Crossbow's......... Really that effective ?

[magic8BALL]

The point of a crossbow is the archer's arm dosen't get tired holding the weapon ready to fire: it's excellent for timed attacks: a target popping out from behind a wall and the likes.

 

[Zersy]

It takes skill to use making it only useful for the person who has extreme training in it.

I thought one of the big pros to the crossbow was the fact that it could be given to people with little to no training and have them point it and pull the trigger thus killing whoever is directly in front of them. Sure you're not gonna be an expert marksman with it without experience and practice, but that goes for pretty much any weapon, even guns.

Regardless though, I don't know where you get this idea that crossbows are overhyped, most games and movies I've seen treat them as they are, a projectile weapon with often more force than a normal bow, but with a slower firing rate.

Well in my experiance and knowledgde, the crossbow takes skill because when I used it I found nyslef time after time missing the target, but don't judge me as a ametuer I saw a expert bowman use the crossbow and he himself found it hard to get a decent hit to where he aimed.

 

[Booze Zombie]

In a modern world where manufactured ammo is plentiful though, its impracticle.

I would argue against this statement, it has been noted that commando squads on stealth missions have used modern crossbows so as to not be detected.

After all, a crossbow is exceptionally silent in comparsion to a gun.

 

[Gaderael]

It takes skill to use making it only useful for the person who has extreme training in it.

I thought one of the big pros to the crossbow was the fact that it could be given to people with little to no training and have them point it and pull the trigger thus killing whoever is directly in front of them. Sure you're not gonna be an expert marksman with it without experience and practice, but that goes for pretty much any weapon, even guns.

Regardless though, I don't know where you get this idea that crossbows are overhyped, most games and movies I've seen treat them as they are, a projectile weapon with often more force than a normal bow, but with a slower firing rate.

You pretty much just nailed it on the head, except for fire rate. I believe that they were faster than firing a traditional bow. It was another of the advantages of the crossbow when giving it to green soldiers. The disadvantage was that they couldn't cover the same distance as a regular bow.

 

[Borrowed Time]

In a modern world where manufactured ammo is plentiful though, its impracticle.

I would argue against this statement, it has been noted that commando squads on stealth missions have used modern crossbows so as to not be detected.

After all, a crossbow is exceptionally silent in comparsion to a gun.

Sure, if you can get well within its range. Xbows are quite limited compared to a well crafted sniper rifle.

Then again I was also speaking from an everyday user standpoint, not a surgical strike team that has a very specialised need. =P

 

[Booze Zombie]

Sure, if you can get well within its range. Xbows are quite limited compared to a well crafted sniper rifle.

Then again I was also speaking from an everyday user standpoint, not a surgical strike team that has a very specialised need. =P

If you wanted to pull off a silent murder... not that I would condone such a thing.

 

[jamez525]

Are you comparing guns to crossbows? Seriously! I got a thread idea. Let's compare nukes to catapults.

If you had actually read this thread properly you might have noticed that they are being compared because in many games they are featured alongside guns and are usually much more powerful.

Some examples were also given to you: Half-life, Timesplitters, Bioshock, Condemned, Killzone.
You get the picture

 

[Biek]

They may not be best but their certainly cool.

 

[fletch_talon]

It takes skill to use making it only useful for the person who has extreme training in it.

I thought one of the big pros to the crossbow was the fact that it could be given to people with little to no training and have them point it and pull the trigger thus killing whoever is directly in front of them. Sure you're not gonna be an expert marksman with it without experience and practice, but that goes for pretty much any weapon, even guns.

Regardless though, I don't know where you get this idea that crossbows are overhyped, most games and movies I've seen treat them as they are, a projectile weapon with often more force than a normal bow, but with a slower firing rate.

Well in my experiance and knowledgde, the crossbow takes skill because when I used it I found nyslef time after time missing the target, but don't judge me as a ametuer I saw a expert bowman use the crossbow and he himself found it hard to get a decent hit to where he aimed.

Was he an expert "cross"bowman though? If he was then I don't know what to say. Considering the point of a crossbow is (to my knowledge) travel in essentially a straight line, I can't imagine why it would be so difficult.

Unless he was deliberately firing from beyond the recommended range of the weapon to challenge himself, but that's just me clutching at straws.

It takes skill to use making it only useful for the person who has extreme training in it.

I thought one of the big pros to the crossbow was the fact that it could be given to people with little to no training and have them point it and pull the trigger thus killing whoever is directly in front of them. Sure you're not gonna be an expert marksman with it without experience and practice, but that goes for pretty much any weapon, even guns.

Regardless though, I don't know where you get this idea that crossbows are overhyped, most games and movies I've seen treat them as they are, a projectile weapon with often more force than a normal bow, but with a slower firing rate.

You pretty much just nailed it on the head, except for fire rate. I believe that they were faster than firing a traditional bow. It was another of the advantages of the crossbow when giving it to green soldiers. The disadvantage was that they couldn't cover the same distance as a regular bow.

I think that would depend on the crossbow. Some required a crank to pull back the string, and the others required a special tool if I recall correctly. Certainly seems like it would take longer to load that than simply knocking the arrow drawing and releasing.

 

[TimeLord]

Crossbows are the third best game weapon ever next to tactical nukes and the MIRV

 

[I Resurection I]

effective yes..... practical no

 

[omega 616]

I can't actually think of any games which mix gun and crossbow. I don't play those kind of games...

Bioshock is really bad for this, it takes me 48 normal bullets in an upgraded handgun to kill a big daddy or 3 explosive bolts in a cross bow (and there not that explosive, same amount of fire as igniting a small fart).

 

[XJ-0461]

Because they're pretty cool. But I always thought that the deadliest weapon was one of these:

Spoiler: MORE DAKKA!!!!

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

It works better than a regular bow.

Depends, even the best crossbowman couldn't beat a well trained longbowman for range and power.

/Welsh heritage

Because they're pretty cool. But I always thought that the deadliest weapon was one of these:

Spoiler: MORE DAKKA!!!!

Who touched Sasha?

 

[JonnoStrife]

Here's a Bow I can carry and fire with one hand, leaving my free hand for stuff like, oh I don't know... A GUN!?

 

[Lowbreed]

Killing Floor represents crossbows pretty well, limited ammo but rips the head off any zombie in one hit.

 

[Knight of Cydonia]

I never really thought about it....but as long as it is another weapon in a gamers arsenal, its great

 

[MGlBlaze]

I can't actually think of any games which mix gun and crossbow. I don't play those kind of games...

Half-Life?
Half-Life 2?
Deus Ex?
Bioshock?

Those all more or less make sense in context, too.

Half-Life's crossbow was intended to deliver tranquilisers, though they're effective enough to make a good weapon, too.

In Half-Life 2 it's the closest thing the human resistance can get to a sniper rifle with what the can get thier hands on.

Deus Ex uses the crossbow for stealth or non-lethal purposes; the normal bolts are good for silent kills, the tranquilisers are good for people who want to make a non-lethal run, and the flare bolts are good for making distractions; again, good for stealth characters.

Bioshock is a little harder to justify, though Trap Bolts are something that would make even less sense in bullet form... I guess this is the one that falls under 'just don't think about it too much'.