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A fascinating and lively history of four bows that changed warfare – the composite bow, the longbow, the crossbow and the Japanese bow, the yumi – by a world-renowned expert.
War bows dominated battlefields across the world for centuries. In their various forms, they allowed trained archers to take down even well-armoured targets from great distances, and played a key role in some of the most famous battles in human history.
The composite bow was a versatile and devastatingly effective weapon, on foot, from chariots and on horseback for over a thousand years, used by cultures as diverse as the Hittites, the Romans, the Mongols and the Ottoman Turks. The Middle Ages saw a clash between the iconic longbow and the more technologically sophisticated crossbow, most famously during the Hundred Years War, while in Japan, the samurai used the yumi to deadly effect, unleashing bursts of arrows from their galloping steeds.
Historical weapons expert Mike Loades reveals the full history of these four iconic weapons that changed the nature of warfare. Complete with modern ballistics testing, action recreations of what it is like to fire each bow and a critical analysis of the technology and tactics associated with each bow, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in ancient arms.
Published | 21 Feb 2019 |
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Format | Ebook (Epub) |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 312 |
ISBN | 9781472825520 |
Imprint | Osprey Publishing |
Series | General Military |
Short code | GNM |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
The book can be strongly recommended to anyone interested in the use of the bow and crossbow, particularly as a military weapon. [Mike Loades] presents in a vivid and readable fashion a survey of their use over many centuries.
Arthur Credland, Military History Matters
Anyone with an interest in war bows or the history of warfare would greatly benefit from a copy of this comprehensive work... Loades's experience with bows, both in terms of their history and real life handling, shines through in this well-researched and beautifully written and illustrated book.
History of War, February 2019
I don't recall ever reading such a thorough analysis of a weapons system... Lavishly illustrated and engagingly written, this book could only have been written by someone who is a supreme practitioner of the subject.
Miniature Wargames
An up-to-date and super-cool book... it's been vetted and fed into by some of the leading experts, both academics and archers, in the world today.
Schola Gladiatora
Unquestionably an essential reference work if you have any interest whatsoever in archery in all its forms.
Battlefield Magazine
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