From: robert@isgtec.com (Robert Osborne)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Compound longbows and regular bows
Date: 11 Dec 92 16:06:43 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.dnd,rec.games.frp.misc
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Alan Braggins (alanb@sdl.mdcbbs.com) wrote:
: Robert Osborne wrote:
: > Alan Braggins (alanb@sdl.mdcbbs.com) wrote:
: > : >robert@isgtec.com (Robert Osborne) said:
: > : 
: > : > There are three main styles of bow:
: > : >     long bow  - bent stick
: > : >     recurve   - a bow that bends back upon itself
: > : >     compound  - uses cams/pulleys to reduce amount of bending
: > : >                 necessary and/or provide let off 
: > : 
: > : Compound bows are also recurve,
: 
: > Very few compound bows are recurves.   Recurving is an attempt to
: > get around the limitations of materials,  modern materials have few
: > limitations.
: 
: I guess the ones I've seen were unrepresentative.

Yes.

Some materials are quite expensive,  but not when compared to the
costs high tolerance alloy cams.   If you are going to spend a lot
of money on a compound you may as well spring for the rest.

: And there are plenty of modern material bows which are not compound.

I never said otherwise.  I have a composite recurve made with a laminate
of fiberglass and wood.

: > : though I suppose you might find
: > : gnomes making compound longbows in some fantasy campaigns...
: 
: > Do you know what you are talking about?   A compound longbow is
: > a contradiction in terms.
: 
: By your definitions -
: long bow  - bent stick
: compound  - uses cams/pulleys to reduce amount of bending
:             necessary and/or provide let off 
: 
: so a compound longbow is a bent stick with pulleys on.

Hmm,  I guess I wasn't clear.  Sorry for slamming you.
How about these rules:

Longbow:   A bow is a longbow if and only if it is a straight stick.
Selfbow:   A bow is a selfbow if and only if it is a longbow made
           from a single piece of wood.
Compound:  Any bow with cams and pulleys is a compound bow.
Recurve:   Any bow that bends back on itself is a recurve.
Composite: Any bow that is made of layers of materials
           (the same or different) is a composite.
           
Hence you can have  compound recurves,  composite longbows,
composite recurves,  but not recurved longbows or compound longbows.

: What do you call a bow the shape of a typical compound bow but
: without the pulleys - you say it isn't recurve or a longbow, and
: don't give any other style.

That's because it isn't really given a name,  at least none I've heard
of.   A friend of mine has a nice little 40lb. take-down bow that looks
like this.

: > : Are there any compound crossbows?
: > Yes.  They aren't very popular since the hardest part of cocking a
: > crossbow is in the first few inches;  
: ???

A compound increases overall power without sacrificing accuracy or
useability by increasing the draw weight at the beginning of the draw
and reducing it at the end.

This is great for bows because the hardest part (physically) of archery
is holding the bow steady at the 'anchor point' (my anchor point is
with my index finger on the corner of my mouth, string just touching my
nose and chin).

The hardest part of cocking a crossbow (assuming you don't have a
goat's foot, belt hook, or some other cocking device) is at the
beginning of the draw.  This is because you are usually using your back
and your mostly extended arms.  Near the end of the draw your arms are
bent and you can use them instead of your back.   This means that a
compound crossbow is harder to cock without any particular benefit,
since the 'let-off' is at the point where the string has engaged the
trigger mechanism.

Rob.
--
Robert A. Osborne   ...!uunet.ca!isgtec!robert or robert@isgtec.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd