Editing Crossbow

{{Quality|Exceptional}}
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:''See [[Weapon]] for a general overview of weapons and related information.''

[[File:crossbow_sprite_preview.png|right]]
'''Crossbows''' are the only native ranged [[weapon]] available to [[Dwarf|dwarves]] (although one can also acquire [[blowgun]]s and [[bow]]s through trading, or looting of failed [[siege]]s). While more difficult to set up than melee weapons, crossbows have the distinct advantage of allowing dwarves to fight at range, often killing enemies before they can enter melee distance. They are thus an excellent support weapon, especially if you have already filled out your <s>meat shields</s> melee squad(s).

== Production ==
[[File:dwarf_crossbow_preview.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Still has shaky aim.<br><small>''Art by Kirill Nedorosol''</small>]]Crossbows can be made from a variety of materials, be they [[wood]], [[bone]] or [[metal]], which has no effect on accuracy or damage. The [[quality]] of a crossbow influences its accuracy (along with the skill of the [[marksdwarf]]), while the quality and material of the [[bolt]]s influences the damage done on a successful hit.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Material
! Skill
! Workshop
! Consumed
|-
! metal<sup>1</sup>
| [[weaponsmith]]
| [[metalsmith's forge|metalsmith's forge]]
| 1 [[bar]]
|-
| (ammo ×25)
| [[weaponsmith]]
| [[metalsmith's forge|metalsmith's forge]]
| 1 [[bar]]
|-
! wood<sup>2</sup>
| [[bowyer]]
| [[bowyer's workshop]]
| 1 [[log]]
|-
| (ammo ×25)
| [[wood crafter]]
| [[craftsdwarf's workshop]]
| 1 [[log]]
|-
! bone
| [[bowyer]]
| [[bowyer's workshop]]
| 1 [[bone]]<br>off stack
|-
| (ammo ×5)
| [[bone carver]]
| [[craftsdwarf's workshop]]
| 1 [[bone]]
|}
Notes:
: 1) All materials perform equally well as a ranged weapon. However, if an enemy closes into melee range with a [[marksdwarf]], they will use their crossbow as a [[War hammer|hammer]]. For this reason, you may want to make your military crossbows out of a metal*, and leave the bone/wood crossbows for [[hunter]]s or wall defenders.

::  (* For [[Weapon#Combat_testing|blunt-force]] weapons (including crossbows in melee): Steel and Silver(!) seem to be ''slightly'' preferable, but Iron, Bronze (including Bismuth Bronze), and Copper are all a very close second. All are vastly superior to wood or bone.)

: Similarly, metal bolts are far superior to wood/bone, with (in order) Steel, Iron, Bronze/Bismuth Bronze, and Copper being preferred, with Silver a distant last.

: 2) For similar reasons, [[Wood#Types|denser woods]] are proportionally preferable to lighter ones for both crossbows and ammo.

== Ranged combat ==
Crossbows shoot [[bolt]]s as their [[ammunition]], and marksdwarves will engage targets up to 20 tiles distant, provided they have a clear line of sight to them. Z-levels up ''or down'' count equally ''against'' the distance when measuring this range, subtracting from the total x-/y-axis distance, so shooting from a high wall or tower effectively ''reduces'' that 20-tile maximum. Bolts may miss the target and fly a bit further than intended, potentially striking another foe, but '''never''' a friendly.

The material that the crossbows are made of is irrelevant to ranged combat (but see melee combat). Only the [[quality]] of the crossbow {{Verify}} and [[skill]] of the marksdwarf determine accuracy, whereas the quality and material* of the bolts determine the damage delivered. If you have a skilled [[bowyer]] and are confident your fortress design and/or melee soldiers can keep your marksdwarves safe from enemy engagements, then easily-produced, high-quality wooden or bone crossbows will be just as accurate and deadly as metal crossbows. 

(* metal being better than bone being better than wood. See also [[Weapon#Superior metal rule|superior metal]] for comments on different metal bolts vs. different metal armor.)

As can be expected, targets that are stationary are much easier to hit than those that are moving. Since marksdwarves can drop targets at range, they do a much better job taking down fleeing thieves and retreating goblin ambushes that your regular soldiers might not be able to catch.

== Melee combat ==
Nonetheless, marksdwarves that are approached by enemies will engage in melee combat with them, using the butt of their crossbows like [[Hammerman|hammers]]. Because of this it is useful to [[cross-training|cross-train]] your dwarves with hammering skill, so that they will be better able to stand their ground in a fight, but a marksdwarf fighting a similarly armed and armored enemy with a melee weapon will usually lose either way. Focusing their training in defensive skills such as Blocking and Dodging is much more convenient, since it lets them at least hold off the enemy long enough to give a soldier more suited for melee combat a chance to surprise the enemy and dispatch them quickly.

The denser the material, the more damage a crossbow butt-strike will do in melee combat. Metal, specifically copper with its SOLID_DENSITY of 8930, performs the best and [[feather tree]] wood the worst.

== Logistics ==
Crossbows require bolts and a quiver to fire, otherwise crossbows are used as hammers. Bolts are typically carried in [[Equipment#Quivers|quivers]], which can be made of leather from [[leatherworking]], obtained from [[caravan|caravans]], or as [[goblinite]].

When shot, one of two things will happen: either the bolt will shatter on impact with the ground or the target, or it will stay whole and, when all's said and done, be retrievable. This is a bit difficult, however, as shot bolts are automatically [[forbidden]] by default; in the [[orders]] screen, under [F]orbid, you can change it so that shot ammunition is automatically claimed. Otherwise, the easiest way to reclaim spent ammunition is to find them in the [[stocks]] screen and unforbid them.

Military barracks for [[Soldier#Marksdwarves|marksdwarves]] require [[archery target]]s for training. [[Bolt]]s will be a constant demand from a training marksdwarf squad, though you can just create a large stock of wooden bolts for training purposes and reserve metal bolts for actual combat use.

== Hunting ==
[[Ambusher|Hunters]] use crossbows when hunting; [[migrant]] hunters automatically arrive with a free crossbow and a small number of bolts, and hunters will automatically pick one up from your ammunition stockpile when they go hunting, as well as the necessary [[quiver]] and [[bolt]]s. Hunters have a special [[Military_interface#Ammunition|section]] in the military screen, from which you can modify their ammunition allotment. Disabling the hunting labor will cause them to drop their weapon and equipment at the nearest applicable stockpile, and is absolutely necessary if you have embarked in a particularly [[evil|fun]] location. Hunters usually give up on hunting if they run out of carried ammunition.

== Forging and Melting ==
* Metal crossbows cost '''one''' [[metal]] bar to [[forge]], or '''three''' [[adamantine]] wafers.
* When a non-adamantine metal crossbow is [[melt|melted down]], it will return '''0.9''' metal bars, for an '''efficiency of 90%'''.
* When an adamantine crossbow is melted down, it will produce '''0.9''' wafers, for an '''efficiency of 30%'''

==Bugs==
* If squad is assigned multiple ammo types, dwarves with "individual choice ranged" carry wrong ammo{{bug|1374}}. (Fixed in 0.42.03?)

==See Also==
[[Crossbowman]]<br/>
[[Archery]]

{{Translation| dwarven = metul-egdoth | elvish = arifi-ramí | goblin = sakor-uneg | human = om-ethro}}

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{{Weapons}}
{{Category|Weapons}}
{{Category|Military}}