Story Downloaded from Open Scrolls Archive (https://www.openscrolls.net)

Title: Ballistics and Bowstrings (#3371)
Author: orist
Chapters: 1

Archive: Tolkien
Category: Reality Bytes
Description: Addressing a common misconception due to modern technology
Published: 24 Mar 2007
Updated: 24 Mar 2007
Warnings: constructive criticism/sarcasm(?)
Type: General
Characters: none


Chapter 1 - Bang or twang?

I'd simply like to point out that although there are many good & exellent stories posted here, there's a rather glaring inaccuracy constantly appearing throughout the text. Premier archers such as Legolas, Haldir, Faramir, etc., are firing arrows. FIRING??!!!! Arrows simply don't come with a charge of gunpowder! A bullet is packed along with gunpowder into a brass shell, thereby creating a cartridge. Pulling the gun's trigger causes a firing pin to impact into the rear of the cartridge, which ignites or fires the gunpowder, thus propelling the bullet. Arrows are nocked, (not loaded!)bows are drawn, (not cocked!) then released, and the arrow gets SHOT. Offhand, I know that LadyAranel & Jael have got it right, probably a few others. The majority shouldn't feel too bad though, since even Peter Jackson's got it wrong. After all he's got Viggo as Aragorn yelling "Fire!" in fluent Sindarin at Helm's Deep! I'm surprised Haldir doesn't look for a tinder & flint or a bucket of water, depending which way he takes it. I don't mean to offend a lot of overall talented bunch of authors, but rather help enhance a lot of good talent, some of it professional grade at that.(speaking as a rather poor author) However, if it'll give a measure of satisfaction, step up & fire off...er, take a shot at me with an honestly expressed review. My regards. (Do I hear the aforementioned archers sighing in relief?)
------------------------------------------------------------------

Printed from Open Scrolls Archive (https://www.openscrolls.net) on Sat Nov 14, 2026 8:23 pm