Re: Low-Tech Forces in DSII

On Tue, 3 Nov 1998, Thomas Barclay wrote:

> Depends on the bow, depends on the crossbow. I've seen quite a few 
> crossbows effective 225-325 meters. Many bows aren't effective past 
> 150m. 

Mongol bows were credited with penetrating armor at 200 yards.
(chainmail
though)

> Wow. I wonder what the longest recorded crossbow shot is? (Or 
> ballista... that would probably hit even PA). 

Crossbow bolts would have a much shorter range since the bolts are much
heavier.  Ballistae did not have much longer ranges than normal
crossbows
for pretty much the same reason.  They certainly could not penetrate PA
as we see them. (i.e. composite or metal armor that could stop
small-arms
fire)  The longest bowshot I heard was actually around 900 meters,
shot by the Turkish Sultan Selim III.  This was recorded in an issue of
Strategy and Tactics.  Various sources confirm this. (For example, that
"Crossbow" book by that British author whose name I can't remember)  But
remember that the Turkish bows in question fired a very light arrow
using
an over-draw, and the arrows would probably break apart on contact with
any hard target.  Overall though, these ancient ranged weapons could not
be compared to anything with rifled barrels.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----

Even the engineers are not *this* depraved.  This must be the work of
the
Med. students.

						- A friend of mine
						
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----