Archery

Rulebook Description

The maximum limit for a bow’s pull is 35 pounds with a maximum 28-inch draw length. Crossbows are limited to no more than 450 inch-pounds. No compound bows are allowed. Broken or mended arrows are not to be used. All wooden arrows must be taped on the entire shaft. Arrows may never be used as a hand or melee weapon. The “point” of all arrows must have a diameter of at least 2.5 inches. An arrow scores hits like any other weapon. At close range (20 feet or less) bows must be no more than half drawn. Arrows from short bows and single-hand crossbows do two points of damage to armor. Arrows from two-handed crossbows (over 20 inches in length) and longbows (any bow that has an AMO measurement of 60 inches or a physical string length of 56 inches) do four points of damage to armor. A weapon in hand that is hit by an arrow is destroyed. If a bow is hit by a weapon, it is destroyed.

The preceding section of the Rulebook is Weapon Effects; the section that follows is Siege Weapons.

Player-Contributed Notes

Archery is the practice of using a bow to shoot arrows. Archery has historically been used in hunting and combat and has become a precision sport. A person practicing archery is called an archer, and one who is fond of or an expert at archery is sometimes called a toxophilite.

History of Archery

Some scholars trace the origins of archery to the Aurignacian era, roughly 25,000 years prior to the modern times.[1] The bow probably originated for use in hunting and was then adopted as a tool of warfare. Bows eventually replaced the atlatl, as the predominant means for launching projectiles. Classical civilizations fielded large numbers of archers in their armies; archery was important military and hunting skill before the use of gunpowder. Arrows proved destructive against enemy formations and the use of archers often proved decisive. Mounted horse archer combined range with speed and mobility. Archery also figured prominently in the mythologies of many cultures.

Archery in Amtgard

In our game under the 7.2 Rule book Archery is an option for many classes, instead of solely being available to Archers and Scouts. A bow can even be purchased for use by expending the spell points of Magic Classes.

Links

• The End of Archery?