Crossbows vs. Longbows

[Wrana]

Originally Posted by BigDaddy

Still, I think I'm understanding more of the situation here. The crossbowmen were unskilled. Skilled crossbowmen worked in teams of three with two loaders and a shooter with 3 crossbows and a couple shields that make a wall, but those were mercenaries. Essentially all the longbowmen were a type of mercenary as well. These were all skilled units. The crossbowmen were handed a weapon and sent out.

Something like this, yes. You should also note that numbers of such skilled crossbowmen in mercenary units were sometimes less even than numbers of knights - crossbows included some rather intricate details, so were not that common. I've seen a publication of a muster rolls of some mercenary companies - numbers such as 15 knights and 20 crossbowmen seem quite common.
And another thing - crossbow contained an inherent factor of accuracy problem: a joining of bow to stock (forgot a proper name of it). In many museum pieces they are simply lashed together! This was another reason why professionals often preferred a longbow.

[chrispedersen]

usually each knight had an accompaniement of foot soldiers and men at arms he was required to provide.

Typically only nobles were nights with commoners, freemen as longbowmen, men at arms etc.

Medievel lords were required to provide specified numbers of men at arms and there were equivalencies.. so one knight was equal to five men at arms etc.