Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-15888551-20130819093722/@comment-13446185-20130901065937

Nazul Rostello wrote: Dovahsebrom wrote: ZakMarcus wrote: 77.172.125.107 wrote: Well, because you can cast a fireball in TES universe, no-one would feel the need to build a contraption that essentially does the same, but all of Skyrims weaponry is exactly the same as Oblivion (apart from crossbows - IF you have the DLC). But since there was heavy armor in Oblivion one would expect to see the development of armor-piercing conventional weaponry in Skyrim. I do hope the next TES has spears, pikes and halberds.. there were crossbows in Morrowind. Halberds, spears, and pikes aren't suppose to be armor piercing, thats the job of blunt weapons such as mauls, hammers, and maces. Halberds, spears, and pikes were made for vanguards and anti-cavalry. The Mongols used silk armors and light weapons, silk is a very tough fibre. If arrows are shot from a far distance, they will not easily penetrate the silk. Even if an arrow penetrates their flesh, the silk may hold, so that the arrow can be drawn out from the wound by pulling the silk around. This would also prevent poison from entering the bloodstream. Outside the normal clothes, the warrior carried a protective shield of light yet effective leather armor, which was impregnated with a lacquer-like substance in order to make it more impervious to penetration by European/Afghan/Chinese arrows and swords, and also to protect it against humid weather.

In addition to the light weaponry described above, after the advent of Chingis they built up a light artillery equipped with javelin-throwers and catapults of different types, which might be disassembled and loaded on pack horses or on a two-wheeled wagon. These advanced weapons were the inventions of Chinese engineers who were enlisted in Chingis Khan's service. Somewhat later, during and after the campaign against Chorasmia, the Mongols acquired ballistae, which were like extremely large crossbows that could shoot large big arrows over more than 320 meters with considerable precision, with devastating effect on a battlefield. Also, the Mongol army used trebuchet-like catapults that could hurl heavy rocks with great impact against a city wall or a fortress.

And a wise leader. That's how they conquered Eurasia.

Also if I remember correctly, Mongols had specially designed saddles that actually made them more acurate while shooting a bow while on horseback, as well as the fact that the Mongol composite bow was even more superior than the English longbow.

Though Ballistas and Trebutchets were common in medieval Europe.