Arquebusier

The Renaissance Arquebusier carried the matchlock arquebus — a weapon that transformed warfare more profoundly than almost any invention before gunpowder. The matchlock mechanism held a smoldering slow-match that swung down into the priming pan on pulling the trigger, giving the shooter both hands free to aim. Far more reliable and longer-ranged than the hand cannon, the arquebus allowed infantry to kill armored knights at distances no crossbow could match economically. Spanish and German armies paired arquebusiers with pike blocks in the famous Tercio formation, creating a combined-arms fighting force that dominated Europe for over a century. In battle he excels at mid-range fire support. Vulnerable in melee and slow to reload, he relies on adjacent pikemen for protection against cavalry charges.