[jester]

Yes, the English archers of old trained for a LIFE TIME! Ask the French Knights at Agincourt. And it did take a lifetime as well as a national culture of bowmanship <is that a word?> They have done excavations and you could even tell who was an archer by the skeletal developement which was much more pronounced with the ridges that were the attatchement points for muscle on the side that drew the bow.

As for other weapons, I could see something akin to a speargun also being used a ranged weapon of short range but none the less a ranged weapon, and easily made. I have seen folks on the dive boats with their own homemade weapons.

Another idea could be the making of primative muzzleloading weapons. A pipe or length of barrel, with a primative trigger, or even just a hammer on a spring that is pulled and released by the thumb hitting a precussion cap which fires the weapon. I am imagining a barrel on a half wooden stock and wrapped with thin cable or wire to add to the strength of the barrel, with a wicked looking broad blade on the end, so when the weapon is fired using buckshot it is then used as a pike or polearm and club.

Another form of weapon could be a zip gun. A gun that fires a cartridge, but otherwise similiar to the weapon above. A spring fired nail that hits the cartridges primer and a primative shoulder stock. A section of pip and on the read of the pipe a endcap. I would think a pistol cartridge of shotgunshell would be the best since they are straight walled cartridges. Thus, the cannon fodder has the benefit of a psuedo firearm, they have 1 shot, then they use their weapon as a club or pike with a fixed blade or similiar mounted.

And also, lets not forget about primtive handgrenades. A simple stick greande made from an old tin can with an inner charge of blackpoweder and a primative blasting cap, then some shrapnel material, bits of metal, chain or wire and glass, then the shell of the can, a simple stick drilled out with a length of fuse and a primative igniter at the bottom of the stick handle protected by an end cap. Maybe a piece of dowel rod with metal on the end, you slap it, the dowel hits a precussion cap igniting the fuse and you throw it. Or a bit of chemicals that when mixed combust after a few seconds.

And of course slings and sling shots. Not the most accurate for a novice. But, when used en mass it will be enough to keep the baddies heads down until your people with the single shot weapons can get close enough without being mowed down and do some damage and then of course when they fire their shots they charge to get in close and use their melee weapons.