Longbow's Lethal Range: How Far?

The longbow is a type of bow commonly 6 feet (1.8 metres) tall. It was the predominant missile weapon of the English in the Hundred Years' War and on into the 16th century. The effective range of the longbow is disputed, with estimates ranging from 450 to 1,000 feet (140 to 300 metres) or even 400 yards, depending on the weight of the arrow and the type of bow. Modern experiments have achieved ranges of up to 451.47 yards (412.82 metres) with a traditional English longbow.

The effective range of a longbow is 450-1000 feet

The longbow was the predominant missile weapon of the English in the Hundred Years' War and on into the 16th century. It played an important role in the battles of Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt. The best longbows were made of yew and required a force of 150-180 pounds (70-80 kg) to draw.

The effective range of a longbow can be influenced by various factors such as the skill of the archer, the type of arrow, and the weight of the bow. In modern times, a 150-pound (667 N) replica longbow was able to shoot an arrow 359 yards (328 metres). However, the effective range in combat situations would be lower as sustained shooting tires the archer.

Longbows were very difficult to master due to the high force required to deliver an arrow through the armour of the time. As a result, monarchs encouraged their ownership and practice through various instructions and declarations. Despite their effectiveness, longbows eventually became replaced by muskets due to the lower training requirements and greater penetration of firearms.

The longbow was a powerful medieval weapon

The longbow's range put enemy forces at a significant disadvantage, as they would be bombarded with arrows before they could get into melee range. This tactic was particularly effective when used in conjunction with defensive positions, such as at the battles of Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War. The range of the longbow also allowed archers to target enemy horses, which were generally less well-protected than the knights themselves.

The longbow required a great deal of force to use, with draw weights of up to 150-180 pounds (70-80 kg). This made it difficult for the average person to use effectively, and longbowmen often underwent extensive training and practice to build up the necessary strength and technique. The force required to draw the longbow also meant that the weapon was most effective when used in volleys, as sustained shooting could be tiring.

The English and Welsh longbowmen often fought in formations that took advantage of the longbow's strengths. They would be positioned on the flanks or front of the main infantry force, and their volleys could create a "storm of arrows", saturating the enemy with fire. This tactic was highly effective against massed formations of enemy troops, particularly those with inferior armour.

The longbow's power and effectiveness as a medieval weapon were such that it played a decisive role in many battles, shaping the course of history. However, the advent of firearms and improvements in armour eventually led to the decline of the longbow as a primary weapon in warfare.

The longbow was used for hunting

The longbow was a self bow, made from a single piece of wood. The traditional way of making a longbow involves drying the yew wood for one to two years, then slowly working it into shape, with the entire process taking up to four years. The bow stave is shaped to have a D cross-section, with the outer "back" of sapwood following the natural growth rings, and the inner side ("belly") consisting of rounded heartwood. The heartwood resists compression, while the outer sapwood performs better in tension. This combination forms a natural "laminate", similar in effect to the construction of a composite bow.

Longbows were used for hunting and warfare in many different cultures. In Europe, they date back to the Paleolithic era, and since the Bronze Age, they were made mainly from yew. The longbow was also used in the Neolithic period, with a yew longbow dating to around 2700 BC found in Somerset in 1961.

Longbows were used for hunting a variety of game, with the draw weight depending on the size of the animal. Hunting bows usually had a draw weight of 50-60 lbf, which is enough for all but the very largest game. Today, there are few archers capable of using 180-185 lbf bows accurately.

Longbows were also used for hunting by ancient societies, with bows excavated from waterlogged deposits in Somerset dating back to the Iron Age. Longbows were also used by Eastern Woodland Native Americans for hunting deer.

Longbows were used for hunting in modern times, with some people still hunting with longbows today.

The longbow was used in battle

The longbow was used to great effect in medieval warfare, particularly by the English and Welsh during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453). The longbow's effectiveness in battle is first recorded in the Anglo-Norman invasions of Wales, where Welsh archers were said to have "taken a heavy toll on the invaders".

The longbow was then used by the English and Welsh against the French in the Hundred Years' War, with notable success at the battles of Sluys (1340), Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415). The longbow's effectiveness in these battles is attributed to its range and accuracy, as well as the ability of archers to shoot multiple arrows in quick succession.

At the Battle of Crécy, for example, the English and Welsh archers, positioned on the flanks, were able to shoot 10-12 arrows in the time it took the opposing Genoese crossbowmen to shoot 3-5 volleys. The English archers' rate of fire, combined with unfavourable weather conditions for the crossbowmen, meant that the French crossbowmen were no match for the English and Welsh archers.

The longbow was also used to great effect at the Battle of Poitiers, where the French cavalry, specifically developed to attack the English and Welsh archers, was stopped by a storm of arrows. The archers shot so many arrows that some ran out and had to run forward to collect more from the ground.

The longbow's effectiveness in battle was not just a result of the weapon itself but also the skill of the archers, which took extensive training to develop. The difficulty in using the longbow is evident in the physical remains of longbow archers, whose skeletons show enlarged left arms and bone spurs on the wrists.

The longbow remained the primary weapon of the English military until the introduction of firearms in the 16th century. The last major battle in which the longbow played a significant role was the Battle of Flodden in 1513, and its last recorded use in battle was possibly during the English Civil War in 1642.

The longbow was hard to master

The longbow was a powerful medieval weapon, about 6 feet (1.8 metres) long, that required a lot of strength to draw. The tension of the longbow could reach 80 to 185 pounds-force, and it took a lot of skill and training to use one effectively.

The longbow was harder to shoot than modern bows because it required more technique and raw feeling from the archer. It was built without accessories that would be considered normal for modern bows, such as stabilizers and sights. This made it more challenging to shoot accurately.

The longbow required a specific technique to use. Archers had to learn to draw the bow by laying their body into it, pressing the weight of their body into the bow rather than drawing with the strength of their arms. This technique took time and practice to master.

The difficulty of using the longbow was one of the reasons why firearms eventually replaced bows. Firearms had lower training requirements, allowed the user to take cover while shooting, had a flatter trajectory, and offered greater penetration.

The longbow's effectiveness also depended on the type of arrow used. Arrows could be made from a variety of materials, including poplar, ash, beech, and hazel. The weight and length of the arrow, as well as the type of arrowhead, would impact the range and penetration of the shot.

In addition to the technical challenges of using a longbow, archers also had to be able to withstand the physical demands. The force required to deliver an arrow through armour was very high by modern standards, and the physical exertion of shooting a longbow could be tiring. Skeletons of longbow archers show signs of this, with enlarged left arms and osteophytes on left wrists, left shoulders, and right fingers.

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