PLA News, Pics, and Discussion

solarz

Brigadier
The best answers for why the PLA issues bows I think is one part Equations post, to build upper body muscle and emphasis on marksmanship, and one part apocalypse prepping. In the event of occupation by a enemy power the PLA is keeping to its roots as a Guerilla force, where a a gun is useless without bullets, which requires modern materials and possessing to manufacture ( and no traditional gun powder will not work in a modern weapon). A Bow and Arrow are cave man tech. Able to be manufactured using a variety of materials easily accessible even in the most extreme situation.

Bows can also be used for hunting, a very useful skill when a squad needs to live off the land.

It could also be useful in special operations in densely forested areas, where visible range is low anyway, and silence is invaluable.
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
Bows can also be used for hunting, a very useful skill when a squad needs to live off the land.
Again falls back to prepping for the worst, which is okay. but you really are not going to issue a bow to all deploying squads, If the situation emerged where your troops were cut off like that they would likely be making there own.
It could also be useful in special operations in densely forested areas, where visible range is low anyway, and silence is invaluable.
Lesson of WW2 Infantry battles when two infantry forces clashed it was when they bassically stumbled over each other and the side who could lay the most fire power would win.
A Bow in dense forest might harass a foe, but the same could be accomplished more effectively by issuing AS VALs or carbines with .300 Blackout or even suppressed Subguns.
when muzzle loaded musket vs Bow odds side on the bowman
When breach loaded Musket vs the Bow odds favor the experienced bowman
when single shot Rifle vs Bow the odds are even
When repeater rifle vs Bow odds favor Riflemen
when semi auto or automatic rifle vs bow RIP Bowman.
 

solarz

Brigadier
Again falls back to prepping for the worst, which is okay. but you really are not going to issue a bow to all deploying squads, If the situation emerged where your troops were cut off like that they would likely be making there own.

Lesson of WW2 Infantry battles when two infantry forces clashed it was when they bassically stumbled over each other and the side who could lay the most fire power would win.
A Bow in dense forest might harass a foe, but the same could be accomplished more effectively by issuing AS VALs or carbines with .300 Blackout or even suppressed Subguns.
when muzzle loaded musket vs Bow odds side on the bowman
When breach loaded Musket vs the Bow odds favor the experienced bowman
when single shot Rifle vs Bow the odds are even
When repeater rifle vs Bow odds favor Riflemen
when semi auto or automatic rifle vs bow RIP Bowman.

They don't need to be cut off, the nature of their mission could involve them being on their own in the wilderness for an extended period of time.

In particular, missions in the Golden Triangle could involve special ops taking on drug smugglers. Bows would be useful for silently neutralizing enemy patrols.
 

Ultra

Junior Member
What advantage (if any) do these "bows" have over rifles with good silencers?

Havn't you watch a documentary called "Rambo: First Blood Part II"?
They all want to be Rambo!

18877257.jpg




Even Legolas wants to be Rambo too!

Legolas-Photo-Squidoo.jpg



And this dude too!

Crysis%203%20Hunter%20Arrow%20And%20Bow%20In%20Hand.jpg
 
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schenkus

Junior Member
Registered Member
I can understand their reasoning behind issuing crossbows for the CAPF, but compound bows for the PLA? o_O

I think archery is a very popular sport in China, so this might have more to do with some high ranking archery enthusiasts in the PLA using archery as a recruitment tool than any actual military use.
 

Ultra

Junior Member
I think archery is a very popular sport in China, so this might have more to do with some high ranking archery enthusiasts in the PLA using archery as a recruitment tool than any actual military use.


"....archery is a very popular sport in China.."

WHAT?
 

pendragon

Junior Member
"....archery is a very popular sport in China.."

WHAT?
irresepctive off the above,
To become an effective bow-user, needs a lifetime of dedicated training
which was the succes of the Welsh bowmen in the medieval English army. History has it their training began at the age of eight years old!
However any peasant can learn to arm and shoot a crosbow at a 50m away mansized target within a matter a single day, which was the true succes of the crosbow.
Also, similarity in holding and aiming would make it more logical and easy to use a crosbow for military aplications nowadays.
As such i think this whole series of foto's is just a photoshoot of a military divertissment, just let the troops heve some fun!
Pictures like this have been circulating from many armies for some time but we haven't heard yet of any effecual use (not even against the taliban or IS, which would haven been preferred and "legal" targets); instead we saw .308 at platoon level and .50 in long range sniper antipersonell use.
 

Ultra

Junior Member
I think archery is a very popular sport in China, so this might have more to do with some high ranking archery enthusiasts in the PLA using archery as a recruitment tool than any actual military use.

"....archery is a very popular sport in China.."

WHAT?


I meant that, I have NEVER heard of, or seen archery as being practice anywhere except in inner mongolia. To say archery is "very popular in China" is just ridicules.

Perhaps schenkus, you are mistakening Japanese for Chinese. Now, archery is practice in most HIGH SCHOOLS over there (Kyudo), but even then you can't really say it is "very popular".
 
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