Re: [OT] CrossbowRe: [FT] (LONG) The Balance of Power -- Fighters and a Defense

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Atkinson" <johnmatkinson@yahoo.com>

> --- devans@uneb.edu wrote:
> 
> > I can't think of a way of draggin' this back on
> > topic, but I was reminded
> > of somewhat later invention, an auto-crossbow.
> > Apparently, the user, a
> > relatively untrained serf or the like, was expected
> > to hold the trigger for
> > 3 or 5 shots at oncoming troops, then drop the
> > dingus and run. Does anyone
> > know of it?
> 
> Grosse Gott!	This "dingus" as you call it has become
> quite the legend among fantasy roleplayers who think
> it's the medieval equivelant of the SMG.  It's a
> lever-actuated crossbow (very light--otherwise you
> couldn't operate it) with a box of about a half-dozen
> bolts on top.  It's existence is based on less than a
> dozen illustrations in Chinese texts.  They've built a
> couple of "reconstructions" but I've never seen one in
> action.  They are supposed to be unwieldy, poorly
> balanced, and impossible to aim due to a big box
> sitting on top where you've be sighting over.

The "entombed warriors" had quite a few of them, and we
know how they work, pretty well.
They fire a light bamboo dart at fairly low velocity, and
have maybe a 30 lb draw weight. It's possible they were
poisoned, but in any case we think they were used from rear ranks
to discomfit the enemy while the spearmen pushed against
each other. A bamboo dart in the face can be rather distracting.
They'd be excellent against unarmoured horses too. An area
fire weapon used at high angles and short range. Their rate
of fire OTOH really is as great as legend would have it, maybe
1 round per 2 seconds.

Penetrating power equivalent to a BB gun or air rifle, if that.

European Crossbows OTOH fired a (sometimes metal) bolt
with a draw weight of 80 lbs (for the LIGHTEST) to 200 Lbs.
The smallest could be cocked using a lever, the largest
required a winch.
If a Repeating Crossbow was a BB gun, this would be
equivalent to a 7.62mm military rifle, or at least a .38 magnum.