Bow

A bow is a primitive weapon used on worlds with only basic civilisation and technology. They are simple enough to be made en-masse and are used for hunting as well as war. Bows changed little through their many countless centuries of usage, and can be found across the galaxy in a variety of designs and constructions. Because of their silence and reliability, they are used by assassins and gangers even in more advanced cultures.^[1][2] Outside standard steel, arrows tipped with explosives are a common sight.^[2]

Variants

Composite Bow

Composite bows are constructed from a variety of materials such as wood, sinew and horn fused together under pressure, giving the bow a compact design without sacrificing draw weight. Quick and accurate, manufacturing composite bows requires substantial time and effort and the bows require periodic maintenance, but offer notable advantages over most primitive black powder weapons. Composite bows created on advanced worlds use the same principle as their forbears but are crafted from superior materials, enabling them to shoot custom arrows that would not necessarily fly from a bow of classical design.^[3]

Longbow

The Longbow is a larger variant of the conventional bow, designed to fire projectiles further and pierce through thick steel armour. A longbow is usually crafted from the heartwood of a tree and typically measure two metres or more in length. The quality of the weapon is wholly dependent on the origins of its materials. Even on more technologically advanced worlds, longbows see use, although this is more typically for sport and hunting than combat. Bows manufactured on these worlds use modern materials like laminates and plexi-chromes.^[3]

Images

• 

  A Bow.^[1]

• 

  A Bow.^[2]

Sources

• 1: Dark Heresy Core Rulebook, pg. 135
• 2: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, pg. 70
• 3: Dark Heresy: The Inquisitor's Handbook, pg. 93