01-05-2005, 06:05 PM
Flaming arrows are just as dangerous to the archer as they are to anybody else.
Arrows intended to be ignited must be somewhat longer than regular arrows, otherwise, when you pull and hold ready, you run a chance of igniting your bow. Fuel, in what ever form, does dribble a bit down the shaft and ends up on your bow. The more arrows you fire, the greater your chances of igniting your bow, your hands, your face, and whatever else is around during the flash. Fuel comes in many forms. Tar, pitch, oils of various types, etc. Oil soaked rags wrapped around the tips. Igniting the arrows is also a dangerous task, as, on occasion, when you go to light them from the brazier, or what ever firepit is handy, you run a chance of igniting the fumes coming from your arrow, if your fuel source puts off a lot of vapours. Flaming arrows were worth the risk through, for many armies, for the great amounts of damage they did and the psychological damage as well. Many archers met their death, burned to a crisp, felled by their own flaming arrows. There has, as far as I know, never been a fool proof system to keep the flames managed, and, many wise leaders did not use veteran archers for flaming arrow duty. Hollywood has made the flaming arrow volleys look effortless, when in truth, they were nightmares of hell. The worst part was when the arrow was loosed, as burning globules of fuel would shimmy off the arrow and land all over you, catching you on fire. Arrow goes forward, burning blobs of fuel stay in one place. Physics is a bitch.
I read in a book a good while back about failed efforts of Mongol horse mounted archers to fire flaming arrows from horseback. Just thinking about the danger in this task gives me the shivers.
Yes, I have fired flaming arrows. No, I don't plan on doing it again any time soon. I LIKE my eyebrows and my facial hair. I don't advise any of you folk try it either.
Arrows intended to be ignited must be somewhat longer than regular arrows, otherwise, when you pull and hold ready, you run a chance of igniting your bow. Fuel, in what ever form, does dribble a bit down the shaft and ends up on your bow. The more arrows you fire, the greater your chances of igniting your bow, your hands, your face, and whatever else is around during the flash. Fuel comes in many forms. Tar, pitch, oils of various types, etc. Oil soaked rags wrapped around the tips. Igniting the arrows is also a dangerous task, as, on occasion, when you go to light them from the brazier, or what ever firepit is handy, you run a chance of igniting the fumes coming from your arrow, if your fuel source puts off a lot of vapours. Flaming arrows were worth the risk through, for many armies, for the great amounts of damage they did and the psychological damage as well. Many archers met their death, burned to a crisp, felled by their own flaming arrows. There has, as far as I know, never been a fool proof system to keep the flames managed, and, many wise leaders did not use veteran archers for flaming arrow duty. Hollywood has made the flaming arrow volleys look effortless, when in truth, they were nightmares of hell. The worst part was when the arrow was loosed, as burning globules of fuel would shimmy off the arrow and land all over you, catching you on fire. Arrow goes forward, burning blobs of fuel stay in one place. Physics is a bitch.
I read in a book a good while back about failed efforts of Mongol horse mounted archers to fire flaming arrows from horseback. Just thinking about the danger in this task gives me the shivers.
Yes, I have fired flaming arrows. No, I don't plan on doing it again any time soon. I LIKE my eyebrows and my facial hair. I don't advise any of you folk try it either.
All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."