Fire-arrows!

Fire-arrows - did archers really use them in battles? We see them in the movies, so presumably not.
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This is the most-anticipated video of all for this channel, which naturally makes me a bit nervous. Will people be hideously disappointed? I mentioned two and a half years ago that I would make a video on this topic, and this video shows that I am as good as my word, and not over-hasty either.
My thanks to the three people who pointed out quite correctly that when I said 'Francis Bacon' (1561-1626) I meant Roger Bacon (1219-1292).
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Bowmen photographs by Peter Macdiarmid.
More weapons and armour videos here: • Weapons and armour
Lindybeige: a channel of archaeology, ancient and medieval warfare, rants, swing dance, travelogues, evolution, and whatever else occurs to me to make.
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[@krisonair]

As a frenchman I can say that the extra long, extra thick fire arrows are much better choice for English archers.

[@italiancountryball865]

oh lewd

[@simonhanley218]

Je suis francais moi aussi

[@HM-hk8he]

with very bad bows made of grass. and stone arrow heads made of soft sandstone. And the british archers should be on their side of the channel, then they will win any battle with the french.

[@JecePlays]

For some reason as I read your comment I heard a frenchman in my head

[@simonhanley218]

I dunno why, maybe the accent

[@BrazenBard]

"Archers! Prepare the Napalm arrows!" "Sire, this is the Battle of Agincourt! Napalm won't be invented for another 527 years!" "Bugger. Well, use the regular Frenchman-penetrating arrows instead, then." "Yes, my lord!"

[@jakefitzsimmons1213]

Greek fire

[@bloodangel19]

@@jakefitzsimmons1213 Ancient napalm *

[@bloodangel19]

@Khaki Shorts You mean the natives that lived like cavemen for 50000 + years without any evolution 🤔?

[@ln7929]

@@bloodangel19 yeah because ancient Americans totally weren't capable of building pyramids, mathematics,and astronomy

[@bloodangel19]

@@ln7929 Yes

[@dagothur76839]

Why didnt they enchant thier bows with flame lol

[@allofthiswasanexperimentlo9641]

Ikr such nubs

[@dagothur76839]

@@allofthiswasanexperimentlo9641 so cringe

[@allofthiswasanexperimentlo9641]

@@dagothur76839 ikr, i crigedd zoo hard wen dey lit the arros insted of enchting them hahahahahahehehehahahahhohohaha

[@dagothur76839]

@@allofthiswasanexperimentlo9641 like bro shoot ur arrows thro lava with a automatic dispensir lol so cring

[@dELTA13579111315]

>not just making a rocket launcher by firing rockets from a crossbow

[@biggiecheddar8815]

Bro why penetrate armor W H E N Y O U C A N P E N E T R A T E F R E N C H M E N

[@bebanxd1074]

would have wrote it if you wouldnt have already done so, :)

[@IsraelCountryCube]

@@bebanxd1074 yes because that’s FUCKING UNORIGINAL AND COPIYING COMMENTS! :)

[@bebanxd1074]

@@IsraelCountryCube indeed.

[@nopnopnopnopnopnopnop]

And that's how Canada was born

[@beniaminpalgan2501]

why penetrate frenchman when you can P E N E T R A T E S T E P S I S

[@yoloswaggins2161]

If fire arrows don't work surely their polar opposite ice arrows must be awesome!

[@susanzimmerman6211]

Yolo Swaggins freezin doze breastplates

[@mysteryshrimp]

That's an additional D6 of frost damage.

[@billaros1000]

Ice arrows, melt inside the victim's body to leave no trace

[@nofanfelani6924]

of course, it's for movement speed -60% effect pretty effective!

[@PennyTheGoblin]

"Polar opposite, ice arrows" That was a cool pun.

[@endrankluvsda4loko172]

I much prefer water arrows. Though not as impressive, if you enemy stays outside for too long after getting hit in the hair, according to my mom, they will catch a cold. Then the siege can begin! Disclaimer: Might not work on the hair impaired.

[@nugasred4484]

Will not work on bald dudes.

[@veyd3lveyeel520]

@@nugasred4484 bald dudes are op

[@edinfific2576]

@WaluigiShrek Or if they start WEARING towels?

[@blauespony1013]

Well, you might not have won the siege, but you killed a nice German lady who was reading this comments while eating dinner - she had to laugh so hard that she choked (might not be true though - Germans don't have any humor).

[@diomepa2100]

@@veyd3lveyeel520 That's why Julius Caesar was so successful.

[@5eddie5]

"Terrific range arrows, and they're so penetrating! They penetrate into the Frenchmen and do them in. And that's what we like about arrows." -someone at Agincourt 1415

[@brandonden795]

The best arrows, really the greatest, it's amazing really how great they are, possibly the greatest ever, I'm not sure

[@QuckHead]

4444 1414 Trump?

[@williamthefloridano5290]

*”What have the French ever done to you?”* “How long have you got?” *”A hundred years.”*

[@xcalixus]

Hmm?

[@knightofsvea604]

Yeah It was kind of the British to blame for that One. They just started to own everything, which the french King didnt like.. so yeah...

[@DneilB007]

One of my favourite “Mock the Week” bits was ‘The answer is 45 years, what is the question?’ ‘At what point in the 100 Years War did the generals say, “Buck up lads, nearly halfway there!” ‘

[@FakeSugarVillain]

Okay, fire-arrows are a stupid idea, but what about a really strong young lad with a torch that runs to the enemy walls and throws the torch over the walls and then runs back to pick another torch?

[@cooorsbanq4226]

they might shoot him with arrows

[@FakeSugarVillain]

@@cooorsbanq4226 But you don't get it... This is a really strong and agile young lad

[@benjaminmarks8765]

Is he strong and agile enough to penetrate the Frenchman?

[@FakeSugarVillain]

@@benjaminmarks8765 He is indeed my friend, this lad is at least! Twice stronger and more agile than the most strong and agile frenchman

[@FakeSugarVillain]

@Ma Boi Scotty My good sir! He is the youngest lad I have seen in ny entire life

[@venturoes1912]

1000 degree arrow vs frenchmen

[@quantaviousbartholomoushub5824]

Gone sexual, Lindybeige PENETRATES a Frenchman 6:36 into the video.

[@BobMarley-yq3wi]

I fear you’ve neglected to mention most medieval warriors fought dowsed in petroleum. Fire arrows were devastating, like a scene from zoolander.

[@striker8961]

Legit people don’t know how difficult it is to start fires until they’ve tried to and wait like 10 minutes with candles lit under a piece of wood for it to final spread around enough to show a flame. Then in films people just spontaneously combust.

[@rakangashgari8356]

This guy speaks incredibly fluently without any editing or stoppage. Salute

[@Randomstuffs261]

I was at the Battle of Agincourt and we all used katanas and fire arrows mate

[@rykehuss3435]

we had fire katanas at the battle of Crécy

[@mongislort6440]

I used fire armor

[@GeorgePerakis]

I was at the 7h Battle of the Isonzo and I can confirm that all of our guns fired flaming pommels and our sidearms were katanas and buster swords.

[@Randomstuffs261]

George Perakis the 7h was the nastiest one. All those flaming pommels were merciless.

[@darkness4063]

Katanas? Fire arrows? What scrappy weapons! At the second Battle of Stampford Brige us vikings used drunkjards with picnic baskets! ^^ (It should be said that one of our guys held your entire army at bay for half an hour...)

[@rurushu8094]

I wanna see what kind of crazy depictions of WWII they're gonna come up with 500 years from now

[@ArtietheArchon]

"It turned out to be a poor idea to build the Sherman tank out of wood, because the German lasers would immediately ignite them."

[@Danquebec01]

“In the 20th century, you see, bazookas were really awesome, commanders would make sure to arm their elite troops with bazookas because bazookas make an awful lot of damage when you fire them at the enemy soldiers, right, right?”

[@thergmtk]

"You see, the most popular bombs used in WW2 were small sized Nukes."

[@nacht6747]

Panzerkampfwagen III Ausfhürung L Ah there you are Kommandant, I was wondering where you were during Barbarossa

[@jameson1239]

That would be fun

[@vexil5971]

I think the concept of fire arrow more so fits as a “tool” rather then a weapon. Most roofs were thatched during medical times and putting fire to most buildings in the lower Bailey in a siege could cause a lot of chaos and ending up being a perfect opportunity to begin an attack or even against tents, etc.

[@ericmcconnaughey2782]

Medieval, not medical.

[@MontChevalier]

... medical times?

[@LordAurix]

Ah, yes, i love studying medical times, Dr Henry V was amazing

[@inisipisTV]

To 3 yr post. Most of the time the defenders would already wetted all thatched roofing in case of it catching fires. A lot of battlements and casement have wooden roofs, railings and wooden shields (All rotted away from any surviving castles so people today think that bare stone castles is what it looks like before. Forgetting also most castle walls are plastered white so the enemy can't use the cracks of the stones to climb it, and it protects the wall from the weather.)

[@sike2399]

Yeah, yeah. It's all fun and Frenchmen until they start flinging cows from the battlements.

[@als5033]

* flashbacks to the good old days *

[@texashoosier7318]

RUN AWAY!

[@sike2399]

... What if a swallow carried the fire arrow?

[@chicoscience502]

What if they launched flaming cows?

[@sirlongshanksthelongshank8786]

@@sike2399 what do you mean, an african or european swallow?

[@ezert_13]

Playing RPG with this guy as DM must be fantastic.

[@vontheevil]

...but in the book says that fire arrows do +1 dmg

[@legioncxvii]

@@vontheevil but by his rules it would be +1 dmg if the arrow is still lit by the time it hits lmao

[@The482075]

Magic items exist in fantasy RPG's.

[@ColdHawk]

After an hour long dissertation about why it’s unrealistic and you can’t set the structure on fire with fire arrows: “Ok, ok. Scratch that. We are going to cast fireball....”

[@gloeibrood]

When he did the 'phhhh' on the candle, I was expecting the candle to explode. I was very surprised by the results!

[@allofthiswasanexperimentlo9641]

I was expecting the fire to phhhh him back, or tell him that blowing it without consent is offensive...

[@bel8122]

precious

[@casadilla111]

Physicists hate him! Click here to find out why!

[@idrilzorc8789]

"Sir I got a great idea, lets put gunpowder to arrows!" Commender who's cleaning his musket: "What?!"

[@eri9986]

*"Sir sir sir!"* What is it? "I got a new form of arrow that can not only go straight but also more Lethal" Oh? Then what is it? We've always admire a brilliant Craftsman! *_"iTs CaLlEd A bUlLeT"_*

[@Markus-8Muireg]

But bullets don't go straight

[@arianas0714]

@@Markus-8Muireg BuT bULLeTs DoN't Go StRaiGhT You just had to be a smartass, didn't you?

[@Markus-8Muireg]

@@arianas0714 :)

[@jordray5823]

"Now then Sir, how do we use these bullets?" "uhhhh...." "Jenkins?" "Well about that sir... just give it a few... decades?"

[@saqlainalvi5485]

@@jordray5823 how about a few centuries

[@rasputin2750]

5:48 1000 degree arrow challenge Vs. Frenchmen

[@naggash5348]

I'm french and i volunteer.

[@EndlessVacuum]

Well okay. What about water arrows?

[@worldsfutureleader5952]

avatar-arrows?

[@MannyNamiro]

Moss arrows are more useful.

[@omarma7815]

I prefer lightning arrows

[@Sheol02]

Or rope arrows! Immagine, if you use them offensively against Frenchmen, you can tie the entire army!

[@joeyverliesharen]

Air arrows? Oh wait, all arrows went through air. O well.

[@javidg96]

It's written in the chronicles that in the Kingdom of Asturias, soldiers would shoot fire arrows at Viking raider boats in order to sink them. The northmen would cover the hull of their ships with fresh pelts to avoid catching on fire so easily. But yeah I couldn't agree more that the way they use them in Hollywood movies is pretty stupid

[@alnoso]

yes, but that was likely at shorter ranges than in an open field battle, meaning you could have an arrow that burns really hot with a big blaze of pitch even for like 30 seconds and it'd still probably set fire to something. I can imagine 30 arrows like that getting hammered into the mast and throwing the pitch inside them all over the sails from the force of impact would be disastrous.

[@mariosebastiani3214]

Also, a fire blazing on ship's bridge is quite easily dealt with (you just need some buckets with ropes tied to the handles); a fire blazing on the sails, on the other hand...

[@fotisst8886]

The byzantines used catapults to throw containers with greek fire to the enemy and that's the closests that it gets

[@alibryant8588]

Roman scorpions could light their bolts

[@kingstormysky3978]

​@@alibryant8588 are you quoting Age of Empires right now?

[@BaconMaken]

They also used Greek fire in their navy. Setting enemy ships ablaze.

[@MCshadr217]

@@alibryant8588 Romans had arrows, scorpion and ballistae bolts, all designed with setting things on fire in mind. And it worked, seeing as they used them consistently. Basically, people should do some historical research, or at least a little reading, before believing they were a hoax, where only movies used them. I mean, for gods sake, half of Romes war paintings have literal fire arrows in them.

[@alibryant8588]

@@kingstormysky3978 you are dumb

[@MMYLDZ]

They needed pommel arrows. To end them rightly of course

[@Lobster_Lars]

The "end them rightly" jokes are getting really old man.

[@capnclawhammer3024]

Perhaps we should end the rightly jokes rightly...

[@Lobster_Lars]

Capn Clawhammer Oh god, shoot me now.

[@capnclawhammer3024]

I wonder if anyone was ever ended...leftly?

[@vroomkaboom108]

+Rebypox Fuck no they aren't. Best thing in a bladed weapon review out there is to find a pommel joke in the comnent. Literally one of the few things in a comnent section that make me laugh

[@BerndThomasSchuller]

WHAT?? No fire arrows? Next you will tell us the Katana is NOT the bestest sword ever!

[@lindybeige]

Ah, yes about that...

[@janf9809]

But my grandpas uncle had a barber, whos grandfathers friend fought in WW2 against japan and said all Katanas cut though hardened diamonds like butter!!!!

[@RedVodka69]

It'll be nice to not just dismiss the katana has being overhyped/mediocre. Did the katana make sense given how the Japanese fought? Why did the Japanese fight the way they did (limited resources, geography, etc.)?Every weapon you talk about is always going to be obsolete or inferior in a different context. It's stupid to talk about weapons being the best or worst. It's more interesting to talk about the context.I think it's sad that you basically have two groups of people praising and dismissing the katana about being the "best", and neither really just talk about what it actually was.

[@Askorti]

Or that the Spandau was not the best MG in WWII! :P

[@MrHws5mp]

That's a really good point actually: technically superior weapons can almost always be defeated by some combination of skill/circumstances and/or user error. Most people will tell you that the Spitfire was a brilliant fighter aircraft, and it was, under favourable circumstances. Ask a squadron of Spitfires to escort your bombers to Berlin and back however, and you're going to have a lonely and very dangerous flight. That's what Mustangs are for....

[@RydalS]

I always thought fire arrows were used exclusively for shooting over city, fortress walls and lighting fields or houses on fire.

[@CDStoner]

That's the point of this whole video, didn't you even watch it?

[@RydalS]

@@CDStoner yeah and I learned a lot.

[@brianlam5847]

They were also used in naval warfare a lot

[@dannydevito7584]

@@brianlam5847 which I don’t understand for like you could just pour water on the sails or whatever and there is no point in shooting a soggy boat

[@brianlam5847]

@@dannydevito7584First of all, chinese "fire arrows" are actually arrows with a gunpowder payload that activates when it hits the hull of the ship, and unlike these fire arrows, have their own oxygen supply which allows them to create a fire on deck much easier. Even a lucky hit could put a fire onto a spot where sailors couldn't actually reach and put out, and sink a ship by itself. Also, you can't just put salt water on every surface of a sail, since the junk boats of china had big sails with no good way to douse the sails effectively, since only a small part of the sails could be doused before combat, since the sails were too big and too hard to get on top of to douse them with water. It would take multiple trips with a bucket to get a quarter of it doused lightly, and even if, a gunpowder arrow could easily spark a fire in a lightly doused sail near the base where the water can't reach easily.

[@Tyraeleon]

"A little surprise for the French.. NIGHT ARROWS!"

[@The_Butler_Did_It]

"Fire arrows..... they must have used them right? Right? RIGHT???....No!"..................."here's a reconstruction of a fire arrow"

[@paulbenedict1289]

The Butler Did It He said, that they must have used them *in battles* like they always do in movies, which they didn't.

[@myyoutube945]

@@paulbenedict1289 Ok, but did Vikings use them to set floating pyres on fire?

[@spartacus17.]

@@paulbenedict1289 Battle of Pressburg.

[@paulbenedict1289]

Shane Wolfe Very unlikely.

[@ariko5254]

I thought they just set the boat on fire like with their hands when it was in front of them instead of using an arrow

[@Feminismisfornobody]

BRACE YOURSELVES, IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

[@MrTheWaterbear]

FIVE MINUTES AGO TOO

[@Goozeeeee]

IT'S HAPPENING!!!

[@tonyrony764]

IT HAPPENED!!!!!!

[@baconoctopus1410]

It is a sign, the end is coming!

[@Robmanian]

YOU FORGOT TO USE CAPS!

[@bradymenting5120]

I'm a little disappointed that he didn't open with the beginning of Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

[@smallstudiodesign]

I love how worked up he gets. I had a professor in university like him ... it was a joy paying thousands of dollars in tuition to hear-watch his passionate dramatic performances (aka lectures).

[@Stayawhileandlistentothis]

It is my dream that one day we English will invent a bow which can let fly an arrow capable of penetrating a Frenchman from across the English Channel.

[@MultiDEVILMAYCRY123]

yeah it will be called the railgun crossbow.

[@andreniki8864]

so your dream is shooting and killing people? woah, cringe

[@daddymememaster5432]

@@andreniki8864 it's a joke dummy

[@KarolLeP]

V-3 cannon but the shot came from a different direction ;)

[@gtrob1]

As an American, we already have that capability. If you can call an ICBM an arrow.

[@VoyagerLife826]

fire pommels

[@schmojo33]

To burn him rightly.

[@VoyagerLife826]

and end him justly

[@zerozeroone4424]

do thou even pommel bretheren ?

[@T0rrente18]

belt fed, spandau's fire pommels

[@FarremShamist]

Made of GLORIOUS NIPPON STEEL!

[@funkybassguy68]

Watching Lindy is like a combination of the history channel and Monthy Python. Very entertaining. Keep it up!! Cheers ol chap!!!!

[@v-fr7558]

I love getting baked and watching Lindybeige videos

[@evilmetalgod9790]

U know how to live

[@NotTheCIA1961]

I definitely don't get the point of fire arrows against humans (the human body is surprisingly resistant to fire), but in any sort of siege I see them being practical. I also vaguely remember reading up on something where fire arrows (or maybe it was fire ballistae) were shot into castles, villages, etc in sieges. It'd definitely easily light up thatch roofing, which would act as good kindling for spreading the fire even more.

[@Rammstein0963]

THAT is the idea, look at the episode "profit and loss" of Vikings where the boats are hit with jars of pitch then shot with flammable arrows...with predictable result.

[@durdasim]

They do work as a good way to demoralize the enemy forces: When you're already shitting bricks because you have a cloud of arrows flying towards you, them being on fire adds a nice fear factor.

[@revanruler6404]

yes but at this distance they can just throw a torch so...

[@demilung]

It's almost like he talked about that at the end of the video.

[@Zamolxes77]

Instead of an fire arrow, is much more effective in lobbing a projectile, like a pot filled with thick oil, or tar. The speed of the projectile is lower, so chances of the fire getting put out by the woosh are significantly lower and on the other end, the projectile shatters, spilling its contents and catching fire - much more harder to contain. So yes, historically, most fire projectiles were things lobbed over, not arrows.

[@sevenproxies4255]

Apparently they put smoldering pieces of coal inside those cages. And it was almost always for sieges and naval warfare. It doesn't matter if only 2 percent of the arrows set fire to something. Also many buildings in medieval and ancient times had straw roofing. If an arrow with a piece of smoldering coal landed on such a roof, it would likely set fire to it.

[@ambrose788]

It's amazing how disconnected from fire we are. I heat my house with a wood burner. Coals are stubborn as hell.

[@BlueRaven893]

@@ambrose788 Why does that matter in the slightest?

[@ambrose788]

@@BlueRaven893 well this whole video is about how ineffective fire is, but if you actually live with fire you find out it's different properties. Like how a hot coal can smolder for days (in certain circumstances) and start a fire when you put wood on it.

[@BlueRaven893]

@@ambrose788 Yes, but I don't think it's about having a connection. You can utilize it every-so-often and experience nearly all it has to offer in a adequate time frame.

[@ambrose788]

@@BlueRaven893 there are diminishing returns. I just think this video misses because of inexperience. There's something to be said about a woodsman who can get a fire going under nearly any circumstances and I don't think there's many alive today who could rig and make sail like an expert ship of the line crew in 1800. Experience has value.

[@TheOrigamiGuru]

Very sad that I've only now found your videos! Very informative!

[@JJPSB23]

It's 2020 and you've just shattered my dreams. Subscribed.

[@ShadowKick32]

"Haha we're gonna set them on fire with fire arrows !" "sir, it rained 3 days ago." "darn."

[@jonathaneddy]

"I want arrows that go a long way and penetrate Frenchmen" what, arrows that work like German soldiers?

[@MrPulversson]

You dont get the point, the ultimate arrow *_IS_* a german soldier

[@jonathaneddy]

Given your name, I'm surprised at that comment. lol.

[@husk2491]

+Stalins moustache We need bows that fire Germans then now. I'd pay to see that.

[@MrPulversson]

Jonathan E It's about killing two birds with one stone.

[@beaconrider]

Back in the day these weapons were used there was no Germany, so wouldn't it make it somewhat difficult to find many Germans?

[@filipdragicevic4732]

i just love the specific and completly simplifeid pointers on this man + the sarcasm is hilarius XD

[@lindafarnes486]

We have surviving fire arrows. The biggest collection was amongst the weaponry on the Mary Rose when it sunk. There are recipes for the flaming arrow mixtures from different periods going way back . But there is a very interesting demo of what happens when a proper flaming arrow is fired into a chunk of pork, on another youtube channel. Lots of sizzle. I didn't stick around to see if you got to the dense smoke that drove people out into the open.

[@bigbengamer]

“Sometimes cotton, tow, or the like substance, previously mixed with pitch, rosin, oil, or naphtha, was wrapped on the end of an Arrow, in the form of a ball”.“Which ball, when in use, was fired, and the Arrow directed towards the wooden towers and engines of the enemy; where sticking firmly, communicated a flame to every part near it. This was used with great success in naval expeditions” -Walter Moseley, _An essay on Archery_ ,1792

[@JC-om7nr]

Nice 👍

[@TurtlosaurNO]

Excactly what I thought too!!

[@waylonk2453]

Thanks for bringing this up

[@charlescalthrop2535]

Okay, this from memory and I can’t exactly remember the source so bear with me. I once saw an illustration of a fire arrow design, it was supposedly also effective against infantry, but particularly at setting fire to buildings and ships. So it had no metal head, instead there was a small ceramic jar at the head, about 2-3 inches in diameter. This would then be half filled or full filled with oil. At the front of the jar there was a little compartment with a lid (separate from the main jar) where a small bit of oil would be lit. The lid would be put on and then the arrow would be fired. So it worked something like a molotov cocktail. It had less range than a normal arrow but apparently it was highly effective at attack large bodies of infantry as the jar would create a small explosion at whatever it hit. It would also have been highly effective at killing morale, I would think. Say you were an infantry man standing in line with your fellow soldiers, when the guy next to you is hit by an arrow and suddenly bursts into flames. Then you see a barrage of these arrows bearing down on your position. Then small fiery explosions erupt across the field before you, on the men behind you. So don’t ask me for a source, I just remember seeing it somewhere, an illustration with a description. Apparently it was used sparingly in conflicts (in Ancient China I think).

[@MCshadr217]

Exactly. What Lindy is failing to understand, is that there is such a thing as shifting your aim for the added weight. Any competent archer can shoot 2 different arrows in weight, close to each other. It's a simple process of, oh I dunno, aiming slightly more up? Whilst he's right, it wasn't used to kill, like the movies portray, there have been recorded instances of them being used to not only set alight siege equipment and other fortifications and buildings, but to lower the morale of the infantry. I'd be more scared, seeing a volley of fire come flying down at you, than regular arrows.

[@rollindutchy7916]

Hey Lindy, could you do a video on battering rams/ways to penetrate defenses?

[@Sharnoy1]

More penetration, eh?

[@valhar2000]

No-one does penetrating analyses like Lindy.

[@evilmorpheus]

lmao, that bait. I'm impressed you managed to change the subject with such ease, though.

[@Mynameismegalex]

Regardless of what I think about the refugees/(whatever you want to call them) this comment was absolutely hilarious, my good sir.

[@ScienceDiscoverer]

Also, boobs analyses!

[@_Mad_Max__]

You are speaking so perfectly clear english, that my undertitle translate everything in perfect german

[@NithinJune]

you got to do the bollywood movie strategy: use trebuchets to throw tarps on your enemies then use fire arrows to burn them to death

[@khaorix2667]

I'm a Frenchman and I was triggered by that ending pannel. #GetLloydreplacedbyatransgenderblackwoman.

[@Lobster_Lars]

lol

[@capnclawhammer3024]

I'm triggered by all these people triggering each other with their triggering...

[@Altrantis]

Don't worry. Whike the english certainly shot the french a lot with arrows in the 100 years war, the french responded by shooting the english to pieces with cannons at Castillon. Which I'd argue is significativelly more unpleastant.

[@capnclawhammer3024]

Were they loaded with katanas or pommels?

[@Altrantis]

Capn Clawhammer It is highly unlikelly they were loaded with katanas, but I can't prove it wasn't pommels.

[@antagonizerr]

A few points; 1 fire arrows weren't for 'killing frenchmen'. They were for setting terrain, such as grass, on fire causing confusion with your enemy and hopefully setting war machines ablaze. Imagine trying to fight in a flaming field... 2 Most buildings were thatched with reeds...dry flammable reeds. Do the math. 3 Arrows were not heat treated anyway. Far too expensive for something you throw away and were generally mild steel as they were pointed (bodkin), but rarely sharpened, except for hunting which is entirely different. 4 The fire was made with pitch and gum soaked canvas that acted more like napalm than fire so that when it hit, it threw flaming stickyness at whatever it hit. 5 (optional) Ship sails, being made of sun bleached dry linen or canvas burn quite well. Again, do the math.

[@Deadly0Night]

1 Yes that sounds very difficult to do for either side. 2 yes... 2% ignition rate when shot into dry flammable things... Warning, sarcasm alert, sarcasm incoming 3 ... yeah it's not like there were large groups of people re-collecting them or anything and it is just so expensive to heat something up and then cool it down again. 4 because stuff like that doesn't go out when shot at high speeds. 5 sails that arrows would 100% not go through.

[@Arikayx13]

Math /= real world. To take one of your points, Thatch, which was often laid very thick, not what you see in movies, this thickness reduces the amount of oxygen available and penetration depth so it would be like shooting fire arrows at solid wood. Maybe take less physics lessons from DnD. Watch more Lindybeige!

[@antagonizerr]

Ari Lunarium No it isn't and it's obvious you've never seen it up close. Thatching burns, hence why when Museums of Canada restored the 'huts' in Upper Canada Village, there was a debate about replacing them with modern building materials, or spraying with fire retardant on a schedule. They replaced them BTW, in 2002. Big news in the Seaway Valley which is what they call the St. Lawrence area where I live. It's funny, but even as Deadly0Night (another armchair historian) figures that setting fire to grass is a 2% ignition rate, (a number pulled from deep within his arse), farmers all over the continent are clearing scrub with nothing but a book of matches. Imagine that. As for the pitch/gum going out...mix some and light it, then throw water on it. Better still, take the leaf blower to it at full tilt. After your yard burns away you can tell me how long it took to go out. Or research greek fire, which is what they were trying to recreate, but instead were making a rudimentary form of napalm which doesn't suffer the same failings as a lit hanky.

[@Arikayx13]

antagonizerr So they shot flaming arrows at the huts? Of course thatch burns, but not as easily as you might think. So pitch/gum can easily be applied to the end of an arrow without causing weight or flight problems? I have cleared scrub with a flame thrower, grass often burns at a low temperature, not enough to light most trees. Hotter burning brush is what is worried about, and I doubt they would just leave it laying against their buildings. It's not just it burns or it doesn't, composition matters a lot. How many LindyBeige videos have you watched? It seems like you don't know that he travels, visits historical sites and participates in reenactments.

[@antagonizerr]

Ari Lunarium I think you severely underestimate the potential of a scrub fire. I also think you underestimate the flammability of a sun baked and dry thatched roof. It's just bundled reeds that are years, if not decades old. Damn right it burns, and burns well. I like LindyBeige, and have seen all his vids, but I don't consider him to be the consummate pro on all things iron age. This just happens to be one of those things he got wrong. You seem to be concerned about weight but how much does a bit of tar and canvas weigh? You don't need a massive arrow for the job either as I highly doubt these arrows were held fast for more than a minute before being fired. I doubt anyone was worried about the shaft burning up as fueled fires don't burn that way. You must have played with lighter fluid in your life, right? You know you can hold it a long time without being burned? I'm not going to claim pro status here, too many people try and do that, but if you want my resume, look me up. Tho I don't make vids I do post to instructables under the same name. I'm what I like to call a lithic artist. If you're curious where I learned it, just ask, but I don't want to be 'that guy' that claims crap without proof.

[@TESkyrimizer]

I still remember the day this video came out like it was yesterday. Cant believe it was releaser in 2016 a whole 3 years ago

[@feekygucker2678]

Fond memories of participating in the York Viking festival in my youth, always ending with the annual ship singeing. The arrows usually stayed alight (thanks to modern accelerants), and usually missed the mock boat piled with straw bales. One year, one of the three arrows that hit (out of about 80) actually set fire to one of the bales for about 30 secs. Despite all our cheering and surprise it turns out that damp straw (British weather) is not very combustible.

[@bubble8829]

Just came across this while doing some research. From the report on the siege of Rhodes, 1480, by the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller of St John at the time, Pierre D’Aubusson, translated in John Taaffe, The History of the Holy, Military, Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Vol 3, Hope and Co, London, 1852, pp. 59-60: "The enemy made use too of another sort of horror - globes of fire, and fiery arrows thrown from the cross-bow or sent off whirling from catapultas, that the houses may be set on fire. We on the other hand, whose duty it was to save the city, chose consulters from persons of the art [experienced in the art of fighting fires], to remain most attentive; and they, as soon as ever the incendiary matter fell, applied themselves with the fleetest caution to extinguish the flames. By such remedies we were able to preserve the Rhodians from many mishaps."

[@TheGloriousLobsterEmperor]

So, they didn't even do their job well?

[@mchomelessful]

The way he describes the fire department kills me

[@fish4225]

@@TheGloriousLobsterEmperor It seems in this particular attack they weren't successful because the city had good firefighters, now imagine that wasn't the case.

[@Arqane]

Yeah, even today, what portion of the population do you think actually understand the difference between putting out a wood fire and a grease fire? They might get lucky and use the right fire extinguisher. But if they don't have a fire extinguisher, you'd be amazed how many people would end up just letting (or making) the fire get out of hand. Even with all the access we have, that's still an issue. Imagine back then when almost no one had that access, apart from word of mouth if something happened nearby.

[@MCshadr217]

Yes, this is what frustrates me. So many people are quick to say "Oh but physics and science and such!" for their reasoning as to why it won't work. But they did. Except that they were never used to kill, only to lower morale and set fire to buildings and anything made of wood. That's why you really only hear about them during sieges. They did use them, just not for firing at the infantry.

[@funny-video-YouTube-channel]

Maybe not in battles, but in sieges, the fire arrow were used a lot. Mongols were constantly using fire arrows, to burn cities, because they did not care about owning them. The conquest wars usually do no use fire, if you want to take a city and have it more or less in good shape, but the motivation of the Mongols was different, they were OK to own territory without owning a city.

[@st8sis]

He apparently confused their specific uses as some challenge to arrows generally, like they were in competition. His whole improvisational bit about the inventor of the fire arrow easily demonstrates this flawed fanboy rewrite of history. Because it doesn't seem to *him* that the flaming arrow is "better" than a regular arrow, he skipped the part where he bothered to look it up on Wikipedia and realize that they were of great use. In fact, specifically in the way he keeps snarking about. They were like laser beams. In times when simply throwing fire around was terrifyingly hellish already. The psychological effect is half the utility....alongside the more obvious part where everyone's houses were firetraps. This video amounts to a person in the year 3000 announcing that handheld weaponry was never used in the 21st century because bombs obviously kill better. It's just a very narrow definition of logic, applied to events that actually happened as if they're a single scene from a movie. But hey, random youtube commenter: keep representin' reality on random chunks of internet with me. It's kinda fun-furiating :-D

[@livedandletdie]

A. You're wrong, 2, he already mentioned their uses, Γ, who cares about bombs, 四, regular arrows are very efficient and scary enough. Especially when there are 2000 of them in the air at any point in time.

[@Firestormlover]

You are absolutely right and I was about to make the same comment, but then I remembered what this video was from, which was that horrendous movie about Troy, and how they used fire arrows mid-battle. The problem is that he only glancingly mentions the movie, in fact if you had not seen the first video than you wouldn't have much of an idea what he was talking about.. It isn't until 9:48 that he finally does mention sieges, when he says they would be very effective.

[@aigryz]

that's exactly what he said in the video

[@GutsLikesItInTheAss]

i doubt this guy even knows or at least wants to admit the Mongols dominated mid Medieval age. even in his Horse archery is useless video, he doesnt mention how the Mongols totally didnt conquer half the world with such a useless technique such as mounted archery.

[@Heldermaior]

This aged very poorly.

[@purple_menace6604]

I don't think so at all. The point of the video is not that flaming arrows were impossible but rather that using them in battlefield conditions would be impractical. Besides if you alluding to that video made by Tod's Workshop about fire arrows Lindybeige says that a chemical solution to fire arrows would work, which is exactly what Tod did.

[@jacobshelton5129]

How exactly lol?

[@hubertET]

@@jacobshelton5129 The new video about fire arrows on Todd's Workshop. I assume.

[@joshuajackson7091]

I have a design, an arrow with several holes thru it in a manner that allows you to braid (plat) oil soaked string. Then you plays a torch in front of it and and shoot the arrow thru the flame... lower the torch so you don't hit it, that would make it explode.

[@matteoferro4599]

That arrow would just snap at launch

[@fifervonpiper6707]

Ha, just stick a fire.jpeg image on the tip of an arrow.

[@ImPoPzzZ]

Lol you thought this was a fire arrow

[@ImPoPzzZ]

But it was me

[@ImPoPzzZ]

Dio

[@EricSon_akuma]

I'll beat your static fire.jpg arrow with an actively burning fire.gif arrow!

[@Kjajo]

@@EricSon_akuma You fool! I posted a flame gif on Pornhub then put it onto the arrow, which improves its penetration

[@Joseph_yy]

I thought the main reason to shoot fire arrows is to light the enemy’s fortress or house on fire instead of enemies themselves?

[@SanarySeggnete]

yep , and you need to get very close to the target to do that , the fire arrow in history could be listed as siege and anti siege ammunition instead of anti personal ammunition. How close ? just somewhere right under the castle wall where enemy could turn you into a human porcupine even with all the shield unit to protect you ... ofcourse you can try to set the siege ram on fire in the case of anti siege ... if the enemy forgot to cover their battering ram with fresh skinned hides And ofcourse , none fired them when trying to seige a castle at night like tons of hollywood films did The fire arrow were an important tactic used in a siege. As important as the need of water buckets , firefighter team and inflammable materials to counter it (ofcourse , they were used to counter lots of other weapon , not only fire arrow)

[@Joseph_yy]

Olga Kost yeah I always see the fire arrows as a longer range torch, more like a tool than a weapon imo

[@SergeyPRKL]

Romans used to throw with catapults clay balls filled with oil and "greek fire" and they did not lit it by the catapult because they broke many times, and mostly snuffed out in the start. They threw them into the enemy and then after that (or just seconds before) they shot the fire arrows that ignited the oils planted there by catapults. Was quite terrifying in a forest when it hit high up in trees and sprayed on a large area. As seen in gladiator. Except they lit them at the catapult in the movies. and that is just wrong.

[@diskeyes]

Yen the smiling dinosaur but even then the things he listed like the fire being blown out and the logistics of it cancel it out as being even a somewhat useful tool

[@sheepieworks4974]

@@diskeyes i've seen people saying they put burning lumps of coal in the arrow head. that would make sense. it doesn't have an actual flame because most coals smolder. look at a bbq for example. and flying through the air won't "put it out" because there is no flame. it just has a lot of heat.

[@mouserat2545]

I never thought I'd hear someone describing the use of fire arrows as "rather nice of you" lmao

[@Evilanious]

8:03 that would be Roger Bacon, not Francis Bacon who lived 400 years later.

[@thomasjenkins5727]

Flaming katana spandau ammo.

[@yourleftnostril835]

Oh my.. MAY THE GODS HELP US AGAINST THIS UNSTOPPABLE MAN!

[@PaltryPete]

Someone has to make an illustration of this

[@kyleflanagan963]

Only if you use the reverse grip.

[@armvex]

god we .........

[@Valsorayu]

Here: plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+ValsorayGaming/albums/6294535605251810641/6294535604397921554?pid=6294535604397921554&oid=104098625645551528978

[@TheSchuetzeP]

...You always shoot the frenchmen... Which brings me to the question: Could you shoot a baguette using a bow? How would it fly?

[@michaelsark1570]

If you attached it to an arrowhead, sure. The weight would be a problem though and it isn't aerodynamic either

[@paununs8719]

You can't, but you can make huge baguettes and use them as lances.

[@Dynahazzar3]

Baguettes are also very useful against watermelons barrage and can be suitable throwing weapons.

[@Garith000]

should rather shoot it from a bren gun, its better you know

[@ianfindlay865]

It's more efficient to shoot a baguette with a Colt .45 or a Luger or any side arm for that matter. Quicker and cleaner and you still eat the baguette.

[@WhiteCrowHuntingBuffalo]

Just saw a guy who said he knew how to make an authentic recipe fire arrow. He didn't show how he made it, but the thing looked extremely legit. It burned like a road flare kind of, for about 1.5 to 2 minutes as you stated. Would stay lit completely submersed in water, didn't go out by stomping it out. It burned until there was no more fuel (whatever that was, I am going to find out). My gut feeling is to look at sugar rockets, and various mixtures of gun powder.

[@Thibaut_Guerquin]

I do not know why Bron from Game of Thrones is teaching me about fire arrows, but man, I'm in for it ! Awesome video !

[@TheBurg229]

Fire arrows on ships were often used to catch sails on fire. Hard to put those fires out and you immobilize a ship for boarding.

[@HeadPats-vi7jm]

Capt Char That's what I was thinking.

[@BonDieu617]

Weren't sails often treated with flammable oils? And the decks had loads of tar/pitch to plug any leaks. So yeah.

[@ozzymandias1682]

BonDieu617 Depends on the time period with sails. Either way they would be damp. And would probably be so thick they'd glance off. They kept pitch in barrels of some kind. They wouldn't have pitch all over their deck because its a huge safety hazard, especially considering how slippery it would be.

[@BonDieu617]

Max Anthony Not all over the deck of course, but they used it to plug leaks and holes as well as ridges between planks. It wasn't _everywhere_ of course, but there was a lot of it.

[@SinerAthin]

Probably depends a helluva lot on the circumstance as well. A designate battleship who are ready & have chance to prepare themselves vs fire arrows using specially crafted sails could probably shrug them off. A civilian, commercial or lower quality ship on a sunny day however might be very vulnerable to fire arrows.

[@getfreur2458]

Lyndybeige make a video about naval warfare in medieval era.

[@TheExiledTexan]

THIS. Pre-gunpowder/cannon days.

[@mrspidey80]

But that's just regular melee on ship decks...

[@ryanmcallen8713]

The basics are pretty simple. You'd fire projectiles such as arrows, javelins or stones, and maybe have a ballista if you were lucky. Alternatively you would try and hook the ship, pull them close and engage physically or ram them. Obviously there is more to it than that on a strategic level, but that's the gist.

[@getfreur2458]

Ryan McAllen like the fire arrows in the movies?

[@Dregoro]

Yes that would be great! Pirates of baltic and mediterenian sea! Pre-gunpowder era!

[@charlottewalnut3118]

I read in the art of war the way the Chinese would use fire arrows is by preparing an area first they were soaking and sesame oil and use the arrows to light the oil that’s what made them effective because bizarrely enough no one wants to be in an area that’s on fire it would also scare animals like horses and elephants

[@isababa97]

Chinese strategists used to use gunpowder loaded arrows, oil spills, and gunpowder barrels, these were then activated later by fire arrows to create an explosion or fire field or make a bomb out of their arrows. Gun powder didn't reach the West until later on, so maybe that's why it seems dumb, but it wasn't all nonsense in practice when the set up was there.

[@sbeckett91]

Would studded leather armour be sufficient to stop fire arrows?

[@KohuGaly]

a common wool jacket would probably be enough...

[@KohuGaly]

Tristen Snyder I did, but my response is not that funny, now that I read it second time :-/

[@Bitemis]

The wool jacket isn't enough. The key to the defense is a beige shirt with the corners of the collar rounded off.

[@beaconrider]

Only if it's beige.

[@PsylomeAlpha]

@bitemis I assume lindy used an angle grinder to round the corners of his collar.

[@mattdobz]

fire arrows at night = thanks for revealing their location and trajectory

[@Sanroxem]

... Why does it matter? You're going to catch them?

[@renookami4651]

That's actually a good idea. Free ammunitions to shoot back, even if crappy ones.

[@cinquine1]

@@Sanroxem If both sides have archers (a reasonable assumption in a pitched battle) then it matters quite a bit. Of course it's a silly situation to begin with, standing armies would never engage in pitched battles at night.

[@Aapaatsanski]

Like tracers from assault rifles. At first fire arrows make sense, then you think about it long enough and it not practical. If you think even deeper though fire arrows could have their benefits.

[@tinyspacepeople9384]

if you're talking a medieval battle, it's not gonna matter a whole lot if their position is revealed, unless they're planning an ambush

[@krystofcisar469]

Considering that most of settlement and defenses had straw or wooden roofs - i dont think they would be useless in terms of defense or siege... Tod from tod´s workshop did some really nice reconstruction of arrow made with quite amount of resin that would definitely work in lot of scenarios.

[@JollyMyMan]

Why do we like arrows? Because they P E N E T R A T E T H E F R E N C H M A N

[@Slayerlord0]

"There must be a better way of doing the credits." "Every time they make a Robin Hood movie, they burn our village down!" "Leave us alone, Mel Brooks!"

[@zanderrose]

In the siege of Jerusalem in 1099 the defenders used flaming arrows to destroy one of the siege towers

[@lindybeige]

Yes, and siege towers normally had defences against fire on them and in them. Fire arrows were used in sieges.

[@RedVodka69]

How were siege defenders able to overcome the problems you mentioned in the video? Did they probably use method #1 (big end, low penetration/range/etc.)?

[@killerhellhound]

well the arrow he is holding an fire arrow used in seiges to try and burn down siege weapons or burn houses behind walls

[@jacobweisth7180]

Probably they just didn't draw the arrow fully. Shot from a warbow at a 28" draw, even a 32" burning arrow will go a considerable distance. The range and lower penetrating power will still be be worse than a standard arrow though....

[@chihuanglin]

+Red Vodka Make roofs with tiles. Not gonna burn.

[@derffurwood4820]

My flaming arrow recipe goes like this...50/50 used motor oil and gasoline or straight up diesel fuel. Soak cotton rags, cloth, etc in the mixture, wrap them tightly towards the tip of an aluminum arrow then let them burn for about 10 seconds before you fire them off. Just like the movies. Watch out for dry grass, leaves and old wooden barns full of hay.

[@FolgoreCZ]

I distictly remember seeing a movie where two armies were facing each other in the night and were shooting fire arrows in volleys at a very slow rate. And of course, as the soldiers saw the arrows comming in, they always just raised their shields, so not much harm was happening. So, one dastardly commander ordered his men to shoot "night arrows," also known as just plain old arrows. And since the other army couldn't see them, they didn't raised their shields that time, so that volley killed a lot of men. So a pretty reasonable thing from the commander to do, but it was seen (or at least heavily implied, I don't remember it that well) as a very dishonourable thing to do. I can't remember the name of that movie, unfortunately.

[@Haywire-mi5fq]

Timeline

[@araragi5322]

Sounds like a comedy

[@eddy-currents]

GREEK FIRE DONT MELT SIEGE TOWERS

[@eddy-currents]

OPEN YOUR EYES PLEBS

[@alexandrosgrivas4406]

it burns whatever is made out of wood

[@eddy-currents]

+Alexandros grivas THE SENATE IS LYING TO ROMA

[@alexandrosgrivas4406]

Eddycurrents ?

[@eddy-currents]

+Alexandros grivas THE SENATE IS A FRONT FOR ALIENS TO RULE ROMA OPEN YOUR EYES

[@willgilbert3018]

Just a thing about the start of the video with the large line of archers in Kingdom of heaven, I could think of an ancient tech that communicates faster than any known method to date, light, have two becaons at each end of the firing line, one man lights the flame on one end, the other sees this, lights his and the whole line can see that now is the time to light it. It even seems that way somewhat as the two ends of the line appear much sooner than the majority, this might not have been what happened but its just a thought.

[@willgilbert3018]

Love the jumper btw

[@Dadecorban]

Not so fast. There a lot of ways this can go wrong or not go at all. First of all, signaling to loose fire arrows with....fire could be problematic. The means to light both is...in fact fire. So you can imagine how a bunch of dudes are looking around at night for someone to light a fire to signal them....all it takes is someone kicking over a fire source, or a bellow lighting up a fire source more than usual and it looks like a signal. At night its going to be difficult to know exactly where the ends of the line are. Somebody fucks up 1/4 of the way from the end of the lines and its just as good as the end of the line to someone waiting for a fire to be lit in the dark. That is without talking about how chaotic, and nerve racked a bunch of peasant archers will be during a night attack. That's without talking about how much training and drilling has gone into night fire arrow signaling. That's without talking about how rare night battles have been because of all these reasons. That's without talking about how rare good training was for Medieval soldiers, let alone for night fighting (non-existent). Not to mention, most Medieval armies were utter shit at signaling in general. As far as I understand, pretty much no European military during the middle ages was able to develop and maintain the art of signaling to anything resembling what the Romans were doing hundreds of years before them. Hypothetically though...it's not inconceivable to do what you are talking about. You could drill it into soldiers, practice light discipline at night, and then pray for no errant horseman or bumbling archer to knock over a fire source prior to the first volley. But there would have to be a pretty good reason to want to make your fire arrow volley happen instantaneously rather than take 20 seconds for everyone to get on the same page. I'm sure if i sit here long enough I can think of a hypothetical reason for this...maybe. (I'm not saying English archers weren't well trained archers, because they were pretty good at putting arrows in the air, especially when you had veteran mercenary companies selling themselves across Europe during the Hundred Years War, but in general, archers were peasants with little prior training or experience. Peace time English longbow training was also ambiguous with varied enforcement when it was legally required. There's target practice and then there is application of archery on a battlefield.)

[@Alex-lf1cl]

your telling me that waiting around and looking for a signal fire is better than having a signal transmit to your phone/watch that tells it to vibrate? As soon as you feel the vibration, you fire. That seems way faster than looking for a signal fire that is adequate at best and extremely misleading at worst? I don't think so

[@tananari47]

Militaries used drums to send loud rhythmic signals for miles at the speed of sound. Which actually works *faster* than radio communication for such short ranges. Not because the radio's slower, of course, but because humans are very good at quickly recognizing rhythmic drumbeats, so we respond faster instinctively, and it improves with training.

[@GamePhysics]

Good point. But they still wouldn't have zippo's or matches to light their arrows.

[@alphabasic1759]

Also, archers did need to move about in a battle. Quite often. So forges would have to be mobile. Also,setting things may be of value, but there’s no inherent benefit of a fire arrow against soldiers. Just perhaps ships and buildings.

[@rafale1981]

Lindybeige really channeling graham chapman here. Love it!

[@ianmills9266]

the benefit of fire arrows during a seige would be the simple fact that most stuctures has thatched roofs, they burn rather nicely

[@whiteknightcat]

Thank you!

[@ianmills9266]

anouther one i recently thought of would be defencive. Armys were rather large and quite obvious. Sow the land around the walls with pitch wate for the attack to happen......toasty attackers

[@whiteknightcat]

Ian Mills A true "scorched earth" policy!

[@ianmills9266]

***** only the pessants.

[@ceoofwarcrimes4600]

Ian Mills late as fuck comment but Aldo burning enemy camps

[@theoriginaldylangreene]

I think this is also a bit of the "Total War" effect. Shooting fire arrows in open battle in those games had very little penalty, but would often set fire to the enemy AI in a glorious fireball. Strangely you could never really use fire arrows during sieges to set fire to buildings. It could have been an interesting game mechanic to force the defender to use units to extinguish burning buildings, or risk the settlement burning to the ground. Their only use was to the defender in setting fire to the battering rams and siege towers. Anyone know of a mod for any of the Total War games that re-balances arrows? Maybe ups the firing rate for normal arrows, or gives a huge penalty to fire arrows?

[@Gr8humanilation9TV]

Well they are far more inaccurate than normal arrows and takes longer to reload. So no, they actually have pretty big penalty. The upside was that they give moral loss to the enemy and as far i can tell does more damage. So i mostly use fire arrows to heavily armored enemies. Light units: normal arrows ftw.

[@theoriginaldylangreene]

Gr8humanilation9TV The inaccuracy thing worked both ways though, as it took 2 or more arrow hits to put down even mildly armoured units, but one shot with a bow seemed to make everyone burst into flames. I didn't really notice a reload penalty, it's a few seconds if at all.

[@Gr8humanilation9TV]

The accuracy of the unit makes a huge difference for sure. Also what total war we are talking about. Like in Rome you might want to use fire arrows but like in shogun 2 normal arrows kills in 1-2 shots so using flaming arrows is not as useful.(talking about light infantry). The most important thing about fire arrows for me is the moral penalty AND that is they point of them. The strategy part of them. Risk and reward. Do less damage (in general) but lessen moral. Its great. Btw favorite Total War?

[@theoriginaldylangreene]

Gr8humanilation9TV It's mainly Rome and Medieval 2 that I've noticed it in. As for favourite, I think it has to be original Rome. On steam alone I have about 400 hours in it and I bought it on disk when it first came out. I can't get on with the newer ones, I don't know what they did to them, but I hate my cavalry being stopped by skirmishers like their brick walls, or units glitching 500 feet through terrain to perform one of their finishing moves. What about you? I've never gotten into the Shogun's, they seemed far more complicated than "build army- smash!" with the whoring of the daughters and the political backstabbing.

[@Gr8humanilation9TV]

Original Rome and Medieval 2 here too but i prefer rome because the time period. Far more interesting for me. I had it on disk too. Just because the fucking awesome hand to hand combat. Its perfect. The moment when you flank enemy infantry and just charge to them. The hit of the charge is just awesome or just charging head to head with infantry and no fucking kill moves... Its killing the hand to hand combat and killing the series. Like you said "hitting a brick wall". Yup that's how it is in the new ones. There is simply no unit collision. It's so ugly and i know... its on shogun 2 but the polish on that game is the best of all of them. Played all of the total wars expect the newest one.

[@jonslg240]

This video is way different than I was expecting ..and twice as good =p

[@esk5646]

Scientists: Air resistance Lindybeige: [blowing sounds]

[@polymphus]

I remember some show (Deadliest Warrior?) tested them out, and found that the flame doesn't necessarily get snuffed BUT 1) in order to stick enough cloth/pitch on them for the flames to stay on, it means they suddenly can't penetrate very far, or even penetrate at all 2) they don't tend to set the target on fire 3) if they actually do penetrate, it just cauterises the wound There are definitely historical cases of people spreading (for example) oil on the ground before a battle then using fire arrows to ignite it when the other guy walks across it, but they're rare and seemed to be of mixed success.

[@polymphus]

yep, found it: Deadliest Warrior S02, E10. They also found that the impact from the arrow hitting a target often extinguished the fire.

[@vonneely1977]

polymphus IIRC they were a psychological weapon mostly used to break cavalry formations, since animals tend to freak out over fire pretty easily.

[@jottXD]

"Oh mine's on fire ..." I laughed so hard xD

[@anthonyvandeist2857]

Excellent intro to this video.

[@GenerationWhyMe]

It is worth pointing out that during a siege trenches would be dug before the walls of the enemy, allowing arches to have cover at closer ranges. At a short distance it would not be necessary to have a bow with a high draw and thus fast projectile speed, allowing for the arrows to be fired over the wall without the air they travel through extinguishing the flame. Reckon that other types of weapons would also be employed to throw flammable liquids that would spread out on impact covering the structures inside. Since the main method of fighting fires would be chains of people lugging buckets of water, to perform successful damage control in such situations would require quite a bit of manpower. It then stands to reason many people would be employed in the effort. Now imagine trying to fight the following day after a night of tensely waiting to extinguish any fires that started, whereas your opponent would be comparatively well rested.Consider the consequences of this going on for weeks - you have barely slept the entire time. In such circumstances a niche weapon finds its place.

[@Jieumkim]

okaaaaay

[@SolusBatty]

Fire-katanas video in two years time. Can't wait.

[@megafan5195]

Wouldn't it be nice to have guys with spandaus shooting flaming ponmels? I reckon if the guys had some katanas for self defence in a melee combat, they would be unstoppable warriors capable of penetrating frenchmen quite well.

[@megafan5195]

pommels* Who placed n and m next to each other?

[@SordoBjorn]

"Who placed n and m next to each other" french (azerty) layout doesn't... and all lindy talks about is penetrating the french lol.

[@ZURATAMA1324]

Katana pommels. I rest my case.

[@zachk.2125]

Unless the Frenchmen wore studded leather armour.

[@darkness4063]

You're doing it all wrong... We need spandaus shooting flaming katana pommels! And every soldier should have a bikini made out of studded leather armour. Compleate protection achieved!

[@caelestigladii]

I just saw the Barcelona 1992 Olympics torch lighting ceremony and I remembered this video.

[@davidsabillon5182]

I feel like I was just told there is no Santa Claus 😳

[@avocado_circle]

Maybe a pyrophoric chemical would work. Such a chemical could be contained in a glass arrow head that would shatter on impact exposing the chemical to air allowing it to self ignite. However, manufacturing such a system would be extremely difficult even with todays technology, and totally impossible during the middle ages.

[@Snyde91]

So what your saying is it's unrealistic and irrelevant? Lol.

[@Ksorkrax]

Well, that is essentially the concept of a naphtha grenade, which was actually used in the middle ages. That said, one would not use it in an arrow since you need it to spread all over you target. As Lindybeige said, there is no merit in the arrow burning if not used against structures. Not going to incinerate any people who get hit.

[@DisegnoSb]

actually, it wouldnt be that hard to make, but you cant get too much fire out of it... a cool thing would be to put an arrow drenched in some thick oil or tar that burns slowly and put a criystal tip with phosforus inside... so it will break and ignite the oil that will splatter arround... at least some oil would still be there for sure...

[@The_Bird_Bird_Harder]

promatt5 Wow imagine all the Frenchmen we could penetrate.

[@atk9989]

Gerben van Straaten. because an arrow is easier to aim. and id say 1,000 arrows will make more small fires then the few dozen moderate to large fires the catapult or scorpio make. or for maximum effect you do both and make sure you burn shit down.

[@Smashachu]

Magnesium tipped arrow heads. Reacts with or without oxygen present, can withstand the winds of an arrows velocity and will react extremely violently when the gasses of the magnesium burning reacts with the h2o in your blood causing an pretty large explosion. It's also pretty easy to light on fire soooo. It also burns at 2200C, THATS 4000 degrees 'Merican units.

[@vannlo355]

Brilliant!

[@simmyabis7330]

@joanne chon yes i do

[@totallynotalpharius2283]

Idk if I've ever seen a comment that is both awesome and makes me want to invoke some war crimes statute

[@HRRRRRDRRRRR]

@joanne chon "alloy" Yep, feel pretty safe.

[@wojciechkolaczkiewicz2881]

@KeanuBodypillo g thermite is better for that use ;)

[@MayhemX0X]

I was reading Caesars conquests in Gaul, the Gauls used fire arrows against the Romans, set their camps on fire. Granted, they also used heated sling stones. They're great for sieges.

[@Patr111k]

1:04 Actually yes. Tod's Workshop just released a video about it.

[@andrewmartin3671]

This video 7yrs ago: Fire arrows weren't significantly used, except for a kind of chemical fire arrow during sieges. Todd Cutler's video 4 days ago: Fire arrows were used with chemical fire during sieges. Though I bet the exact potency of Todd's arrows surprised everyone.

[@rallekralle11]

A mix of potassium nitrate(main ingredient in black powder) and sugar burns really hot, and for a decent amount of time. it feels like that could possibly be what they were using on their arrows. but i don't really know anything about stuff like this, so they may very well have used something completely different. hey, i'm a pyrotechnic, not a historian.

[@Robbedem]

I always thought they used charcoal...

[@valhar2000]

The question is: did they have access to sugar before they learned how to make cannons and muskets?

[@sugarnads]

Greek fire most likely. Or burning pitch.

[@megafan5195]

Not sure if they had much suger back then. And they might not knew the recipe

[@polymath7]

I think potassium nitrate is what was used to keep the wick burning on matchlock muskets.

[@Jessie_Helms]

They did use fire arrows in some situations. However, they were usually used against cities, siege works, ships, etc... But yeah, they weren’t ancient long-range flame throwers.

[@jrgenaarvik7671]

So exactly what was said in the movie. Good for you.

[@adamvaculik8668]

..That's exactly what he said.. You didn't watch the whole video did you? -_-

[@DesiMcSheepxD]

what about those arrows they shoot boats with when there's a viking funeral ceremony, lets say. Or is that just a hollywood thing :(

[@danieldyson1660]

@@DesiMcSheepxD more likely they pushed it out to sea and chucked a torch on it.

[@keegendzurko627]

Flamethrowers was the Greek Fire

[@mikel1784]

there used for site work and attempts to burn siege equipment and Asia did heat but mostly hotshot with slings. a good one is the classic hotpot. the best use is preset field to burn and of course as you said.

[@gwoody4003]

Love your vids. The issue of fire arrows and heated shot, as portrayed in some of my favorite games, has always bothered me. Age of Empires... all 3 of them... have a fire arrow upgrade that makes them twice as damaging. This includes those fired by towers, castles and ships. And i would think the last thing you want in a thatch roof watch tower or wooden ship... is dozens little fires for making 100s of even smaller fires, and put them in the hands of men under stressnof battle. Lol Age of Empires III has a Heated Shot upgrade for the cannons and those telephone pole sized bolts they fire that makes them twice as effective in damaging ships. Now.... how do you heat a cannonball to glowing red, then place it on top of blackpowder in a cannon barrel and not blow yourself up? And how exactly is it suddenly twice as damaging as regular shot? Its really counting on a hot cannon ball getting lodged into the wooden hull, rather than through it, then be hot enough to actually start a fire that threatens the ship. I know its just a videogame and I am nit-picking and history-geeking, but its another example of the common misrepresentation of fire arrows in historical fiction and entertainment. And I am one of those guys that WILL ruin a movie pointing out all the historical inaccuracies.