Page 33 - Martial Science Magazine Feb/2015 #7

When the Portuguese arrived in Japan, recalling at
the island of Tanegashima, they arrived in a country
divided and at war. In 1542, following a shipwreck
on the Portuguese island of Tanigashima some fuse
guns were obtained by the japanese. Realizing the
military value of the weapons, Portuguese traders
were asked to bring more guns, beginning the import
of these weapons.

The muskets were baptized in Japan Tanegashima musket is a slightly mo-
as “Tanegashima” as the name of the dified model from the erupean one, ie,
island, and quickly spread into Japan, a muzzleloader in which gunpowder
with a great demand from the feudal was introduced, the bullet (spherical)
lords. With this weapon, the Portugue- and any element that prevented all this
se were well received in Japan. Howe- jumping off the muzzle. To pull the tri-
ver, some samurai such us Nobuna- gger to lower the ignition system this
ga Oda as were concerned about the was a wick. This fell into a cup he had
complex process of loading and firing communicated with gunpowder and
the gun, besides the little effect of the the bullet inside where the explosion
projectiles in the armours. Besides, the and subsequent shooting occurred.
weather was very humid in Japan com-
pared to the European climate, so the Soon the Japanese began to develop
original fuses that were used to shoot and create their own models of Tane-
were always wet and were unusable. gashima, to solve two major problems.
Finally they had to adapt these we-
apons to a new kind of war that they
might offer a tactical advantage.

The Shinobi are going to be also experts making fires and arsonists, knowing
exactly how to create a fire doing a lot of damage to the nemy forces,
using animals such as horses or birds to spread fires, and create
chaos and confusion in their enemies.

FEBRUARY/2015 33