Props to the movies that shout the "Loose!" command
Given the fact that any language used in such a movie is going to be wildly unlike the language spoken in the time and place of the movie, I think that's a mild anachronism
Loose!
I never gave it a single thought. But now I have been cursed with this knowledge and will fly into a fury every time I hear it now.
But thanks anyway.
Or that they're holding the bow drawn for a long period of time, waiting for the order to "fire".
Long bows averaged a 200lb draw weight. Try holding that for 5 minutes.
Well, this is going to bug me for the rest of my life.
Thanks.
If you were commanding a mass of archers "Spaff!" was the correct command.
i usually complain to the wife when horrible tactics are used in medieval battles.
like... why is everyone always doing a full frontal assault, have the wrong weapons, not use fire appropriately, never flank, use cavalry inappropriately.....
miltary tactics in movies is usually abhorrent.
Something I dislike in movies is when a movie is set in a non-English-speaking country, but all the characters are speaking English. I would rather have the characters speak the proper language for the country, with English subtitles. But I guess the movie execs have calculated that subtitles will make the movie less profitable.
for the haters :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volley_fire#Bows
The co-ordination and timing could probably be resolved with musical instruments, which were used to relay orders, messages etc.
EDIT : Also, what did OP expect, for all the characters to speak Old English?
Yeah, or a sequence of "nock, draw, fire/loose/shoot" commands. Warbows cannot be held that long ffs.
Archers... PEW PEW
Often times, I think of movies or stories as the story teller as translating for the audience. You don't watch Troy and think it's odd the characters are speaking English.
It's acceptable to complain if the work is nonfiction and meant to be for education.
One of a few movies that could've used a "Fire!" was the intro of Robin Hood: Men in Tights (fire arrows, get it?), AND THEY DON'T EVEN DO IT!
They also aren't speaking Gaelic.
Archers also didn't usually shoot upwards to arc their shots. It loses power, reduces accuracy, and makes it more likely for them to hit armor, not less.
“Let fly!”
Using modern english phrases to convey meaning to modern audiences is usually fine to me, as long as they don't reference modern history or events. but what really pisses me off is movies like "The Great Gatsby" that take place during the 1920s and have JayZ and Lana del ray playing at a rich person's party
LOOSE!!!!!
Same. Also hate when character says “touch and go” in pieces before airplanes
What would the order (in the language of the day) have been, something as simple as “archers” or “archers, release”? “Release arrows?”
“Archers make ready” meaning they place the arrow in the bow but do draw, and possibly aim, might make sense.
wait actually?
Leithio i philinn!
Except for all those night scenes where they dip the arrows in fire so you can see them better on the screen
Yeah this will never not make me angry. It's beyond pet peeve at this point.
They messed this up in the first season of wheel of time, but they got better in the latest
What term would have been used for archery?
Yeah, hearing "release" on screen might sound even more wrong...
Are we saying they never lit their arrows on fire before the invention of gunpowder?
