In days gone by, death came at close quarters. This was a time when fighters stood toe-to-toe with their foe; when battlegrounds were mystified hell holes, where men slashed frantically at each other, where no compassion was anticipated, and none was provided. This series investigates the experiences of taking a devastating hit from a battle axe or being struck by a fatal arrow from a longbow.

Official trailer

The experience of encountering mortar and artillery fire; or of attacking into a barrage of bullets from muskets or machine guns. Instruments of Death place some of history's deadliest weapons in your hands. Through a series of inventive tests and advanced trials, you’ll see at first hand the impacts of the blade and the bullet on a human being. You’ll discover just how useful shields, armour and helmets were. And how the injuries endured by common soldiers were handled on the battlefield. This is a captivating and immersive look at the plain reality of yesterday’s wars a world far away from data and statistics and co-ordinates and reveals the risks faced by those who were guided into battle to do or die

DVD 1 The Battle of Naseby 1645 The Wars of the Roses: The Battle of Towton 1461 DVD 2 The Norman Invasion: The Battle of Hastings 1066 Queen Boudicca s Revolt: The Battle of Watling Street AD61 DVD 3 The Napoleonic Wars: The Battle of Waterloo 1815 The Great War: The Battle of the Somme 1916