Osprey New Vanguard 44 : Siege Weapons of the Far East (2) 960-1644 AD

This book overlaps and carries on from New Vanguard 43 : Siege Weapons of the Far East (1) 612-1300 AD, dealing with how the development of gunpowder weapons superseded the existing technologies of catapult, crossbow and Trebuchet. Increasingly, East Asian armies used exploding missiles and siege cannon to reduce the fortifications of their enemies. These ranged from heavy siege cannon such as those used during the siege of P'yongyang during the Japanese invasion of the late 16th century, a weapon that would have been similar to those used in contemporary Europe, to Korean hwach'a, carts mounting over a hundred rockets which were used to batter the Japanese at Haengju in 1593. This is a level of technology that would not become available in Europe until the 19th century in its infancy, and the Second World War before it was practical on the battlefield. This book also covers other aspects of siege machinery including assault vehicle and siege towers. Text by Stephen Turnbull with illustrations by Wayne Reynolds.

Contents

• Exploding Bombs and Rockets
• Siege Cannon and Mortar
• Assault Vehicles and Siege Towers