Robin317
Today, we think of special forces as a modern innovation, with legendary units like the SAS or the Commandos. But nearly seven hundred years ago, during the tumultuous era of the Hundred Years' War, a time of shifting allegiances and brutal sieges, England's King Edward III recognized the need for a different kind of soldier. The traditional clash of knights on the battlefield was not enough; victory would require a new, more agile approach.
From the ancient, mist-shrouded lands of Clearwell in the Forest of Dean, a region famed for its skilled foresters and exceptional bowyers, he chose an elite and covert band. Unburdened by the heavy armor of their knightly counterparts, these men and women were masters of stealth and survival. Their mission was unprecedented and vital: to operate deep within enemy territory, disrupting supply lines, ambushing key commanders, and gathering intelligence with a speed and precision the French army could not match.
This small, highly trained unit of archers was more than a fighting force; they were a Shadow army, striking with an unseen hand. They were the first to prove that the most potent weapon in war is not always the sword, but a well-aimed arrow from the darkness. This is their story.