'During the Sengokujidai, the Japanese Samurai developed new armor and tactics more rapidly
than at any other time (Cleary 42). The most important factor in the development of tactics was
the introduction of firearms from Europe in 1542. Stephen Turnbull said in his book Samurai
Warfare, "The usual conclusion is to see the introduction of firearms as the cause, and the
change in warfare as the result." The Daimyo could no longer use the cavalry charge, which was
the most successful tactic until firearms. Because of the destructive nature of firearms, if a
Daimyo didn't get his hands on as many as possible, he would lose. However, most Daimyo didn't
like guns because they lessened the importance of honorable hand-to-hand fighting that had gone
on for centuries.
Firearms also brought about changes in the Samurai's armor, and even the recruitment of non
Samurai to fight in battle. Armor now had to be thicker and heavier for the upper class
Samurai; yet, even this was not enough. This extra cost, in money and life, was offset by the
Daimyo recruiting commoners to fight their battles. These commoners were called "ashigaru", or
light feet. Ashigaru, too, were against the Samurai idea of honor. Their widespread and
sometimes uncontrolled use contradicted much of the Samurai ideal of elite combat, but large
numbers had to be used by any successful leader (Turnbull Warfare 49). Thus began the
Sengokujidai, an age of war, greed, and treachery.'
Hmmmm... Pistols might have something to say about that plate armour though
Smauri actually preferred cavalry charges as much as Medieval Knights did, but while Europe was slow to adopt Pistolletes, Japan was much faster to see the advantage
