The Hungarian Magyars were supposedly very proficient in shooting arrows from horseback (much like Apache indians...).  It is rumored that they made a refreshing cocktail from the blood of their victims...

(I gotta go hurl now...)

 

 

The destruction of the Geonese also was because of the incompeta\nce of the french generals who ordered them forwards without pavises and because of the rain.

And by the Hundred Years War most longbowmen were English.

@Maljkovic, the longbowmen were just as effective in combat, in fact more so as all carried short swords and long knives. After the volleys they would attack and loot the bodies, killing the wounded. They also became involved if there was no other choice or if they ran out of arrows. Longbows are effectoive at close quarters too, more so as its so quick to reload whereas the Geonese can only get off one shot before combat. Look at the Anglo-Welsh wars for examples. Longbows are just as precise, it depends on the quality of the bow, generally I believe the Geonese had better crossbows (as they were mercenaries)  than the part time longbowmen.

 

Crossbows have greater penetration as well as range (not that its actually needed, studies have proven that longbow arrows could not penetrate plate armour but such was the kinetic energy built up they would liquify internal organs and cause massive internal damage). Accuracy is a toss up, as well made longbow is as good as awell amde crossbow but crossbows are generally more accurate as they take longer to build and are more of a professional weapon hence more work is put in.

Actually, tests have proven that full plate can stand up to the kinetic energy of a longbow, but not to the kinetic energy of a crossbow.

 

Really? Do you have any links or such as I've always been taught longbows had the kinetic power possible to squish your innards.

 

That said, I don't believe the bodkin had the force necesary to shock the internal organs through the full plate. Bodkin does have a great force per square inch, but bear in mind it hits on very few square inches, so the total force is not high enough since the breast plate distributes it evenly.   

 

Hmmm, wonder what kind of plate the guy used. But he shot it from a 90° angle, and in battle the bodkin fell under a 45° angle. Truth be told, when falling, a missle has greater kinetic energy then when shot in a straight line....

 

And the part about bowmen being recruited from prisons is not true. You could get yourself out of prison by saying you were a bowman, but if it turmed out you were lieing you'd get the stiff end of the rope.  

 

And I'm not sure about bodkin arrows but a normal arrow causes such kinetic build up it destroys internal organs and causes massive internal bleeding.

 

As for full plate knights, well you do get some but they dont need to be entirely full plate anyway.

 

To give you an idea of what you can do I'll give you a Welsh story.

 

There was a rich, young English knight and he decided to follow his king and help conquer the Welsh. So he went out and bought himself the finest chainmail, the finest steed and the finest weapons. He marche doff to Wales but when he reached there he became lost and seperated from his retinue. So he was wandering on a forest path.

A poor Welshman sees him and goes home to get his longbow. He's only wearing rags but his eyes are keen and his arms are strong. So he follows the knight, staying within the woods. Then he pulls out an arrow and prepares to shoot.

*twang*! Suddenly theres an arrow in the knights leg pinning him to his steed and its gone right through his hainmail. Now the Welshman creeps  round and *twang*! Theres another arrow, pinning the knights other leg.  And the knight has his shield down to protect his legs and his other arm is holding his sword close to his leg when *twang*! his sword arm is stuck to his leg and the horse! Ina  few seconds *twang*! and an arrow has gone through his shield, his leg, his chainmail, his horses barding an dinto the horse. He's pinned to the horse and the peasent walks out and says "Dont you be coming in Wales no more dressed like that sir!" and walks off....

And whats wrong with convicts, many, many armies have used them. Just look at the French Foreign Legion! Anyway they won us an Empire so kudos to them. Thing is most soldiers for thousnads of years were criminals- the raping, looting and the like are all criminal offenses.

 

True, but there are a few other facts about the crossbow, for which I chose the Genoesee crossbowmen as the best medieval archers. They were the most sought out missle troops in Europe before artillery came in use. Because of the papal decree in 1097 which banned the use of crossbows, crossbowmen were killed imediatelly upon capture. No such decree was passed on longbows. This is not only evidence of the power of the crossbow, but the courage it took to use them. 

 

Even though it is of equal if not better qulity then the more fabled Welsh longbow, the Genoesee crossbow was neglected because of the papal decree and the fact it was used primarily by mercenaries and asassins which were at the time considered dishonorable.

 

Anyways to repeat it, longbows are easy to use but hard to master. I can give a ten year old kid a longbow and he knows how to use it. i dont expect him to be accurate or shoot far but he can use it.

 

And for accuracy English longbowmen were apparently not taught to be accurate but to be fast as nobles were worried they might get acccurate enough to poach their animals! Or at least thats the version I've heard.

 

At Crecy they did go and steal back the arrows, might have also done so at Poitiers, cant remember.

 

@Constantine..do you really want me to start the Australian jokes, ever seen a "Barry MacKenzie" film?

they conquerd every enmy on the way