[GrudgeBringer]

A couple of points (and excuse my spelling)

A. One of the reasons Shepards continued to use Slings even after Bows where more or less the Weapon of choice amonst the Armies of the time, is that shepards had to be prepared to fight off wild animals ALL the time. They had no time to run over and pick up thier bow, find the arrows and THEN get off a shot. By then the Wolf already was gone with the meal.

Shepards didn't just use slings when in formation shooting at a target that was coming for the most part straight at them.

Another reason is Shepards had a tendency to use thier Slings on the run,
while chasing or fighting off predators.

There is one version of David and Goliath that says that David started RUNNING at Goliath when he used his sling. The Reason, because he was used to chasing predators and was more accurate while moving.

2. I saw a documentary about the battle at Agincourt that pitted a Longbow of the day agianst the best armour that the French Knights would have used in that battle.

The results whre startling...Until very close, FEW of the arrows could pierce the Armour.

What turnd the battle was that the Archers where massed at the bridge and the Knights tried to go around the bridge.

Unfortunetly, It has been rainng for 2 days and the knight got bogged down letting the archers fire at close range.

Even this didn't win the battle (though it certainly had an impact).

The archers shot the horses which threw the knights to the gound in the deep muck and as they piled upon each other the ones on the bottom suffocated while the ones on the top took fire at close range.

But, It WAS the first battle that Longbows where used and they DID win the day..even if it wasn't like we thought.

Agian, it was a documentary (History International)....I have not done any study on it.

just an opinion.