Uriel - I was reading some more through the IC thread. Great game!
I have a question though - are you letting firearms reduce armor value? It sort of makes sense, but the reason I'm asking is I remember something from the History Channel about the English Longbowmen. Up until the longbow appeared, medieval armor was getting heavier and heavier, and weapons were getting bigger and bigger. Swords were hardly used anymore, since the armor was so heavy and good, and knights could be barely be hurt by them. Instead they used big bludgeoning weapons, or swords that weren't even sharp, but just big and heavy. Anyway, the longbow changed all that, since their arrows could pierce easily through even the thickest armor. The longbow spelled the end of medieval armor. So, if we are trying to replicate actual military technology, if firearms reduce armor, then longbows should also, no? Just a thought.
Another thought. When European settlers first came to North America, the settlers had firearms and the Native Americans did not. However, the Native Americans had the military advantage. The Native American bowmen could fire faster, longer, more accurately, and with greater damage potential then the European settlers with their firearms. I forget the exact specifics, but it wasn't until some American manufacturer made a certain model gun that the European Settlers had an advantage (I think it was the Remington rifle?) The Europeans, though, still managed to push the Native Americans back with trickery, disease, deceit, and pitting neighbor against neighbor, but they did not do it through direct military confrontation. So maybe the greatest lesson there is that military superiority isn't everything.
The long and the short of it is that bows are incredibly effective weapons, if the bow wielders are properly trained, such as with the English longbowmen or the Native American bowmen.