[Arryn]

Originally posted by Graeme Dice:
That draw seems a bit low, as it's around 40 pounds, while a modern composite bow will be 60-80 and longbows were supposed to be over 100 in some cases.

Taken from the following web page: Kyudo: Japanese Archery

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From history I would have to say that the average draw has become much less than it used to be. During the war of the Heike (the middle ages) one master archer sunk two boats with one shot of his massive bow. In those days bows were measured by how many men were required to string it, the average being a three man bow, this monster that sunk two boats being a seven man bow! The old Kyujutsu training was much more rigorous than the modern, with several hundred arrows being shot each day. A good day at the dojo now would be forty arrows, with most students quitting at around twenty or thirty. I myself pull a 13.5 kilogram bow, which is very light. My wrists are weak. The most powerful bow I have heard of being used with any regularity in the modern age is a 42 kilogram bow. My master uses several different bows, but his regular practice bow is 18 kg I believe.

All students, no matter which instructor or school, will shoot the same design of Japanese bow which is little changed from the twelfth century. Traditionally made of hardwoods laminated front and back with bamboo the Japanese bow is one of the longest in the world, usually over seven feet in length. It is a natural double recurve bow with the arrow nocked one third of the way from the bottom and the bow actually rotating in the hand at release approx. 270 degrees. The unique design of the bow requires that the bow actually be torqued or twisted in full draw to make the arrow fly straight.
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Provided FYI, for those that are curious about the subject matter.

What I find interesting myself is the high pull strength of these old bows, given that they were never designed to punch through plate or tightly-woven chain steel, as were the western bows of the same era.

Potatoman may need to significantly revise (upwards) the damage of the archers in his mod, as well as increase their gold cost. I also agree with Osium that the mod should definitely include mounted archers.

[ January 29, 2004, 20:32: Message edited by: Arryn ]