Quote Originally Posted by Kagemusha View Post
... but i believe that the major advantage of massed longbow was when used against a a cavalry charge or any charge in that case.
Yes but we should not think they were that great at it though. Cavalry managed to connect with archers on several occasions. And then add the holes and ditches they dug in front of their formation or the later use of stakes or the Burgundians who used pikemen in front of their missile troops. I don't know, one could get the impression that missile troops didn't expect their bows would do all the work

It would be very interesting to see bit more high quality tests to be made.
Indeed. In "The Great Warbow" several tests are mentioned but still each has their limits in setup like too weak bows or flat instead of curved armour and no padding. Nonetheless the conclusion so far is that good quality armour could protect quite well and that such armour did exist in mid 14th century, and makes sense with the battle of Poitiers where English archers had to move into the flank of the some French cavalry before they could hurt them.

Quote Originally Posted by Vladimir View Post
Someone in a previous thread about this included the weight of each arrow. I forget how much it was but getting your bell, or helmet, rung by a few of them and penetration doesn't matter.
Heavy arrows would be about 100-110 grams max and velocity 55-40 m/s depending on range and bow. That is similar if not less momentum than from a baseball thrown by some major league pitcher. Now I have no experience in being hit by neither a baseball nor an arrow but FWIW I'd say as long as the arrow didn't penetrate and the target was not scared by the sound of impact he would be fine.

Plus, longbows firing from the "V" formation were able to cover a large area with fire.
V formation as the wedge? There is really no evidence of such a specific formation and it all boils down to the use of the word "Herce". Other sources for that battle (Crécy) mentions the archers on the wings, so as to stay clear of the men-at-arms. Of course things can never be easy because another source says the archers were behind the English and Welsh infantry...duh