The artillery train would slow an invasion landing

The Armada's cannon reveal as much about the intended land campaign as about firepower at sea. The amount of artillery supports the argument that Parma's whole army was not expected to sail, since the plan would otherwise duplicate much of its heavy equipment. Whatever the final troop total, unloading guns, ammunition, men, and stores would have taken time and complicated movement inland. That delay would let William Cecil, Francis Walsingham, and regional commanders funnel English forces toward the landing area. Reaching the coast was only the beginning of the invasion problem.