Medieval Charge against archers

OMCW 06 Ottawa, Ontario. Several charges against a line of archers. Arrows blunted for safety. OMSG, OMCW 2006

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People & Blogs

Tags:

• medieval
• archery
• longbow
• armour
• sword
• omsg
• omcw

[ManintheArmor]

A full suit of plate armor doesn't weight 200 pounds... more like less than 75. And the weight is well distributed, so it don't feel like much of a burden. In fact, a person can flip around and swim in the armor without injury... and still have the protection to endure 100 arrows.

Of course, with so much protection, why waste stamina casing down archers, when you can have fun scaring them to death?

[000majorwinters000]

Ah, I believe that's a "march" against archers. :P

[NICKarrowman]

@Wings012

Yes, an armoured charge would run them over - if it consists only of knights wearing the finest armour, which was almost never the case. Most soldiers were wearing munitions grade plate or there were guys with only minimal amount of armour who didn't belong to the rich nobility and did not have the money to afford the finest armour. And these guys were having a very hard time facing a barrage of heavy warbow arrows, believe me.

[robbieatvic]

@CorBlimey2 Yes thats true, about 15 secs would cover it. Only English archers dont wait out in the open field on flat land, normally they are up a hill or on broken ground and nearly always with large sharpened spikes dug into the earth, If you look at the battle of crecy, agincourt and even poiters you see that the so called unbeatable French Knights persist with the notion that we will "ride them down". Cavalry must of made a great target as the stumbled, fell,jumped and moved off course.

[CorBlimey2]

@robbieatvic given that a cavalry advance could cover that ground at the canter in about half a minute I doubt your statements. If the formation is undisciplined and breaking into a gallop early then your archer has about 15 seconds from glancing shots or dismounting the knight at long range until a lance is in his face.

Legolas is fantasy, and any other belief simply isn't matched by documented historical fact or indeed even in stylised tests.

[000000AEA000000]

@sorbothane yeeeh... also interesting to watch how they frequently stop and check if the others fall behind... I guess that indicates how much REAL BALLS you needed in those days, charging as the first of your group and therefore be the most prominent target, with the most archers aming straight for you.

[000000AEA000000]

@robbieatvic he "could" but it isn't likely to happen, although there is the chance to, certainly.

Apart from that... from 200 to 50 yards distance of a knight equals approximate 30 arrows? Either the Archer is a skilled asian on speed, or the Knight has the lamest horse in history.

But it could also be, that you aimed too low altitude south........... imho

[Wings012]

According to the Weapons that made Britain, munitions grade plate armour can be penetrated by a longbow, but we're talking about at 20m range. The finest Milanese stuff could take an arrow at 10m and protect the wearer.

Longbows defeating armoured knights happened under rather specific circumstances and casualties would have probably been mostly horses going down and dragging their riders down with them. And the ensuing trampling.

In an open field, an armoured charge would run archers over.

[rometotalwarviper]

@ManintheArmor maybe not swim the armour would make him sink...

[SweStuff94]

@robbieatvic give me some fact's that anny bow could penetrat the brest plate att anny combat range!

[robbieatvic]

one fully trained archer with a #140 pound high altitude north faceing italian yew bow could kill the best armoured knight out to 200 odd yards! he could then let loose over 30 more arrows before the knight or man at arms was at 50 yards. At 50 yards he could start aiming at the eyes or groin, Only problem was that it took 15 to 20 years to train a real archer. FACT!!!!!

[az09jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj]

@ManintheArmor

Hey , take it easy ... At a 20 foot distance not even the best armour can take an arrow and keep the man wearing it intact...or even capable of fighting ...