"Comparing a modern crossbow to a medieval one" Topic

A very interesting shoot off…

A 960 pound pull 14th century crossbow versus a 150 pound pull ultra-modern crossbow…

YouTube link

The medieval is a flat trajectory beast!

Barry

Well that was extremely interesting. Thanks.

@PaulCollins:
You are more than welcome.

Barry

Yes, enjoyed that.

Illuminating. I can't wait to try my CB soon.

Thanks, as he mention the arms race of armor vs weapon. The 14c CB is not a weapon to be used mounted.

@dapeters:
What we tend to forget is that there were several different grades of crossbow. The 'light latch' could be used from horseback but the heavier field and siege arbalests would not work. Imagine slinging that thing over your back to ride with it.

B

He's got an excellent monologue regarding historical accuracy in movies (and tv) and how many times it's not only impossible but the wrong thing to do— even dangerous. Not much on the visuals— mostly him talking— but he makes a lot of important points that are worth noting.

>The 14c CB is not a weapon to be used mounted.

Replace "THE" with "THIS" and you are correct. But the 15th century was the era of the mounted crossbow, which only petered out around 1520, when the crossbows normal usage by infantry was already extinct for two decades. Cavalry crossbows where quite widespread either for skirmish or in support of Knights and Gensdarmes in battle.

Yes from ancient times the were CBs that could be drawn by hand 14-15 century armor made this relegated to hunting weapons. A stirrup or goat's foot lever are not friendly to horse back riding. This is kind of like mounted Longbow men. Just foot combatants that are wealthy enough to own a horse and there by not having to walk.

Interestingly I do not know of any "heavy" crossbows that were mounted "dragoon"-style as the longbows were. Mounted crossbows usually had lighter arms and were able to fire from the horse, while mounted archers were pretty common – even when the French version transmorphed into medium cavalry over the decades. This may be just my ignorance, so if anybody knows of mounted crossbows which were exclusively used at foot I would love to learn of them.

On a similar note of difference I often connect crossbowmen to the usage of pavises, while bows are not. If at all, they use stakes as cavalry defense. Is there any source for crossbows using stakes or bows using pavises?

Dragoons no, more like mounted infantry, like Elites in Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian armies, centuries before. Ride to battle get off horse form up and then fight.

However, IIRC there was a battle during WOR were crossbows were used just that way, however the name and date of it allude me. I am sure Barry can name it (assume that I am recalling correctly and am not confusing something else.)

Pavises were primarily anti missile where as stakes are to slow down melee assaults.

@ dapeters:

I do not recall a WOTR battle with mounted crossbow.
However the 600 Lombard mercenary cavalry at Verneuil in 1424 are referred-to as mounted crossbow in some versions.
link
Wiki does not mention them as such but I believe they were the: "small force of French heavy cavalry on the right [which] attempted to outflank the English line but were repelled by an arrowstorm from the redeployed English left wing of 2,000 longbowmen, who used the lines of tethered horses for cover".

Barry

The Invention of the Crossbow

link

Armand