Arrow defense...

[Treebore]

Saw a real interesting show last night on probably the history channel. Don't ask me the name of these things, but it showed how the Japanese designed these big billowing things made of silk that would kind of billow out like a parachute behind a horse rider. Not only did it show who they were, but the program also proved that these things were an AWESOME defense against arrows. It stopped, completely stopped, 70% of the arrows fired at it. The silk material was able to absorb more than enough of the arrows kinetic energy to stop them 70% of the time, even the "cutter" arrow heads were stopped. According to the written histories Cotton was used too, but they did not test cotton in the episode I watched. They even did a live test, with a guy dressed up in full armor and regalia, riding a horse, and they shot at him repeatedly, showing how each arrow was stopped.

[Captain_K]

So "air bag" technology got its roots here.. cool..

[serleran]

The Chinese had paper armor for the same effect, in general. Heavier than hell, though, as I recall.

[Treebore]

The Chinese had paper armor for the same effect, in general. Heavier than hell, though, as I recall.

That was one of the reasons they gave for only testing the Silk version and not the cotton, the cotton version was much heavier.

[Lurker]

I didn't see that one. But, I did see or read something about the step people (I think, it might have been Chinese or Turks) wearing silk shirts and pants like long johns for the same reason. The arrow could poke into the wearer, but not completely puncture the silk. So, it was easier to pull the arrow out without causing more damage or leaving behind part of the clothing and armor (worn above the silk long johns) in the wound.

It is amazing what the backwards poor uneducated ancients knew that we urbane learned moderns don't.

[Bellem]

I didn't see that one. But, I did see or read something about the step people (I think, it might have been Chinese or Turks) wearing silk shirts and pants like long johns for the same reason. The arrow could poke into the wearer, but not completely puncture the silk. So, it was easier to pull the arrow out without causing more damage or leaving behind part of the clothing and armor (worn above the silk long johns) in the wound.

What I had seen was that the Mongols would wear silk clothing under their armor to protect against arrows. Arrows were unable to puncture the silk, so if they were hit, the arrow would not go in too deeply, plus the bleeding would be stopped by the silk.

[Arduin]

The arrow could poke into the wearer, but not completely puncture the silk. So, it was easier to pull the arrow out without causing more damage or leaving behind part of the clothing ... in the wound.

That was the most critical aspect. Cloth left in a wound usually caused life threatening infections. In the US civil war you had a high chance of dying when hit with a "bullet" mostly from the infection caused by pieces of your own uniform being carried into the wound and not coming back out.

[Relaxo]

I didn't see that one. But, I did see or read something about the step people (I think, it might have been Chinese or Turks) wearing silk shirts and pants like long johns for the same reason....

Dare we call it "underarmor"? nyuk nyuk nyuk

[Relaxo]

Saw a real interesting show last night on probably the history channel. Don't ask me the name of these things, but it showed how the Japanese designed these big billowing things made of silk that would kind of billow out like a parachute behind a horse rider. Not only did it show who they were, but the program also proved that these things were an AWESOME defense against arrows....

These are called Horo. Guess what's neat-o? They're in the original Oriental Adventures!