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Medieval Catapults

Medieval Catapults

When the idea was to create more simple machines such as ballistas or mangonels, the task of building catapults was much easier on site than let's say a trebuchet, which often required extremely heavy materials. In the case of the ballistas and mangonels, the main ingredients - wood and rope or sinew - were a little easier for engineers to find. The difficulty came in getting these machines together in a big hurry for an impending siege.

Ref. https://www.internationaldiscussions.org/ar...en-a120684.html

Catapults Medieval

Looks like a broken link or perhaps a moved page might be the better answer.

Yes they were easier to find and hard to drag hundreds of miles. I am sure with the man power armies had making weapons like this was not overly difficult and well rehearsed. Still a lot of work though.

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Actually the making of a catapult is very easy. Your kids can make one in the back yard if you give them the materials. That is why many waited until they started a seige to build and use catapults to launch large stones at the walls.

Catapults Medieval

Yes the catapult was much easier then the over sized cross bows. Watched a show on TVO once where they where trying to reproduce working lifestyle models and the engineering team had some real issues with breakage on first shots.

I pondered if they forgot its wood and you have to break it in or core will shatter at that is true for a bow it need exercise and conditioning before the first live fire.

The catapults often drove through the stopping member and then the team started binding things better with natural rather then man made fabric. Still had issues but significantly better.

Catapults Medieval

Hey all, Les here. I was reading this about the Ballista & it made me wonder how precise the craftsmen were?

Building and Design of the Ballista
The Ballista was a highly accurate siege engine requiring expert building and design skills. The Ballista was similar to a giant crossbow and worked by using tension.

The two arms of a Ballista were made of wood
Ropes were attached to each arm were the springs of the Ballista
The ropes were made of twisted strands of human hair or animal sinew
When the bow-arms of the Ballista were pulled back, they twisted the ropes
The bowstring was pulled back by a winch

Although the design and building of the Ballista was highly accurate its range was less than that of the massive Trebuchet. The missiles launched by the Ballista were much lighter than the heavy trebuchet stones and could not gain the high momentum of the heavier missiles.

I'm pretty sure chainmail isn't going to help much if you're faced with this.

Message Edited... JB: Link removed, yet another spammer.

Medieval Catapults

When the catapult was invented it seriously changed the worth of forts and castles. Before that lords and kings were happy in the security of their large stone structures. The most they had to worry about was battering rams and high ladders but both those could still be attacked by soldiers manning the walls. Now with catapults the only way you could attack them was to leave the security of the fort to attack it and that's the key because catapults never came alone but with large armies waiting for anyone brave enough to leave the fort.

Medieval Catapults

Name: Catapult Puzzle
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Comments: I have this question for a scenario I'm creating. If one group has a catapult and another group is in a big open field about a mile away and they're running towards the group with the catapult how likely will it be for the group with the catapult to hit the ones coming towards them? Is there a percentage for this? I have a scenario I'm creating and need to know this please.

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The percentage chance of a catapult being used to hit people running at it is very low. Most catapults are seige engines used to tear down a wall not crush people. People can very easily avoid the stone that is thrown at them if they see it coming. If it a large massive army the chance of getting hit by a catapult stone is greater.