Posts: 1,248 Location: New Mexico
Mon 20 Jul, 2015 9:59 am
Yep, good point about energy. As far as both period texts and tests go, there's some other evidence that two-handed staff weapons could/can hit as hard as or harder than than arrows from at least self bows. A 17th-century English colonial text from the land now claimed as the U.S. Northeast noted a particular Amerindian arrow shot struck a breastplate as if it had been pushed by pike, thus implying that pikes typically hit harder than arrows or at least assuming an equivalence. Similarly, a
test of a circa-1600 halberd against a 16th-century munitions-quality infantry harness managed penetration of breastplate with halberd's top spike.
This test achieves penetration of 1.5mm (or 1.6mm) mild steel with various polearm top spikes. By Alan Williams's figures, piercing 1.5mm mild steel requires 105 J with a 18-degree point (simulated arrowhead). 105 J is respectable figure for a yew warbow.