What advantages would gunpowder weaponry give to those who used it over those who did not in the early modern era ?
1 Answer
Slings, bows, and crossbows are deadly weapons, but require considerable practice and skill. Gunpowder weapons are much easier to use.
Explanation:
Mankind has used missile weapons for hunting and warfare probably since the Paleolithic (the old Stone Age). The bow, and the atlatl, came along in the Mesolithic (40,000 years or so ago), while the crossbow (and related siege weapons) date to the late Bronze Age. All of these weapons require constant practice to become proficient.
English Longbowmen, for example, needed to eat very well and there were many laws passed in Medieval England urging them to continue to practice. It is a debatable point, but there might have been no deadlier archers in history, but once reliable matchlock firearms came along, England abandoned the longbow in a generation.
The sling, the bow, and the crossbow all depend upon muscle-power, and specialists with these weapons also need to stay healthy, and in good shape on a campaign. However, gunpowder relies on chemical energy, and anyone can become proficient with matchlock gun in a few days of training.
Moreover, on a long military campaign, crowds of men, poor-sanitation, and shortages of rations frequently combined to leave entire armies weakened due to a combination of hunger and various diseases. A bowman isn't going to be very effective if he hasn't eaten in several days, and is dropping his pants every few minutes because of dysentery. By contrast, a man with a gunpowder weapon is still going able to load, and fire his weapon under the same conditions.
