Thank you and question

[Peasant Phill]

Caveat- bows are excellent for a ranged duel; however, they are nearly useless if the enemy is heavy oriented. Whether its men-at-arms, condottiere, or heavy german merc infantry, bows will have trouble doing much damage against the heavier, early troops of the period.

I should have been more specific. Xbows and AP bows beat guns. Sure they won't stop a charge of men-at-arms dead cold but I highly doubt any early gun unit could. AND by the time the men-at-arms, condottieres, ... are upon your lines I'm sure the Xbows and AP bows will have made a lot more casualties.

[seireikhaan]

I should have been more specific. Xbows and AP bows beat guns. Sure they won't stop a charge of men-at-arms dead cold but I highly doubt any early gun unit could. AND by the time the men-at-arms, condottieres, ... are upon your lines I'm sure the Xbows and AP bows will have made a lot more casualties.

Indeed, you are correct. Specifically, arbalesters(or the unique spanish unit, I forget its name off the top of my head) make excellent armor punchers early on. Particularly for vanquishing those insane landschnekt foot units that can seem impossible to defeat otherwise.

However, they cannot be trained past the first era of the game, and will be outclassed anyways as guns get better and better.