The apparition of the first British tanks in 1916 demonstrated both the power of this new weapon and its vulnerability to the fieldguns explosive shells in direct hit. This event created a new need of infantry guns of the same calibre than the fieldguns but easier to bring close to the first lines in order to fight the tanks efficiently.

This is how the German War Ministry ordered in the end of 1916 to deviate some 7.7cm FK 96 n/A firldguns components for the manufacturing of new guns specifically designed for this mission. The new gun was named '7.7 cm InfanterieGeschütze L/27 Krupp' ('Infantry gun'), sometimes more simply named Nahkampfgeschütze ('Close support gun'), this name being later adopted for a 7.7cm L/12 Skoda gun from 1917. It equipped more than 18 batteries. Numerous other developments were launched between 1915 and 1918 for the creation of infantry guns, either through new designs from the weapon industry, or by use or conversion of of mountain guns.

This close support 7.7 cm InfanterieGeschütze L/27 Krupp gun used the components of the standard German fieldgun 7.7cm FK96 n/A, in a configuration allowing to lower its profile and lighten its initial 925 kg weight to 845 kg. These changes included :

• smaller diameter wheels (1 m) and a wheel to wheel distance narrowed 30 cm
• wheels axle shifted 30cm to the rear without the usual seats, needing the use of couterweights
• un bouclier plus étroit et conçu pour être démonté aisément
• a new system for an easier gun tube dismounting
• a gun tube shortened some cm...

Main characteristics :

• Weight in firing position : 845 kg
• Calibre : 77 mm
• Tube length : 27 calibres
• Projectile weight : 7.2 / 5.89 kg
• Number of grooves : 32
• Initial velocity : 435 m/s
• Maximum range : 8300 m
• Elevation range : +12 degrees
• Direction range : 6 degrees total range