Anyone for Archery?

[Vagabond]

The chap in the video is amazing for sure; but that's quick action, shoot and stop!

 

The longbowman in battle was another realm entirely! Consistently drawing and releasing with accuracy.

 

modern archer truly know very very little of the skill involved of the longbowman!

Absolutely - another very informative post - as I said, the more one reads about longbowmen, the more awesome seem their achievements.

 

Another question. Three "fletches" were used (like in a pub dart). If angled slightly they could impart spin to the arrow, which might well enhance its armour-piercing ability - although it might also decrease its range.

 

Is there any mention of angled fletches being used by Azincourt longbowmen.?

Edited January 25, 2015 by Vagabond

[Vagabond]

It is known that entire villages became used as "production facilities" for arrows.

There is a village just five miles away from me called Fletching - am going to research its history.

 

Later Sure enough, it was a centre for arrow production

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fletching,_East_Sussex

 

It actually mentions Azincourt on its web page.

 

I think a visit to their local pub on October 25th will be appropriate

Edited January 25, 2015 by Vagabond

[kirisute]

The english longbow has a legend behind it for a reason.

But having said that many bows are perfect at their form and function.

The yew longbow could be seen as a sledgehammer being used to hammer home a pin! It's hugely powerful and compared to some bows could be seen to be barbarian and simple!

The Japanese Daikyu in the late 15th century was formed of a bamboo laminate core with wooden sides, a truly exceptional piece of engineering requiring huge skill to fire and to care for. They shot vastly lighter arrows than the longbow: 400-500 grains compared to 800 ish for the longbow. But we're just as deadly and accurate.

The eastern plains bows were recurves, horn and sinew layers forming the shape and adding huge power to a really compact bow, allowing shooting from horseback with great skill and accuracy. They had to kept warm before stringing because they would shatter under tension if drawn cold and I've read accounts of horse archers sleeping with them under their bedding to keep them warm.

 

Not everyone's cup of tea but this guy impresses me far more than the guy in the first vid:

 

Edited January 25, 2015 by kirisute

[chesters1]

According to this even the dogs fought and won Lol

I wonder what the truth really is ,i heard somewhere the first hand held firearm was used by a french noble at agincourt and certainly cannon were used at crecy i think

http://www.britishbattles.com/100-years-war/agincourt.htm

Edited January 25, 2015 by chesters1

[kirisute]

The issue with history, especially battles, is lack of proper, un edited, non one sided accounts!

I don't think we will ever truly know what these battles were like. We cannot comprehend it these days....we loose 400 soldiers in a war....

The French are said to have lost between 4000 and 10000 depending on your chosen source material! With english dead between 100 and 200!

The battle of Clontarf estimates total losses of between 7000 and 10000! Astounding numbers that are hard for us to understand in today's terms.....

But how abouT:

Swaffham, Norfolk..2001 census just under 7000 population.

Consider that town empty after a battle!

Edited January 25, 2015 by kirisute

[chesters1]

The issue with history, especially battles, is lack of proper, un edited, non one sided accounts!

I don't think we will ever truly know what these battles were like. We cannot comprehend it these days....we loose 400 soldiers in a war....

The French are said to have lost between 4000 and 10000 depending on your chosen source material! With english dead between 100 and 200!

The battle of Clontarf estimates total losses of between 7000 and 10000! Astounding numbers that are hard for us to understand in today's terms.....

But how abouT:

Swaffham, Norfolk..2001 census just under 7000 population.

Consider that town empty after a battle!

Remember the smaller population as well so the consequences far larger than today

Bit of a trek just getting to agincourt and the problem of living off the land

[Vagabond]

Bit of a trek just getting to agincourt and the problem of living off the land

Right - just another problem with history. Rarely are the logistics associated with the battles examined for credibility.

 

"Living off the land" is bloody hard if the enemy has retreated leaving a scorched earth behind him.

[kirisute]

In medieval times I believe there was a "campaign season" and peasants were expected to have maybe 45 days a year of military service during that period to help supply an army on the move. It was of course timed outside of harvest.

We do know that Richard 1st invasion of the Levant forced him to March along the coastline where he could readily have ships bring ashore supplies for his army.

Roman campaigns usually followed river course for similar reasons and of course the French attacked the English baggage train at Agincourt.

There is archeological evidence of temporary camps like we see at Repton, Derbyshire. It is said a viking army sheltered there over winter: so foraging, hunting etc were likely the main source of supply for them.

[Sportsman]

Found this on another site

http://geekdad.com/2015/01/danish-archer/

[kirisute]

interesting read and dissection.

in some ways I think its a shame that people like this have to be pulled apart and slammed; I mean the guy has certainly put a lot of effort into his skills, be they right or wrong.

my personal view follows along the lines of a famous Bruce Lee saying:

"Too much horsing around with unrealistic stances and classic forms and rituals is just too artificial and mechanical, and doesn't really prepare the student for actual combat. A guy could get clobbered while getting into this classical mess. Classical methods like these, which I consider a form of paralysis, only solidify and constrain what was once fluid. Their practitioners are merely blindly rehearsing routines and stunts that will lead nowhere.
I believe that the only way to teach anyone proper self-defence is to approach each individual personally. Each one of us is different and each one of us should be taught the correct form. By correct form I mean the most useful techniques the person is inclined toward. Find his ability and then develop these techniques. I don't think it is important whether a side kick is performed with the heel higher than the toes, as long as the fundamental principle is not violated. Most classical martial arts training is a mere imitative repetition - a product - and individuality is lost.
When one has reached maturity in the art, one will have a formless form. It is like ice dissolving in water. When one has no form, one can be all forms; when one has no style, he can fit in with any style."

 

so the guy in the OP is good at what he is doing..fast shooting with a level of skill in what he has practiced..but to me..his practice is pointless and essentially useless; it has no foundation in the primary roll of a bow and arrow...to kill. hence the guy in the videos I posted, to me, is far far better. His skill has been honed into something that is awesome to watch and is practical.

 

As with martial arts...I can teach many forms of a punch or a kick..but the end result will always be you are punching or you are kicking! everything is just adding "flower and butterflys" where there are no need for any!