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[Spud]

First off, id like to see a way to declare a nation your enemy before attacking them. This is ussually in Adventure mode where i like to play a crossbowman but cannot kill enemies reliably because of the need to melee one before being able to attack them with the bow.

On the topic of ranged weapons, i have 2 Ideas of how we could make them less powerful without just damping the damage.

What we need to do is.
a) Make bows etc take longer to reload. but this wait would be reduced for higher quality. Bows of course would always take a shorter time to reload than crossbows.
b) Make them less accurate. Bows were meant to be used against large advancing colums of enemy soldiers. Im not saying that a skilled marksman couldn't hit a single target, but it would be difficult. In this wat bows could fire much faster but hit much less. Crossbows however would fire slower but hit more often.
c) Allow bowmen to carry a secondary weapon to use in the occassion of getting into melee rather than hitting things with their bows. A short sword etc would work fine.

All in all we could even increase the damage of bows etc, but we need to make the weilders shoot slower etc so they need more protection to function properly. in this way we can make them more part of a balanced force rather than the power they currently are on the battlefield

Also. For the love of god dont start adventurers in the town hall of an enemy town. Its impossible to get out alive.

[AlbeyAmakiir]

Not having played an archer or crossbowman, I don't know how fast they reload or fire in-game, but I remember that my archery instructor always said that if you take longer than three seconds from drawing the bow to releasing, you're doing it wrong. You'll get too tired to keep the bow still. As long as the arrows are not on your back, then reloading is very fast too. (Why movies always have arrows on the characters' back, I don't know. An arrow is supposed to be slightly longer than your arm!)

As for accuracy, I've only been shooting for a couple of years and I can fairly reliably hit a man-sized target at thirty meters. I don't use sights and my bow is fairly medieval-fashioned. I'd say I'm below-average in terms of skill to years, so I don't think that the enemy is really too accurate, considering they're trained guardsmen.

But taking a secondary weapon is a great idea. Although, can't you do that anyway? Have it in your inventory and swap when nessisary.

[Neonivek]

I don't know how fast they reload or fire in-game

In the game it is... Instant... it takes no time to reload and you can fire as fast as you would do other actions (I think throwing is slower)

Why movies always have arrows on the characters' back

Well you see, when you have to lug a heavy pack of arrows with you... you tend to have to carry it somewhere... There arn't magical ammo crates in reality. You also have to be ready to run away at a moment's notice... So if you have better ideas about where to store arrows...

I remember that my archery instructor always said that if you take longer than three seconds from drawing the bow to releasing, you're doing it wrong

In mass combat you want all your archers (or at least a line of archers) to fire at once, that could slow it down quite a bit. Also your using a Modern Bow which as someone said would be like a Machine gun compared to the most advanced bows in that era.

---------------------------------

Anyhow, someone already gave a list of changes that I agree with a bit more... such as Armor having more of a effect.

[Baneslave]

Also your using a Modern Bow which as someone said would be like a Machine gun compared to the most advanced bows in that era.

I don't use sights and my bow is fairly medieval-fashioned.

Also, how are modern bows that much faster?

In mass combat you want all your archers (or at least a line of archers) to fire at once, that could slow it down quite a bit.

Is there any reason for them to shoot at same time, expect for fear effect?

[Sean Mirrsen]

No reason except morale. "Fire at will" is good only when firing from besieged walls, when you want damage, not psychological effect.

[Neonivek]

"No reason except morale"

Well... there are more reasons then Morale... just not a lot more reasons other then morale

[DwarfMan69]

"No reason except morale"

Well... there are more reasons then Morale... just not a lot more reasons other then morale

It was mostly used to take out organized formations of troops.

[penguinofhonor]

"No reason except morale"

Well... there are more reasons then Morale... just not a lot more reasons other then morale

It was mostly used to take out organized formations of troops.

Yeah, big walls of arrows are excellent for killing big walls of people.

[Techhead]

A continuous stream of arrows is easier to dodge as they only fall a couple at a time.
If you fire in formation, then they will fall in large groups and you cannot really dodge the individual arrows.

Firing in formation continued for gunpowder weapons, although for different reasons.

Back on topic, differentiation between bows and crossbows would be nice.
Bows reload faster and are more accurate, esp. at longer ranges.
Crossbows would reload slower but be easier to use in close quarters and do more damage.

[Align]

Why movies always have arrows on the characters' back

Well you see, when you have to lug a heavy pack of arrows with you... you tend to have to carry it somewhere... There arn't magical ammo crates in reality. You also have to be ready to run away at a moment's notice... So if you have better ideas about where to store arrows...

A quiver on the hip opposite to your backup sword/knife?
Also you seem to be infected by ellipsisitis, might want to get that checked (...).

[Neonivek]

Also you seem to be infected by ellipsisitis, might want to get that checked (...).

No I suffer from conditional typing paralysis represented by three dots. (Meant to represent long akward pauses)

A quiver on the hip opposite to your backup sword/knife?

I can't imagine that being very practical. Id expect them to sooner place their quiver on the battlefield... hmmm maybe I should check this out

[Granite26]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/quiver

Of particular interest is the Boy Scouts bit at the bottom saying that side quivers are faster and more stealthy.

I'm sure there is more digging could be done, but the impressioned I've had is that the quivers on the back looks good, but is useless in a fight.

[Neonivek]

You should have read the article more...

Back Quivers are just not used during hunting because it gives away your location

I guess stealth could pose another problem...

[Spud]

Not having played an archer or crossbowman, I don't know how fast they reload or fire in-game, but I remember that my archery instructor always said that if you take longer than three seconds from drawing the bow to releasing, you're doing it wrong. You'll get too tired to keep the bow still. As long as the arrows are not on your back, then reloading is very fast too. (Why movies always have arrows on the characters' back, I don't know. An arrow is supposed to be slightly longer than your arm!)

3 seconds is fine and dandy for a bow, but the crossbows fire at the same speed.

As for accuracy, I've only been shooting for a couple of years and I can fairly reliably hit a man-sized target at thirty meters. I don't use sights and my bow is fairly medieval-fashioned. I'd say I'm below-average in terms of skill to years, so I don't think that the enemy is really too accurate, considering they're trained guardsmen.

But taking a secondary weapon is a great idea. Although, can't you do that anyway? Have it in your inventory and swap when nessisary.

Can you hit a charging man in the heat of battle? I imagine its considerably harder. They are very accurate at close ranges which is very unrealistic. If i had a sword i sure as hell would make sure he didnt stick me with an arrow at melee range.

I meant that for the dwarves in DF mode. They should be able to take out a sword if they are attacked close up.

[Draco18s]

21 feet.

Wait, no, that's guns.  Be inside 21 feet or someone can pull a gun on you before you can punch them.