Arethas stood on a hilltop above his army. He had achieved much in his campaign to reconquer North Africa for the Byzantine Empire throughout the last year. With the overwhelming support the Empire's forces had received from Austria in the form of material aid, the Byzantine soldiers were now a significant force, armed in the era of pike shot.
The Falconet cannons proved exceptionally effective against the enemy fortifications. However, it took longer to bring down a castle wall with the 1 pound cannonballs compared to the 12 lb explosive shells that Berengar utilized. If repeatedly fired at a concentrated area, it was still enough to bring down a wall far quicker than the traditional methods available.
