The chariot was the first true fighting vehicle. Ancient armies used it to transport archers and other troops to the battlefield, where they would disembark and fight. The Assyrians, whose archers and spearmen fought from inside the chariot itself, turned the vehicle into a fearsome offensive weapon. Few enemies were able to withstand an onslaught of Assyrian chariots. This devastating form of attack was soon adopted by many of the Assyrians' enemies, who used the chariot against them with good effect.