Arcane Legions

Though the Romans use massive ballistae in sieges, the Chinese long ago perfected the creation of the personal crossbow, a testament to their technological superiority. More powerful than a shortbow (though not as strong as the Japanese yumi), crossbows are easy to aim and handle. Training a soldier to use a crossbow effectively takes a fraction of the time tht required to train and wield a bow, allowing the Han to rapidly muster huge numbers of soldiers armed with this weapon. The primary downside to crossbows is their relatively slow firing speed when compared to regular archers, and units are trained to stagger their firing to allow a constant attack, with no pauses for reloading.

Because they use shorter “bolts,” crossbows do not have the same range as bows, meaning soldiers equipped with these weapons must get closer to the enemy. As a result, crossbowmen receive basic training in melee weapons in order to repel attackers who manage to evade the hail of bolts and get within striking range. That said, most crossbow units fare poorly in melee combat and typically retreat to higher ground when charged.