Editing Crossbow (section)

=== Variants ===
[[File:Recurve crossbow with bolts.jpg|right|thumb|Modern recurve crossbow]]
[[File:Horton Hunter Supreme by IvE.jpg|right|thumb|Modern compound crossbow]]
[[File:HJRK A 108 - Wallarmbrust c. 1460-70.jpg|thumb|15th-century {{lang|de|Wallarmbrust}}, a heavy crossbow used for siege defense]]

The smallest crossbows are pistol crossbows. Others are simple long stocks with the crossbow mounted on them. These could be shot from under the arm. 

The next step in development was stocks of the shape that would later be used [[Stock (firearms)|for firearms]], which allowed better aiming. The [[arbalest]] was a heavy crossbow that required special systems for pulling the sinew via windlasses. 

For [[siege warfare]], the size of crossbows was further increased to hurl large projectiles, such as rocks, at fortifications. The required crossbows needed a massive base frame and powerful windlass devices.<ref>{{cite book|last=O'Connell|first=Robert L.|date=1989|title=Of Arms and Men: A History of War, Weapons, and Aggression|url=https://archive.org/details/ofarmsmenhisto00ocon|url-access=registration|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=0195053591|page=[https://archive.org/details/ofarmsmenhisto00ocon/page/65 65]}}</ref>

<gallery class="center">
File:Zhugenu-springautumn.jpg|Double shot repeating crossbow, also known as the Chu state [[repeating crossbow]] ({{lang|zh-Latn|chuguo nu}})
File:Two-bow crossbow wjzy.jpg|Mounted double bow crossbow
File:Chuangzi Nu1.jpg|Mounted triple bow crossbow
File:Liannu.jpg|Multi-bolt crossbow without a visible nut or cocking aid
File:Gastraphetes - catapult ancestor - antica catapulta.jpg|Cocking of a Greek {{lang|grc-Latn|[[gastraphetes]]}}
File:Roman crossbow. Pic 02.jpg|Gallo-Roman crossbow
File:B Osma 85v.jpg|Earliest European depiction of cavalry using crossbows, from the [[Catalonia|Catalan]] manuscript ''Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'', 1086
File:Martyrium of Saint Sebastian. Pic 03.jpg|[[Late Middle Ages|Late medieval]] crossbowman from c. 1480
File:FrenchCrossbowMan.JPG|15th-century French soldier carrying an [[arbalest]] and a [[pavise]]
File:Balestra Veloce.jpg|A reconstruction of Leonardo da Vinci's rapid fire crossbow as shown at the World of Leonardo Exhibition in Milan
File:Ballista-quadrirotis.jpeg|Early modern four-wheeled [[ballista]] drawn by armored horses (1552)
File:FrenchMountedCrossbowman.JPG|16th-century French mounted crossbowman ({{lang|fr|cranequinier}}). His crossbow is drawn with a rack-and-pinion ''cranequin'', so it can be used while riding.
File:Crossbow pistol IMG 3841.jpg|Pistol crossbow for home recreational shooting. Made by Frédéric Siber in [[Morges]], early 19th century, on display at Morges military museum.
File:French cross-bow grenade thrower Arbalète sauterelle type A d'Imphy circa 1915.jpg|French cross-bow grenade thrower {{lang|la|Arbalète sauterelle}} ({{literal translation|grasshopper crossbow}}) type A d'Imphy, circa 1915
</gallery>