Aiming for realism in archery	Bowmanship	A Long Bow Isn't Always a Strong Bow	-	-
Archer	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

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)
 

A 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 eve y 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.