Sean Manning wrote: |
"Why did they make this choice? what advantages did it have?" is a very different question than "this choice can't possibly have had disadvantages, so how can we explain them away?" |
If that is a metaphor for what I posted in this thread, it's a mischaracterisation.
I'm not trying to explain anything away, to the contrary, I'm pointing out that back of the envelope calculations done on the basis of very little research related in any way to actual period weapons, are out of sync with the historical records, and that probably needs to be addressed.
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The military crossbows of the Franks seem designed for simplicity. The locks are far simpler than ones thousands of years earlier, but they are much easier to make and harder to break than those other types of lock. The Franks were clever about mechanics and clockwork, but they chose to make crossbow locks as simple as possible. |
The Franks, so far as I know, were actually not known for their technological marvels, let alone complex machines or clocks. Do you have an example of the latter for me to read about? That would be interesting. More to the point, as far as I know Frankish crossbows are nothing like late medieval crossbows. Do you have evidence to the contrary?
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Here is the data on when steel crossbows become common in the house of the Dukes of Burgundy. I would love data that they were common at different times somewhere else, but it has to be data. |
I never said it wasn't "data", I just don't think it was relevant,. Steel prods existed in the 14th century, and they weren't just one type of weapon. I think the date that the Dukes of Burgundy bought some has more to do with a reorganization of their armies. If you want to know where the technology derives, or closer to it, look to the larger Flemish towns like Ghent, Ypres, Arras, and Liège and specifically their elite crossbow shooting societies. Most of Le Duc's more effective marksmen came from those towns.