[Ganheim]

And yeah, if they'd made it (1/2 Strength + X), I'd be a lot happier. My big bitch isn't really the end-result of the damage, as much as how low the strength cap is, given what I know about material science.

I think I'd have preferred that just for the simplicity of it being like melee weapons and thereby simply ruled. As it is I'm not actually certain how bows work. The other weapons I understand, but bows are written and handled differently, so I'm still trying to grasp them.

Bows have minimum strength ratings that indicate the minimum strength a character must have to use that weapon...Material Science limits high-tech bows to a maximum Strength rating of 12. The maximum DV an arrow fired from the bow can inflict is equal to the bow's rating *1.5.

While I understand that the max damage is Rating*1.5, but I'm still not sure what "minimum strength" is. Is it just "minimum strength = rating"?

[JustADude]

While I understand that the max damage is Rating*1.5, but I'm still not sure what "minimum strength" is. Is it just "minimum strength = rating"?

Yeah, pretty much. The idea is that stronger bows need more muscle to hold steady.

[CitizenJoe]

The advanced bows allow you to adjust the pull strength.   That same mechanism can be its weakness though.  The compound bows, popular with hunters, relax a bit once past the initial draw.  So you aren't really 'holding' at high strength, just drawing back at that level. 

Regular bows do mean holding back at that strength level.  You'll probably need aircraft cable instead of sinew for the string though.

[Ganheim]

The idea is that stronger bows need more muscle to hold steady.

I see. That doesn't necessarily fit with modern composite bows, but you've got to rule it somehow in order to get it to fit in the system. Thanks for the answers, folks.