Mongol Archers Could Shoot Accurately While Riding at Full Gallop

The Mongol mounted archer was the most formidable military unit of the medieval world. From childhood, Mongol warriors trained extensively in horsemanship and archery, learning to shoot accurately while riding at full gallop. They developed composite bows made of horn, wood, and sinew that were powerful yet compact enough to use on horseback. Mongol archers could shoot while charging forward, sideways, and most devastatingly, while retreating, the famous Parthian shot. This technique allowed them to feign retreat, draw enemies into pursuit, and then turn to fire devastating volleys at their pursuers. A Mongol warrior could loose multiple arrows in the time it took an enemy to fire one. Combined with their superior mobility and tactical coordination, Mongol archers were virtually unstoppable, allowing small Mongol forces to defeat much larger armies repeatedly across Asia and Europe.