Longbow technique

[The Drunkard]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BEG-ly9tQGk

Watching this without context and with no sound was much more funny than I expected it to be.

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

I have read many people to claim that longbows (like those the Westerosi use) are more powerful than recurve bows (like those the Essosi use) because they would shoot the using the english style, that is, laying the weight of the body on the bow, which allows for greater draw weights.

 

Well the bows are more powerful because they can absorb and release more energy, specialised techniques simply allow for them to be drawn in the first place.

 

It is important to note that power in this case simply means more kinetic energy is imparted into the arrow, longbow arrows are heavy and thus even with more energy don't travel as far as other arrow types.

 

One thing to note about English (and therefore presumably Westerosi) archers is that arrows were generally fired on a relatively flat trajectory, so the popular image of arrows raining down upon people is inaccurate, firing at a steep angle is inadvisable because

1. The arrow is in the air for longer and thus has less kinetic energy when it hits the target.
2. People are smaller targets from above.
3. Most soldiers (90+%) had helmets, so hitting their head from above didn't have much point.
4. Soldiers in full plate would generally be injured by arrows in the groin or visor (though most weren't injured).

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BEG-ly9tQGk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDbqz_07dW4

[Ser Lepus]

Well the bows are more powerful because they can absorb and release more energy, specialised techniques simply allow for them to be drawn in the first place.

That was what I meant. I guess I explained myself poorly.

[Black Crow]

 

Well the bows are more powerful because they can absorb and release more energy, specialised techniques simply allow for them to be drawn in the first place.

 

It is important to note that power in this case simply means more kinetic energy is imparted into the arrow, longbow arrows are heavy and thus even with more energy don't travel as far as other arrow types.

 

One thing to note about English (and therefore presumably Westerosi) archers is that arrows were generally fired on a relatively flat trajectory, so the popular image of arrows raining down upon people is inaccurate, firing at a steep angle is inadvisable because

1. The arrow is in the air for longer and thus has less kinetic energy when it hits the target.
2. People are smaller targets from above.
3. Most soldiers (90+%) had helmets, so hitting their head from above didn't have much point.
4. Soldiers in full plate would generally be injured by arrows in the groin or visor (though most weren't injured).

 

 

Afraid not. Contemporary accounts stress the iron rain, and having seen a war arrow drop down from perihelion to bury itself all the way to the fletchings in not particularly soft ground I would not underestimate the terminal velocity - or the concussive effect even if the arrow is deflected by the curvature of the armour.  :devil: