Best Weapon of the Middle Ages

[aronnax]

Definitely the longbow. Give me a longbow and 100 yards and ill take down a soldier armed with the biggest melee weapon you can find

Give or take, after 6 years of constant and competant practise compared to a week with the crossbows

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

I believe it depends entirely on what it's being used for. Granted, each was intended for killing, but each were created for doing so in a different way.

 

[alcal]

Give or take, after 6 years of constant and competant practise compared to a week with the crossbows

Yeah but longbow's fire power eats crossbow's one. Just see Crecy battle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Crécy

 

[Dachs]

Yeah but longbow's fire power eats crossbow's one. Just see Crecy battle.

The Battle of Crecy was remarkable in that the crossbowmen were deliberately hampered by the French commander at the battlefield. Probably not the best benchmark to use.

 

[@N1k1T0$]

I vote the Horse. What it is not a weapon ? I say La la la la and claim it is. It certainly increases the impact of any weapon a Knight can use due to the sheer speed and size of The horses crushing on enemy lines , in combination with the weapons a knight mounting such horse may use.

 

[alcal]

The Battle of Crecy was remarkable in that the crossbowmen were deliberately hampered by the French commander at the battlefield. Probably not the best benchmark to use.

I agree, most of a weapon's power depends on how they are used. Said that, longbow's fire rate was up to 4 times higher than crossbow's one, so i will choose the first.

 

[@N1k1T0$]

The stirrup was also pretty important.

 

[Lord Neil]

Give or take, after 6 years of constant and competant practise compared to a week with the crossbows

Ya well i have practiced since I was one year old.

I agree crossbows would be useful for conscripts although many people knew how to use a bow since they are not overly expensive and useful for hunting. Overall the bow is much more powerful in well trained hands.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

The Battle of Crecy was remarkable in that the crossbowmen were deliberately hampered by the French commander at the battlefield. Probably not the best benchmark to use.

Even on fairer terms, a crossbow still fires slower than a 17th Century Swede. A determined longbowman can put a missile in the air every five seconds.

 

[Dachs]

Even on fairer terms, a crossbow still fires slower than a 17th Century Swede. A determined longbowman can put a missile in the air every five seconds.

I didn't disagree with him, I said there were better and more indisputable ways to prove that longbowmen are of higher quality.