A crossbow is a type of hand weapon, a modified bow mounted on a frame.

Specifics

This archaic weapon fired quarrels or bolts, projectiles similar to arrows. (FASA RPG module: Game Operations Manual) These were propelled with greater force than a standard bow and with greater range, but the frame weighed 1.5 times as much. (Heritage Models RPG module: Adventure Gaming in the Final Frontier)

Crossbow bolts could be loaded with toxic gas or drugs. Tips could be laced with poison. (TOS novel: Ex Machina, TNG episode: "Starship Mine", FASA RPG module: Termination: 1456)

A crossbow could also fire a grappling hook and rope. (TNG - Gemworld novel: Gemworld, Book Two of Two)

In the 23rd century, crossbows had an average value in the Federation of 200 credits, with nonfunctional decorative models sold for half the price. On advanced worlds, they were sold as collector's items, or used only in sports and games, whereas they were more common in less advanced civilizations. (FASA RPG modules: Spacelanes: The Magazine of Interstellar Trade, Trader Captains and Merchant Princes (2nd edition))

The French word détente originally meant to loosen the catch on a crossbow, a literal releasing of tension. (TOS novel: Cast No Shadow)

Development

In many races and cultures, the longbow and crossbow often developed simultaneously if archery was included in weapon design. (TLE novel: Catalyst of Sorrows)

The crossbow was invented on Earth during medieval times. (TOS - Star Trek 2 novelization: Arena)

While Humans were still fighting with crossbows on Earth, Promellians had built battle cruisers. (TNG episode: "Booby Trap")

In 2268, When Ron Tracy asked how powerful five phasers could make the Kohms on Omega IV, James T. Kirk compared it to giving crossbow users an atomic bomb. (TOS - Star Trek 10 novelization: The Omega Glory)

Notable uses

0 materialized a crossbow and fired it at Q during one of their confrontations. (TNG - The Q Continuum novel: Q-Strike)

In 2254, during a Talosian illusion, Vina shot an attacking Kalar with a loaded crossbow at close range, but she didn't know how to re-cock the weapon, and Christopher Pike charged in to defend her from the enraged warrior. (TOS - Star Trek 4 novelization: The Menagerie)

In 2266, a Fayon assassin aimed a crossbow at Kirk, Spock, and Montgomery Scott during their visit to Fayo. His bolts narrowly missed the officers, then he was killed by a guard. (TOS comic: "Prince Traitor")

In 2268, crossbows were among the available weapons created by the Beta XII-A entity when it transmuted phasers in the armory of the USS Enterprise into medieval equivalents. (TOS - Star Trek 11 novelization: Day of the Dove)

In 2273, crossbows were used by assassins attempting to kill Governor Natira on Daran IV. Ensign Vaylin Zaand was killed while intercepting a crossbow shot aimed at Kirk. (TOS novel: Ex Machina)

In 2293, Valdyr used her crossbow to kill Darj and free Peter Kirk, who was being held prisoner on Qo'nos. She'd preferred that style of weapon for its silence since she was a child. (TOS novel: Sarek)

In 2369, Worf, son of Mogh kept a crossbow in his quarters aboard the USS Enterprise-D. When the ship was evacuated to conduct a routine baryon sweep, Jean-Luc Picard armed himself with Worf's weapon to combat thieves attempting to steal trilithium resin. During an engagement, Picard was shot in the leg by a drugged crossbow bolt. (TNG episode: "Starship Mine")

Specialized crossbows

• Arbalest ^[1]
• Bow of Many Knives ^[2]
• Lymax crossbow ^[3]

Crossbow-wielding cultures

• Akaali ^[4]
• Augments on Ceti Alpha V ^[5]
• Bajoran ^[6]
• Drenarian ^[7]
• Fabrini ^[8]
• Fayon ^[9]
• Human (Earth ^[10], Izar ^[11])
• Kalar ^[12], ^[13]
• Klingon ^[14], ^[15], ^[16]
• Lymax ^[3]
• Malurian ^[13]
• Megaran ^[17]
• Narsosian ^[18]
• Oordon native ^[2]
• Smaunif ^[19]
• Tetrarchy (generational ship crew) ^[20]
• Wanderer generational ship savages ^[21]
• Wawus ^[22]

Crossbow users

• 0 ^[23]
• Bedo ^[2]
• Brand ^[24]
• Paul Crandall ^[25]
• Astrid Ericsson ^[5]
• Kinur tai-Levass ^[14]
• Moredi ^[8]
• Loroch sutai-Lackoi ^[14]
• Ogger ^[26]
• Olswing ^[27]
• Jean-Luc Picard ^[28]
• Riann ^[4]
• Slavit ^[25]
• Sonandal ^[19]
• Tilono ^[8]
• Valdyr ^[16]
• Worf, son of Mogh ^[28]
• Zoa ^[29]

Appendices

References

• TOS - Star Trek 2 novelization: Arena
• TOS - Star Trek 10 novelization: The Omega Glory
• TOS - Star Trek 11 novelization: Day of the Dove
• Heritage Models RPG module: Adventure Gaming in the Final Frontier
• FASA RPG module: Game Operations Manual
• FASA RPG module: Spacelanes: The Magazine of Interstellar Trade
• FASA RPG module: Trader Captains and Merchant Princes (2nd edition)
• TNG episode: "Booby Trap"
• TLE novel: Catalyst of Sorrows
• TOS novel: Cast No Shadow

External links

• Crossbow article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
• Crossbow article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.