War without fire is like sausages without mustard. King Edward IIВ of England pursued one raiding party in 1327 by following the lights of burning villages. It was a strategy put to good use by theВ ScotsВ during theВ Wars of Independence they repeatedly launched raids into northern England, burning much of the countryside until the whole region was transformed. ДЇire was the easiest way of harrying and destroying territories, and could be done easily and quickly by small forces. Centuries later, theВ ByzantinesВ recommended this strategy, even though they had developed siege technology. Until the 5th century BC, theВ GreeksВ had little expertise inВ siege warfareВ and relied on a strategy of devastation to draw the enemy out they destroyed crops, trees and houses. The destruction of enemy possessions and territory was a fundamental strategy of war, serving the dual purpose of punishment and deprivation of resources. Image via Wikimedia CommonsД«ehold from your walls the lands laid waste with fire and sword, booty driven off, the houses set on fire in every direction and smoking. The forces of Vlad the Impaler were associated with torches, particularly outside TГўrgoviЕџte. Development of the early weapons has continued ever since. Towards the latter part of the period,В gunpowderВ was invented, which increased the sophistication of the weapons, starting withВ fire lances, which led to the eventual development of theВ cannonВ and otherВ firearms. Some siege techniques-such asВ miningВ and boring-relied on combustibles and fire to complete the collapse of walls and structures. Large tracts of land, towns and villages were frequently ignited as part of aВ scorched earthВ strategy. Substances such asВ quicklimeВ andВ sulfurВ could be toxic and blinding.ДЇire and incendiary weapons were also used against enemy structures and territory, sometimes on a massive scale. Smoke was used to confuse or drive off attackers. OtherВ anti-personnel weaponsВ included the use of hotВ pitch, oil,В resin, animal fat and other similar compounds. The simplest and most common thermal projectiles were boiling water and hot sand, which could be poured over attacking personnel. Sulfur- and oil-soaked materials were sometimes ignited and thrown at the enemy, or attached to spears, arrow andВ boltsВ and fired by hand or machine. Incendiary mixtures, such as the petroleum-basedВ Greek fire, could be launched by throwing machines or administered through aВ siphon. These weapons or devices could be used byВ individuals, thrown byВ siege engines, or utilised as armyВ strategy. Incendiary devicesВ were frequently used as projectiles during warfare, particularly duringВ siegesВ andВ naval battles: some substances were boiled or heated to inflict damage byВ scaldingВ or burning other substances relied on theirВ chemical propertiesВ to inflict burns or damage. Image via Wikimedia CommonsДЇire was the easiest way of harrying and destroying territories, and could be done easily and quickly by small forces.Д®arly thermal weaponsВ were used inВ warfareВ during theВ classicalВ andВ medievalВ periods (approx 8th century BC until the mid-16th century AD) using heat or burning action to destroy or damage enemy personnel, fortifications or territories. 70, byВ David RobertsВ (1850), shows the city burning. The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Under the Command of Titus, A.D.

Medieval 2 fire arrows