I recently noticed that the "Marksmen" unit in the fantasy game Heroes V of Might and Magic uses a rather strange-looking crossbow with a double prod. The rest of the unit's appearance doesn't look odd to me but this crossbow does--because I've never seen a historical example of a crossbow built this way. I'm still open to the possibility that this may simply be due to my ignorance, though. Would anyone be so kind as to enlighten me?

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Is the double prod for shooting two arrows at once ? Shooting one after the other ? Or two prods to power one bolt with more power than a single prod ? ( using some sort of bolt carrier and lock to make use of both crossbow strings as one ? )

Seems more like a game thing than real although I have seen modern crossbows with spilt prods using compound wheels that look at a distance like double prods. ( casual look in a sporting goods store so my memory of it could be inaccurate ).

That's the point. The crossbow looks so odd that I suspect it's just an aesthetic "innovation" by the game's designers, although I think I've seen a physical version of it in a fantasy movie not long ago. Never in a real historical context, however.

As for the purpose of the double prod, the game seems to show them loosing a single bolt--but the animation doesn't really make it clear whether this bolt was loosed from the top like a normal crossbow or from somewhere inside the stock.

Still waiting for the historical evidence (or lack thereof) for this type...

There's a double crossbow in the movie Ladyhawke starring Rutger Hauer.

See attached pics.

Any other movies that have a double crossbow?

Danny

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Hmm...that looks rather different from the Heroes model since it's obviously a crossbow meant to house (and loose) two bolts in a single stock. And still no historical examples yet...

The double prod crossbow is a typical example of a fantasy weapon.
While a "double" crossbow would give a faster second shot, subsequent shots would be slower, due to the awkward design, and added weight.
These problems where part of what kept multiple barrel firearms uncommon when they came around. If you want a quick second shot, you might as well carry a second weapon.

There's a double-prod crossbow in Gladiator, though the prods are at right angles to each other, if I recall.

lol dude, I was just about to bring this up and you did it for me, lol. To me, it doesnt seem like it'll be so hard and I just had the idea of designing one... I ll tell you more about it if I actually get around to do it. =D

I've seen some weird crossbow-like designs, including multiple prods, in some Osprey book about chinese siege weapons. Maybe that would be the place inspiration was deriven from for these fantasy weapons ?

Best regards,
Hendrik, with his 2 cents or less