BOWS


 
Aiming for realism in archery Bowmanship A Long Bow Isn't Always a Strong Bow Archery Competitions The Archer (class)
Equipment - Dragon - 1e AD&D

Aiming for realism in archery:
Longer ranges, truer targets

by Robert Barrow
 
The range of ranges Firing at very long ranges Target sizes The arrow during a melee round The archer and all of his weapons
Bows - - - Dragon 58

Archery is an aspect of combat in D&D® and AD&D™ adventuring
which is often misunderstood or neglected. The following
guidelines are suggested for players to improve their characters’
use of the bow and arrow inside and outside the dungeon.
The main emphasis of this article is on the practical
(non-magical) use of archery.

The range of ranges
Reasonable range figures are needed to measure a weapon’s
effectiveness. The game rules establish an outdoor maximum
range of 210 yards; however, a modern hunting bow is only
given an effective range of “about 60 yards.” (Encyclopedia
Britannica, p. 265)

To help resolve this apparent discrepancy, consider the following
rate way of determining missile fire resolution results for mansized
targets.

"To hit" table for arrow fire
(Roll d% according to range)
Range %
10 140
20 130
30 120
40 110
50 100
60 92
70 86
80 81
90 67
100 54
110 48
120 43
130 38
140 34
150 29
160 24
170 19
180 14
190 9
200 4
210 3
220 2
230 1
240+ (see below)

Assuming that very powerful bows are used, the following
system can be used to produce “to hit” chances for longer
ranges:

At 240 yards, a roll of 10 or higher on d20 must first be made;
then roll percentile dice and use the 1% figure listed for 230
yards. At 250 yards, the number needed on d20 increases to 11
or higher — and again, if that roll is made, then a “to hit” roll is
made with percentile dice as for 230 yards. As the range increases
by 10 yards, the number needed on d20 increases by
one, until the upper limit of 340 yards (requiring a roll of 20) is
reached.

If the dice roll yields the indicated percentage or lower, a hit
has been scored, and combat is resolved normally from that
point on. For instance, At 70 yards a roll of 86 or lower is
required. If 87 or higher is rolled, the arrow missed the target.
Some of the percentages at extremely short range are greater
than 100 percent. In these cases, an arrow is fired using the
normal combat tables, but if a miss results on this “to hit” roll,
the remainder over 100% from the above table is now used to
give the archer a “second chance.” For instance, if an archer
takes a shot at a target 20 yards away and does not get a high
enough number on his normal “to hit” roll, there is still a 30%
chance (the difference between 130% and 100%) that the shot
will score a hit anyway. If a roll of percentile dice is 30 or lower,
the shot scored a hit after all, and damage is calculated
accordingly.

This table assumes a stationary target. If the target moves,
some penalties should be counted to the shooter’s chance to
hit. The Leomund’s Tiny Hut column in issue #45 of DRAGON
magazine has some excellent suggestions on adjusting odds
for motion. A suggested range would be from –2 (–10%) for
walking figures up to –7 (–35%) for targets astride a trotting
mount.

The 210-yard maximum range given in the game rules is a
quite reasonable limit for normal men. The added ranges out to
230 yards (and to 340 yards for extra-powerful bows) are included
to reflect the Robin Hood type archer. A table such as
the one above simply limits the odds of hitting something at the
longer ranges. At long range, an archer would not fire at anything
less than a small army in close formation.

Firing at very long range

Many claims are made about the greatest distance an archer
can accurately fire an arrow. A modern hunting bow (for use in
bagging wild game) can fire an arrow almost 300 yards; however,
it has an effective range of only 60 yards. The 300-yard shots
require special arrows and near-ideal weather conditions. This
evidence is in sharp contrast with other sources claiming that
an English longbow archer could hit a man at 400 yards.

An investigation into long-distance shooting promptly raises
grave doubts about shooting at a man standing 400 yards away.
As one source says, “Actual distances normally shot by English
archers is between 60 and 265 yards, with most of them clustering
between 160 and 200 yards.” (Native American Bows, p. 36)
Also, consider the conditions under which competitions are
judged: “At present the usual outdoor range at which the Royal
Company practice is 180 yards; one prize is shot for at 200. All
arrows landing within 24 feet of the target count.” (Archery,
p. 220) These archers count points for just getting their arrows
within a 24-foot-diameter circle at a range of 200 yards. It seems
highly unlikely that archers of even such high skill as these
would endanger a man at 400 yards.

Practical testing on long-distance shooting with an English
longbow proved that an average man could shoot almost 300
yards (using modern arrows which go about one-third farther
than their ancestors), and that a man of exceptional physique
might attain a further 50 yards after considerable practice.
(Archery, p. 340)

These tests were conducted under nearly ideal weather conditions,
and with special lightweight arrows custom-made for
these long-distance shoots. “Many men who shoot with some
success at the 180 and 200 yard targets are in the habit of using
ordinary target arrows; but there is no doubt that to shoot any
longer distance an arrow of lighter make, and offering less
resistance to the wind, is required.” (Archery, p. 251)

Target sizes

A target about the size of a man is some 6 feet by 2 feet in area.
A humanoid target twice as tall (12 feet) would be about 4 feet
wide (48 square feet in area) to stay in perspective. Mathematically
speaking, if you double the size, you quadruple the target
size, A man 18 feet tall would be three times as tall and three
times as wide as a normal man, or 9 times larger in terms of
target area. Targets smaller than the standard figure (a 6-foot
man) will vary by an inverse proportion. An object that is half as
tall will be only one-fourth of the target area.

Leomund’s Tiny Hut article in DRAGON #45 contains a
chart that is mathematically inaccurate. For instance, the chart
indicates that a man 12 feet tall is only 175 percent of the target
size of a 6-foot man. As described above, the correct figures
should be 400% for the 12-foot man, 100% for the 6-footer.

Mathematically correct figures for various target sizes are
listed in the first table following. The table immediately following
the size factor table lists compromise figures between those
proven by real life and those proven by mathematical
calculations.

When these tables are used, the basic subtractions of –2 “to
hit” at medium range and –5 at long range, as given in the rules,
do not apply. The table already reflects the necessary target
size and range adjustments.
 
 
Target 
height (feet)
Percent of human size 
DRAGON #45
Mathmatically 
accurate
24 525% 1600%
21 375-500% 1225%
18 300-350% 900%
15 200% 625%
13 175% 467%
12 150% 400%
10 1/2 150% 313%
9 125% 225%
7 110% 133%
6 1/2 105% 117%
6 100% 100%
5 90% 70%
4 75% 45%
3 50% 25%
2 1/2 40% 17%
2 30% 11%
1 1/2 20% 6%
1 10% 3%
1/2 (6 in.) 5% 1%
1/4 (3 in.) 2% 0.25%
1 inch .5% 0.03%

“To hit” percentages according to target size and range
Target 
height
Very 
long
Long Medium Short Point 
blank
24 60 92 124 172 232
21 45 81 117 164 225
18 32 71 110 156 215
13 23 63 103 148 205
15 18 57 96 140 193
12 15 52 89 132 181
10 1/2 13 47 82 124 170
9 8 42 75 116 160
7 6 37 68 108 148
6 1/2 5 33 61 100 137
6 4 29 54 92 126
5 3 25 47 484 116
4 2 21 40 76 105
3 1 17 33 68 94
2 1/2 1 14 26 60 83
2 0 10 19 52 72
1 1/2 0 6 12 44 61
1 0 3 5 36 49
1/2 (6 in.) 0 2 3 28 39
1/4 (3 in.) 0 1 2 20 28
1 inch 0 0 1 12 17

Note: The ranges in the above table are measured as
follows: very long = 176-230 yards; long = 120-175 yards;
medium = 81-119 yards; short = 26-80 yards; and point
blank = up to 25 yards.

The arrowduring a melee round
In almost every combat situation, an arrow either hits or
misses before the melee turn or round is completed. A melee
turn in the D&D rules lasts 10 seconds; an arrow only stays in
the air for eight or nine seconds at best. (Archery, p. 89) The
arrow travels so fast — between 120 and 200 feet per second
(Encyclopedia Britannica, p. 260) — that the flight of an arrow
aimed along a fairly flat trajectory at a target typically not very
far away does not consume measurable time.
A trained English longbowman could fire an arrow about
once every three seconds. This rate is some three shots per
melee round. All of these arrows would arrive during the turn or
round when they were fired. The sole exception would be a
third arrow fired at a very long range target.

The archer and all his weapons
The bow is for use at a distance. Close combat calls for
another weapon. In hand-to-hand fighting conditions, an
archer drops his bow and seizes a hand weapon. Historically,
archers used other weapons: Bowmen often selected an axe or
a leaden maul for combat. (Archery, p. 114-115) Cutting weapons
were also frequently employed.
Nevertheless, an archer’s main weapon is the bow and arrow.
A very powerful bow is not required (ABC’s of Archery, p. 117).
A normal male uses a bow with about a 45-pound pull. A heavy
bow requires about 60 pounds of force to draw the arrow back.
A heavy bow is needed for shooting at very long range.
The bow has proven a highly effective weapon of war for
thousands of years. Limited in range, it is very deadly within the
limitations. With rules to reflect these limits, archery can be a
much more instrumental part of D&D or AD&D combat.

Suggested reading list

  • Encyclopedia Britannica Vol. 2, William Benton, publisher, Chicago, London, Toronto, 1959
  • C. J. Longman and H. Walrond, Archery, Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., New York, 1894
  • T. M. Hamilton, Native American Bows, George Shumway Publishers, York, Pa., 1972
  • G. Howard Gillelan, ABC’s of Bow & Arrow, Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, Pa., 1967

  •  

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    OUT ON A LIMB

    Gygax on archery
     

    Dear editor:
    There are a couple of problems with Robert
    Barrow’s article, “Aiming for Realism in
    Archery,” in issue #58 of DRAGON™ Magazine.
    From my standpoint, it seems that the
    good author spends too much time with modern
    archery and has read nothing of medieval
    history dealing with the subject. English longbowmen
    were set to practicing their aim at
    200 to 220 paces. Let’s call that 180 yards.
    According to eyewitness accounts, these
    archers could hit a butt of two feet width more
    often than not at that range. In a similar vein,
    Genoese crossbowmen were desirable troops
    because (when their strings weren’t wet) their
    weapons outranged the longbow.

    The most important issue, however, is
    complication. For all of the work and time the
    author suggests is necessary to add “realism”
    to archery in D&D® gaming, is the game more
    <FUN> because of it? I, for one, don’t think so;
    and when all is said and done the course of
    play is not materially affected for the better by
    the inclusion of complicated archery rules.
     

    E. Gary Gygax
    Lake Geneva, Wis.
    (Dragon #60)
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Bowmanship made more meaningful
    by Carl Parlagreco


    -
    - - - - -
    Bows Equipment - Dragon Dragon #58

    There is a certain simplicity to the rule systems for, bows and
    arrows in the D&D® and AD&D™ games which I have found
    rather irksome, especially in light of my own (admittedly meager)
    experience with archery. The first problem is the relative
    ease with which characters pick up the ability to use a bow. The
    English yeoman must begin training as a boy, but the 4th-level
    fighter who decides to obtain expertise in a bow can pick it up in
    the time it takes to gain a new level — certainly nowhere near
    the amount of time the English yeoman put into it.

    To make acquisition of bowmanship skills more difficult,
    triple the normal non-expertise penalty for bows. Each time
    someone takes expertise in a bow, the penalty is reduced by 1
    plus their dexterity bonus to hit (if it applies), with a minimum
    reduction of 1 in all cases. So a fighter with an 18 dexterity
    would gain a 4-point reduction of the penalty each time he or
    she took expertise, while a fighter with a 5 dexterity, who
    spends a lot of time fumbling around with the thing, won’t get as
    good as quickly, and the non-proficiency penalty will be reduced
    by only 1 each time.

    This penalty is not applicable to elves, since elves seem to
    have the same sort of relationship with bows as they have with
    magic — a very close one.

    The next subject is how much strength is needed to properly
    operate a certain type of bow. To be sure, this has been accounted
    for somewhat in the range factors, but still there is
    something missing. What happens if adventurers pick up the
    bow of Odysseus? A great weapon, but who could string it?
    How much trouble would someone with a strength of 3 have
    trying to string a very powerful longbow? To deal with this
    situation, use the following table:
                                         Strength
    Bow type (min.) (max.)
    Bow, composite, long 16 18/76
    Bow, composite, short 15 18/50
    Bow, long 12 18/01
    Bow, short 6 15
    Crossbow, heavy 16 18/00
    Crossbow, light 15 18/60

    The strength maximums and minimums can be thought of in
    much the same way as racial limitations. They are not fixed
    permanently; these are just the values I came up with. If someone
    prefers the short bow to be strength 3-9 and the long bow
    strength 10-18, for instance, those changes can easily be made.

    To be able to use a bow effectively, a character must have a
    strength at least equal to the minimum on the chart. If the
    character is weaker than the bow, hit probability is seriously
    affected, by a factor of –2 for each point of strength lower. (Too
    much effort is going into drawing the bow as opposed to aiming
    it.) Optionally, crossbows may be cocked readily enough by
    anyone with a strength as much as 2 lower than the listed
    minimum. Mechanical cocking devices would eliminate strength
    considerations entirely in cocking the crossbow (or you could
    have your ogre friend do it for you, but what happens when he
    isn’t around?). Once the crossbow is cocked, a character of any
    strength would have no problem firing it.

    The strength ratings can be used to determine which characters
    can use which bows. The strengths can also determine hit
    probability for the bow. I use the easiest method: The hit probability
    for a bow according to its strength is the same as the hit
    probability for a character of the same strength, with bonuses
    to damage also applied when they pertain.

    Used individually, these two revisions in the rules could unbalance
    a game. Used in tandem, they counteract each other
    somewhat. The first revision, by making bow expertise so hard
    to get, would make things tougher for player characters. The
    second, which effectively gives a very good hit probability bonus
    to the bowman, gives players an advantage (of course,
    everybody has the same advantage and disadvantage, but my
    players tend not to see that). Expertise in a bow is hard to get,
    but once you’ve got it, you have a very useful skill.

    With this revision, what happens to magical bows? Why worry
    about a magical +1 bow in that dragon’s hoard when you can
    get an 18 strength bow that hits better for more damage? Here
    is where the last revision comes in: Magic bows can be made to
    have a new nature. Some of them always hit their target, but an
    18/00, or even 19 or 20 strength, is needed to draw them! Others
    may have a 15 or 17 strength for hitting and damage purposes,
    but may be drawn by anyone of any strength.

    Good luck with your new breed of bowmen and keep your
    bowstrings dry!

    OUT ON A LIMB
     

    Dear Editor:
    While my archery is a bit rusty, I would like
    to comment on Carl Parlagreco’s article that
    appeared in issue #58 of DRAGON Magazine.
    He and Robert Barrow both brought out some
    valid points about accuracy at various ranges,
    and the varying draw strengths of bows, but I
    disagree a bit with Carl. He suggests that the
    damage from a weaker bow should be less.
    From actual experience (although not a lot), I
    have found this not to be true, as I have hunted
    deer with a 30-lb. bow and have done a
    great deal of damage; in fact, one of my arrows
    went completely through a deer and
    came out the other side from a range of
    around 50 yards. We never did find the arrow,
    though we did return with the deer.

    There is also a minor point neither Carl or
    Robert mentioned. Just as bows are made of
    varying strengths, arrows are made in different
    draw lengths. Mine are two inches shorter
    than my husband’s, and if he were in a hurry
    and accidentally picked up one of mine and
    drew it to his normal position, it would fall off
    the bow or he would shoot himself in the
    hand. Differing arrow lengths should increase
    the possibility of fumbles.

    Isn’t it about time someone put together a
    weapons manual something on the order of
    the Monster Manual or the FIEND FOLIO? I
    must confess that I am much more familiar
    with crochet hooks than voulges and fauchards,
    and it is inconvenient to thumb
    through a pile of magazines looking for information
    when one of my characters is reduced
    to using a strange weapon in the middle
    of a battle. Sure, I can roll for damage
    (without knowing all the details of the weapon
    being used to do the damage), but I’d really
    like to know more than that.

    I also enjoyed Roger Moore’s articles on
    dwarves in that issue. About the only time my
    lady dwarf mentioned the god Budwizr (or
    was it Koorz?), was when she and a gnome
    took refuge with their dinner under a table
    during a pie fight by the rest of the party (an
    NPC started it!). But that was aboard ship on a
    long ocean voyage, and I forgave her for it.
     

    Carol Bruce
    K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich
    (Dragon #61)
     

    long bow isn't always a strong bow
     
    - - - - -
    Bows Equipment - Dragon Dragon #58

    The chart printed with this article was
    developed from an idea submitted to
    DRAGON™ magazine by Robert Bowling,
    who suggested to us that the AD&D
    weapon statistics could be expanded to
    allow for bows of varying strengths. Robert
    provided a chart which listed bows
    according to the pounds of force needed
    to use the weapon effectively, the minimum
    strength required for a character
    attempting to employ a bow of a certain
    strength, and the amount of damage
    done by a hit with an arrow from that
    bow.

    It was a good idea, which staff member
    Gali Sanchez made even better by revising
    and expanding the bow statistics into
    the chart which appears with this text. It
    should be noted that the figures presented
    here are not designed to be used
    with all of the information in the other
    articles in this section. In some cases,
    statistics from two of these articles may
    actually contradict each other, and at
    such times it is left to the reader to make
    the final judgement about which system
    is better suited to his wants and needs.

    Classifying bows — specifically the
    composite long bow — in terms of the
    strength of the bow is justified from the
    standpoint of realism: Bows of varying
    amounts of “pull” do exist. According to
    an authority on archery we spoke to, a
    modern-day archer of average ability
    will be able to capably operate a bow in
    the 45-70 pound range when hunting or
    target shooting. The minimum strength
    needed for a fighter or assassin to use
    the least powerful average-type bow (45-
    pound) is 12. Fighters with a strength
    lower than 12 will have to settle for proficiency
    in a bow of below-average power,
    resulting in penalties for the determination
    of ranges, “to hit” and damage figures.
    An arrow fired from a bow of 40
    pounds or less will only do 1-4 points of
    damage instead of the standard 1-6.
     
     

    On the other end of the chart, only
    fighters with exceptional (18/01 or greater)
    strength will be able to operate a bow
    of more than 100 pounds. Bows with
    greater power benefit the user by offering
    longer range capability, less severe
    “to hit” penalties at medium and long
    range, and gradually improved damage
    potential. However, note that a character
    using a bow under this system does not
    receive a bonus to damage by virtue of
    above-average (16 or better) strength.
    Instead, the damage adjustment given in
    the chart is added to the base 1-6 points
    done by the arrow. Archers with strength
    of 17 or greater will enjoy an even better
    damage adjustment than is provided for
    in the AD&D rules, because the increase
    is a function of the improved quality of
    the bow rather than the muscle power
    used to operate it. <italicize bow above>

    The damage-adjustment rule can work
    in the other direction for a character who
    isn’t using the most powerful bow he can
    possibly employ. For instance, a fighter
    with 18/51 strength and a fighter of 11
    strength will both do only 1-4 points of
    damage if they’re firing from 30-pound
    bows, and will abide by the same range
    and “to hit” requirements even though
    their strengths are drastically different.
    With a system like this, a fighter or assassin
    is well advised to shop around for
    the strongest bow he’s capable of using.
    And, although comparative prices and
    manufacturing times aren’t discussed in
    this article, it is logical that 60-pound
    bows would be much more abundant on
    the shelves of weapon shops, and much
    easier to obtain, than those of substantially
    greater power.

    The 60-pound bow was the norm before
    modification of the range, “to hit”
    and damage figures. Statistics for that
    type of bow are the same as the figures
    given for the composite long bow in the
    AD&D rules. Figures for bows stronger
    or weaker than 60 pounds are gradually
    altered to provide a definite difference
    between each bow and the ones adjacent
    to it on the chart. For instance, the
    50-pound bow differs from the “official”
    60-pound bow by having its maximum
    long range cut from 210 to 200 yards,
    and the 70-pound bow is slightly superior
    to the 60-pound bow in that the “to
    hit” adjustment at long range is only –4
    instead of the customary –5.

    The maximum effective range of the
    most powerful longbow is 300 yards. It
    may seem unrealistic to assume that any
    archer — even one with 18/00 strength
    and a 150-pound bow — could hit what
    he was aiming at from a distance of 3
    football fields away. However, targetshooting
    contests have taken place in
    the real world with contestants firing at
    objects from that distance. Granted, real
    archers may not be able to hit a mansized
    (or even monster-sized) target at
    that distance once in 10 tries — but then
    again, there aren’t any archers in the real
    world with 18/00 strength, either.
                                                                  Range        To hit adj.
    Minimum strength required Pound test S M L S M L Damage adj.
    9 20 5 10 15 -1 -3 -6 (1d4)
    10 30 5 10 16 -- -3 -6 (1d4)
    11 40 6 11 19 -- -2 -6 (1d4)
    12 45 6 11 19 -- -2 -6 (1d4)
    13 50 6 12 20 -- -2 -6 --
    14 60 6 12 21 -- -2 -5 --
    15 70 6 12 21 -- -2 -5 --
    16 80 6 12 21 -- -2 -4 +1
    17 90 7 13 22 -- -2 -4 +1 (+2)
    18 100 7 13 22 -- -2 -4 +2 (+3)
    18.01 110 7 13 23 -- -2 -4 +2 (+4)
    18.51 120 7 14 24 -- -2 -4 +3 (+5)
    18.76 130 7 14 26 -- -1 -4 +4 (+6)
    18.91 140 7 14 28 -- -1 -4 +5 (+7)
    18.00 150 7 14 30 -- -1 -4 +6 (+6)


     

    BOWS
    Of staves and strings and other things
    William Fawcett
    -

    -
    The Self Bow - Composite Bow - Crossbow
    Dungeons & Dragons - - - Dragon #39

    With the inclusion in D&D of the different capabilities of the various
    types of bows, a never-ending debate began about which type is
    superior. The more mechanically inclined have maintained the
    superiority of the crossbow, while those of us raised on Robin Hood
    know that the longbow wins eve y time.

    The reality is that no one type of bow is superior in every way. Each
    has its strengths and weaknesses, which are tied closely to the tactics
    with which they are commonly employed.

    There are three types of bows, divided by their components and
    construction into the general categories of Self Bows, Composite Bows
    and Crossbows.

    The SELF BOW is the simplest and original form of the bow. It
    consists basically of a piece of elastic wood (the bowstave) and a means
    to use this elasticity to propel the arrow (the bowstring). The power with
    which the self bow can propel an arrow depends upon the elasticity of
    the wood from which the bow is formed.

    The self bow, of which the longbow is one type, is made of only one
    type of wood, although the type varies greatly. The famous English
    longbows were made entirely of yew, obtained primarily at first from
    Spain. Later, when relations between the nations became less cordial,
    the Spanish government went so far as to cut down every yew tree it
    could find to help prevent the smuggling of bowstaves into England.

    The string of a self bow also is simple, often just a suitable cord or
    string rubbed with tallow, resins, or oil to protect it from moisture.

    Since the bow is of such a simple design, often straight or only
    slightly reflexed when unstrung, the actual power of the bow is directly
    proportional to the bow’s length. This is why the short bow in D&D has
    so many minuses to hit, due to the arrows’ lack of penetration. The
    name of the longbow also conveys its much stronger, nearly legendary
    power and penetration.

    A self bow can be of any length. The short bow is commonly 24” to
    40” long. The length of the traditional English longbow would vary
    with the height of the archer, but seems to have averaged about six
    feet and required a pull of up to 200 pounds. The longbows reported
    to have been used by one South American native tribe have been
    measured at as much as 12 feet in length and (necessarily) were fired
    sideways. The length was necessary because of weaker wood to use in
    construction and the problem of penetrating thick jungle undergrowth.

    The COMPOSITE BOW is constructed of several materials joined
    together. Commonly used combinations have been wood, glue, and
    horn; wood, glue and sinew, and wood, glue, horn and sinew. This is by
    far the most commonly used bow in recorded history.

    One great advantage of the composite bow is that the bow’s power
    is no longer dependent on the length of the stave itself. It can be
    increased by merely changing the proportions of the materials used in
    the construction of the bow. This allows for a stronger pull on shorter
    bows. When composite construction was developed, it meant that bows
    could now be made that were short enough to use on horseback and
    powerful enough to penetrate most armor.

    The higher level of complication in construction had the effect of
    putting the now difficult and time-consuming process of making the bow
    into the hands of specialists. The bows used by the armies of the Mongol
    Khans were, according to records, made by specialists who followed
    behind the armies. Each bow took more than a year to produce,
    meaning that a damaged bow was difficult to repair and expensive to
    replace.

    Composite bows can be found with all forms of staves. The straightstaved
    composite bows used in Biblical times were only a slight improvement
    over the self bow they replaced. Later, composite bows with
    greater pulls were made by building in a slight curve in the same
    direction as it would bend when strung. This greatly facilitated stringing
    and cut to a small fraction the time needed to put the bow into action,
    but also reduced the potential power of the bow when fully pulled. The
    early Egyptians used this form of the composite bow.

    The most powerful and commonly used type of composite bow is
    the reflex or recurved bow. On this type of bow the stave, when
    unstrung, is actually curved in an arc that is the reverse of its strung
    position. This imparts great power to the bow. The Mongol recurved
    cavalry bow, often having a pull of nearly 200 pounds and commonly
    over 100 pounds, could only be pulled through a complicated
    mechanism of pulleys that enhanced the archer’s strength. This type of
    bow is quite difficult to string and more vulnerable to damage when it is
    strung. Special devices used by two men were commonly employed to
    string this type of bow when a battle seemed imminent.

    The CROSSBOW is a Chinese invention. There are records of its
    use in China centuries before it appeared in Europe. The early Chinese
    crossbow was often made of a combination of iron and other
    materials. As the ability to work with and refine better grades of iron
    was developed, the crossbow in China and later Europe became
    constructed entirely of iron.

    The crossbow is an extremely durable weapon; the string was easily
    replaced by the common man at arms. Due to its iron construction, if a
    crossbow was damaged an experienced and well-equipped smith was
    needed to effect a repair. Since a crossbow is cocked with a lever, rather
    than pulled, great power is obtainable with relatively small bows. But,
    due to the lever, the rate of fire of a crossbow was far slower than any
    other type of bow. A trained Mongol horse archer could fire from three
    to five arrows per minute, and longbowmen have been attributed with
    volleys of six or more arrows per minute, but the crossbow can fire only
    one bolt in that time.

    Part of the effectiveness of a crossbow lies in its use of a bolt as a
    missile rather than an arrow. The crossbow bolt is much stubbier than an
    arrow and causes a jagged wound that does more damage than an
    arrow wound. This stubbier bolt also limits the range of crossbows, since
    the missile begins to tumble sooner than the more aerodynamic arrow.
    This cuts the bolt’s penetration sharply at maximum ranges against well
    armored opponents. Nonetheless, the wound caused by a bolt that does
    penetrate is quite grisly. At least one Pope attempted to have the
    crossbow banned from Christian nations on the basis of its barbarity.
     

    Since the size of the crossbow is not limited by the strength of the
    archer, crossbows of large sizes were developed. The Heavy Crossbow
    in D&D is the Arbalest, which measured 30 to 36 inches across and
    were difficult and slow to operate, but packed a large amount of
    penetration power. A truly giant crossbow is the Ballista, a siege
    machine, which measured 8 to 10 feet across and fired bolts up to
    five feet long.

    The Chinese developed a repeating crossbow that could fire up to
    24 bolts, two at a time, from a wooden magazine. The repeating
    crossbow was designed so that the next two bolts were loaded by the
    same action that cocked the bow.

    The crossbow has a very distinct set of advantages and disadvantages.
    It requires significantly less strength to operate than a conventional
    bow. It also creates a jagged wound and penetrates armor very
    well within its effective range. The crossbow is also relatively easy to aim
    and fire, and so can be used by archers with little training more readily
    than any other type of bow, making it ideal for quickly raised troops.
    Finally, the crossbow is not just a light piece of wood and string. It is
    heavy and made primarily of iron. You can defend yourself in melee
    with your crossbow by using it as a club.

    Along with the slow rate of fire, another disadvantage of the crossbow
    is that the bolt was easily dislodged from the bow’s groove. Further,
    the crossbow is hard to fire from an awkward position and nearly
    impossible to use effectively from horseback. Finally, of importance to
    someone who had to march carrying one, the crossbow is fairly heavy,
    weighing in the range of 10-12 or more pounds.

    Since the types rarely met in battle, there is much room for debate
    over the relative superiority of the longbow and the composite bow. The
    longbow had a shorter range and threw a heavier arrow. This made it
    more accurate at close ranges, but not significantly. Both types took
    years to develop proficiency with, the longbow taking a few years longer
    in most cases. The composite bow has a longer range, often effective for
    up to 400 yards, but with a lighter arrow it was also more sensitive to the
    wind. (This would be a problem if firing at a target, but means less if you
    are shooting at a mass of infantry or cavalry. ) The longbow is definitely
    easier to make and repair. The greater simplicity of the longbow also
    made it readily available to Englishmen of all incomes. Because it was
    easier to string quickly, the longbow could be carried to a battle unstrung,
    and so was less likely to be damaged during the prebattle
    manuevering. Also, the longbow was less susceptible to moisture than a
    composite bow (with its more complicated construction and greater
    string tension). The longbow could be carried strung with little fear of
    damage, whereas the composite bow was necessarily carried unstrung.
    The greatest disadvantage of the longbow, and the main advantage of
    the composite bow over both other types, is that only the composite
    bow could be used from horseback with any real effectiveness.

    In the final resolution, there is no single bow that is best in all
    situations. Each type has its own inherent strengths and weaknesses,
    and an awareness of these can make both the use of the bows and the
    realism of a game or campaign better.
     

    On Target
    Archery competitions for AD&D® gaming
    by Leonard Carpenter
     
    Target size modifiiers Archery example Hero points in archery Archery combat The archery contest
    Archery scoring - - - Suggested reading
    1e AD&D - Dragon #118 - Dragon magazine

    Much has been said or written about the 
    many fighter classes of the AD&D game 
    system, especially the armor-plated swordswingers 
    who so often dominates play.  
    Certainly, more attention should be paid to 
    one other great romantic warrior of history 
    and lejend: the archer.  The tales of 
    Robin Hood and William Tell are as deserving 
    of notice as those of any chivalrous 
    knight or brawling barbarian. 

    The greatest event in the life of an 
    archer is the majestic archery tournament.  
    Presented herein is a system for handling 
    an archery contest, using targets both 
    medieval and modern.

    In the medieval tournament, archery 
    contests were nearly as popular as the 
    jousting matches.  Many woodsmen, 
    hunters, soldiers, and country yeomen 
    would compete with the longbow to gain 
    fame and prizes.  Because the archery 
    contest was not restricted to the nobility, 
    many adventurers and even commoners 
    would be permitted to compete. 

    Two main events are conducted in archery 
    contests: short- to medium-range 
    target shooting and the long-range "clout" 
    shoot.  Although clout shooting was very 
    popular in the Middle Ages, target archery 
    became the standard competition in modern 
    times.  And, while target archery is 
    more of a modern pursuit than a medieval 
    one (bow strength and massed fire were 
    more important in medieval military archery 
    than pinpoint accuracy,) a DM may 
    still wish to include target shooting in a 
    tourney to capture the "Robin Hood" feel 
    of an archery match.

    The 2 most important targets used in 
    target shooting are the very popular 
    round target and its obscure cousin, the 
    "wand" target.  Both targets are described 
    below. 

    The standard round archery target 
    is 4' in diameter with its center 
    pinhole set 4' above the ground.  The 
    target is tilted slightly toward the 
    sky and divided into 5 concentric circles, 
    including the gold center "bull's-eye." 
    The circles are colored (in order outward) 
    gold, red, blue, black, and white.  Some 
    targets used in past centuries had circles 
    colored gold, scarlet, the inner white, 
    black, and the outer white.  The gold bull's 
    eye is a standard 9.6" in diameter, while 
    the outer circles have diameters of 19.2" 
    for the red, 28.8" for the blue, 38.4" for 
    the black, and 48" for the white.  Other 
    targets may be divided into 10 concentric 
    circles, with a center bull's eye 4.8" in 
    diameter. 

    Points are scored for striking each of the 
    target cirlces.  From the outer white to the 
    inner gold, the point values are 1, 3, 5, 7, 
    and 9 points for a bull's eye.  A lo-circle 
    target is scored with point values from 1 
    to 10, with 10 points going to a hit in the 
    4.8"-diameter bull's-eye. 

    The round target is usually shot at from 
    short to medium range, typically a distance 
    of 50 to 100 yards.  As an example, 
    the famous "York Round" consists of 72 
    arrows shot at 100 yards, 48 arrows at 80 
    yards, and 24 arrow at 60 yards. 

    The round target is usually made of 
    canvas stuffed with straw or hay, with a 
    stiff backing to prevent arrows from passing 
    through it.  Other targets may be made 
    from a simple board of soft wood with the 
    circles drawn on it.  Because of the target's 
    soft material and the need to only strike 
    but not deeply penetrate the target, 
    archery targets have AC 10.

    Another common form of target shooting 
    is the wand shoot.  Although it is little 
    known today, the wand shoot was very 
    popular in medieval times.  References to 
    the wand shoot date back to the 12th and 
    13th centuries.  Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe 
    (Chapter 13) recounts how Robin Hood 
    gained respect from all members of the 
    tourney by splitting a willow wand at 
    5-score yards.

    In the wand shoot, archers try to hit a 
    slender wand of wood 6' tall by 2' wide, 
    which is set upright in the ground.  The 
    wand is AC 10, of course.  The wand is 
    shot at from a distance of 60 to 100 yards 
    in modern archery, just as in the shoot at 
    the round target. 

    The most common form of archery
    sport in the Middle Ages was the clout
    shoot. Long-range clout shooting was the
    best practice for the massed archery fire
    of medieval warfare. Archers would
    sharpen their skills by shooting at the
    small clout target from a range of 180 to
    200 yards, or even 240 yards with a powerful
    war-bow. Clout shooting declined in
    popularity as bows became less important
    as weapons of war. With the burgeoning
    of modern-era archery societies, the battle
    skill of the clout shoot was supplanted by
    the leisure-time art of target shooting.

    A variety of clout targets may be used in
    contests. The clout target may be a simple
    butt of wood or tree stump about 2? in
    size. The Woodmen of Arden of 19th century
    Scotland used a black-centered
    white target 30? in diameter, set at a 60°
    angle. Another target used in England was
    an 18?-diameter, canvas-covered disc
    placed flat upon the ground, with a
    wooden peg in the center. A willow wand
    or pennant sometimes marked the center
    of the clout target.

     Target size modifiers
    Because of the various sizes of targets
    used in an archery match, it is important
    to establish a table of target-size modifiers
    to simulate the increasing difficulty involved
    in hitting progressively smaller
    targets. Such a table is given below. The
    idea behind this table is taken from
    Lenard Lakofka's "Missile Fire and the
    Archer Sub-class," DRAGON® issue #45.

    A human-sized target is presented first
    to provide a proper comparison with the
    various archery targets. A human-sized
    target is defined as 6? tall by 2? wide, or
    one third as wide as it is tall. This target
    has a surface area of about 12 sq. ft., or
    roughly 1,700 sq. in. The approximate
    surface areas of all other targets may be
    compared to this standard, as expressed
    by a percentage of human size. A progression
    of target size modifiers may then be
    created to reflect the effect of target size
    in attempting an archery shot.

    The ?to hit? modifiers for different sizes
    of targets are given for point blank, short,
    medium, and long ranges. The range modifiers
    of -2 and -5 for medium and long
    ranges are built into the table, as seen in
    the ?to hit? modifiers for the human-sized
    target. As smaller and smaller targets are
    considered, the target-size modifiers
    become increasingly difficult.

    In addition to the tournament archery
    targets, a selection of other common objects
    is listed in order of decreasing size.
    The very smallest of targets are effectively
    invisible at long range. That is, targets
    with a ?to hit? modifier greater than -28
    are beyond the ability of any reasonable 
    character.  The dead-center pinole of a
    round target is very hard to hit even at 
    medium range.  Splitting the tail-end of an 
    arrow roughly 3/8" in diameter is the most 
    demanding archery feat of all. 

    Most targets in the table are circular.  
    Such targets are easy to deal with, since 
    surface area alone guides the choice of a 
    target-size modifier.  Long, slender targets 
    such as the willow wand pose a curious 
    problem.  Althought the wand has a surface 
    area roughly equal to that of a circle 1' in 
    diameter, the wand should be the more 
    difficult target, since an error in aim of 
    but 1-2" will send the arrow skirting past 
    the slender rod.  As an archer has a 
    smaller margin of error in shooting at a 
    slender target compared to a round one, 
    the effective surface area of the wand is 
    smaller than its actual surface area. 

    Two sets of "to hit" modifiers are given 
    for the wand.  The 1st set is based on the 
    target's actual surface area.  The 2nd set 
    is based on the estimate that the wand's 
    effective surface area is about 1/4 
    that of its actual size. 

    The same idea of effective vs. actual 
    area could be applied to other slender 
    targets of considerable length.  A 1" cable 
    would be as difficult to hit as a clout peg, 
    while a 1/2"-thick rope would be as hard to 
    split as a coin. 

    Table 1
    Archery target table
                                                                        "To hit" modifier
    Target Dimensions Surface area % of human size PB S M L
    Human-sized 6' h. x 2' w. 12 sq.' (1,700 sq.") 100% 0 0 -2 -5
    - - - - - - - -
    Round target - - - - - - -
    White circle 48" dia. 1,800 sq." 105% 0 0 -2 -5
    Black circle 38.4" dia. 1,150 sq." 65% 0 -1 -3 -6
    Blue circle 28.8" dia. 650 sq." 40% 0 -2 -4 -8
    Red circle 19.2" dia. 280 sq." 15% -1 -3 -5 -10
    Gold circle 9.6" dia. 70 sq." 4% -3 -5 -10 -15
    Inner Gold  4.8" dia. 18 sq." 1% -4 -8 -15 -20
    - - - - - - - -
    Robin 6" dia. 30 sq." 2% -4 -7 -13 -18
    Apple 3" dia. 7 sq." .4% -5 -10 -18 -24
    Clout Peg 2" dia. 3 sq." .2% -6 -12 -21 -28
    Coin 1" dia. .8 sq" .05% -7 -14 -24 -
    Pinhole 1/2" dia. .2 sq." .01% -8 -16 -26 -
    Arrow-tail 1/4" .1 sq" .005% -9 -18 -28 -
    - - - - - - - -
    Clout targets 30" dia. 700 sq." 40% 0 -2 -4 -8
    - 24" dia. 450 sq." 25% 0 -2 -4 -9
    - 18" dia. 250 sq." 15% -1 -3 -5 -10
    - 12" dia. 110 sq." 7% -2 -4 -7 -12
    - - - - - - - -
    Willow wand 6' h. x 2' w. 140 sq." (1) 8% -2 -4 -7 -12
    - - 30 sq/" (2) 2% -4 -7 -13 -8

    (1) Actual surface area
    (2) Effective surface area

    Archery example
    When an archer shoots at the round 
    target of concentric circles, the easiest 
    way to  handle the event is to apply the 
    appropriate target-size modifier for each 
    target circle to the archer's minimum 
    number needed to hit AC 10.  Once the "to 
    hit" roll is made, the roll is checked against 
    the minimum needed to hit each target 
    circle, starting with the most difficult 
    target and working outward.  Each target  
    or target circle is checked in turn until the 
    circle in which the arrow lands is finally 
    determined.  For example, if the arrow 
    missed the pinhole, then check to see if it 
    hits the gold circle; if the arrow fails to 
    land in the gold, then see if it landed in the 
    red circle, and so on.  Each circle is 
    checked in turn, until either the circlee in 
    which the arrow lands is determined or 
    the shot is found to completely miss the 
    target. 

    For example, an 11th-level Ranger Lord with 
    17 dexterity is shooting at the round target 
    from a distance of 100 yards.  He gains 
    a +2 "to hit" bonus for his dexterity.  He 
    must roll a 0 - ( +2) = -2 to hit AC 10.  
    When the size modifiers for all targets or 
    target circles at medium range are applied 
    to his minimum needed to hit AC 10, a 
    table of minimums to hit each target or 
    circle is generated (see Table 2). 

    The skilled bowman will have no trouble 
    in hitting the target, and can hit the gold
    circle quite easily. The true test will be
    hitting the inner gold as many rimes as
    possible, and in trying to hit the pinhole.
    Since the number 20 is repeated six times
    in the ?to hit? tables, the archer can still
    hit any target requiring a minimum ?to
    hit? roll of 20 to 25, if he rolls a natural 20.
    The arrow-tail requires a minimum roll of
    26, so he cannot split an arrow at medium
    range without the help of magic of at least
    +1 in power. The archer will have to wait
    until he reaches 12th level before he can
    split an arrow without using a magic bow
    or arrow.

    The ranger shoots his first arrow, and
    rolls a 15. He misses the pinhole, but hits
    the inner gold. He rolls a 2 for his second
    shot, and curses himself for his poor aim.
    He misses both gold circles and the red
    circle to score a hit in the blue. He scores
    two easy bulls-eyes with rolls of 12 and 9,
    and finally hits the pinhole with a natural
    20. He tries to repeat his dead-center shot
    with his sixth arrow, but rolls a 17 for a
    hit in the inner gold.

    The ranger now tries his hand at the
    clout shoot. From a distance of 200 yards,
    he shoots at a clout target 18? in diameter
    with 6?-diameter inner circle with a 2?-
    diameter clout peg. His minimum rolls to
    hit the target are shown on Table 3.

    The ranger should do well at hitting the
    clout consistently, but hitting the inner
    circle is a good challenge. He is still not
    skilled enough to split the peg without the
    aid of magic. On the average, the ranger
    should hit the clout with 13 shots out of
    20, five of which should hit the inner
    circle.

    Hero points in archery
    To give archers the opportunity to influence
    the results of an archery match, the
    DM could permit archers to use their
    "hero points" to affect their "to hit" rolls
    (see "A Hero's Reward," by Leonard Carpenter
    in this issue). Archers may expend
    hero points to improve their chances with
    important shots. Some archers might
    choose to apply hero points a few at a time
    throughout the day to improve their
    shooting average. Others may save their
    points until faced with the dramatic moment
    of truth, then gamble all their points
    on one or two crucial shots. Trying to split
    an opponent's arrow á la Robin Hood is
    the most obvious time for a major hero
    point expenditure.

    Archery misses
    Whenever an archer shoots at a given
    target and misses, it is sometimes important
    to know in which direction the arrow
    flies. The easiest method to find the path
    of a missed shot is to roll 1d12, and use
    the result as the "clockwise" direction in
    which the arrow flies or lands. For instance,
    if an arrow misses the target in the 
    clout shoot, a 3 o'clock result on 1d12
    indicates the arrow lands beyond the
    clout. If William Tell, in trying to shoot the
    apple off his son's head, had missed, he
    would have been in real trouble if he had
    rolled a 6 o'clock low shot.

    Occasionally, the DM may need to know
    the exact distance by which an arrow
    misses the mark. This distance may be
    rolled randomly. The shot will miss the
    edge of the target by 4d6 inches at pointblank
    range, 1d6 feet at short range, 3d6
    feet at medium, and 3d6 yards at long.

    Table 2
    11th-level Ranger Table (Example 1)
    Target Size modifier Min. needed to hit
    White circle -2 0
    Black circle -3 1
    Blue circle -4 2
    Red circle -5 3
    Gold circle -10 8
    Inner gold -15 13
    Pinhole -26 24 (natural 20)
    Arrow-tail -28 26 (natural 20 + 1)

    Archery combat
    The target archery system described
    here is best restricted to sport competition
    only, and is definitely not recommended
    for general combat. Just because an
    archer can hit the bull's-eye in a friendly
    tourney competition does not mean the
    archer can shoot out a dragon's eye in the
    heat of battle. There is no provision in the
    rules for hitting a specific part of the
    anatomy in normal melee combat. Aiming
    at a small, seemingly vulnerable part of a
    creature's body borders on the use of a
    critical-hits system and has no part in the
    AD&D game.

    If the DM does allow a character to
    attempt a difficult shot during melee (such
    as shooting at a potion vial or an opponent
    ?s weapon), then the DM must enforce
    proper restrictions on the attempt. Great
    concentration and a superb shooting form
    are required to hit a small target under
    any circumstances. When an archer tries
    to hit an object smaller than six inches in
    size, only one shot per round may be
    fired, regardless of bow specialization or
    experience level, because of the time that
    must be spent in aiming at the target. For
    the same reason, a normal initiative roll
    replaces the "nocked and ready" advantage
    at point-blank range (see Unearthed
    Arcana, page 18) when an archer takes
    aim at a small target.

    An archer must remain very still to
    maintain proper shooting form in target
    archery, and so is a more vulnerable target
    when taking careful aim during melee.
    The stationary archer gains no armor class
    bonus for his dexterity, since he cannot
    bob and weave to avoid attack. Also, any
    attack that successfully hits the archer
    before he gets his shot off spoils the shot,
    just as a hit on a spell-caster ruins the
    spell.

    Table 3
    11th-level Ranger Table (Example 2)
    Target Size modifier Min. needed to hit
    Clout, 18" diameter -10 8
    Circle, 6" diameter -18 16
    Peg, 2" diameter -28 26 (natural 20 + 1)

    The archery contest
    The judges who oversee the archery
    contest enforce a strict code of conduct
    for the entrants. Any means of gaining an
    unfair advantage -- magical or otherwise
    -- is forbidden. No magic of any kind may
    be used by an archer, whether in the form
    of a spell or magic weapon. Trying to
    sneak a magic bow, arrows, or other forbidden
    items into the contest warrants
    immediate expulsion.

    An entrance fee may be required of the
    competitors in the match. The fee helps
    pay for the cost of the prizes awarded and
    supports the continuing work of the archery
    society sponsoring the contest. The
    size of the fee should be proportional to
    the experience level of the archer, perhaps
    20 gp per level of the entrant. Members in
    good standing of the society may be given
    a discount of 10% to 40%.

    Country peasants and lesser yeomen pay
    nothing to enter the contest, so as not to
    discourage the common folk from aspiring
    to win a prize. A wise monarch will do
    everything possible to promote archery
    practice among the people. Good archers
    make for a strong army.

    Entrants should be assigned to a suitable
    skill class so that archers may compete
    fairly against their peers. Novice archers
    should face other novices, not experts.
    Using the "5% principle" suggested on the
    bottom of page 74 of the DMG, the five
    archery skill classes are given here.




    Table 4
    Archery Skill Classes
    Archery class Experience level
    Novice 0-2
    Amateur 3-5
    Expert 6-8
    Master 9-12
    Grand Master 13 & up

    The novice class includes low-level fighters
    and rangers as well as zero-level men-at-
    arms, country yeomen, and "weekend
    shooters." The novice class of competition
    gives these lesser archers the chance to
    gain a touch of fame and a minor prize.
    But most important, such contests promote
    the vital battle-art of archery among
    the common folk.

    Archery scoring
    The point-scoring system of the popular 
    round target is very time consuming to 
    simulate in the AD&D game system.  Easier 
    ways to determine victory are needed.  A 
    simple contest might permit each archer 
    to shoot 3 or 6 arrows at the target.  
    The archer who comes closest to the center 
    pinhole is the winner.  If one of the 
    archers scores a hit in the pinhole, then 
    the only way to top the shot is to split the 
    dead-center arrow, a la Robin Hood.

    In a grand archery tournament, each 
    archer might shoot 3 or 6 arrows at 
    a time through several rounds.  After 1 
    or 2 dozen arrows in all have been shot, 
    the major prize may go to the archer who 
    has scored the most bull's eyes.  If the 
    archers involved are very skilled, then 
    prizes should instead be awarded for the 
    most hits in a more difficult target, such as 
    the 4.8" diameter inner gold or even the 
    center pinhole.  A speical prize should go 
    to any archer who splits an opponent's 
    arrow. 

    In the wand shoot, the judges simply 
    count the number of times each archer 
    strikes the wand.  Splitting an arrow in the 
    wand shoot is rare, but skilled archers 
    may attempt such a feat to impress the 
    spectators and gain an extra prize. 

    In the clout shoot, lesser archers may be 
    satisfied with just trying to hit the clout as 
    many times as they can.  Better archers 
    will try to come as close as possible to the 
    center of the clout, most especially to split 
    the center clout peg. 

    Prizes awarded in the contest should be 
    commensurate with the skill level of the 
    archers.  Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 
    3rd place are awarded in each event, 
    ranging in value from silver and electrum 
    for novices and amateurs up to gold and 
    gems for masters and grand masters.  A 
    bonus prize should be given for each 
    arrow an archer splits. 

    If several different archery events are 
    held during the tourney, then a grand 
    prize should go to the archer judged the 
    best overall in his or her skill class.  A good 
    performance in the clout shoot takes the 
    grand prize over an equally worthy showing 
    in target archery, since a skilled clout 
    shooter is the more valuable archer in a 
    medieval army.  The grand prizes bestowed 
    should be useful and distinctive, 
    and should have cash value as well.  A 
    bow of exotic wood, a beautifully crafted 
    quiver, a jeweled shooting glove, or a set 
    of arrows +1 fletched with rare bird 
    feathers are prizes any champion archer 
    would be proud to receive.

    Each grand-prize winner also receives 
    an ornate trophy shaped in the form of an 
    arrow.  The platinum arrow is bestowed to 
    the best archer in the grand master class, 
    the gold arrow in the master class, the 
    electrum in the expert class, the silver in 
    the amateur class, and the bronze arrow 
    to the best novice. 

    In every class from the amateur to the 
    grand master, a special booby prize is 
    awarded.  The "wooden spoon" award is 
    bestowed for the worst showing in each 
    event.  No wooden spoon is given in the 
    novice class, however, encouragement 
    should be given to novice archers, not 
    embarrassment. 

    Although crossbows and other missile 
    weapons are not specifically addressed in 
    this article, many of the guidelines that 
    pertain to the bow apply equally well to 
    the crossbow, dart, or spear.  Skill and 
    accuracy with the throwing axe, dagger, 
    or javelin can be tested by hurling the 
    missile at a round target from, a range of 
    20 to 60 yards.  Crossbow shooters can 
    compete in the same types of target archery 
    or clout shooting contests enjoyed by 
    longbow archers.  Characters who favor 
    many kinds of missile weapons should be 
    given the chance to experience the thrill of 
    competition. 

    With the guidelines presented here, the 
    DM can run an archery contest tailored to 
    the needs and flavor of his or her campaign 
    world.  The DM should check out 
    various books on archery, some of which 
    are suggested below, to learn more about 
    archery, both medieval and modern.  
    Armed with this knowledge, the DM can 
    provide the players with an adventure 
    reminiscent of the tales of Robin Hood or 
    the lejendary feats of William Tell.  

    Suggested reading
    Burke, Edmund. Archery. New York: 
    Arco Publishing Company, Inc, 1961.

    Gillelan, G. Howard.  Complete Book of 
    the Bow and Arrow
    .  New York: Galahad 
    Books, 1971. 

    Longman, C. J. and Walrond, H. Archery
    New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 
    1894.

    Scott, Sir Walter. Ivanhoe. New York: 
    New American Library, Inc., 1962.

    Stone, George Cameron.  A Glossary of 
    the Construction, Decoration, and Use of 
    Arms and Armor.
      The Southworth Press, 
    1934; reprinted,. New York: Jack Brussel,
    1961.