Increasingly from the 11th century AD, 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 sige 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 wihich were used to batter the Japanese at Haengiu 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 details the design and use of the wide range of weaponry available.

Illustrated by: Wayne Reynolds