jacknife wrote:1. Enough
1a) none
2)comfy
3)backup sword; armor at events (none for practices);not a shield fan.
4)melee? small group(1-2) that can keep pace(im heavy, but fast).
First off, my apologies for not responding sooner.
1. I'm assuming you've been arching enough to be safe and to be able to hit a target regularly.
1a. Practice with the Belegarth arrows as much as you can. They have significantly different flight characteristics compared to regular arrows. You have to take into consideration that the arrows are very tip-heavy. Probably the most critical task would be in developing what I call the "natural point of aim". This is basically learning how you have to adjust your aiming point based on how far the target is away from you. I'd recommend working on static targets first--human suckers, er, volunteers, preferably, as they resemble what you'll be shooting at on the battlefield. Practicing against a shield is good for developing your basic marksmanship skills but you need to get used to hitting people.
I normally have a human target stand facing away from me and have the person call out a specific target. As you get more accurate, have the target get even more specific. For example, you could have the target say "left leg" or "right arm". Then as you get better, they can say "right elbow", "spine", "left butt cheek", "left calf", etc.
2) If you can hit moving targets with arrows, there's not much you probably need to work on other than keeping in mind the amount of elevation adjustment you need based on range as well as adjusting lead based on the speed of your arrows.
3) Even though you aren't a shield fan, I'd recommend at least considering a buckler. There's very little encumbrance, it's pretty maneuverable, and you can block arrows instead of dodging them.
4) Make it a point to communicate with your group. Give them a heads-up when you see a threat approaching. With your increased area of responsibility, i.e., your extended range, you should see threats early and get warnings out to your group.
Black Cat wrote:I need help with archery tactics as well, mostly because I haven't had the opportunity to arch on the field for well over a year, so I'll go ahead and answer these questions as well.
1a) Very little. I have nowhere to shoot normal arrows and my Belegarth arrows are in disrepair due to having virtually no access to open-cell foam.
1b) On the field: Very little
Shooting at a target: Frequently up until a few months ago.
2) Though I have had a total lack of opportunity to practice and a consequently low experience level, I am actually very good at hitting moving targets as long as the target isn't proficient at dodging arrows and/or doesn't see it coming. I have some movement and windage compensation skill, but nothing spectacular. (yet)
I am very comfortable with archery overall, especially since I am already fairly good with a bow and 95% percent of my skill comes from theoretical knowledge and natural ability.
3) A mini-blue sword and a small redsword. I will also equip a buckler once I am able to make one.
4) I prefer to be alone, but I also like to be a part of a 4-man skirmishing team. I don't like being part of a line and avoid being in the first rank of a shield-heavy line fight as much as I can. I also avoid the second rank unless I am equipped with a good-sized glaive. (6-8 feet long; red/green)
1) If you can, see if there are any other venues where you might be able to shoot, like a friend's basement or yard.
1a) If you can, I'd recommend ordering the arrow kits from Edhellen Armory. Everything's there to make safe arrows other than glue and tape. I believe they do have the special of a roll of the wide Andover grip tape if you get a dozen kits.
1b) Practice shooting as much as you can. While studying about archery and marksmanship is definitely an important part of getting better, you have to put those techniques into practice and get them to the point where they require very little conscious thought.
3) That's a pretty good start. Just remember to have that back-up weapon where you can quickly draw it in case you get charged.
4) Skirmishing archers can be very effective as long as the archer can keep up and can reload on the go--not an easy task to learn. Supporting a line, usually 3-4 paces back at a minimum, has its benefits as you can go for targets of opportunity who aren't looking at you. Also, you have a line of shields that can protect you from melee fighters and enemy missiles. If you're supporting a line, keep shifting your position so that enemy archers can't effectively bring counterfire on you. You can go for kills but sometimes hitting legs can be just as useful as it pins the person in place.
"...change requires action, it doesn't just happen. Define your actions by how you think the game should be, not how the game is. The game will follow."--Big Jimmy