Dwarf Archer

The dwarven archer; a terrible underrepresented troop type in fantasy, but one that would be of utmost vital importance in any dwarven army.
Due to being relatively slow on their feet if compared to skirmishing elves or cavalry troops, as well as to allow them to fight from inside their fortifications, a strong need arose for specialised ranged troops.
The bow is a staple when it comes to that pretty much universally, but dwarves face unique problems related to their anatomy that calls for a unique approach to archery. Their short stature prevents them from being able to use bows strong enough for the needs of warfare, as the staves of such great bows would be too long for them to wield. A short bow of equal draw weight would be a natural solution to that, but it poises another problem: what material can generate such great tension in a such a small size?

The answer came came in the form of a short pattern-welded steel bow, as Steel proved to be the perfect material for the job due to it's ability to store a large amount of energy in a compact package.

Unfortunately metal bows are slower than organic ones, and thus less efficient. To compensate for that lack of efficiency, the steel bow's draw weight had to be increased greatly if compared to it's organic counterpart in order to generate comparable performance , but that made the bow all but impossible to bend.
This problem was circumvented by adding a pulley system to it (a technology dwarves are very familiar with due to their stoneworks and mining) to give the operator a mechanical advantage which greatly lessens the amount of force needed to bend it.

The end product is a formidable weapon, that shoots incredibly hard for it's compact size, as well as displaying other benefits such as unmatched durability under any conditions and the ability of staying strung all the time without losing any of it's power. 

The weapon's range is far from excellent though, mainly due to both short arrows and short draw length, which results in a relative low-speed shot. However it packs a tremendous punch at closer ranges and is a very capable weapon nevertheless.

The archer here represented is employing the traditional dwarven thumb draw, a technique developed to allow for maximum draw length and help make up for their short arms.

This kind of troop is armed to high standards and is versatile enough to be used on skirmishes at both long and short range, as well as being fully equipped to melee combat. 

The armour consists of a blue-finish steel helmet decorated with brass, and a maille haubergon worn over a quilted leather gamberson, as well as a medium round shield, here depicted being carried slung over his back.

The maille is of outstanding quality, consisting of equal parts of solid rings and brazed rings (welded with an alloy of brass and zinc) fashioned from high grade heat-treated and case-hardened steel, instead of Iron as commonly employed by other peoples. It is finally  decorated with brass plaques and lined with tanned leather, the very best maille anyone could buy indeed.

The arrow quiver is separated in 3 segments, and holds 3 different types of arrow, each type coded by its different feathers. Crow feathers for the broad-heads, intended to bleed out a poorly armoured target. Turkey feathers for the bodkin points, used for punching through armour. Finally, Grouse feathers for the regular war head, that is a compromise between stopping power and range. There is also a holster for the bow to be stored when not in use slung over the sword scabbard.

He also sports a traditional seax shaped knife and a dwarven messer-type sword. 

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