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It is not difficult to see why, popularly, the crossbow should be regarded as a generally more efficient weapon than the long bow, in spite of being inferior to it, in the hands of an expert, in range, accuracy and rate of fire. - (Raiders of Gor, Chapter 1, Sentence #22)

Yet, as a weapon, it has serious disadvantages, and on Gor the crossbow, inferior in accuracy, range and rate of fire, with its heavy cable and its leaves of steel, tends to be generally favored. The long bow cannot well be used except in a standing, or at least kneeling, position, thus making more of a target of the archer; the long bow is difficult to use from the saddle; it is impractical in close quarters, as in defensive warfare or in fighting from room to room; and it cannot be kept set, loaded like a firearm, as can the crossbow; the crossbow is the assassin's weapon, par excellence; further, it might be mentioned that, although it takes longer to set the crossbow, a weaker man, with, say, his belt claw or his winding gear, can certainly manage to do so; accordingly, for every man capable of drawing a warrior's long bow there will be an indefinite number who can use the crossbow; lastly, at shorter distances, the crossbow requires much less skill for accuracy than the long bow. I smiled to myself. It is not difficult to see why, popularly, the crossbow should be regarded as a generally more efficient weapon than the long bow, in spite of being inferior to it, in the hands of an expert, in range, accuracy and rate of fire. Well used, the long bow is a far more devastating weapon than its rival, the crossbow; but few men had the strength and eye to use it well; I prided myself on my skill with the weapon. I paddled along, gently, kneeling on the rushes of my small, narrow craft. It is the weapon of a peasant, I heard echoing in my mind, and again smiled. - (Raiders of Gor)