‘Arrows vs Armour’ is back! This time we have an armoured soldier of 1450 in our sights. All of him. But not just one archer shooting at our target, a whole host! Every detail of the bows, arrows, armour and clothing will be correct and every moment, every spectacle, every discovery has been filmed. 7 warbow archers with bows from 120lbs – 160lbs shoot 15th century barbed arrows at our soldier so we can find out what happens in the chaos of an arrow storm! ‘ Steel tipped arrows shot from powerful bows and the latest addition to the battlefield, the ‘brigandine’, flexible steel body armour. It is thinner and cheaper than the old style breastplates but how will it hold up against the new hard steel arrows?
One of the most horrible features of war is that all the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.
- George Orwell, Homage To Catalonia
Really enjoyed this one. What stands out is that it doesn’t feel like the usual TV “myth busting” where the conclusion is already written — it’s just skilled people testing equipment and letting the results speak for themselves.
Seeing a full 15th-century harness and brigandine tested under realistic conditions — real bow weights, proper arrowheads, and multiple archers — gives a much better sense of how chaotic an actual arrow storm must have been. Not just can an arrow penetrate? but what happens over time, at different ranges, with repeated hits.
Also appreciated the level of expertise involved — Capwell talking armour construction and the archery data tables really help bridge the gap between reenactment and serious historical experimentation. More of this and less scripted TV history, please.
"Si vis pacem, para bellum." — Vegetius
"Do not hurry to the sound of the guns without knowing why they are firing." — British maxim
"In war, the simplest things are difficult." — Clausewitz
"No plan survives first contact with the enemy." — Moltke
"The side that can most quickly exploit success is the side that will win." — Guderian
Some days you’re the hammer, some days you’re the nail. 🪖🎲
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