the latter, employing bulkier 120mm ammunition and optimized for mobility than rate of fire, can fire at a rate of 6 rounds per minute. Both weapons can employ smaller-caliber ammunition with the proper adapters.

ACCURACY

This is determined by the deviation of the shot in meters at 100m.

The accuracy of the M305 system was undeniably superior. With a proper base plate and trail, the M305, when emplaced, can deliver incredible firepower upon a target. In addition, after the first shot, the M305's trail and base plate will dig into the ground underneath it, stabilizing the gun for further shots. The heavier mass of the weapon provides it superior recoil control, ensuring accuracy with subsequent rounds. In addition, it can adjust its aim more finely than having to move the entire gun.

The QDSPA-306's spade helped stabilize the gun somewhat, but was hampered by its asymmetrical placement. In addition, there was no means of traversing the main gun aside from shifting the entire emplacement. In addition, its shorter barrel prevents accurate fire at long range. This was expected, as the QDSPA-306 was designed for the delivery of close-range, highly-mobile firepower at a platoon level, where the M305 is designed for the delivery of accurate, long-range firepower at a brigade level.

MOBILITY

This is determined by the time an artillery piece needs move into position, emplace itself, pack up, and move out.

In this regard, the QDSPA-306 was undeniably superior, due to its integrated mobility package. It can either be remotely operated or driven by a human driver into position, emplaced through the use of the spade, and after firing, can retract said spade quickly and drive off to avoid counter-battery fire. In addition, it can be disassembled

The M305 requires a prime mover to move long distances, such as the M3 Prime Mover, M23 Prime Mover (a turretless M8 General Burns light tank), M5 Jeep, HMMWV, or M21 AMP-W. Although the M305 is designed to be able to be emplaced by a trained crew in 1 minute, this is far longer than simply driving into position.

RANGE

This is determined by the range the weapon can be effectively employed against a point target and the range the weapon can deliver munitions at.

The M305 has a longer accurate range but the QDSPA-306 has a longer maximum range. This is due to differences in caliber and barrel length: The M305's smaller caliber and longer barrel allows it to deliver shots at higher velocity, but the QDSPA-306's heavier shot mass means the shot can retain energy better at long ranges.

This is concurrent with the tactics associated with these weapons: the M305 is designed to provide sustained, accurate gunfire from fixed positions at long range to support defensive operations. Each brigade would have 3 batteries of six guns alongside 3 batteries of self-propelled artillery in order to support the other 3 logistics, single medical, single command, and 16 mechanized, armored, or infantry brigades, depending on the unit.

The QDSPA-306 is designed to either operate on a division level in 60 or more batteries of 8, and fire upon an area target in order to prepare for an assault, where the weapons would be distributed to the various platoons as a mobile fire support weapon as a substitute or supplement to other fire support elements such as tanks, indirect fire, and air support.

OVERVIEW

The M305 is the superior weapon when it comes to accurate, sustained fire at long ranges, while the QDSPA-306 is the superior weapon when it comes to delivering a large volume of fire at an area and moving to avoid counter-battery fire.