Time Line re: Archery!

[Mr Jody Hudson]

We may think quite differently of the bow and arrow in modern times than what it was really like. Some of these archers of old would do well against our long range snipers...

http://www.centenaryarchers.gil.com.au/history.htm#12th Century



For instance:

1208 AD - Temujin became Great Khan of the Mongols, better known as Genghis Khan.

The Mongols were expert mounted archers that used high stirrups which allowed them to shoot in any direction. They used composite bows ( 70 - 160 lb. draw weight ) and released the bowstring with a thumb ring that increased the killing range of the bow to 275 metres ( 300 yards.) The maximum range of their bows was about 550 metres ( 600 yards. )

The unarmoured soldiers wore silk under-shirts to minimise the injury from arrows. The loose silk shirt would wrap around the arrow head without being cut. This would allow the clean removal of the arrow by slowly pulling on the shirt, thus stopping cuts from barbed arrow heads and also reduce the risk of infection.


1520 AD - Henry VIII demonstrates his skill with the longbow at a summit meeting hosted by the French King, where he repeatedly shot into the centre of a target at a distance of 220 metres ( 240 yards ).

1798 AD - The Sultan Selim, witnessed by the British Ambassador, shot an arrow 889 metres ( 972 yards ). A record not surpassed for nearly 200 years.

 

[4v50 Gary]

More aw-cherry stowies.

Read Xenophon's Anabasis. It records the march of the 10,000 Greeks who fought for a contender to the Persian throne. When their patron was killed and their leaders tricked into captivity (and killed), the 10,000 elected new leaders and marched back to Greece.

E/R they met the ancient Armenians (or whoever resided in what is now Armenia) who used a footbow. The bow was secured by the feet and the shooter grabbed with both hands and leaned back. When the arrow was released, it would go through the bronze shield of the hoplite, through his curass (breast plate), through the shield of the hoplite behind him and his breast plate too. One of history's earliest's twofer. The wily archers would then run off before the hoplites could close the distance. Peltasts (light infantry) were needed but the Greeks weren't very keen on light infantry.

Also read Sun Tzu, The Art of War as translated by Samuel B. Griffith. He talks of Sun Pin who allowed his foe to chase him for three days. Sun Pin calculated his march would reach a narrow mountain defile at night. He then hung a sign that read "P'ang Chuan dies here." Poor ole P'ang Chuan stopped and wanting to read the sign, had a torch lit. Sun Pin's hidden archers and crossbowmen then released a volley of arrows. P'ang Chuan died before he could finish reading it. Clever Chinese.

 

[JShirley]

Fortunately, it takes much less time to become truly dangerous with modern firearms than older weapons.

Skill at arms once belonged only to the idle rich and professional soldiers.

 

[Marko Kloos]

Mastering a bow requires years and years of constant practice. That goes doubly for the longbows of old. A good student can learn the basics of rifle mastery in a few days or weeks.

One of the reasons the crossbow was considered "unfair" was the fact that barely trained peasant soldiers could shoot armored knights out of the saddle.

 

[AJ Dual]

Archeological digs are able to accurately estimate the portion of archers among the fighting age population of various ancient civilizations.

The skeletal structure of the draw-arm is visibly altered from all the exercise.

How cool is that?

 

[Sunray]

"...our long range snipers..." Long range snipers with what? A rifle? They'd die. Period. Snipers are trained to shoot without being seen. Medieval archers were not snipers, they were area denial troops and a form of artillery. Against a sniper or even a PBI rifleman they'd die to a man.