Bow as melee?

[Thrawn]

This probably is superflous, buit i think that giving some units a melle bow attack would be interesting.
It could give some elves an impact attack, ad possibly slow, as in tripping/ entagling units with the bowstring.

[stormoog]

Maybe... but what would that accomplish? (no irony here) (really)

[turin]

Tripping/entangling an enemy with a bowstring would almost certainly result in the bowstring breaking. Is that what an archer would really want?

The same would happen if you started using the bow to hit people - it would snap in half.

There's a reason that historically, archers would have daggers with them - the dagger would defend them much better than hitting someone with a bow would.

[stormoog]

How about a bow that doubles as a spear then? Surely, such weapons must have existed?

[turin]

If you can find historical evidence of such weapons existing (images from a book/reliable online source), I'll believe you, but that seems doubtful.

[Gafgarion]

If you can find historical evidence of such weapons existing (images from a book/reliable online source), I'll believe you, but that seems doubtful.

Irrelevant of the realism of bows as weapons (as an archer I find it hard to believe that bows would ever be used as melee weapons), how does this benefit gameplay?

[stormoog]

Irrelevant of the realism of bows as weapons (as an archer I find it hard to believe that bows would ever be used as melee weapons), how does this benefit gameplay?

I once saw a bow/spear in a not-that-realistic movie. I always thought the bow/spear would be possible in reality, but now I think of it I doubt that a (stiff) spear could deliver enough energy.

(edit)
The question is not if a bow could be used as a spear (it cannot), but if you could attach a string to a spear and make it into a bow.
(/edit)

I agree the whole thing doesn't really benefit gameplay.

[Cuyo Quiz]

There has been weird weapons developed in history, so it may be possible, but i don't think someone would use a bow as an impact weapon, or even to entangle someone ( depending on the bow, the string can be quite strong ), that would defeat the purpose of the bow making it useless as a ranged weapon

[stormoog]

If a spearman could use his spear to fire arrows as long as the enemy is not close enough to use it 'properly', you have to agree it would be better than nothing. It's not like an archer charging at someone with his bow.

[Cuyo Quiz]

Of course i would prefer a hand crossbow with a bayonette (spelling?) coming out of the wooden arch.

But...would this accomplish anything else than imagery?.

[lz1kwk]

i like your idea