much of japan was involved with internecine wars during the sengoku period (1467-1603), as feudal lords vied for supremacy. matchlock guns were introduced midway through the period and saw extensive use in the later years of the conflict, playing a decisive role on the battlefield. in 1549, oda nobunaga ordered 500 guns to be produced for his armies at a time when the benefits of firearms over traditional weapons were still relatively questionable to other "daimyō". contemporary guns were still rather primitive, and cumbersome when compared to conventional ranged weaponry. according to one estimate, a 16th century japanese archer could loose 15 arrows in the time a gunner would take to load, charge, and fire a firearm once. the effective range for the tanegashima was only 80 to 100 metres at which distance a bullet could easily be deflected by armour. matchlock firearms were vulnerable to humid or rainy conditions as the powder would become damp. however, unlike the "yumi" bow a firearm could be operated effectively with far less training, allowing it to be wielded by conscripted farmers or other low-ranking infantry.