Tyranny of Steel

While the Austro-Granadan Forces continued to conduct peacekeeping operations throughout the now conquered Kingdom of Portugal, a new power had risen in the Iberian Peninsula. the Kingdom of Spain, led by King Felipe de Trastámara, was currently undergoing a massive transition. With financial support from the papacy, the fledgling Kingdom had invested heavily into the reverse engineering and improvement of firearms.

By sharing technology with the church, the two factions could complete construction of a series of new weapons that would make their armies closer to that of Austria ’s allies in terms of military technology. As a fanatical catholic, the King of Spain also received the leaked agricultural tech from his Papal overlord to fight back against the agricultural revolution occurring within the borders of his southern neighbor.

Currently, King Felipe was gazing at freshly trained force, risen as peasant levies. It had taken them a mere three weeks to become sufficient in using the new arms. These levies were equipped with a form of munitions plate armor, copied from the older Austrian designs that had been captured during their war for independence.

In their hands were the new matchlock muskets, complete with socket bayonets. The officer in charge of this platoon quickly issued orders to the soldiers beneath his command.

”Form ranks! Present Arms! Fire! ”

With these commands, the soldiers quickly formed two lines, as was inspired by older Austrian tactics, where the first row kneeled down, and the second row lowered their rifles above their heads. Once the order was given, they squeezed the lever that acted as a trigger, resulting in lit slow burning match dropping onto the pan which contained the powder.

Thus, igniting the mixture and propelling the small iron ball down range. A loud echo resounded in the air as the iron projectiles flew into the bodies of the Granadan merchants, who were falsely accused of seditious actions. Because of their nationality, they were accused of espionage, and sentenced to death by the King of Spain.