64 replies to this topic

[Sci-2]

So in video games (Crysis), comics (Hawkeye), TV shows (Arrow) you have someone with a bow and arrow taking on people with guns.

I keep asking myself, why would you ever do this?

Even in a comic book world where you have trick arrows with various gadgetry, there is usually enough tech for there to be trick bullets.

[MisterOJ]

Because it's cool.

[Rhom]

MisterOJ, on 08 February 2013 - 03:13 PM, said:

Because it's cool.

[Ken Stone]

Bows are silent. Also they work better against modern day armors.

ETA: Also I don't care how great your tech is you just can't tie a rope to a bullet, shot it into a building, and slide down it. It ain't happening.

Edited by Ken Stone, 08 February 2013 - 03:29 PM.

[Sci-2]

Quote

Bows are silent. Also they work better against modern day armors.

Thanks, that actually makes sense!

[Myrddin]

Sci-Sci, on 08 February 2013 - 03:10 PM, said:

So in video games (Crysis), comics (Hawkeye), TV shows (Arrow) you have someone with a bow and arrow taking on people with guns.

Let's not forget Storm Shadow of GI Joe fame.

I'll second (third?) the silence/stealth advantage. Unless you see the arrow sticking out of the wall, you don't have a clear idea which direction it came from.

[Prince Rhaegar Targaryen]

Well, I'm no expert, but there *are* silencers for various different gun types, kind of disarming the silence argument. Although I don't know *how* silent exactly a gun gets thereby. Anyway, I second (third?) the main argument: bows are cool beyond awesome

[polishgenius]

Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, on 08 February 2013 - 03:42 PM, said:

Well, I'm no expert, but there *are* silencers for various different gun types, kind of disarming the silence argument. Although I don't know *how* silent exactly a gun gets thereby. Anyway, I second (third?) the main argument: bows are cool beyond awesome

Pfft. I'm from England and even I know that they're really called suppressors and they're called that because there's no such thing as a silent gun.

[Ken Stone]

Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, on 08 February 2013 - 03:42 PM, said:

Well, I'm no expert, but there *are* silencers for various different gun types, kind of disarming the silence argument. Although I don't know *how* silent exactly a gun gets thereby.

It goes from an m80 to an 1"1/2er. Not exactly silent.

[Memory Lane]

It's pretty much Rule of Cool. I like archery, but you'd be crazy to go running into a close-up battle with a bow and arrows versus people with guns.

[Rhom]

All this talk of bows and no mention of Rambo and his long bow of awesomness?!!?

[Ixodes]

Sci-Sci, on 08 February 2013 - 03:33 PM, said:

Thanks, that actually makes sense!

But then think on it some more and the advantages don't really exist.  What you gain in quiet you lose in range, rate of fire, and speed of kill.  Yeah, you can quietly arrow someone but you have to be really close to them.  Then, as you bask in the glow of how quietly you arrowed them, you have to deal with the next 5-20 minutes of them screaming, hollering, gurgling, and running around until they bleed to death.  Not so quiet anymore.  You better hope your first shot does the trick because as you are nocking your next arrow, mr bad-guy is going to cap your ass.

And to be honest, if you are close enough to put an arrow through some type of body armour, you are close enough to put a much more effective bullet in that same place.  There is a reason that in hostage stand off's you have SWAT snipers and not SWAT archers.

So you're left with the cool factor.  But this is a legit reason.  As someone who recreationally is on gun shooting leagues in the summer and bow shooting leagues in the winter, the bow shooting tends to be more fun.  When you get good with a bow, you feel more awesome.

Edited by Ixodes, 08 February 2013 - 04:06 PM.

[Jon Wolfwalker]

Rhom, on 08 February 2013 - 03:59 PM, said:

All this talk of bows and no mention of Rambo and his long bow of awesomness?!!?

Beat me to it.

[kungtotte]

Submachineguns, shotguns and handguns don't really have the power to punch through body armour reliably, and in these kinds of shows that's mostly what the Evil Henchmen are armed with. Handguns are also not really effective outside 50 yards, not in a "Oh shit we have to kill the Do-Gooder Protagonist in the dark" situation anyway.

Not that a bow is any better in that regard, but as you point out anybody who is trying to use a bow in a situation like that without being stealthy is a bit of a wanker to begin with.

[polishgenius]

Ixodes, on 08 February 2013 - 04:00 PM, said:

When you get good with a bow, you feel more awesome.

I'd say this is a good part of the reason - any schmuck can use a gun (yeah, I know, using it well is another matter, but beside the point). We want our heroes - particularly superheroes like Hawkeye and Green Arrow - to be doing something we can't.

Also, another perception thing is that it's easier to create a perception of nobility and heroism with a bow (mostly thanks to Robin Hood I guess).

[Theda Baratheon]

Aye; gonna have to agree on all points. They're silent and bows are really fucking cool.

[Theda Baratheon]

polishgenius, on 08 February 2013 - 04:12 PM, said:

I'd say this is a good part of the reason - any schmuck can use a gun (yeah, I know, using it well is another matter, but beside the point). We want our heroes - particularly superheroes like Hawkeye and Green Arrow - to be doing something we can't.

Also, another perception thing is that it's easier to create a perception of nobility and heroism with a bow (mostly thanks to Robin Hood I guess).

I always associate rangers with assasins but that might just be because I'm bias and every single character I've made on Oblivion has ended up as a ranger assasin.

[Tyrellius]

Silence and ropes?!

Lol - grappling guns and silencers.

[Theda Baratheon]

EDIT: Nevermind~

Edited by ~Mya Bara Stone~, 08 February 2013 - 04:37 PM.

[Reposado]

this is like saying why would you play on all madden?

people with the bow are playing real life on madden