Do weapons requiring higher strength also require higher skill?

Question

Observation on bows. Efficacy greatly varies with bow

I have three bows. Villager‘s hazel bow, requiring (Strength, Agility) > (4,3) then Villager‘s yew bow, requiring (6,4) and some hunting bow I don’t have on me, with strength requirement 8. My strength and agility both equal 12 my bow skill 4.

With the first bow I quite easily win the advanced archery contest. With the second, I struggle to win the beginner contest. With the third I hardly hit anything on purpose.

So, do better weapons require higher skill to use effectively, apart from strength and agility?

Maces

I now have the money and strength to buy the bailiff‘s mace. My mace skill is 6.93. Will I use the bailiff’s mace less effectively than a common mace up to a certain mace skill? (irrespective of strength and agility)?

Answer 1

From what I recall, the only requirements to use weapons efficiently are the ones on the item’s description. If you don’t meet the requirements, you’ll deal less damage/swing slower, and may even be unable to draw your bow’s string. If there’s no skill requirement, then your skill level gives no extra (dis)advantage.

Also regarding bows, keep in mind that they shoot more or less flat, and that also depends on draw time (bows requiring more strength take longer to fully draw).