Crossbows

thumb|A typical crossbow|upright=1.3

type of weapon invented in China

thumb|A modern reconstruction of the Greek gastraphetes

projectile or arrow used in a crossbow

series of shooting weapon schematics by Leonardo da Vinci

modified version of the classic crossbow

thumb|Crossbowman cocking an arbalest using a [[cranequin]] The arbalest (also arblast), a variation of the crossbow, came into use in Europe around the 12th century. The arbalest was a large weapon with a steel prod, or bow assembly. Since the arbalest was much larger than earlier crossbows, and because of the greater tensile strength of steel, it had a greater force. The greater draw weight was offset by a shorter draw length, which limited the total potential energy that could be transferred into the crossbow bolt. A skilled arbalestier (arbalester) could loose two bolts per minute.

middle age military corps

historical profession, person who shoots a crossbow

The Arbalète sauterelle type A, or simply Sauterelle ( French for grasshopper), was a bomb-throwing crossbow used by French and British forces on the Western Front during World War I. It was designed to throw a hand grenade in a high trajectory into enemy trenches. It was initially dismissed by the French Army but General Henri Berthelot thought it had practical value.

thumb|A replica amappo on display at the Osaka Museum of Natural History thumb|John Batchelor (missionary)|John Batchelor (1854-1944), "The Ainu of Japan", 1892, classic horizontal amappo thumb|Ibid., vertical amappo for otter thumb|Ibid., amappo rat trap An was a traditional bear and deer hunters' trap of the Ainu people of the northern Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. Traps similar to amappo were also used by ethnic Japanese matagi hunters.