How Medieval Archers Rained Fire Down on their Enemies

[@karamandalireacts6185]

he enchanted the bow with flaming

[@pierogonzalez5742]

Underrated

[@EgressEvergreen]

E

[@Randomdudefromtheinternet]

I'm actually surprised it did work, always heard that these arrows were a bit of the "movie magic" stuff.

[@DBT1007]

Chinese did it first.

[@wolf310ii]

Its not surprising, its "fresh" dry straw, not very well build. On a real straw roof, after a few years there grown lichen and moss on it and its not that dry, so it catches not that easy fire. Also in the middleage they changed in towns from straw roofs to hard roofs

[@ihaveadream7858]

The Chinese "fire arrow" is more effective. It has an exploding charge with a slow fuse. There are 2 kinds of fire arrowa in Chuna

[@BujorOvidiu]

Actually they need two different camera shots for this. In the first shot the arrow flame dies as it reaches the sky. In the second shot the wrrow arrives with a fresh flame on the straws. I'd say it is stupidly rigged. Why didn't they show it in one shot? because it is not working.

[@flamebird2218]

@@ihaveadream7858 This is true. However, Chinese fire arrows were a gunpowder weapon (they were the earliest gunpowder weapon used), and were arrows with bags of gunpowder or rockets attached. Western fire arrows worked differently.

[@kirchoff4733]

Lindybeige has to say something about this. For a number of reasons there is just no way fire arrwos were used routinely. It was rare at best.

[@Romellenios_Lanz_Daemos]

(don't mind me, just here to see other people's opinion on the current topic, i also agree with Lindybeige)

[@joshmurphy8775]

The video did state at the beginning that it was used for seiges. Which makes sense, on the battlefield it would be useless, in in a fortified town or keep however they could fire into a more confined area, the goal being not to hit people but buildings, like store houses,and other important targets. That's my theory anyways.

[@YukihyoShiraki]

I thought he said it was not a thing period so now I dont know what to believe.

[@Rucka_Inc.]

Lindybeige just larps about this issue. They actually prove it can work.

[@Skribber]

@@Rucka_Inc. im pretty sure Lindybeige made the point that they where quite rare and not used for shooting agianst armies but as previusly stated cities during seiges, sure its been a while since i saw his vid on it but i think he mostly went a bit overthetop to goof on the fact that its being so overused in movies and other media. =)

[@kovi567]

1:22 Flame dies out. 1:24 Arrow reaches target in a different angle than it should considering the drop, the starts to fall down as nothing is holding it. 1:26 Arrow is sticking out differently than it arrived in the precious shot, and it's not in the epicenter of the fire, even though one would guess the fire would spread at least somewhat evenly. 1:28 Arrow disappears. 1:40 Arrow reappears, now headless. Conclusion: This is rigged.

[@ihaventshoweredin6weeksbut527]

Arrow dissapears because its in the othere side of the roof

[@pkfreerunner97]

No sir, Fire arrows were a real thing in medieval times.

[@kovi567]

​@@pkfreerunner97 Not the argument here.

[@pkfreerunner97]

@@kovi567 Not the argument here??? 😂😂😂😂😂 He's insinuating that Fire Arrows were "fake" just because he believes the video was "fake". Calm down kid.

[@kovi567]

@@pkfreerunner97 No, I was saying that they rigged the setup.

[@dannydivens2969]

Fire arrows did have their purpose and like others have stated were mostly for for siege warfare or shock value. Not killing power like in movies. What's needed to make the arrow st as y lit during flight would drastically reduce the arrows flight path and ability to puncture. Burning buildings and settlements was a viable tactic but could also be achieved with siege weapons. Fire arrows did exist bit were not as common as Hollywood makes it seem. Also its dependent on culture and the type of bow used. A hunting bow, or soft bow wouldnt be able to produce the force needed to make up the difference of the extra weight of the flammable materials. And lighting a stick on fire wasnt enough as the flight of the arrow itself would put it out. A longbow or double recurve could possibly. But it wouldnt have been a widely used tactic outside of possible a single volley.

[@rodrigodepierola]

There's lots of "movie magic" in the video. We see the archer shooting into the air. Then we see the arrow hitting just right where the camera is pointing. Even though the arrow was shot at 35°-45° it hits almost parallel to the ground. Then we see the straw catching fire almost instantly (it's the driest thatch in the history of the UK) and finally and cut to the whole thatched roof burning.

[@sintes88]

Nice cut just after the arrow was shot... And that fake thud noise when the arrow hit really sealed the deal...

[@jjbiii3201]

Don't forget to catapult barrels of oil beyond the wall first!

[@flamebird2218]

Otherwise, the arrows are useless.

[@WompWompNootNoot]

Why couldn't they show footage of the arrows actually working properly instead of making cuts in the editing to make it look like it did. The fact they did that makes me think they don't really even work.

[@galvinstanley3235]

It was a real shot,arrows twist in the air,they don't fly straight.

[@mani8512]

He has the crazed look of a pyromaniac. And a mediaeval archer would've placed his arrow on the outside of his bow's riser.

[@vespelian5769]

This is an interesting verification of archeology. I'm currently reading a book called With Bended Bow by Erik Roth that touches on the rare but very real practice of incendiary archery.

[@daroth7127]

imagine how hard it would be to get fire to thousands of archers. it'd only be practical when attacking a town when you have ample time to get in position and bring fire to the archers.

[@pkfreerunner97]

Nice ! I'm glad you seem to be informed..because most of these people seem to think Incendiary bolts were only "the stuff of Hollywood".

[@nigelsmedley7737]

Imagine having to make hundreds of these arrows

[@Lordmattfreeman]

@@rayh7989 because they wouldn't be used to attack infantry? They're meant for sieges, infantry would never really be endangered by the arrow it's primary objective is to destroy infrastructure.

[@themanwithallthewrongopini3551]

Armor Matty but wouldn’t artillery be used much more? Maybe at night as a flare of sorts but not like the movies

[@ihaveadream7858]

@@themanwithallthewrongopini3551 artillery is expensive, you need low cost weapons like this, they can still be effective in sieges and destroying buildings without having to make that much artillery

[@themanwithallthewrongopini3551]

I have a dream maybe for smaller forts and if there are no trees but yes

[@simonphoenix3789]

somehow I don't buy that the arrow he shot was the one that landed on that roof. that looks like two separate shots, and the arrow he fired looked like it went out almost immediately as it left the bowstring. also, if the arrow doesn't have a point to stick in with, how exactly is it going to stay on top of a sloped roof? most of them will likely just roll or bounce off, not even getting a chance to smolder there and perhaps light it on fire eventually.

[@ksmolsen]

We never saw the entire flight of the arrow, so this video proves nothing. As far as we know they could have just thrown the arrow on to the roof from two meters away.

[@mandurugas69]

should included some archeological evidence of ancient fire arrows design. but still awesome vid

[@BigBazz-Clips]

cause there's little to none, this is basically fantasy, look at how their "demonstration" is shot, clearly using three separate shots

[@StinkyGoblin]

seen a few in the british museum/royal armouries. cant remeber which but they had a couple called them basket arrows or something similar though cant find on web

[@virgosintellect]

Dried Chaga fungus smolders like charcoal. Any number of ember materials could be attached to arrowheads and be stoked hotter in flight, rather than extinguished by it, as a flammable liquid would be.

[@yiyang696]

How medieval archers use fire arrows: Modern era: destroys a 140-200m radius of a city

[@ihaveadream7858]

The flaming arrow is nearly useless, what is useless against plate armour and shields. The Chinese "fire arrow" explodes a few seconds after impact, shields getting pierced by those arrows will break after explosion, lowering the soldier's defence

[@Iuzez]

I always thought it was just used for Destruction setting houses on fite ans such

[@CrnaStrela]

Plate armor and full shield isn't a common soldier equipments.

[@thebasedspectre3048]

Oh hey a gust of wind and there goes your fire arrow

[@galvinstanley3235]

It doesn't work like that,they are designed to withstand wind.

[@CleverPolarBear]

Special arrow heads. That makes a lot of sense.

[@iii-ei5cv]

Lindybeige fans MAD

[@pandasoftT]

wonder how when the arrow is in the air produced so much smoke and landed on the roof with so much fire. it still should be smoking and the fire went up after landing. seems like the arrow shot and the arrow landed was different. they just used an old camera trick

[@rhodesdrakethenieliii3209]

I'd dip the fire arrows in turpentine so it could make the flames last longer, at least that's what Sigint said in MGS3

[@RKXIXKR]

The only this I’m impressed with is his accuracy from that far away

[@Looserkid13]

Looking at the editing, i can't be sure he hit, nor that the fire didn't need some help to pick up.

[@EgressEvergreen]

E

[@Franzibald_]

They used some movie magic to prove this one, either he missed, or the entire fire arrow concept failed as it extinguished mid-flight (as one would expect)

[@mxmali3353]

Smokey the bear is not gonna like this.

[@DirtCobaine]

Huh I had a conversation with a guy who said they never actually used flaming arrows or ammunition for that matter. Least of all on land. In the ocean Greek fire need water so they used it on ships. But he told me they probably never used fire arrows or flaming artillery from ancient artillery machines. But I always thought in my mind if it’s a good idea now, it would’ve been a good idea then. And it wouldn’t have been that hard to do. So the likelihood of incendiary ammunition in ancient times seems to have been more likely than not. If not used for a specific purpose.

[@AlexanderHL1919]

Lindy already conceded that fire arrows were possible, just not probable. He said they perhaps could have been used in sieges when you had time as the attacker to set up the whole elaborate process of getting those arrows ready to "fire" and with hundreds/thousands of them, something somewhere might just have caught on fire. All you need is one burning shack and the fire will spread from there. The Great Fire of London, the Great Chicago fire, etc, all started with one minor fire. Its possible.. But they certainly wouldnt set men on fire unless they happened to be doused in gasoline, so stop the pyrotechnical hollywood bs thanks ^_^

[@martinsummers9887]

I think they would’ve worked from close range, but you likely wouldn’t be able to make the flame reach the full distance of a longbow

[@mauryhan]

This is true, in part because of the added weight of the fire cage and burning compounds required to keep the flame lit. This is what films get wrong about flaming arrows.

[@JJefArt]

That's incredible !

[@amang1001]

People really have to stop saying "count less" when there is definitely a number...

[@ernestkirnag9012]

I am no historian but I think they didn’t really use fire arrows

[@undeadblackjack]

is that because lindybeige is some sort of expert?

[@jakeg3733]

I have to wonder though how practical this was in real battles. It's not like ancient archers could just whip out their gas station lighter and fire these things up. You'd have to carry at least embers _on your person_ , and probably need an open flame to do it quickly enough to be effective. So how did they achieve this?

[@romeotango5597]

A torch and a flint would be enough. You’d have a couple soldiers with torches go along and light up the archers. It would still be quite situational.

[@LacyJacy]

Lol but ACCTUALY show the whole sequence the arrow did not by him hit the house it didn't stick perfectly and burned down the little makeshift house what material was used please. This is why big channels like this are bad for knowledge seekers and those interested in the past. These people just want money for you to see the rest. Watch someone like lindy beige on this and you'll be 100 times more satisfied

[@SEAZNDragon]

He mention the tip had a core of sulfur and wrapped in dead wood and a pitch soaked cloth. As much as I would like to see the whole sequence myself it did show it was plausible.

[@tryomama]

I don't see your counter argument. Next!

[@LacyJacy]

@@tryomama simp

[@nikel-]

@@LacyJacy normies these days smh

[@themanwithallthewrongopini3551]

Jovan Lee the counter argument is practicality not if it works or not. If they were used in sieges artillery would be used much more do to it’s effectiveness. Besides being used a flare of sorts, the movies got the use of fire arrows all wrong

[@8unnylover]

Lindybeige would like a word

[@khoai_ryan]

I dont think they used fire arrows for siege. Just imagine when it's night and you only hear the sound of arrows and screams from your soldiers, much more terrified than the easily noticable and avoidable fire arrows

[@rpavangchhia8953]

there are historical accounts of the mongols using it,not just in sieges but field battles,signalling and such.They still used to this day in pakistan.

[@simonphoenix3789]

Its not the arrow that makes it useful in a seige, its the buildings it sets on fire. Fire in a medieval town or castle would be a pretty big issue given the wooden construction common at the time.

[@CrnaStrela]

They do in Japan, they do not have Siege Weapons because the castle and fortifications were built off wood and they also built on hill or similar high ground that transporting siege would have been extremely difficult.

[@Hara-lamb]

This guy looks like an old Tom Hardy.

[@switchtoodysee.ytsmells458]

I love how he meticulous watched and absorbed the burning of the “house” after. Only seen a couple of these videos, but he seems like a great and respectable man. (I’m going to search for a book he’s written, or just more about him now).

[@k90sas-choppu46]

this guy should be more careful, he could have started a forest fire

[@n0denz]

Nuh uh Lindybeige said it didn't exist.

[@nonsensecrusade2741]

they didnt.

[@EokaBeamer69]

So, does this proff all the history youtubers wrong?

[@stocktonjoans]

this proves nothing, i'm 100% sure the arrow losed from the bow was a different one than the one that hit the roof, you can see the fire arrow extiguishing itself almost as soon as it leaves the bow

[@No1important88]

@@stocktonjoans You can see the Arrow making contact from the air to the roof! And no, i do not see the arrow extinguishing itself, i see a trail of smoke, which is what fire causes, where there's smoke there's fire, and that arrow was definitely smoking.

[@stocktonjoans]

@@No1important88 okay, you clearly have no idea what you're talking about, good day

[@themanwithallthewrongopini3551]

It’s not about whether it works or not it’s practicality and artillery would be so much more effective

[@pandasoftT]

flaming strong before he put it then when he was ready to shoot was all smoke till it rise up to the air then when it landed it is flaming so much. hmmmmmmm...,.??

[@excalibruh1380]

wait these are real-

[@bram13666]

So archers were carrying arrows dipped in tar around?

[@Eternalnight198]

Not really. Fire arrows were extremely rarely, if ever, used.

[@bram13666]

@@Eternalnight198 I was being sarcastic mate, I watched way too many Lindybeige clips, unfortunately :D

[@ninjapurpura1]

Nice vid

[@noelhutchins7366]

sulfer and pitch soaked leather on a fork

[@usprulse]

Fire arrow +2 burn damage

[@Fukei_Mono]

But sire, our troops.......

[@reevus01]

Soooo.... Tracer rounds?

[@CuttySobz]

All the couch historians claiming that flaming arrows are only hollywood should watch this.

[@kristofantal8801]

It was an existing thing, but it was used in sieges (against buildings) and naval warfare (against ships), not in open battle.

[@lunchbox184]

I thought fire arrows were not practical due to the fire going out mid flight

[@victoryoneable]

This proves it doesn't.

[@edman79]

I heard it wasn't viable as well.

[@germsage6726]

Which simply means, Lindybeige didn't get the materials right. I don't think he used Tar.

[@kysike666]

These are specially made arrow heads to carry the flame.. not the typical ones..

[@themanwithallthewrongopini3551]

Practicality people! Artillery is much more effective and lighting all those arrows is a lot more work than just using artillery

[@anngo4140]

But but lindybeige said it was rubbish

[@BujorOvidiu]

It was rubbish, just look at the camera tricks they use. Why not shoot it in one take? it is because they are not working.

[@communism_is_wrong7167]

I don’t have any evidence for this but I have a feeling they would be extremely effective for putting down cavalry charges, because horses can be very sketchy during storms let alone when things are being lit on fire, even small fires can set off animals. Also in the middle ages the Byzantines used flamethrowers for infantry use

[@fanieljairtonjairton4234]

There is the fact that these were horses trained for combat so maybe it wouldn't be effective

[@chrisclayton584]

Why don't I see these programs on the TV channel. All I ever see is arial America.

[@ascetic3312]

This is only shown on The Smithsonian Channel through an appropriate cable (or equivalent) TV provider. If you have access to that, you can watch their full programming there (these are always short clips of longer shows). There's a link in description to a webpage where you can see if you do or how to get access to it.

[@JJefArt]

Genius !

[@samwessels8216]

Yeah... they didn’t work as wel...

[@brentdickson9164]

👍👍

[@BRN497]

🎯🏹

[@gamingkings2847]

# fake