Easterling (Balchoth, Wain-Rider) Bow Technology

[Er-Murazor]

Okay,

only in the last 10 years have I started seriously getting into Migration/Conquest/Crusade Era military history (my first Bachelor of Arts is in Modern Military History). While doing research a while back I came across an interesting video on the Ottoman Seljuq Turk Nawak for the Bow. Basically, it allows a Bowman to use shorter darts like those used with a crossbow to fire from a bow. This means a Bowman can carry far more ammo with which to loose at an enemy. From everything I can tell, the Nawak is probably based on earlier technology (maybe Sassanid or Hunnic) and could possibly be some form of weapons technology the Easterlings of Middle-Earth carried into battle.

(YouTube) Archery: Special Ottoman Shooting with a Majra or Nawak

[Otaku-sempai]

If such technology dates back to 6000 years or more then we are in the era of the Third Age. Tolkien never described any such technique being used by the Easterlings in the War of the Ring, but that does not definitively preclude its existence. Perhaps the Easterlings who attacked Dale and besieged Erebor used such devices.

[Glorelendil]

What's the proposed house rule? Ammunition is already abstracted so that you never run out of arrows in TOR.

[Er-Murazor]

Well, I would assume faster firing rate....or maybe a slightly different damage?

[Glorelendil]

Well, I would assume faster firing rate....or maybe a slightly different damage?

How would that work in a turn-based game that wouldn't be ridiculously OP?

[atgxtg]

The Nawak (or Majra) did give the dart a faster, straighter trajectory than an arrow, so an increase to range and/or a reduction in TN could apply. Reducing the TN by 2 from 12 to 10 might do it.

But, the problem I have with this is that the historic, the Turkish composite bow is superior to the English (actually Welsh) longbow. I doubt that the Easterlings would have surpassed the free peoples of the west in bow technology. So I doubt the Majra exists in Middle Earth. Or should.

[Glorelendil]

The Nawak (or Majra) did give the dart a faster, straighter trajectory than an arrow, so an increase to range and/or a reduction in TN could apply. Reducing the TN by 2 from 12 to 10 might do it.

But, the problem I have with this is that the historic, the Turkish composite bow is superior to the English (actually Welsh) longbow. I doubt that the Easterlings would have surpassed the free peoples of the west in bow technology. So I doubt the Majra exists in Middle Earth. Or should.

Agreed. There seems to be a lot of "Middle-earth culture X is historical culture Y" around here. Tolkien didn't invent things out of thin air, but that doesn't mean his creations are synonymous with their inspirations.

[atgxtg]

Yeah, but the impression I got was that the west with the cultures of the Elves, Dwarves and men of Westernesse represented the most technically advanced cultures in Middle Earth. So I wouldn't expect the Easterlings to have surpassed them.

But, then again, we do know that Orcs and others made composite bows. So it might not be all that far fetched.

[Otaku-sempai]

Yeah, but the impression I got was that the west with the cultures of the Elves, Dwarves and men of Westernesse represented the most technically advanced cultures in Middle Earth. So I wouldn't expect the Easterlings to have surpassed them.

I would say that there is room for exceptions for individual achievements and parallel developments, especially where weapons of warfare are concerned.

But, then again, we do know that Orcs and others made composite bows. So it might not be all that far fetched.

That is a good example, right there, of what I stated above. That said, I think that we are talking more about flavor for specific cultures than issues of game mechanics (the Wainriders had war chariots; some other culture might favor slingers over archers; etc.).

[Glorelendil]

I would say that there is room for exceptions for individual achievements and parallel developments, especially where weapons of warfare are concerned.

Now that I agree with. I'm all for leaving room within canon for narrative richness, as long as it's done to make for a better story, not because "that's what would have happened, based on Earth history."