Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional stories - How far is the range of the three-bow crossbow, also known as the "eight ox crossbow"?

How far is the range of the three-bow crossbow, also known as the "eight ox crossbow"?

Three-bow bed crossbow also known as ? Eight Ox Crossbow?

Three Bow Crossbow, also known as the "Eight Bulls Crossbow", is a crossbow with a range of up to 1,500 meters, which is the longest range in ancient times.
In the ancient military and technological history of mankind, the crossbow actually had many innovative inventions. The most powerful crossbow should be this one which appeared in the Northern Song Dynasty? The most powerful crossbow would be this three-bow bed crossbow? The most powerful crossbow would be this one that appeared during the Northern Song Dynasty, which smoothly brought the development of ancient bow and arrow to the peak of history. Its structure was three large bows mounted on a special wooden frame, utilizing the combined force of three strong bows to fire long arrows. It took eight oxen to pull the bowstring to produce the bow, so it was also known as ? eight oxen crossbow?

If pulled by human power, it would take 30 people to pull it apart. However, in order to make it easier to use, two winches were usually installed on both sides of the back of a crossbow with three bows, and the bowstring was pulled apart by the leverage force of rotating the winches. However, because it is so bulky, it usually takes two people to operate it, and if it is particularly strong, it takes four people to operate it together to make it work.

The arrows of the three-bow bed crossbow were also large, about the size of the javelins thrown by our athletes today. To make these arrows, one had to use a hardwood over a meter in length for the shaft, three iron plates for the plume, and sharp steel for the arrowhead, like the head of a red tassel. Therefore, this kind of arrow is also called ? One Gun, Three Swords Arrow?

Because this was the explosive force created when the three bows were tightened, the arrows shot by the three-bow bed crossbow were also incredibly powerful. They could fire them from 200 paces? Tap-piece arrows? , this kind of arrow was not used to injure people, but to shoot at the city walls. If the rows of arrows were fired at the city wall, the soldiers in charge of the attack could use the arrow shafts as a fulcrum to climb up the wall with their hands and feet, thus eliminating the need for siege ladders as an aid. According to ancient records, the range of the three-bow bed crossbow could reach 1,500 paces, or 1,500 meters nowadays. This is the longest range crossbow in ancient times, about the same as some long-range sniper rifles today.