New Weapons And Formations Flashcards
The introduction of new weapons and formations had an impact in warfare
Tactics and strategy
When were the longbows introduced
In 1290
Three reasons why the mounted knight went in decline
The longbow
Pikes and schiltrons
Introduction of gunpowder
What made the longbow so over powered / good
15 arrows a minute could be fired , five times more than a crossbow.
Their increased power meant they could pierce through a knightks chainmail.
They had an effective range of 200 metres, twoce that of shorter bows and crossbows
Who were the schiltrons used by
The Scots under William Wallace
What were schiltrons and pikes
Tight formations of infantry gathered together in a circle or a square with pikes facing putwards towards the enemy
The schiltrons and pikes were a
Strong defensive formation.William Wallace used the schiltron to move the infantry forwards and backwards.
In the 13th Centrury the formula
For gunpowder arrived from China
Gunpowder was used to fire cannons and by 1450
The cannon was a standard siege weapon
Cannons affected the design
Of castles as old styles became increasingly vulnerable to cannon fire
What were the disadvantages / limitations of the cannon
They were heavy and expensive - to transport them involved complicated logistical planning.
Inaccurate - could only be used against big targets such as walls.
Short range - had to be close to their target, making them vulnerable to attack.
Unreliable - likely to blow up or fail to fire
Slow to reload
Trained personnel needed
Advantages and improvements of the cannon
Useful in destroying cities and castle walls, short sieges.
Improvements were made in range and aim with technology including trunnions ( rods to raise the height of a barrel )
Specialist cannons were developed that could launch cannonballs high over defensive walls or longer distances.
Metals was used for cannon balls and barrels rather than stone , which made cannons more effective and accurate .
Decline of mounted knights in the aemy due to kings paying
Mercenaries rather than relying on the nobility for their military power
