Was archery abandoned too soon?

archaeogeek

Banned
Of course, if the compound bow was invented earlier, things would change considerably.

Your firearm is still much more powerful in terms of kinetic energy provided (especially a cannon or a howitzer; when muskets replaced crossbows and bows in the middle east, the horse archer empires fell apart). Compound bows require advanced techniques and using them at war by the 18th century would be the equivalent of trying to replace diesel propulsion with super-steam-engines.

Also the composite bow is about 4000 years old, how much older can you get before hitting a point where the infrastructure to make even that (let alone a modern compound bow) is just not there :p
 
Of course, if the compound bow was invented earlier, things would change considerably.
Well duh. Having a compound bow would mean that they'd have complex composite plastics and allows and the capability to produce them and assemble them with replaceable parts, even if it doesn't necessarily negate the inherent disadvantages of using a bow. :p

I really would like to see a 150 lb compound bow though. That sounds awesome in and of itself.
 
well having taken part in a few WoR reenactments at Bosworth and Tewks (etc) I've taken hits in my time. For H&S reasons battles limit the draw weights to 40lbs and I can tell you that they still hurt! -Oh we use combat blunts -these are arrows with long flights, heads are either red or black rubber blunt tips. On imact to the ground they still manage to go in several inches. When I've used my naughty bow -never against people honest guv'nor...(ahem) it shoots further and sticks the same. As for being hit well, had a hit on my hand from 50 metres, opposing archers shooting at 45 degrees, result was very bad bruising and a ganglion for a year. Flat shoots are occassionally used but only against full plate. There certainly is a psychological effect when you're in amongst it and you hear the cry 'Ware Arrows'....

Crossbows are also used at events but under supervision and only at 45 degrees-have a look at http://www.arbalistarmoury.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_4&products_id=5 nice bows.
 
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