Longbow vs Crossbow

The purpose of this video was to demonstrate the comparative speed of shot between the English longbow, and the hand-spanned crossbow.

As you can see in the video, the crossbow wasn't as slow to shoot as many people make out, but please keep in mind that the hand-spanned crossbow is a very quick weapon to span and shoot, much quicker that the other types of crossbow in use during the middle ages.

Due to the heavy construction of the crossbow's steel prod, or bow, and the short draw length along the crossbow's tiller, the crossbow was a very inefficient weapon. Although the crossbow in the video has a draw weight of around 130 lb, compared to the longbow's 110 lb, our crossbow could only manage a maximum range of some 90 yards, compared to the longbow's 250 yards. To compensate, medieval crossbows were often many times the draw weight of the bow used here, and thus required the use of a belt and hook, Goats Foot or Windlass to draw. This made them much slower than the longbow. Due to this slow re-loading crossbowmen often sheltered behind Pavises, or large shields, while re-loading on an open battlefield. These shortcomings were not an issue, however, when the crossbow was used to defend walled towns or castles, a situation where the crossbow excelled.

If you wish to see the longbow compared with the more powerful, but slower, windlass crossbow, then watch the new series of Warriors on the History Channel. In episode 5, on the English Knight, you can see Martin and I going head to head, pitting a 110 lb yew longbow against an 850lb windlass crossbow, while Terry Schappert counts the amount of arrows and bolts we manage to loose in 1 minute. It makes for a very interesting comparison with this video! (The episode was screened in the US on April 2nd, and comes to the UK in the Autumn, but it is available to watch on the History Channel website too).

Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HagCuGXJgUs

Great picks for your gift card!

No images? Click HERE.

Great picks for your gift card!

Got a gift card over the holidays? Here are some must-have sci-fi & fantasy titles!

The Fallen Novels by Lauren Kate What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours? Follow Luce and Daniel in Fallen and Torment, the dark and romantic titles in the Fallen Novels series. Begin reading the series with Fallen Follow the series on Facebook Visit The Fallen Novels website The Maze Runner Trilogy by James Dashner Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. You'll soon learn that the Maze was just the beginning. The Scorch Trials begins just four hours after the first book ended. Begin reading the series with The Maze Runner Follow the series on Facebook Visit The Maze Runner website Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel, A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls' stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love.Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart. Watch the Trailer and a Video Interview with Jennifer Donnelly Visit Jennifer Donnelly's website Brain Jack by Brian Falkner Brian Falkner, author of The Tomorrow Code, has created an action-packed and thought-provoking science fiction adventure in which a brilliant young computer hacker fights to prevent the human race from being deleted. Begin reading the first chapter Dark Water by Laura McNeal In her solo debut, Laura McNeal writes about fifteen-year-old Pearl DeWitt and how she falls into a forbidden romance with one of the migrant workers her uncle has hired to work in his avocado groves. Visit Laura McNeal's website, McNealBooks.com to see the trailer

Additional Must-Haves: The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Copyright © 2010 Random House, Inc. All Rights Reserved. To unsubscribe, please visit: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/preferences/. To sign up for the Strange Lands Newsletter visit: http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/strangelands/signup.html. The Strange Lands Newsletter is owned and operated by Random House, Inc. Members’ e-mail addresses and information collected via this club will only be used by Random House, Inc. internally and will not be sold or distributed. For the complete Privacy Policy of Random House, Inc., please visit: http://www.randomhouse.com/about/privacy.html .

Merry MonsterBane Christmas 2010!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year & Thanks SG! by vadis

Vadis and the entire crew of MonsterBane, Rosta Masta and Morfs wish you a

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thank you StripGenerator.com for the fun-filled experience, and see you again in the next strips to come!

RoSta MaSta & morfs - www.vadis.tk
Monsterbane - www.fireheart.tk

Crew List:

RoStaMaSta: Vadis' Avatar, RoStaMan.
Morfs: Bob, Shinee, Dennis, Steve & Phyto
Monsterbane: Chris, Carol, A'bong, Dar'gum & Monstah.

Happy Holidays from Christopher Paolini

Click here to see images.

Kvetha Fricäya! Greetings Friends! As the year comes to an end, I would like to thank you all for being such amazing and supportive fans. To everyone who entered the Super Fan contest, thank you for participating. I am excited to review the entries over the holidays! Stay tuned for the announcement of the winner early in the New Year. Christopher Paolini Visit the official fan site for the Inheritance cycle: Shurtugal.com Join the discussion on Facebook! To subscribe, please visit: http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/eragon/signup.htm. To unsubscribe, please visit: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/preferences/ The Eragon e-mail newsletter is owned and operated by Random House, Inc. 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Members' e-mail addresses and information collected via this newsletter will only be used by Random House, Inc. internally and will not be sold or distributed. For the complete Privacy Policy of Random House, Inc., please visit: http://www.randomhouse.com/about/privacy.html.

Merry FireHeart Christmas 2010!

Well, I know it's still a bit early, but I just found this unique e-card and thought maybe I can share it with you all along with the joyous Season's Greetings.

So, for (maybe) the second time around, this is Andry Chang and crew's greeting for all: Merry Christmas 2010 and Happy New Year 2011!

Keep on fantasizing, come forth and fulfill your destiny!
www.fireheart.tk

Nedeleg Laouen ! by Brezhoneg

MonsterBane 4: Monster Conference!

monsterbane 4: monster conference! by vadis

the dark lord has left the building! well, at least he had the geeky green alien thingy to replace him...

correction: oops, i forgot to replace the dark lord in the third frame - argh, there's no undo or last-minute editing!
well, at least i made my point: corruption is a silent killer, as deadly as AIDS. it crumbles the nation's foundation bit by bit. by vadis

Source: http://vadis.stripgenterator.com (yeah, it's my stripgenerator site).
http://upload.stripgenerator.com/strip/46/56/54/00/00/full.png

Silent Hero by Christine E Schulze

Silent Hero
by Christine E Schulze

Publisher : Self-Publish
Released : 15th Nov, 2010
Pages : 170
Category : Novel
SubCategory : Epic
Language : English


Summary

Before time was set in motion by man—for time is merely an illusion, a way for those not born of the supernatural realm to measure the feeble passing of their days—chaos reigned in the universe. A war of matter, darkness, wind, power. Until three goddesses, Din, Nayru, and Farore, took all these in their hands and fashioned them into something far more glorious, beautiful, and most of all, peaceful.

Din—her flaming limbs unparalleled in power—crafted the red earth, taming the chaos into something formed, subdued.

Nayru, in her vast wisdom, gave the spirit of law to the earth, building upon its still quiet by setting up order.

Farore, with her vibrant soul, took all these wonders a step further, so that through calm and order, life could be born and thrive, free to explore, discover, and just revel in the happiness of its new world.

Their work completed, the goddesses ascended to the heavens, leaving in their wake the Triforce, a small glimmer of their power meant to keep the new land safe, and to uphold the balance of the elements which formed Hyrule: Power, Wisdom, Courage. The Triforce was represented by the people of Hyrule in three triangles touching points so as to form a greater triangle; should any piece—Power, Wisdom ,or Courage—be removed, a perfect triangle would no longer exist; this truth held firm beyond mere symbolism.

But as ever, with the creation of life comes free will. With free will comes such a one who would desire to disrupt that perfect balance by gaining a part of it to control all him or herself.

And with the presence of such a dangerous threat comes the need for a wise counselor and—most of all—the need for...

A hero.

Gulliver's Travel by Jonathan Swift

Gulliver's Travel
by Jonathan Swift

Publisher : Evolitera (Public Domain)
Released : 23rd Feb, 2010
Pages : 284
Category : Novel
SubCategory : Adventure
Language : English


Summary

Gulliver’s Travel is a novel by the famous satirist Jonathan Swift. It tells the story of Lemuel Gulliver, a ship surgeon that got stranded repeatedly and always ends up in various mythical lands. The novel is holds a distinction for being able to be clearly classified into many genres. It can be considered a satire, since that is what it was written as. However, it can also be considered a children’s book for its fantasy lands, as well as proto-science fiction. In addition to that, because of the way it was written, it can be considered a precursor to modern novel. For many years now, The book is one of the required reading for many high school students, including high school Literature Advanced Placement students in the United States.

This is a public domain book. No copyright reserved, no rights reserved

Source:
http://evolitera.co.id/themes/main/product.php?product_id=76

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
by Howard Pyle

Publisher : Evolitera (Public Domain)
Released : 12th May, 2010
Pages : 391
Category : Novel
SubCategory : Adventure
Language : English


Summary

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood is a novel by Howard Pyle and is the first modern adaptation of the folklore hero. It tells the adventures of Robin Hood from how he became an outlaw until he was redeemed by King Richard. The book has inspire further Robin Hood novels such as Louis Rhead's Bold Robin Hood and His Outlaw Band (1912) and Paul Creswick's Robin Hood (1917), which in turn inspire numerous Robin Hood movies. The most recent of which was released in 2010 starring Russel Crowe and Cate Blanchett.

This is a public domain book. No copyright reserved, no rights reserved.

Have you read more than six of these books?

Have you read more than six of these books?

The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books on this list.

Instructions: copy this into your notes. Bold those books you have read in their entirety. Italicize those you started but didn't finish or read only an excerpt. Tag other book nerds. Tag me as well so I can read your responses.


1. Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkein

2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman

4. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams

5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling

6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne

8. Nineteen-Eighty-Four, George Orwell

9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis

10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte

11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller

12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks

14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier

15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger

16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Graham

17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres

20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy

21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell

22. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling

23. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, JK Rowling

24. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, JK Rowling

25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien

26. Tess of the Durbervilles, Thomas Hardy

27. Middlemarch, George Eliot

28. A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irwin

29. The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck

30. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

31. The Story of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson

32. One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

33. The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett

34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens

35. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl

36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson

37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute

38. Persuasion, Jane Austen

39. Dune, Frank Herbert

40. Emma, Jane Austen

41. Anne of Green Gables, LM Montgomery

42. Watership Down, Richard Adams

43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald


44. The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas

45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh

46. Animal Farm, George Orwell

47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

48. Far From the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy

49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian

50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher

51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

52. Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

53. The Stand, Stephen King

54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy

55. A Suitable Boy, Vikrem Seth

56. The BFG, Roald Dahl

57. Swallows and Amazons, Arthur Ransome

58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell

59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer

60. Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky

61. Noughts and Crosses, Malorie Balckman

62. Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden

63. A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough

65. Mort, Terry Pratchett

66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton

67. The Magus, John Fowles

68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett

70. Lord of the Flies, William Golding

71. Perfume, Patrick Suskind

72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell

73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett

74. Matilda, Roald Dahl

75. Bridget Jones' Diary, Helen Fielding

76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt

77. The Woman in White, Wilkie Collins

78. Ulysses, James Joyce

79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens

80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson

81. The Twits, Roald Dahl

82. I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith

83. Holes, Louis Sachar

84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake

85. The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy

86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson

87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibson

89. Magician, Raymond E Feist

90. On the Road, Jack Kerouac

91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo

92. The Clan of the Cave Bear, Jean M Auel

93. The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett

94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

95. Katherine, Anna Seton

96. Kane and Abel, Jeffrey Archer

97. Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

98. Girls in Love, Jacqueline Wilson

99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot

100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie


BJ Vadis: Okay, so I read 18:
1, 3, 5, 7, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 34, 35, 36, 44, 47, 62, 63

Source: Truly Rudiono's Facebook Note
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/notes/truly-rudiono/have-you-read-more-than-six-of-these-books/10150099958937279

FireHeart Manga Sketch Arc2 Chapter1 Pg12-15

fireheart arc2 ch1 pg 12-13 by ~vadis on deviantART


fireheart arc2 ch1 pg 14-15 by ~vadis on deviantART

cristophe's arc from the game in www.fireheart.tk
subject to revision.

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The Chronicles Of Narnia : Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Official Trailer...

Release Date: 10 December 2010
Genre: Adventure | Family
Cast: Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Simon Pegg, Shane Rangi
Director: Michael Apted
Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Plot:
Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.