> I spent the last week writing a scene in my [[Civil Mage|novel]] that involves a priestess-mage fighting a group of [[Monche Nomads|nomadic horse archers]]. In blocking out the scene, I had to do a little research about the capabilities of various bow and arrow combinations. ## Fun Facts - Archers shoot according to their dominant eye, not their dominant hand. - Almost all composite bows are also recurve bows. - Humidity can destroy a composite bow by breaking down the animal glue that holds the pieces together. - Mongolian archers were able to hit targets up to 536 meters away, although 350 meters is the more common range. - The fish glue used to make Mongolian bows is more durable and water-resistant than modern epoxy resins. ## Strings of Sinew? Traditional Mongolian bowstrings are made from thin strips of horse hide, although cotton, silk, and other natural fibers also make effective bowstrings. \[[Read More](https://click.mailerlite.com/link/c/YT0xNDk5ODQ0OTk3OTAwNDA4MTE5JmM9bjlhOSZiPTM5ODMyOTE4MSZkPXc4djNqN3U=.4GRbzwRCskuzAPeZU9N9pGZmcfHV1-Zu002jgVaRr88)\] ## The Impact of Curves All else being equal, a recurve bow is about 10% more powerful than a straight bow. The main reason Mongol arrows flew farther was their horses. \[[Read More](https://click.mailerlite.com/link/c/YT0xNDk5ODQ0OTk3OTAwNDA4MTE5JmM9bjlhOSZiPTM5ODMyOTE4NCZkPWs2bzVoMG8=.mAWoIGKn0oOzlslH-kPFOJjo5E5nF8Q-XAM6fOaExqM)\][](https://click.mailerlite.com/link/c/YT0xNDk5ODQ0OTk3OTAwNDA4MTE5JmM9bjlhOSZiPTM5ODMyOTE4NyZkPWM0djBuNWw=.PBr5lIVCrVJZBRaxwbjCqGMFJLiu9YMwKtPBTkC5_hI) ## Two Bows? Mongolian horse-archers traditionally carried two bows. A bigger bow for distance-shooting and a smaller one for close-in work. \[[Read More](https://click.mailerlite.com/link/c/YT0xNDk5ODQ0OTk3OTAwNDA4MTE5JmM9bjlhOSZiPTM5ODMyOTE5MCZkPXc4aTB5MGM=.rntPYcH-canqJqt_ZcmucE6X6OHTccsEjtoJ5Grlm2Y)\] ## Types of Arrows Mongolian quivers held multiple types of arrows, including heavy-headed arrows intended to pierce armor and incendiary arrows. \[[Read More](https://click.mailerlite.com/link/c/YT0xNDk5ODQ0OTk3OTAwNDA4MTE5JmM9bjlhOSZiPTM5ODMyOTE5MyZkPWk1eTNpMnQ=.wov4FEW6dkfqHNZFJM5Ts9TV9pXhy1p8KChrg_OGnF8)\]