Bows

Since military history is my job, I try to stay out of discussions like
"armor piercing" bows and such on the list because I become pedantic and
(usually:)) annoyed.  However, if anyone has their interest piqued, here's
some good scholarly resources on the subject of archery:

Roberty Hardy, _Longbow_ (Sparkford, 1995 edition)

Edmund Burke _History of Archery_ (1958 edition)

Paul Klopsteg "Physics of Bows and Arrows" American Journal of Physics, Vol
11 No 4 (1943)

_No_ individual missile weapon in the pregunpowder era was designed or
expected to predominately kill opponents.  Instead, they were designed to
wear opponents down through large numbers, panic and destroy his mount if
he had one, and generally make his life miserable.  Some folks complain
about the damage done by an arrow in AD&D, for instance. Raised on images
of cowboys clutching that single arrow to the chest that kills them they
expect that is how it worked, well, it didn't:)  In fact, men fighting with
10, even fifty arrows in them were not uncommon in the Crusades- the
Saracens used a guide to launch very small, light arrows at great ranges.
These often failed to penatrate kinghtly armor and would end up looking
like porcupines. Of course, that was just a side effect- the targets were
the knights' horses.

At Agincourt and Crecy longbows destroyed the knights mobility- sure, at
very close range they might kill a knight, but they rarely took the time to
aim that well.  The best popular work on this subject, and a _great_ guide
to understanding what it is like to actually fight in a medieval battle is
John Keagan's _Face of Battle_, you can find it at just about any
bookstore.

The Osprey Men-at-Arms books often cover these weapons as well, their
quality is often uneven and sometimes they are very "buff" (ie "neato" gets
more emphasis then correct). Still, for roleplayers seeking to
"world-build" -something all SJ DMs do- you could do worse then picking up
an Osprey book on an ancient military culture and basing your world's
military off of it.  Go for something "off-the wall". Take the Hussites and
their war-wagons, for instance. There's a fantasy society just begging to
be designed:)  The Osprey series can usually be found in Hobby stores.

"We look on the same stars,  the sky is common,  the same world surrounds
us.  What difference does it make by what pains each seeks the truth?  We
can not attain to so great a secret by one road..."
Symmachus,  "Memorial on the Occasion of the Removal of the Altar of
Victory from the Senate House" (392 AD)

Paul Westermeyer,  westermeyer.3@???.edu
Phd Candidate, History, Ohio State
Adjunct Faculty, Humanities Department, Columbus State Community College