h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Great contribution, well done. There was a small thing that I noticed that I wouldn't bother to put right in any other piece but as this is about the history of weapons and the use of technical terminology you refer to 'firing arrows'. Arrows are not from a weapon that uses gunpowder or any other explosive material so they are not fired. Arrows are loosed or maybe shot but never fired.

probably shooting is broken and fire is non stop in a way
by the way what about biting with teeth and scratching with nails

probably shooting is broken and fire is non stop in a way
by the way what about biting with teeth and scratching with nails ?Are they not some times used as weapons?

Fire, as an order to shoot, comes form the gunners being called to put a flame to the gunpowder in the cannon to cause it to explode. It would take a lot longer to 'fire' two shots than to shoot/loose two arrows.

Did you know in gunnery the number five isn't used in a countdown for setting off weapons because it sounds too much like 'fire' over a poor radio link. They go straight from six to four.

Can you explain the radio phrase "five by five", then, indicating a clear reception?
Actually, in military practice, the numbers were pronounced differently in order to increase understanding. Four would thus become "Foe-Were" and Five "Fuh-Iyve" or "fuh-Yivuh".
The word "fire" would almost never be used on a radio link or a field phone.

Now, if you are talking much earlier, the noise of battle would preclude much in the way of yelling, so the choice of words would make little or no difference. Drums, whistles and horns were used because they could be heard more clearly and their messages less mistaken.

Come to think of it, the usefulness of a countdown with artillery eludes me. Barrages were usually scheduled to begin at a certain time.
During an actual battle, timing was the least of anyone's worries. Range, on the other hand, would be paramount. Not using the number five in indicating trajectory corrections would be a little difficult.