The Genoese Crossbowmen far outnumbered the guards on the walls. And since Rufus's sudden move had drawn the guards' attention, they were a step slower to react than the crossbowmen below.
The first volley from the Genoese Crossbowmen wounded over a dozen guards, dealing a blow to their morale. Seeing their comrades fall, some of the guards couldn't contain their fear and began to back away. While most still held their posts, it didn't change the fact that they were on the defensive.
Many of the guards had little experience with crossbows, their skill far inferior to that of the Genoese Crossbowmen below.
Meanwhile, the Genoese Crossbowmen and the shield-wielding Flemish Spear Soldiers below had drilled together, and their coordination was superb. Whenever a Genoese Crossbowman stopped to reload, a Flemish Spear Soldier would quickly move to protect him with a shield.
