Crossbows are bad-ass.
The two things I've read where they feature (Battle Royale and another book that's kind of a spoiler), they've been pretty horrible.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Thu 20 May 2010, 10:15, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

Slow to load, though.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 20 May 2010, 10:16, Reply)

Depends on the crossbow
But slower than, say, a bow. Or a gun.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Thu 20 May 2010, 10:17, Reply)

Yeah, and unless you get it through the eye or into the brain they don't kill quickly
The other book describes how the guy stockpiles bolts and shoots all the people while they're trapped, and they slowly bleed to death, apart from the lucky few who are hit in something major...
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Thu 20 May 2010, 10:20, Reply)