Yeoman Archer

Originally, the term "yeoman" simply referred to a land owning farmer in medieval England and Wales. At the time, a farmer who actually owned the land they worked was to be set apart, since most farmers worked land owned by a noble lord. While a yeoman was considered lower than a noble, they were also considered to be higher than a knave.

When a farmer was selected, he was then trained to learn the use of one of the most powerful and ancient weapons of history; the English Longbow. With this weapon, Yeomen were trained to fire with a variety of commands. With commands such as "Fire at will", Yeomen would become a well-oiled machine that would blacken the sky with their Bodkin-tipped arrows.

The Yeomen became a vital part of the English army, being used all over the world in their conquests. Without a doubt, their most famous use was during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453). The longbowmen decimated French forces at battles such as Crecy and Agincourt. However, they were used often even before that, being deployed in the Middle East during the Crusades and other similar conflicts. With incredible accuracy, a much longer range than most crossbows at the time, and being able to penetrate deep into armor, yeoman archers were truly some of the earliest snipers.