D&D 4E Looks like 4e's combat is closer, and I LIKE it!!

[EATherrian]

No doubt there'll be some funky sniper ability that doubles your range or something. It's a classic schtick, after all.

"This is an .88 Magnum, it shoots through schools."

 

[malraux]

However, these numbers don't take into account the fact that an arrow is designed similar to an airplane, generating lift with its speed. This counteracts the force of gravity somewhat.

I don't think so. There are no "wings" on an arrow. The fletchings are there to give the arrow spin. Its the same reason why you want to spiral a football. The angular momentum makes it fly straight, but doesn't give it lift.

 

[nutluck]

I just had a look at a few bowhunting websites and the bowhunting article on wikipedia, and they seem to put effective range at about 20-25 yards, with 40 yards being the outside. Does anyone here have experience with hunting with the bow?

I have some with compound and crossbows. My dad dear hunts with both and competed when he was younger.

The ranges at most comp's was 20, 30, 40 and 50.

As for arrow speed that varies a LOT and I mean a hell of a lot on a wide number of things. From arrow, weight, to draw length of the bow, length of the arrow, draw str ect.

But yes the top modern bows can shot at a speed of over 70 yards per sec, in archey they messure it in fps aka feet per second and the top ones hit just over 300. Now they rapidly lose their speed in flight though. So just because when the arrow is first shot it is going that fast doesn't mean much on how fast it will be traveling in only 20 yards which is a lot slower.

To be fair I learned most of this from asking my dad so many questions he wanted to kill me about archery. I mean a ready real world source to help make my games better, who wouldn't badger the poor man to death?

 

[HP Dreadnought]

If arrows travel at 300fps, then yes it is possible to dodge them at distances greater than 40 yards or so. I was dodging paintballs at that range moving at 300fps last weekend.

Granted, you have to see the shooter and be ready to move. . . and even then you're frequently not fast enough, but you can turn what would have been a hit into a near miss sometimes if you react quickly enough.

 

[Eldorian]

I don't think so. There are no "wings" on an arrow. The fletchings are there to give the arrow spin. Its the same reason why you want to spiral a football. The angular momentum makes it fly straight, but doesn't give it lift.

Um, fletchings serve the same purpose as the back bit of a paper air plane: they stabilize flight. Arrows don't normally spin. Or generate lift. They kinda follow normal parabolic arcs.

 

[malraux]

Well, just to do a quick calculation... Human reaction time is about 1/3 of a second. Logically, monsters and adventurers should both have better reaction times. Assume a person is 70 yards away, so 1 second away, and that the person drops prone to dodge the arrow. Since the reaction time takes away 1/3 of the second, 2/3's remain to get out of the way. For just dropping, x=1/2+32ft/s*(t)^2. Plugging in t=2/3, you get that the person could drop 7 feet. Even assuming that's off by a factor of 10, the person could still drop a bit over 8 inches. Assuming this is an armored person, that's definitely gonna make it hard to hit the open area.

Heck, there's a reason they make string silencers. Deer can jump over/crouch under the arrow if they hear the twang of the shot.

 

[malraux]

Um, fletchings serve the same purpose as the back bit of a paper air plane: they stabilize flight. Arrows don't normally spin. Or generate lift. They kinda follow normal parabolic arcs.

I'm not sure how common it is, but just about all arrows I've shot have the fletching in a spiral/twist. That's gonna make the arrow spin at least somewhat. And of course angular momentum just helps to keep the arrow pointed forward, its not gonna change it's ballistic trajectory.

edit: I will say that I have no clue how much of a factor the spiraling is vs just the straight drag the fletching provides.

 

[Eldorian]

I'm not sure how common it is, but just about all arrows I've shot have the fletching in a spiral/twist. That's gonna make the arrow spin at least somewhat. And of course angular momentum just helps to keep the arrow pointed forward, its not gonna change it's ballistic trajectory.

edit: I will say that I have no clue how much of a factor the spiraling is vs just the straight drag the fletching provides.

Hmm. I stand corrected. I had not noticed the spiral in an arrows fletchings when I used them. It's subtle, and I had never fletched an arrow. But a bit of research shows that fletchers DO put in a slight spiral. Here is a link I found: http://www.trueflightfeathers.com/guide.htm

 

[Gort]

Heck, there's a reason they make string silencers. Deer can jump over/crouch under the arrow if they hear the twang of the shot.

I would assume that that's simply a reaction a deer would make to any loud sound rather than an actual attempt to dodge the arrow.

 

[Storminator]

no idea, but if you put enough energy behind it and you don´t neglect that earth is a ball, then the arrow actually will never touch the ground again...

other than that: i doubt the arrow gains too much updrift during flight though.

Yeah, but 11 kilometers per second is kind of a lot...

PS