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According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cr%C3%A9cy#The_Frenc..., and of course take with the same grain of salt applied to anything on Wikipedia, I don't have the sources on hand to cross check): The French army moved forward late in the afternoon, around
4pm after it had formed up. As it advanced, a sudden
rainstorm broke over the field of battle. The English
archers de-strung their bows to avoid the strings becoming
damaged; the Genoese with their crossbows could take no
such precautions, resulting in damage to their weapons.[26]
The crossbowmen began their advance, however they had left
their pavises back in the baggage train, and thus had no
means of protection as they loaded their weapons.[27][28]
The Genoese moved within range and discharged their
weapons. Damaged by the rain, the slackened crossbows had
little effect on the English line. The English archers shot
their bows in retaliation, inflicting heavy casualties on
the Genoese, causing them to retreat. The knights and
nobles following in Alençon's division, seeing the routed
mercenaries, hacked them down as they retreated. Froissart
writes of the event:
The English, who were drawn up in three divisions and
seated on the ground, on seeing their enemies advance,
arose boldly and fell into their ranks... You must know
that these kings, earls, barons, and lords of France did
not advance in any regular order... There were about
fifteen thousand Genoese crossbowmen; but they were quite
fatigued, having marched on foot that day six leagues,
completely armed, and with their wet crossbows. They told
the constable that they were not in a fit condition to do
any great things that day in battle. The Count of
Alençon, hearing this, was reported to say, "This is what
one gets by employing such scoundrels, who fail when
there is any need for them."[29]
So, it doesn't sound like the crossbows were in pristine condition. Rather, their range was limited by the fact that their strings had gotten wet, while the relatively simpler (and easier to string) longbows were able to be protected from the rainstorm. |