Perchance did this fisherman have a grizzled appearance, possibly white stubble around his heavily scarred face, and maybe a parrot of some description.
Note: For the Dragon Tank, the instruction booklet was nearby. This implies that the Dragon Tank was new, and possibly an import (though to be fair, organizations do create inscrution books for their own use). While mechanically interesting, it would still be primarily an anti-infantry weapon. A few good cannons and crews on the opposing line should be able to mash it flat with some well placed shots. Additionally, something as simple-seeming as a rifle actually indicates a high level of technology, possibly higher than the dragon tank itself. For one, there has to be industrialization and standardization (often terms as replaceable parts). Rifling in turn is a fundamentally different conception of how the barrel of a gun is formed (technically, all guns today including rifling, to my knowledge). Puts a nice little spin on bullets for stability (which in turn also increases range). Then there is the Minie ball itself (aka, bullet), which is designed to expand when fired, forming relatively tight seal around the barrel, allowing for the exposition to provide greater thrust. Three very small improvements in technology that, when combined, can allow a rifle to be fired accurately at targets around a mile away.
Of course... the dragon tank had lasers and flamethrowers.