Quote Originally Posted by moonburn View Post
- visit the blackforest and imagine how it would be like not being able to see 5 meters in front of you and looking up and 30 meters above you there´s only darkness in the mid summer day
You have to remember though that forests back in those times were sometimes very different from what they look now. Different climate and different land (and wood) use being some of the main factors. Most notably, the abundance of spruces in German forests is a very recent development (they were planted to facilitate wood-harvesting and to increase the yield).
IIRC, in Germanic times the woods were not as dark, nor as dense as most of our forests today. Still, they were likely dark and tangled enough to impede efficient archery.