Longbows also used specialised ammunition, including bodkin arrowheads. They could be mass-produced quite quickly when suitable timber and skilled makers were available. The crossbow was harder to build but easier to use. The longbow reversed that balance, with simpler production and greater demands on the person using it.
Notable Point · 3:52:14-3:53:37
Crossbows simplified training while longbows simplified production
Longbows could be produced quickly with the right timber and skills, while crossbows were harder to build and easier to use.