What initial tactic did William's forces use, and what was the result?

What initial tactic did William's forces use, and what was the result?

• A. Arrows were sent first but were not successful
• B. Heavy cavalry charged and broke the shield wall
• C. Siege towers were deployed successfully
• D. Flanking infantry quickly routed the English

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how William’s Norman forces tried to breach the English shield wall at Hastings and what happened right away. They opened with a volley of arrows aimed at weakening the line, hoping to soften the defense before a direct assault. But the English shield wall held firm; the arrows did not break the formation, so this initial tactic failed to deliver a breakthrough. Because the wall stayed intact, William had to switch to other methods later—such as a feigned retreat to draw the English out of formation and a decisive cavalry attack—to win the battle. So, the opening arrow volley was not successful in breaking the shield wall, which is why that option is the best answer.

The main idea here is how William’s Norman forces tried to breach the English shield wall at Hastings and what happened right away. They opened with a volley of arrows aimed at weakening the line, hoping to soften the defense before a direct assault. But the English shield wall held firm; the arrows did not break the formation, so this initial tactic failed to deliver a breakthrough. Because the wall stayed intact, William had to switch to other methods later—such as a feigned retreat to draw the English out of formation and a decisive cavalry attack—to win the battle. So, the opening arrow volley was not successful in breaking the shield wall, which is why that option is the best answer.