Field of Glory: Kingdoms - Burghers and Bombards | The New Art of War

[p]From the moment a realm gains access to its first gunpowder units, the military landscape begins to[/p][p]change irreversibly.[/p][p][/p][p]This transition usually occurs when an army list reaches Tier IV, typically between 1350 and 1400[/p][p]depending on the nation. More advanced realms may reach this point earlier if they have accumulated[/p][p]sufficient military expertise and maintain a well-educated capital. Gunpowder is not simply unlocked; it is[/p][p]earned through long-term investment in institutions, skills, and infrastructure.[/p][p]With the emergence of handgunners, culverins, and bombards, no fewer than fifteen new military[/p][p]buildings become available. Some focus on organizing and sustaining gunpowder production, others on[/p][p]adapting fortifications to this new threat, and several serve as intermediate steps that reflect the slow and[/p][p]costly transformation of medieval warfare.[/p][p][/p][p]Gunpowder on the Battlefield[/p][p][/p][p]Culverins represent the first truly versatile field artillery. They perform well in siege attack and are[/p][p]particularly effective in siege defense, while also providing solid ranged fire support on the battlefield.[/p][p]Bombards are more expensive and cumbersome, but devastating. They excel in both offensive and[/p][p]defensive sieges and are slightly stronger in open battle, though their true purpose lies in reducing walls[/p][p]rather than formations.[/p][p][/p][p]Handgunners come in several variants depending on culture and army list. On the battlefield they remain[/p][p]fragile, yet potentially devastating. When properly supported, their firepower can decisively weaken[/p][p]enemy formations before contact. Their use marks a shift toward coordinated fire and combined arms,[/p][p]moving away from purely shock-based tactics.[/p][p][/p][p]Naval warfare is also transformed. Cannon-armed galleys and roundships appear, introducing artillery[/p][p]duels at sea and enabling devastating naval blockades against nations that lose naval superiority.[/p][p]Gunpowder weapons remain temperamental. Rain, humidity, and harsh weather conditions can[/p][p]significantly reduce their effectiveness, especially in difficult terrain. Firearms are powerful but unreliable,[/p][p]and commanders who depend on them without preparation may be disappointed.[/p][p][/p][p]Handgunners are a ranged unit that will greatly weaken the enemy line. They do, however, require the possession of several specific buildings[/p][p][/p][p]Producing the Powder[/p][p][/p][p]Gunpowder warfare requires dedicated infrastructure. It cannot be sustained through improvised means.[/p][p]From a design perspective, this is represented by a full three-building production chain that relies directly[/p][p]on the game trade system, allowing for a relatively fine-grained simulation of supply and constraints.[/p][p][/p][p]The first step is the establishment of saltpeter works, facilities devoted to extracting and refining natural[/p][p]nitrates from earth, waste, and decomposed matter. While essential for warfare, these installations also[/p][p]bring secondary agricultural benefits thanks to their nitrate-rich residues.[/p][p][/p][p]Gunpowder workshops follow. These semi-artisanal facilities are where saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur are[/p][p]milled and mixed into usable powder. Production remains slow, hazardous, and far from standardized.[/p][p]Units recruited in regions lacking such workshops suffer penalties, reflecting poor drilling and unreliable[/p][p]powder quality.[/p][p][/p][p]Artillery foundries are required to cast bombards. These specialized yards produce standardized cannon[/p][p]pieces in bronze or iron under royal or civic supervision. Recruiting heavy artillery without the proper[/p][p]industrial chain again results in penalties, reinforcing the idea that gunpowder warfare depends as much[/p][p]on logistics and organization as on battlefield skill.[/p][p][/p][p]An increasingly rationalized and substantial steel production will be required to build your bombards and culverins[/p][p][/p][p]Castles Under Fire[/p][p][/p][p]The rise of artillery signals the decline of traditional vertical fortifications.[/p][p]Gunpowder artillery gains massive bonuses against all classical medieval castles. A bombard, for[/p][p]example, is worth more than two and a half trebuchets against a non-adapted fortress, even a high-tier[/p][p]concentric castle. Against an artillery-adapted stronghold, its effectiveness drops sharply, falling below[/p][p]that of a trebuchet.[/p][p][/p][p]This forces rulers to make difficult choices.[/p][p][/p][p]Three new permanent fortifications become available: the Bastioned Castle, the Artillery-Adapted Castle,[/p][p]and the Sloped-Wall Castle. All are costly and demanding, and they compete directly with late-tier[/p][p]classical castles. Modernization is never automatic. It requires a careful assessment of future threats,[/p][p]neighboring powers, and likely conflicts. Investing too early may cripple an economy, while delaying the[/p][p]transition can prove disastrous.[/p][p][/p][p]The ultimate stage of late medieval adaptation to gunpowder artillery, the sloped-wall castle will effectively resist bombards[/p][p][/p][p]Building Stone by Stone[/p][p][/p][p]To reach these new fortresses, players must progress through nine new temporary fortifications using[/p][p]Kingdoms' modular fortification system.[/p][p][/p][p]Temporary fortifications generate fortification points (and often a mini-event). Once enough points are[/p][p]accumulated, a permanent castle upgrade becomes available. Instead of repeating the same structure,[/p][p]each step offers different temporary options, creating the feeling of constructing a fortress literally stone[/p][p]by stone.[/p][p][/p][p]This system was initially seen as risky due to its complexity, yet it has been widely adopted by the[/p][p]community. It avoids a common strategy-game pitfall where vast resources are invested for many turns[/p][p]with no visible result, only for a castle to appear fully formed at the end.[/p][p][/p][p]New temporary fortifications such as Casemated Chambers, Thickened Gun Platforms, and Flanking[/p][p]Ravelins add both mechanical depth and flavor. Many trigger custom events or situational bonuses, and[/p][p]some even grant access to gunpowder units, allowing players to experiment with these new tools before[/p][p]committing fully to them.[/p][p][/p][p]French artillery support fire against Holy Roman Empire troops[/p][p][/p][p]A Broader Military Shift[/p][p][/p][p]Gunpowder does not exist in isolation. Six new general military buildings reflect the wider transformation[/p][p]of warfare.[/p][p][/p][p]A few examples include royal harness workshops, which improve heavy cavalry equipment immediately[/p][p]upon recruitment, and wagon train depots, which enhance logistical efficiency across the realm by[/p][p]improving the conversion of food into supply and making sustained campaigns more viable.[/p][p][/p][p]Together, these buildings reinforce a central idea: late medieval warfare is no longer defined solely by[/p][p]levies and feudal obligations. It becomes professional, industrial, and increasingly dependent on planning[/p][p]rather than tradition. Players should also expect to rely more on standing armies and less on levies. This[/p][p]demands a stronger economy, but those familiar with the previous dev diary on advanced economy and[/p][p]burghers already know how to prepare for it.[/p][p][/p][p]Gunpowder marks the beginning of this transition. Not as a clean break, but as a long, costly, and often[/p][p]uncertain evolution that reshapes both castles and armies, and ultimately pushes the medieval world[/p][p]toward a new art of war.[/p][p][/p][p]Wishlist now:[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]