Crossbow, throwing weapons or Bow?

[etalian]

Which ranged weapons do prefer to use?

Here's the pros and cons of the different ranged weapons:

Crossbow
Pros
-Higher damage per shot (74p for sniper crowbow)
-Easier to use, similar to using a gun (you can wait for better shots)
Cons:
-Can not reload when riding a horse
-Slower rate of fire
Bows
Pros
- Faster rate of fire compared to crossbows
- Can annoy other side as a horse archer
Cons
- Can not wait for better shot since accuracy decreases after a fraction of a second
- Need to invest skillpoints in power draw skill to use better bows (such as warbow)
Throwing Weapons
Pros
- Good rate of fire
- Good damage (46c throwing axes)
Cons
-Low ammo capacity
-Need to invest skillpoints in power throw ability

I prefer crossbows since they are much easier to use compared to bows.

 

[Blade]

Im definitelly a x-bow man!

 

[Zadok13]

Sniper crossbow, w00t w00t!

Those 2 cons are a pain though... Rate of fire is SLOW with a capital SLOW

-=If pro and con are opposites, what's the opposite of progress?=-

 

[okiN]

I like Crow's bows, myself.

Zadok13, constipation?

 

[Invictus]

Head shot with javelins looks great and when your screen is splashed with blood you feel really mighty.

 

[etalian]

I think ease of use is the main reason why I prefer crossbows to bows. With bows you have to fire quickly or the accuracy goes down. With crossbows you can wait for a better shot before firing.

Also crossbows have great stopping power (high damage per shot) and headshots with a good crossbow are around +100 in damage (one shot kill for most bad guys).

Even though throwing weapons such as axes look cool you don't have enough ammo capacity for larger battles. For throwing weapons you only get 7/8 rounds per pack while with the other weapons you get 27/28 rounds per pack (more than enough even for a big battle).

 

[Temujin]

Deffinately bows. the rate of fire is good and if you practice enough you can pick off entire armies with your bow

 

[etalian]

I think throwing weapons are the worst out three different choices since the ammo capacity is too low (7-8 rounds) and throwing weapons are harder to use (slower missile speed).

 

[n00854180t]

Damage over time for bows I think is higher, too much time lost with xbows. Throwing weapons take up a shield spot :p

 

[Talroth]

I like the crossbow myself, (In real life and in the game) one thing that really bugs me about the bows is the range you can fire from when on a horse.

Yes, you shouldn't be able to use a longbow while on a horse, or atleast not very well, but a short bow is designed to be used on a horse! Thats basically the only reason shortbows were made, so you can fire on BOTH sides of a horse.

I've used a short bow while mounted once, (No, I didn't hit anything I actually aimed at, it was my second time on a horse,...) and if 12o'clock is the way the horse is facing, your targeting circle is from around your left side to about 5, yes FIVE! but its rather hard to aim while shooting like that, and on your right side down to almost 4. (Note, you usually have to tilt your bow to an angle to make those shots, and be VERY careful not to jab the horse with the arm of bow, they don't like that)


As for the no reloading the crossbows while on horse, I know its not fun or easy (really not fun trying it while galloping, but I personally found it almost easier to do while in the saddle at a slow trot).

Suppose I should suggest this somewhere, or look for someone else having suggested it,...

Oh well, its only a game.

 

[Vaerraent]

The classic bow is best. Good rate of fire, can reload on horses, plenty of ammo...

 

[MMAgCh]

I prefer bows. They can be effectively used while mounted and are reasonably accurate.

Crossbows are OK, but usually I only shoot a single bolt while I close in on the opposing forces (and in the unlucky case of losing my horse).

For some reason I simply can't get used to the way throwing weapons feel and travel.

 

[etalian]

There has been a good number of times when I was saved due to the crossbow's higher damage per shot. For example shooting a dark knight in the head with a sniper crossbox (74p) when he was charging me with a lance and other situations when "instant kill" high stopping power was needed.

For newbies to Mount&Blade I would recommend the crossbow since it's much easier to use and much closer to using a gun.

 

[leo]

I'm a throwing weapon person. When you're being bumrushed by 10 dark knights, you don't have time to fire your bow and reload it repeatedly. Nothing beats unleashing a storm of throwing axes/daggers into the oncoming foe

You forgot one benefit of throwing weapons that bows don't have. With throwing weapons, you can have a missile weapon and a shield out at the same time. Right after I block an enemy's missile, I return the favor by putting an axe in the punk's head.

 

[Winslow]

Bows all the way!

Yes, crossbows are great for damage, but they are too slow...and you miss about as much as with a bow (if not more). With my bow my headshots are upwards of 80 damage, which isn't bad....and if I'm being careful, I can do it all from on horseback without worrying about getting hit. Crossbows are fantastic if you can find a spot where you can't be attacked by mounted enemies, but other than that a crossbowmen can be overrun too easily.

 

[Maksha]

Get a decent bow and a lot of ammo (large bags of bodkins are best) and attack a infantry troop. All you have to do is circle them on horseback, pummelling arrows into them. it is the easiest thing to do, EVER.

 

[Talroth]

I just spent the last hour or so using a crossbow from horseback, having great fun against the River Priates.

Now I'm really dissapointed when I only kill like 5 of the 6 men with headshots.

Would make it more fun if I didn't have to dismount and remount when I'm done in that spot, but oh well. Maybe I'll find a way to mod crossbows sometime after I get the full version. 1.5-2x reload speed while mounted should make them fair.

 

[konskrypt]

I may be weird, but this is what I do...

I go all Legolas on them fools.

From the spawn point, I take my horse over the closest hill, I'f I'm lucky, the enemy is on their way over to my hill. I dismount, walk down the hill and into the enemy. From their I take aim with my longbow, splatter one in the face with an arrow, take a step back. Take aim, headshot, step back. Rinse and repeat. Headshot after headshot. If fraps worked with M&B I'd show you... it pwns.

Then again, I only fight River Pirates for now. I'm not cool enough to take on Raiders and Dark Hunters yet.

 

[Cataphract]

Nothing beats throwing axes in rapid fire in the head of an advancing enemy, more efficient and precise than arrows. Using bows is crap IMO, because even if you get the skill upped you wont hit anything at a distance anyway so axes and javelins for me.

 

[Ingolifs]

The thing that anoys me about the bows and crossbows at that not only do they not have string (which is forgivable), the staves themselves do not actually bend back. (which is not forgivable)