PullerRommel
New Member
I read in a book were a group in Iraq that was doing special ops type training while chanting "al Quds" (Iranian Special Forces) and they said they had shot Strings across a bridge with a crossbow to cross on.
Why archery still exists?
- Thread starter qwerty223
- Start date
As I understand it, the use of the longbow - and its competitors - had far more to do with numbers than outright accuracy. Hence the longbow had a similar advantage over the crossbow, that the machine-gun over the turnbolt rifle. Bowmen were deployed en-masse , in order to harrass, degrade and break up enemy formations prior to contact between the main army fronts. This is why the ability to get numbers of arrows in the air with enough accuracy , took precedence over outright accuracy.
While there is little doubt that the English bowmen were amongst the most skilled soldiers of their day - and that they were not constrained in battle by the ethical considerations that are important to a modern hunter - the bow is not a weapon that fits easily into the niche reserved for precise and accurate weaponry.
On another note,,, one of our state police forces (Victoria) took one of their newly issued ballistic vests to the local archery club for testing. Let us say that they were not pleased with the results.
Peter
While there is little doubt that the English bowmen were amongst the most skilled soldiers of their day - and that they were not constrained in battle by the ethical considerations that are important to a modern hunter - the bow is not a weapon that fits easily into the niche reserved for precise and accurate weaponry.
On another note,,, one of our state police forces (Victoria) took one of their newly issued ballistic vests to the local archery club for testing. Let us say that they were not pleased with the results.
Peter
Another use would be silently hunting game (or domestic lifestock), and killing enemy service/guard dogs while behind enemy lines- without expanding ammo.
The Chinese have very long history of using crossbows!
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChSvdwOh61E[/ame]
The Chinese have very long history of using crossbows!
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChSvdwOh61E[/ame]
SuperSLime
New Member
Arrow penetration
A 50lb longbow with fairly light arrows is capable of penetrating a car door or military soft body armour quite easily. I shudder to think what the 180lb monster they found on the Mary Rose, shooting 4oz bodkin-tipped arrows, would do.On another note,,, one of our state police forces (Victoria) took one of their newly issued ballistic vests to the local archery club for testing. Let us say that they were not pleased with the results.
SuperSLime
New Member
That crossbow...
I had a quick look for that bow. It's a Horton Legend XT175, with a 175lb draw weight. It's roughly equivalent to a 50lb longbow in terms of power and would effectively penetrate soft body armour out to perhaps 50m. It's also reasonably cheap at about €500 and was, indeed, mass produced - apparently it was at one point the world's best-selling crossbow.
It would also be quite capable of launching light lines, to allow ropes to be hauled up to bridges etc. The arrows in that picture, however, are standard, lightweight target arrows. These have poor penetration and limited wounding effect. Heavy quarrels with broadheads would be needed for hunting or military use.
I had a quick look for that bow. It's a Horton Legend XT175, with a 175lb draw weight. It's roughly equivalent to a 50lb longbow in terms of power and would effectively penetrate soft body armour out to perhaps 50m. It's also reasonably cheap at about €500 and was, indeed, mass produced - apparently it was at one point the world's best-selling crossbow.
It would also be quite capable of launching light lines, to allow ropes to be hauled up to bridges etc. The arrows in that picture, however, are standard, lightweight target arrows. These have poor penetration and limited wounding effect. Heavy quarrels with broadheads would be needed for hunting or military use.