I'd agree here - that if they do have the longbow, it wouldn't be a
commonly
used weapon. They are too hard to make, too hard to use effectively, and
unwieldy for everyday use (which would be the primary test for a hsunchen
people). And why would they necessarily have ANY successful means of
engaging heavy armor regularly? If the heavy armor shows up, they leave.
The targets for Rathori arrows would by and large be peasants, militia,
and
the occasional patrol - pretty darn unbelieveable that heavy cavalry is so
ubiquitous even in Carmania that they would equip every roaming patrol
with it.
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Actually the pre - and Viking age Finns used the longbow in everyday hunting, and of course, warfare. As these Finns were also bear worhippers, at least myself and Vesa Lehtinen have used them as the model for the Rathori culture.
The longbow is quite fine for hunting (try killing a european moose or a bear with a lighter weapon!), and one quite usable for a mobile force of raiders. The finnish longbow differs a bit from the Welsh one, but the strength and impact are practically identical.
A longbow isn't _that_ hard a weapon to use, and when the culture uses it for hunting large game the hunters tend to get very accurate and deadly with it.
-Adept
"thinker, dreamer and adventuerer"
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