War Archer!
- Thread starter sandbender
- Start date
Just got round to watching that, I can only echo everyone else......amazing
What sort of poundage do we reckon his bow is?
What sort of poundage do we reckon his bow is?
Impressive stuff, might need to have a play just so I can know i'm never going to have the time to master it 
Snip>
As you can see in the video above she is holding her arrows in her bow hand.
I usually do that when I am using my longbow.
A lot of people stick them in the ground but that just means you end up with clods of earth on them that affect the flight so I've always done it that way.
I started watching the vid and had to stop. what a load of twaddle. Back quivers are useless? Um, I used to hunt a lot, you don't run around when hunting, you stalk, slowly and silently. Back quivers work just fine. North American natives used them - sometimes with covers.
The 'fast draw and loose' is very clever, very impressive, but he isn't doing a full draw. Those arrows would not have the momentum to penetrate medium to large game and certainly not heavy clothing (let alone armour).
Anyone who has shot a heavy-poundage bow knows that the biometrics of the human body mean it is easier (for right-handed archer) to draw with the top of the bow canted to the right. Ergo (disregarding mechanics of the release), you need the arrow on the left of the bow.
The 'fast draw and loose' is very clever, very impressive, but he isn't doing a full draw. Those arrows would not have the momentum to penetrate medium to large game and certainly not heavy clothing (let alone armour).
Anyone who has shot a heavy-poundage bow knows that the biometrics of the human body mean it is easier (for right-handed archer) to draw with the top of the bow canted to the right. Ergo (disregarding mechanics of the release), you need the arrow on the left of the bow.
Although I didn't like the presentation style, there is little doubt that he is a skilled archer.
The composite type bows he is using do not require a full draw in many cases and without closer examination I could not tell whether his need it or not.
As for the side for mounting an arrow, there are certainly conventions amongst European archers which have been followed for many years, indeed I used to teach them myself when I was still qualified to coach.
On the other hand, there are traditions in different parts of the world that fly in the face of everything I was taught, so I would not be so quick to discount other possibilities.
The picture evidence is non conclusive. Artists are not necessarily trained archers or observers and could have simply got it wrong.
As for the video, there could be many out-takes that we will never see that show him getting it completely wrong. That is the nature of edited video.
However, what I have seen is impressive enough to consider trying it out at some point.
The composite type bows he is using do not require a full draw in many cases and without closer examination I could not tell whether his need it or not.
As for the side for mounting an arrow, there are certainly conventions amongst European archers which have been followed for many years, indeed I used to teach them myself when I was still qualified to coach.
On the other hand, there are traditions in different parts of the world that fly in the face of everything I was taught, so I would not be so quick to discount other possibilities.
The picture evidence is non conclusive. Artists are not necessarily trained archers or observers and could have simply got it wrong.
As for the video, there could be many out-takes that we will never see that show him getting it completely wrong. That is the nature of edited video.
However, what I have seen is impressive enough to consider trying it out at some point.
Um - I'm going by the arrow penetration. Those arrows are simply not hitting hard enough to do sod all against a thick-skinned or heavily clothed target.
The reasoning they stated behind the 'arrow on the left' convention is twaddle. Absolute twaddle. It predates the use of sights.
Lets see that guy use a 90lb longbow, drawn to full length. He won't be shooting like he is in that vid.
His skills are very very impressive but they are circus tricks.
I recon he'd take a long bow man, he'd shoot his arrow out the sky and then nail him with 3 before he loosed another yard long shaft
Seriously though, I think that the vid was orientated around fighting and he looked like he'd be handy with his bow in an aggressive encounter...
4min 30sec in he's nailing armour, even if it's not the greatest armour he's still doing well
Seriously though, I think that the vid was orientated around fighting and he looked like he'd be handy with his bow in an aggressive encounter...
4min 30sec in he's nailing armour, even if it's not the greatest armour he's still doing well
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European archery technique is heavily influenced by the longbow.
That didn't stop Chinghis Khan's armies from giving us a good kicking though.
That didn't stop Chinghis Khan's armies from giving us a good kicking though.
When was that? Sounds like a bit of history that I've not heard about.
I've always wondered why bows didn't become part of central and southern african war. They don't seem to have been used much.
I did know a little about that.
Nothing there about longbows tho'!
Saracen's tactics were not a lot different, and also were very effective.
A common prayer or prayer fragment across much of tenth century Europe was...
"Sagittis hungarorum libera nos Domine"
("Lord save us from the arrows of Hungarians")
Although fired from horseback, still much the same style.
Longbow archery is a different beast I think, more ranged artillery rather than suppressive fire.
Longbow vs this dude?
Assault rifle vs sniper rifle is the first thing that springs to mind
Although I am no more an archery expert than I am an ancient battle commander.....
I know which one i'd send on horseback to harass an enemy's flanks
Assault rifle vs sniper rifle is the first thing that springs to mind
Although I am no more an archery expert than I am an ancient battle commander.....
I know which one i'd send on horseback to harass an enemy's flanks
bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I've been messing about with my horse bow for a while now but I'm still struggling to make the switch over to arrow on the right side with thumb release......but I'll get there . Not helped by the fact that my thumb ring was clearly made to fit a giants thumb!!!! Lol
Now......clearly I couldn't justify buying a horse just to use my bow on and seeing as my wife wasn't keen on giving me piggy back rides......last week I purchased myself a unicycle. All I have to do is learn to ride it and it'll be my new "metal horse".......simples
Cheers,
Bam.
. Not helped by the fact that my thumb ring was clearly made to fit a giants thumb!!!! Lol Now......clearly I couldn't justify buying a horse just to use my bow on and seeing as my wife wasn't keen on giving me piggy back rides......last week I purchased myself a unicycle
. All I have to do is learn to ride it and it'll be my new "metal horse".......simples Cheers,
Bam.
It is very impressive, but to me comparing that to what the average archer can do is rather like comparing trick shooters with everybody else. I doubt much that the average Horse archer of ancient times was as good as this guy. Comparing it with the long bow at a distance is liking comparing chalk and cheese.
I do think there is more to archery than the techniques that are taught by competition coaches though. I gave up the Archery club I used to belong to because I was fed up of the Olympic coach. I wanted to shoot for the exercise, and to build up a natural and comfortable technique, not for competition. I can only sight the bow with one eye however, as that is all that nature blesses me with.
I do think there is more to archery than the techniques that are taught by competition coaches though. I gave up the Archery club I used to belong to because I was fed up of the Olympic coach. I wanted to shoot for the exercise, and to build up a natural and comfortable technique, not for competition. I can only sight the bow with one eye however, as that is all that nature blesses me with.
When did English Archers go up against Horsebowmen and receive a kicking?
Richard ! organised his marching column very effectively although it was crossbows in this case keeping the Saracen archers at bay. See Battle of Arsuf.
Richard ! organised his marching column very effectively although it was crossbows in this case keeping the Saracen archers at bay. See Battle of Arsuf.
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