How effective were longbow archers against plate-armored infantry?

History

In this case, the longbowmen excelled, but at an effective range of about 220 – 300 yards, a horse in full gallop could cross that in under a minute giving the archer about a dozen shots before the enemy was upon them.

Did arrows penetrate plate armor?

Computer analysis by Warsaw University of Technology in 2017 demonstrated that heavy bodkin-point arrows could penetrate typical plate armour of the time at 225 metres (738 ft).

Did archers wear plate armor?

brigandine (plate armour) was used by archers but knights was more shock troops than skirmishers.

How would the longbow have been used to be effective in battle?

Archers could thin out the ranks of the enemy army, or kill the horses that were essential to the enemy’s cavalry charge. Handily, longbows could be used on uneven terrain, and (unlike the more unwieldly halberds) to hunt game to feed the army, too.

How accurate were medieval archers?

Medieval Archer Types



Its accurate range could be anywhere between 300 to 400 yards, later metal crossbows had an even greater range, but they fired at a slower rate than the longbow *2 to 3 bolts a minute could be fired by trained crossbowmen.

Can longbows pierce plate armor?

Well, first of all a real longbow can penetrate steel armor, as long as the arrowhead is made of forged, hardened steel. Real longbows were made of yew and were really big, like taller than a man. They were very expensive and took special training of many years to use properly.

What armor would an archer wear?

Historically, leather and chainmail were two of the common choices for archers, as they could be worn without hampering movement, allowing the archer to still fire their bow.

What is the effective range of a longbow?

The effective range of a modern longbow is between 60 to 80 yards. The longbow does not have the same range as the more powerful recurve bow, but it is more accurate towards the top end of its range than what the recurve bow is.

How far away could the longbow hit a target?

Archers would be trained to shoot at groups of enemy and not individuals, at least not at any great range. The English/Welsh Longbow of the early 15th century, had a range of up to 350 yds or so, but it was only considered effective at up to around 200 yds.

When did armies stop using the longbow?

The last battle to involve the longbow was Tippermuir in Scotland in 1644. The last time a longbow was used to kill was in 1940. A British officer took his longbow to France and he used it to kill a German.



Who was the best archer in history?

Howard Hill (born Lemuel Howard Hill and later cited Howard H. Hill; November 13, 1899 – February 4, 1975) was an expert bowman who for over two decades, from the early 1930s into the 1950s, was often introduced or billed as “The World’s Greatest Archer”.

How far could a medieval longbow shoot?

Few medieval weapons of the projectile-firing (or, rather, loosing) variety have achieved as much fame as the English longbow. A six-foot bow made of yew wood, the English longbow had a draw weight of between 80 and 150 pounds, an effective range of up to 350 yards.

What is a female archer called?

Archeress is a term found in most modern dictionaries and is simply defined as a female archer. However, women in this line simply prefer to call themselves archers.

How long can you leave a longbow strung?

Modern recurve and longbows made from synthetic materials can be left strung for up to 3 weeks, but should be unstrung for long-term storage. Compound bows can be left strung indefinitely.



Why did the longbow fall out of use?

No English longbows survive from the period when the longbow was dominant (c. 1250–1450), probably because bows became weaker, broke, and were replaced rather than being handed down through generations. More than 130 bows survive from the Renaissance period, however.

What is the farthest an arrow has been shot?

The furthest distance shot with any bow is 2,047 yards (1,871.84m) . This was shot by the late Harry Drake in 1988 using a crossbow. The furthest with a hand-held – and pulled – bow is 1,336 yds 1′ 3″ (1,222.01m) , shot by Don Brown with an unlimited conventional Flight bow in 1987.

Did archers wear heavy armor?

Archers still wore protective clothing. Although not all archers would have been expected to fight in close quarters in the English manner, they would still be expected to skirmish with enemy ranged troops and either suppress them or drive them from the field.

Why did archers wear hoods?

Simply put, men typically would have worn in combat what they wore in civilian life. As such, archers typically wore the outdoor garments of the working class- Namely, the hood and tunic.

How far did archers shoot in war?

long. A trained archer could shoot 12 arrows a minute, but some sources say that the most skilled archers could fire twice this number. The arrow could wound at 250 yards, kill at 100 yards and penetrate armor at 60 yards. At the battle of Agincourt in 1415, 1,000 arrows were fired every second.



Can crossbows penetrate plate armor?


Quote from video: Now through the plate and the padding. I think you'd be fine same bolt with the heavy crossbow. And i don't think i have to take that many more shots against this armor. It's pretty obvious that it.

Are spears good against armor?

Theoretically the spear is effective against armour. But as armour got better, the spear had to find a weak point. Indeed, it would have to find a weak point it could “catch” into and find purchase.

How powerful was a medieval crossbow?

Crossbow Statistics



Skilled crossbowmen could maybe make two or three shots a minute, with accuracy up to 400 yards. Medieval crossbows, even those with hundreds of pounds of draw weight, only shot bolts at around 140 feet per second, which is not much faster than the longbows of the time.

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