Chapter 18- The Different Bow-types

“First of all, I suggest you learn with a longbow as that’ll lay a foundation for short bows. Although crossbows share a similarity, they are ultimately different due to being mechanical in nature.” As usual, instructor Cedric started off with the very basics in his lesson.

“Before I show you how to properly use any bow, you have to understand the fundamentals. Archery is considered complicated due to various factors, including the physical demands of drawing the bowstring, the intricate techniques of proper form and shooting, the mental focus required for accuracy and the individual adjustments needed for each archer. The learning curve and the need for consistent practice contribute to the perceived complexity of this weapon-type. However, with proper instruction and dedicated practice, you can overcome these so-called challenges and find fulfillment in mastering this weapon skill!” Instructor Cedric spoke with a serious expression and obviously disdained those that said archery was too difficult or complex.

“While laymen think that long bows have greater range than short bows, that isn’t necessarily true. The effective range of a bow is influenced by several factors and while the length of the bow is one of them, it's not the only determining reason. The range is more dependent on the bow's design and materials, the archer's skill and the type of arrows used.” Instructor Cedric pulled out a longbow from thin air, he obviously had a spacial accessory on his person but Abel couldn’t tell what it was.

He pushed away these distracting thoughts and paid attention to the instructor. “Longbows often have a longer draw length, which can contribute to generating more force in the arrow. This extra energy can potentially result in a flatter trajectory and longer effective range. The overall design of the bow, including its shape and construction materials, can affect the arrow speed and energy transfer from the bow to the notched arrow.” He showed off the bow in his hand before carrying on.

“A skilled blacksmith with high-grade materials can design a bow with shorter limbs but achieve high arrow speeds. The type and even the weight of arrows used can impact the bow's performance. While lighter arrows can travel faster, they are also influenced more by wind. Heavier arrows might be slower in comparison, but they'll retain the transferred force a lot better. Lastly but also most importantly, an archer's skill in terms of shooting technique, accuracy and consistency also plays a role in the effective range of a bow. A skilled archer could achieve greater accuracy and distance with any well-tuned but low-grade bow.”

Abel was quite thankful the instructor spoke with such a loud voice, every word he said was clearly soaked up by his ears and he didn’t miss a word. The instructor seemed to give Abel a few minutes to fully comprehend all that he rattled off.

‘So, in summary… while longbows may have certain characteristics that contribute to potential advantages in range, it's important to recognize that it is a multifaceted aspect influenced by numerous factors.’ Abel internalized what the instructor just taught him, something he wouldn’t have been able to easily do in the past but it went unnoticed by him and then asked in return.

“Sir, since both longbows and short bows can be effective at different distances depending on their design, materials, the archer's skill and other factors… May I ask, why would you suggest I start with the longbow instead of a shorter one?” This was the first time Abel actually asked the instructor a question during the training.

“Hahahaha, good lad! You’re thinking about it properly and asking the right questions instead of blindly following what others tell you. Though you should listen to me considering I’m your weapons instructor.” Instructor Cedric seemed ecstatic at Abel’s question.

He didn’t leave him in suspense and answered his question, “It’s due to draw length! Short bows often have a shorter draw length compared to longbows. If you trained with a longbow but were forced to use a short bow, you would need to adjust your shooting technique to accommodate the differences in draw length. But if you had learned with a short bow and were forced to use a long bow, you’d find it difficult to adjust to a longer and harder draw length!”

It made sense now that Abel thought about it, he subconsciously nodded his head and the instructor carried on.

“Of course, there are differences beyond just the draw length. Short bows are more maneuverable than longbows, they also need a different aiming technique and follow a different arrow trajectory. They also require a different string release due to their shorter limbs but these are all small issues that you can get accustomed to after mastering the essence of the longbow.” The instructor held up the bow in his hands, starting to show Abel how to properly hold a bow and notch an arrow.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“First of all, just like with the sword, you should have a relaxed grip when holding the bow, avoid gripping it too tightly as it could affect both your aim and the speed of the arrow. Keep your legs shoulder-width apart with your body taking up a “T” stance for balance and accuracy. Place your arrow on the arrow-rest and snap the “C” shaped nock onto the bowstring. For this, you should use what is known as the three-finger placement method. You’ll use your index, middle and ring fingers to notch the arrow on the bowstring. The index finger is above the nock while the middle and ring fingers are below.”

The instructor expertly demonstrated as he explained, allowing Abel to get a repeated demonstration of the three-finger technique before he carried on.

“Hook the bowstring with your three fingers, making sure the nock of the arrow is securely seated. The string should rest in the first joint of your fingers. This alignment will help maintain consistency in your release. Draw the bowstring smoothly by using your back, this will help you avoid unnecessary tension in your shoulder and the draw should remain even and controlled.” He slowly drew the arrow backwards, showing off his usage of his back muscles.

“Bring the bowstring to your anchor point, which is the consistent point on your face where you anchor the bowstring for each shot. Common anchor points include the corner of the mouth, the tip of your nose or under your jaw. An anchor point would differ from person to person and from bow to bow.”

As if to prove his point, instructor Cedric put away the bow and pulled out another one with a different design, showing the different anchor point with each pull. Once he had showed off different anchor points of 2 different bows, he went back to the original bow and explained the next step.

“The release should be a relaxed and natural from your fingers. You need to allow the bowstring to slip off your fingertips smoothly and avoid forcing the release or adding unnecessary movement. But most importantly, you have to maintain your shooting stance and posture after the release as this helps ensure accuracy and consistency. Do not jerk away from the bowstring; let your hand follow through naturally. Strive for consistency in your technique and practice the release motion to make it second nature.”

He released several arrows onto the target in the distance, driving the point of maintaining posture, allowing his hand to follow through and remain consistent.

“It's important to note that individual archers will have slight differences in their release technique based on personal comfort, experience and many other factors. You should experiment with your grip and finger placement to find what works best for you. Now come and test it out yourself. Once you feel like your finger technique is comfortable yet natural, then try shooting a few arrows!”

Abel stepped up and held the bow handed to him, it was a little heavy even with his improved strength stat, but it was still manageable for him. He reached for an arrow and tried notching it in place, putting it smoothly onto its nock. The fingering technique, while looking simple from a third-person perspective, was actually quite tough to pull off for a complete newb. After Abel tried several different positions for his fingers, he finally found one that felt both natural and comfortable.

Instead of pulling back the arrow, Abel followed the instructors’ advice and let go of his fingering technique, un-nocking the arrow and then nocking it back. He wanted to find the natural way to hold it more efficiently, he didn’t want to spend a few seconds merely finding the right way to nock an arrow, it had to come instinctively. Although he knew it would happen with time and sufficient practice, he didn’t mind doing these extra steps as it would save him more time later on.

After repeating this action for 15 minute, he finally decided to draw the bowstring back. His first attempt ended miserably as he seemed to let go of the bowstring too quickly, making the arrow whiz downwards in a pathetic and weak trajectory. He took a deep breath and repeated the same motions, except when he pulled the bowstring back, he tried to slowly ease his fingertips away. While the arrow traveled with a little more force this time, it still looked pathetic.

He kept repeating his nocking, pulling and shooting practice until he realized there were no more arrows in the quiver next to him. He put down the bow and went to pick up all the arrows that were haphazardly scattered across the shooting range. After coming back to the starting point, he placed all the arrows into the quiver and re-started his practice.

*Ding*

Strength (STR) +1

Endurance (END) +1

The chime of the system denoting his stats increasing started once more, re-igniting his spirits and egging him to try harder. Abel kept up the practice and saw some improvement, while his arrows were still lackluster compared to the powerful and quick shots the instructor made, they were heading in the right direction.

After more than hour of repetitive practice and re-stocking his quiver several times, Abel started to feel his arms getting heavy and his breath started to hitch when the instructor finally came and told him to rest for a while before trying again.

He sat at the side, too tired to lift his arms and drink some water or eat a piece of stale bread.

‘Open character stats’

Name: Red Sky

Level: 1

Profession: None

Alignment: Neutral

Title: None

Reputation: 0

Health (HP): 170

Mana (MP): 100

Strength (STR): 19

Agility (AGI): 15

Endurance (END): 18

Toughness (TGH): 12

Vitality (VIT): 17

Wisdom (WDM): 10

Intelligence (INT): 10

Resilience (RES): 5

Luck: 0

Satiety: 27

Stamina: 4

‘No wonder my arms feel so heavy and my breath is so messed up, this is the lowest my stamina has ever gotten’ When Abel saw his low stamina, it made sense why he felt so down and heavy but the improvement in his stats lifted up his mood.

After a few minutes of resting while using the Xiang family breathing technique, he felt his arms slightly loosen and he began to wolf down on black bread and water. Once his stamina and satiety were on the upward trend, he got up on his own and re-started his endless practice.