Bow or Crossbow?

[Kleidophoros]

Don't have the extra points laying around to invest in strength and power draw and horse archery.  I've got better things to do with those points, so it's crossbow for me.  Masterwork heavy crossbow, large bags of steel bolts, only at sieges.  Then it's mostly one-shot kills.  And shield sissies don't survive either.  After a little experimentation, they get a headshot over the shield.  I hide behind and line of hired blades and pick of those foolish enough to stand on the wall until I run out of bolts.  Rinse, repeat.

Thank you!  That's the point that I was trying to make earlier!

Granted, a bow "might" (I've never tested it) hit harder with power draw at 10 and strength at 30 but then that's 10 skill points that can't go into training, surgery, first aid, ironflesh, and so forth.  I can't afford to put my power points into power draw because in a siege I will need to go into melee mode when my ammo runs out anyway.  That's why power strike is higher priority for me.  Melee weapon swings are unlimited, ammo is not.

My advice still stands.  Go with the masterwork siege crossbow and a large bag of steel bolts.  Dismount when you want to use it.

i equip a MW Sword of War, a "somethin" war bow, 2 packs of large bag of khergit arrows. its 66 (68?) arrows. that means 40-45 kills in sieges. when you run out of arrows, either go in meele and crack some head or pick up some arrows from fallen enemy/ally.

 

[Nacy]

Bow of course,it is much faster to aim and fire than crossbow!

 

[LordMutaz]

Bow of course,it is much faster to aim and fire than crossbow!

The whole thing is..

The bow takes skill points and practice to be able to Become BEAST MODE WITH IT.
The Xbow you can just pick it up and never have to spend a point into the sucker and well Decent is at best of what you can do with it compared to the bow.

 

[The Mercenary]

I don't understand if you are saying it's not realistic on horse back, or at all...but I am pretty damned sure it's horse back. Yeah, it's pretty too damn big too use on a horse. But still awesome!


~Rory

I know! It is pretty cool sometimes.  Especially when you pull off the ever-so-hard head shot.......uphill.........unarmored......on a lame saddle horse! 

2.
Mount & Blade only portrays the weakest type of crossbows, those which are drawn by hand. Levered or cranked crossbows can potentially be much more powerful.  I believe this is a disservice of the game both to the players and to historical warfare.

I kind of wish there were stationary "turrents" on Swadian and Rhodok Castles (because they have the crossbow men to man them) 80 damage, bonus to sheilds, but slow reload time and only 10 bolts due to the size.....or something....I'm sure I'm on the right track, even if I am lost in the woods with my thinking.

You mean a ballista?

 

[LordMutaz]

I don't understand if you are saying it's not realistic on horse back, or at all...but I am pretty damned sure it's horse back. Yeah, it's pretty too damn big too use on a horse. But still awesome!


~Rory

I know! It is pretty cool sometimes.  Especially when you pull off the ever-so-hard head shot.......uphill.........unarmored......on a lame saddle horse! 

2.
Mount & Blade only portrays the weakest type of crossbows, those which are drawn by hand. Levered or cranked crossbows can potentially be much more powerful.  I believe this is a disservice of the game both to the players and to historical warfare.

I kind of wish there were stationary "turrents" on Swadian and Rhodok Castles (because they have the crossbow men to man them) 80 damage, bonus to sheilds, but slow reload time and only 10 bolts due to the size.....or something....I'm sure I'm on the right track, even if I am lost in the woods with my thinking.

You mean a ballista?

Wonder if we did have that in game, people would brag about hwo they sniped the Ballista Archers before they could fire a shot at their men or something.

 

[kittyfaith]

I don't understand if you are saying it's not realistic on horse back, or at all...but I am pretty damned sure it's horse back. Yeah, it's pretty too damn big too use on a horse. But still awesome!


~Rory

I know! It is pretty cool sometimes.  Especially when you pull off the ever-so-hard head shot.......uphill.........unarmored......on a lame saddle horse! 

2.
Mount & Blade only portrays the weakest type of crossbows, those which are drawn by hand. Levered or cranked crossbows can potentially be much more powerful.  I believe this is a disservice of the game both to the players and to historical warfare.

I kind of wish there were stationary "turrents" on Swadian and Rhodok Castles (because they have the crossbow men to man them) 80 damage, bonus to sheilds, but slow reload time and only 10 bolts due to the size.....or something....I'm sure I'm on the right track, even if I am lost in the woods with my thinking.

You mean a ballista?

A ballista is a little too big for the walls.  But something akin to those, yes.

 

[Stoli]

yeah i thing this game need somethink like balista or scorpion( realy nasty )

 

[MercuryFMJ]

I mostly use bows, but I keep a crossbow for fighting siege battles and Rhodoks.

 

[Lotus Dragon]

I don't understand if you are saying it's not realistic on horse back, or at all...but I am pretty damned sure it's horse back. Yeah, it's pretty too damn big too use on a horse. But still awesome!


~Rory

I know! It is pretty cool sometimes.  Especially when you pull off the ever-so-hard head shot.......uphill.........unarmored......on a lame saddle horse! 

2.
Mount & Blade only portrays the weakest type of crossbows, those which are drawn by hand. Levered or cranked crossbows can potentially be much more powerful.  I believe this is a disservice of the game both to the players and to historical warfare.

I kind of wish there were stationary "turrents" on Swadian and Rhodok Castles (because they have the crossbow men to man them) 80 damage, bonus to sheilds, but slow reload time and only 10 bolts due to the size.....or something....I'm sure I'm on the right track, even if I am lost in the woods with my thinking.

You mean a ballista?

A ballista is a little too big for the walls.  But something akin to those, yes.

Yeah, im pretty sure they have smaller versions.  I dont see why one hasnt been invented.

 

[Lotus Dragon]

Some really nice arguements on this topic have been made.  I can see both sides to it.

However, I think ill stay with the bow.  If not for any other reason, it would be simply because I think bows are cooler .
A bow does take more points to use it effectively, but it has an excelent fireing rate, which in a melee battle is highly useful.  For seiges, a crossbow is probably the better choice.  Even though there is a lot of melee action going on, you are either below the castle shooting at the heads popping up from the walls, or on the castle shooting at the masses of helpless enemy troops coming toward you.

 

[LordMutaz]

Some really nice arguements on this topic have been made.  I can see both sides to it.

However, I think ill stay with the bow.  If not for any other reason, it would be simply because I think bows are cooler .
A bow does take more points to use it effectively, but it has an excelent fireing rate, which in a melee battle is highly useful.  For seiges, a crossbow is probably the better choice.  Even though there is a lot of melee action going on, you are either below the castle shooting at the heads popping up from the walls, or on the castle shooting at the masses of helpless enemy troops coming toward you.

nah I stilluse bow for sieges, I get losers flanking my men and in defense it pwns those losers coming up the ladders.

 

[Lotus Dragon]

Some really nice arguements on this topic have been made.  I can see both sides to it.

However, I think ill stay with the bow.  If not for any other reason, it would be simply because I think bows are cooler .
A bow does take more points to use it effectively, but it has an excelent fireing rate, which in a melee battle is highly useful.  For seiges, a crossbow is probably the better choice.  Even though there is a lot of melee action going on, you are either below the castle shooting at the heads popping up from the walls, or on the castle shooting at the masses of helpless enemy troops coming toward you.

nah I stilluse bow for sieges, I get losers flanking my men and in defense it pwns those losers coming up the ladders.

Ive never been in a seige before, so I wouldnt know  .  Heck, ive never even used to war bow before.  Its too expensive for me to save up in the demo.  Cant wait to use it .

 

[Toffey]

I like bows (in Native, at least) because they're so much faster than crossbows and just as easy to use after a little while

 

[viperxeon]

i'd say bow, i like the warbow it's a fast reloader, and i can crank out about 5-10 arrows hitting their targets with ease..

 

[LordMutaz]

295 Damage head Shot over a shield wall and didn't expect to hit arecruit in the face.. got to love high power draw and a master work long bow in Native Expansion mod

 

[sirinan]

For seiges, a crossbow is probably the better choice.  Even though there is a lot of melee action going on, you are either below the castle shooting at the heads popping up from the walls, or on the castle shooting at the masses of helpless enemy troops coming toward you.

For me, it's all about speed, even in sieges. Crossbows are just too slow, not to mention that you have to stand still when reloading, which I don't like to do when there are people with a bead on me...

 

[kittyfaith]

For seiges, a crossbow is probably the better choice.  Even though there is a lot of melee action going on, you are either below the castle shooting at the heads popping up from the walls, or on the castle shooting at the masses of helpless enemy troops coming toward you.

For me, it's all about speed, even in sieges. Crossbows are just too slow, not to mention that you have to stand still when reloading, which I don't like to do when there are people with a bead on me...

They should let you ground the "door" sheilds, that way you can use them as cover from archers while re-loading, and it would help form a blockade against cavalry, forcing them onto your spear!

 

[Taateli]

Crossbows.

I don't usually use my ranged equipment, but when I do - I only have to hit once.

That's where crossbows are better, not to drown your enemy in the arrowrain, but to drop him through his helmet with one accurate shot.

 

[Lord Zed]

I have a Strong War Bow and a Masterwork Heavy Crossbow. The bow's damage is 28, the crossbow's is 51. And yet I kill looters in one hit with the bow, but it takes two with the crossbow. I use +3 damage Khergit arrows for the bow, and +2 damage Steel Bolts for the crossbow. Anyone have an idea why the Bow can one shot, but the crossbow cannot?

 

[Sawedoff]

Crossbows are more powerful, but the reload time is a huge downside, if you miss that one good shot, your not getting it again, bows, just light them up.