The book of the crossbow
by Payne-Gallwey, Ralph Sir · first published 1995
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The history of the crossbow, with notes comparative on the longbow, shortbow, and handgun -- The construction and management of crossbows : mediaeval -- The construction and management of crossbows--(continued) : modern -- A treatise on the siege engines used in ancient and mediaeval times for discharging great stones and arrows.
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…If we allow for past war crossbows being beefier constructs - they had windlasses to help load them, after all - then maybe we can add a bit to the maximum and say 200 yards shooting in an arc, but the Book of the Crossbow [2] suggests an effective range of medieval crossbows of around 40 yards. After all, you want your shots to kill, not just go "plink" on someone's helmet. Longbow range is generally given as something…
on “Why Fantasy Avoids Gunpowder” ↗Payne-Gallwey's "The Book of the Crossbow" is at least in the same category as the paper's cited "Great Warbow". At one point he tests a 15th century siege crossbow with a draw weight of 1200 lbs, which is probably close to the upper limit (and…
on “Why didn't France adopt the longbow like England did?” ↗