Why does Si Sheppard say guns mattered less than steel and horses in the Spanish conquest?

Si Sheppard argues that early firearms reloaded too slowly to be decisive once native fighters got over the shock. Steel counted for more: Toledo sword blades used for thrusting, and steel helmets and armour that blunted wood, stone and obsidian weapons. He calls the horse the most vital asset, because the Americas had no horses and loose native formations had no pike drill to stop a cavalry charge, while horses also let the Spanish retreat faster than pursuers.

• Sheppard says the Aztecs' only domestic animals were the turkey and the chihuahua, while the Inca had llamas as pack animals.
• Conquistadors also brought armoured war mastiffs trained to attack people.
• Later in the campaigns many Spaniards swapped metal armour for local cotton armour but kept their helmets.

▸In their words

“Guns in reality weren't so significant.” Si Sheppard · at 6:23 — open in the transcript →

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Dwarkesh Podcast (2026-10-01). Read the whole episode summary →

▸More from this episode