Can crossbows penetrate plates?

Even at extreme close-range with high-poundage war-bows, penetrating plate armor is almost impossible. Very powerful crossbows at very close range might do it, especially against low quality armor, but even then, the odds are in favor of the armored man.

Did the Han use crossbows?

The Han used both light and heavy crossbows. Crossbowmen could be mounted troops when they might also arm themselves with a halberd. There is also some evidence that a small version of the weapon existed which could be fired using only one hand.

Can a crossbow penetrate steel?

Yes they could depending on the thickness and angle. Crossbow bolts were designed to pierce armor and some were even barbed, they shot faster and penetrated better than a bow arrow, the bolts were thicker and stubbier but this gave them weight to penetrate armor, which was often made of iron or steel.

How does the ancient Chinese crossbow work?

The repeating crossbow was an ingenious invention that some call the machine gun of the ancient world! Basically, the repeating crossbow had a magazine, or container, attached to it that held about ten bolts. It had a lever that, with just one push, could shoot an arrow and load another one on the string automatically.

Did the Greeks invent the crossbow?

The Ancient Greeks had a type of crossbow called a gastraphetes that was described by Heron and was invented at some time prior to 399BC. It had a composite flexion bow and a sliding arrow rest, ratchets to hold the trigger back and a simple forked sear held closed by a rotating bar.

What impact did the crossbow have on China?

Chinese crossbows could pierce several layers of iron armor, but in China, where the defense and attack of walled cities was the primary focus of military campaigns, the crossbow was valued for its ability to deliver volleys of bolts even more than for its power to penetrate.