Conquest Medieval Archers?

[Parrot]

I am trying to make some Norman and Viking Archers out of this new plastic set from conquest, but I don't know which bows I should use.  Would they have used the longer bows or the short ones?  Or would both have been used?  Does anyone else have experience with this set?

[tyrionhalfman]

I've used the longer bows as to my eyes the shorter ones just look too short, but there again I was mixing them with Perry hundred year war English for a non historical medieval style army

[Codsticker]

I agree with tyrionhalfman; the long bows actually don't look that "long" to me (not how I imagine medieval long bows anyway), and the short bows actually quite short.

[henryv]

I would go for the shorter bow's, especially for Viking's, The longer bow's I would suggest lend themselves to the Norman/Welsh border conflict. But go for what you think looks the part for your army.

[mrtn]

From what I know the vikings used long bows.

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

As Mrtn says, Vikings used longbows.  The staves were about 6ft Long.

They did not have the same draw weight as 14th or 15th century English Warbows but were the same length.

Regards


Mick

[Charlie_]

As Mrtn says, Vikings used longbows.  The staves were about 6ft Long.

They did not have the same draw weight as 14th or 15th century English Warbows but were the same length.

Regards


Mick

Really? I didn't know that!

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Dear Charlie,

The reference is "Ian Heath - Armies of the Dark Ages, published WRG 1980,  Page 92 text under 69. Viking Archer"

I have just read it again and bows were made of Elm, not Yew and were only drawn to the chest.

Mick

[westwaller]

I've read that somewhere else. I think they are referred to as 'hunting bows' and could have also been made of hazel too.

 As a point of interest, the term 'longbow' wasn't in use until the 16th century (IIRC)

[henryv]

I agree with West, my understanding of the Longbow is not the hunting bow of the Viking's, hence my comment.

[FoB]

I recently read an article about how the Vikings and their predecessors would rely on both hunting bows and war bows. Apparently leaders of note would often have a Finn (Sami) retainer to help with hunting in peace and function as marksmen in war. These would most likely use smaller (composite?) bows. On the other hand, high status warriors would be more likely to use purpose built war bows, probably similar to what we call long bows. There is a saga about how a champion defended the king's ship with his war bow until the opposing side's Finn managed to kill him.

Your typical warriors would likely carry a mix of hunting and war bows. Whether the non-Finn hunting bows were as long as war bows or shorter I don't recall reading anything about. I'll share this source if I find it.

theflowerofbattle.com

[jim rae]

In substance, the comments about the short-bows in the Conquest set are correct - they DO look too short. Perhaps that's because the figures are quite bulky? The long-bows, on the other hand do look more in 'scale' and look more correct.

That said, my problem with the set is that the clothes are really too ornate for the kind of tropos they are portraying. Not overly so, but i'd have preffered simpler clothing which would have made them far more 'generic' saying that, they are a damned useful reléase. 

[Argonor]

I have just read it again and bows were made of Elm, not Yew and were only drawn to the chest.

From where does he derive that information?

[Codsticker]

That said, my problem with the set is that the clothes are really too ornate for the kind of tropos they are portraying. Not overly so, but i'd have preffered simpler clothing which would have made them far more 'generic' saying that, they are a damned useful reléase. 

I thought about hacking the hands off and sticking them on GB's Dark Ages Warriors.

Might do that just for ***** and giggles as I have both kits handy...

[Gracchus Armisurplus]

The GB arms make the poses look a bit strange when you add bows to them, but you could make a few 'moving and running' poses with the Dark Ages warriors I think