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Is A Crossbow A Feasible Weapon For This Time Period?


KylesDad7

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Feasible in the sensible, realistic and/or practical sense?  .....I would say no.  I am sure crossbows existed and perhaps were even manufactured but we're likely talking about unique circumstances.  Firearms were simply more effective. Even Native Americans began to adopt them as they became more effective than their bows.

As for the game, I think it would still be a little too quirky for RDO but that's just me.

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4 minutes ago, LinXX said:

People did use them during this time period. I don't think it was as common but they have been around for a long, long time.

I would imagine that Rockstar will add them in eventually. 

By the late 19th century?  Sure, some folks had them and perhaps even used them for practical purposes in some very limited examples but I doubt most would have even seen them as a feasible option during this period.  Even as advanced as modern crossbows are today they are mainly used for sport.  Firearms are simply more practical for self defense, work, hunting, war, doing bad guy stuff, law enforcement, etc.

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On 2/6/2019 at 6:16 PM, Kean_1 said:

Firearms are simply more practical for self defense, work, hunting, war, doing bad guy stuff, law enforcement, etc.

The amount of draw on a crossbow needed to have a bolt puncture a target at anything more than a few meters or feet is going to require both a considerable amount of time and strength to properly secure.  For the size of the device, it's wildly non-pragmatic for most small scale engagements, particularly when compared to the speed and efficiency of regular firearms.

Riles and pistols have a longer effective range, larger loads (i.e. stopping power), are capable of firing more shots without being reloaded, and reload quicker than a crossbow.

The only reason for a crossbow would be for an assassination mission where stealth was necessary, and a bow is more maneuverable and versatile (with a longer effective range) in those instances anyway.  Realistically, the most practical application of a crossbow is for castle or fortification defense from a stationary position against a mobile opposing force.  A crossbow affords the user more cover in tighter spaces (like atop the wall of a castle) than a bow or longbow, making it better suited when being besieged from a fortified position.

Edit: I knew that course I took in college about medieval castles would pay off one day. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

i had an idea for the next rdr game. the crossbow would be feasible as it would be earlier time in the west. my idea was arthur or johns grandfather being a scottish highwayman who comes to the wild west hunting those who killed his family and gang members.....just an idea.

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On 2/6/2019 at 5:42 PM, KylesDad7 said:

I just want a new kind of bow man.

Historical text shows the crossbow  was first used as early as 4th or 5th century BC  in China. China also had a a repeating crossbow around that time. I'm sure  there were a few of these floating around  the wild west at the time frame RDR2 is set in, but they would have been pretty rare.  That being said, R* is pretty limited as to what weapons  from this time period to add, so I imagine will will be seeing both of these added to RDR2 at some point.  Oh those poor turkeys once if they add a repeating crossbow.

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