Editing Bows and Arrows

An arrow is a modified version of a [[spear]]. It is smaller, lighter, typically has a set of feathers on the back end known as fletching to improve it's ballistics and a notch in the end. Arrows are used as ballistic projectiles launched using a bow. A bow at it its most simple is a cord of elastic material (such as string, sinew or silk) held between a rigid but still elastic arch of material. The arrow is notched to the string, held against the bow and pulled back, putting the string under tension and storing energy. When released, the arrow is accelerated to a high speed. Bows were soon adopted on every continent save Australia for hunting and warfare. A person trained in the use of a bow is called an archer.

In typical western fantasy, the Bow is the preferred weapon of [[Elves]].
== Archery in Warfare ==
The big advantage of a bow in pre-modern warfare was simple and obvious: range. When compared with javelins or thrown axes and spears, bows have a notable advantage in terms of rage, rate of fire and the amount of ammunition which could be carried into battle. Certain bows such as Welsh Longbows had range of up to 300 meters. Though when bows were used at such distances they were more akin to artillery than a modern sniper rifle, being fired at the area in which enemy forces were standing rather than at individual enemy soldiers. A good archer could also fire up to ten arrows a minute, a rate of fire which is better than that of most [[firearm]]s until the 19th century and the rise of breech loading rifles. The biggest downside of bows and arrows is that they are basically useless in hand to hand combat. At best, they are an inefficient club and a short brittle spear. For this reason archers in battle would carry a backup weapon in case of close quarters fighting.

As mentioned, the basics of archery were common across the world for both hunting and and as a sport. A basic bow and basic arrows are fairly easy to make and use. Military archery was less common however. Arrows loosed from a simple hunting bow may kill a deer or a naked human being, but they can be stopped by a basic wood or even wicker shield. There range was also limited. To a formation of well armored and/or shield equipped soldiers, arrow fire from common hunting bows and arrows are little more than a annoyance. For bows to be worthwhile against such forces, they need to go beyond a simple oak branch and hemp string. Large bows made of yew and ironwood were one option if said trees were available. The English were famous for using such bows. Another option would be to make bows by gluing together layers of horn, sinew and either wood or bamboo. 

Both heavier longbows and composite bows had considerable power and could penetrate shields, mail and even plate armor at close range but were more difficult to make and were more sensitive to moisture. Either way, both of these types of bows took a lot of time to master, usually beginning in childhood. Archeologists can identify the skeletons of such archers in that they had very strong arms used to draw their bows. Due to their value in battle and the time which needed to be invested in training them, said archers were considered elite soldiers and were seen as valuable. In 1571 at the Battle of Lepanto, the Ottoman Fleet was dealt a major defeat. Amongst the biggest losses they had suffered was the deaths of many skilled composite armed bow archers. While their forces of galleys were reconstructed fairly swiftly it took more time to replace the archers. It should be noted that at this time, both the Ottomans and the Christians were making heavy use of matchlock [[firearm]]s.

Archers could fight either on foot or on horseback. Mounted Archers equipped with composite bows could be quite devastating, raining arrows on forces armed with spears and swords from a safe distance while easily avoiding the slow moving masses of men. Foot archers sacrificed this mobility for increased accuracy and, if used properly, were the best pre-gunpowder counter to cavalry archers.