A late Medieval/early Renaissance mounted knight was a close equivalent of a modern tank in terms of impact in the field. Until the Swiss hedgehog formations, infantry could do little to stop them. Then came the arquebus and the larger caliber musket. In terms of impact on warfare, it could be compared to an RPG — a weapon that’s heavy, slow, and inaccurate, but still man-portable and capable of defeating a fast, heavily armored foe under the right conditions. The same firearm that changed the battlefield also gave a far greater voice to the civilians in the political balance. A housewife or a shopkeeper got a reasonable chance of taking down gentry.
In addition to competency with arms, it’s important to stop and smell the flowers.
