In WWI the British used burning timers, which are quite inaccurate due to variable burn rates vs pressure and chemical composition. The Germans had mechanical t

In WWI the British used burning timers, which are quite inaccurate due to variable burn rates vs pressure and chemical composition. The Germans had mechanical timers. The battery command post would do the calculations from gun tables, tell the battery the fuse setting (twisting something in the fuse (nose) of the round), then observers would report back and it would be adjusted. In late WWII the UK invented RF proximity fuses, first for AA then for surface. Nowadays the guns talk to the shells, the shells run self tests, etc. They will be self aware before too long, a la Darkstar: https://youtu.be/qjGRySVyTDk https://youtu.be/qjGRySVyTDk