| Benjamin H. Abbott wrote: |
| Yes, the kinetic energy is about right, though an extremely heavy bow shooting heavy arrows at close range would have quite a bit more. However, kinetic energy may not be the only thing that matters. For example, a heavier arrow would have more momentum. Ideally, you want to get as close to the real thing as you can. |
I don't know how much that would change things, but a heavier arrow would be slower, too.
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| The arrowhead bothers much more, however. Look at this Royal Armouries page for some an overview of medieval arrowhead types:
https://www.royalarmouries.org/extsite/view.jsp?sectionId=3006 As you can see, none of these arrowheads, with the possible exception of type 5, looks anything like that modern field point. |
Actually, I think several of those are functionally the same as his field points (NB: Always excluding a test agaisnt plate--there's I'd agree with you *completely*). The salient point is that the bodkin point has a narrow point that can slip between links.
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I wouldn't be so sure about that. As far as I can tell, arrows with cutting edges were far more common than those without. |
I would be sure of that because the historical record tells us it's true. The historical records contains *numerous* references (tons and tons of references--it's overwhelming when you start looking for it) to the efficacy of armor over arrows. Since we're talking about a combination of padding and mail, let me point you to just a few selections from the Age of Mail (so all the folks in these references would have been wearing a padded Aketon under a mail Hauberk):
This is from The Murder of Charles the Good by Galbert of Bruges- 1127
"And there were many others who on the first and subsequent days of the siege had gone in for the sake of gain and money; among those was a fiery young fighter named Benkin, expert and swift in shooting arrows. He kept going around the walls in the fighting, running here and there, and though he was only one he seemed like more because from inside the walls he inflicted so many wounds and never stopped. And when he was aiming at the besiegers, his drawing on the bow was identified by everyone because he would either cause grave injury to the unarmed or put flight those who were armed, whom his shots stupefied and stunned, even if they did not wound."
Galbert of Bruges on the seige of Bruges (1127-1128)[attack on the gate of the town, protected by archers and infantry]: "By the special grace of God no one died in this multitude which was entering." and "I could not begin to describe the crowd of those who were hit and wounded." and "...as to those wearing an armor, they were exempted from wounds but not from bruises.."
Odo of Douil concerning the ill-fated second crusade (mid-12th century): "During this engagement the King lost his small but renowned royal guard; keeping a stout heart, however, he nimbly and bravely scaled a rock by making use of some tree roots which God had provided for his safety. The enemy climbed after, in order to capture him, and the more distant rabble shot arrows at him. But by the will of God his armor protected him from the arrows, and to keep from be captured he defended the crag with his bloody sword.."
From Joinville (mid 13th century), referring to the day following his being wounded in five places and his horse in fifteen by Saracen arrows: "I got up, threw a quilted tunic over my back, clapped a steel cap on my head, and shouted out to our sergeants: 'by Saint Nicholas, they shall not stay here!'. My knights gathered round me, all wounded as they were, and we drove the Saracen sergeants away from our own machines and back toward a great body of mounted Turks who had stationed themselves quite close to the ones we had taken from them. I sent to the king for help, for neither I nor my knights could put on our hauberks because of the wounds we had received." It seems the padded jackets were enough protection in this emergency, and that they could have fared even better against the enemy had they been able to wear their hauberks.
Note that bodkin-point arrows probably weren't in use in these battles, or not heavily so. When people started using bodkin-point arrows then people started to add plate to their harnesses. Broadheads continued to be used, of course, but against horses and lightly-armed troops. Bodkin points couldn't generally penetrate plate but they could penetrate the mail between the plates and so were still of use against men at arms if used in vast enough numbers (not that they killed many, you understand, but the occasional wound would have been disheartening to say the least).