Slingstaff
With the reduction of the Roman Empire torsion machines declined in use sharply and a system that had always been in use came into its own.
The slingstaff was one of those simple weapons that could be fashioned by a shepherd
to drive off predators. In the environment of the Byzantine interest in deploying Greek fire the slingstaff became very useful. Greek fire in pottery containers can't be thrown by torsion machines because of its explosive launch. The slow acceleration of the slingstaff allowed for throwing incindiary missiles a good distance.
The slingstaff was one of those simple weapons that could be fashioned by a shepherd
to drive off predators. In the environment of the Byzantine interest in deploying Greek fire the slingstaff became very useful. Greek fire in pottery containers can't be thrown by torsion machines because of its explosive launch. The slow acceleration of the slingstaff allowed for throwing incindiary missiles a good distance.
Pole mounted slingstaff
The slinstaff was improved by mounting on a pole to improve its leverage. This improved its range but remained less accurate being muscle driven.
Traction trebuchet
The ole mounted slingstaff was made more powerful by adding more people to drive
it creating the traction trebuchet.
The name is an anachronism as trebuchet means big bucket and this weapon clearly has no bucket. But this is what we know the machine as today.
It is often asserted that the trebuchet was introduced to Europe from China by the Avars. However the evidence is rather unconvincing. The evolutionary steps needed already existed and this type of machine was the limit of Chinese development. While there are claims
there were machines that had up to 1,000 operators, it remains a traction trebuchet.
it creating the traction trebuchet.
The name is an anachronism as trebuchet means big bucket and this weapon clearly has no bucket. But this is what we know the machine as today.
It is often asserted that the trebuchet was introduced to Europe from China by the Avars. However the evidence is rather unconvincing. The evolutionary steps needed already existed and this type of machine was the limit of Chinese development. While there are claims
there were machines that had up to 1,000 operators, it remains a traction trebuchet.
Swinging counterweight trebuchet
The potential of the traction trebuchet (which remained in use) was realised by adding fixed eights to the throwing arm. This itself went through a number of developments arriving at variations of the the swinging counterweight trebuchet.
This machine would end up being able to throw a 300lb stone up to 300 yards as William Lonshanks did at Stirling Castle destroying a tower on the first throw and inspiring the Scots defenders to offer their surrender imediately. Longshanks declined to accept and reduced much of the castle having gone to the effort of building the super trebuchet Warwolf.
This machine would end up being able to throw a 300lb stone up to 300 yards as William Lonshanks did at Stirling Castle destroying a tower on the first throw and inspiring the Scots defenders to offer their surrender imediately. Longshanks declined to accept and reduced much of the castle having gone to the effort of building the super trebuchet Warwolf.
Springald
In spite of fairy stories and confused clerics the Middle Ages did not give rise to nay torsion powered "mangonel". The only torsion machine that existed was the Springald, or Espringnal or any one of the 14 or so variations of this name.
This machine used ropes wound over a frame to throw large arrows, usually from gate towers.
This machine clearly represents the first step in Phillips evolution of the torsion washer. The medieval artilleryman had no need to develop this system further with the advent of steel bows which performed the functions of the earlier ballista.
This machine used ropes wound over a frame to throw large arrows, usually from gate towers.
This machine clearly represents the first step in Phillips evolution of the torsion washer. The medieval artilleryman had no need to develop this system further with the advent of steel bows which performed the functions of the earlier ballista.
Crossbow
The concept of the gastraphetes was repeated with the crossbow. It is believed that the first crossbows in Europe were employed at Senlac Hill, usually known as Hastings in 1066. It was a very simple bow lashed to a tiller with the sting hooked over a lip in the tiller and pushed off by a trigger lever pushing up a dowel in the tiller.
The crossbow improved quickly and became an exceedingly powerful hand weapon with the introduction of spring steel bows.
The crossbow improved quickly and became an exceedingly powerful hand weapon with the introduction of spring steel bows.
Great crossbow
As with a lot of technology some engineers assume bigger means better. In this case the idea of the crossbow was enlarged into being the great crossbow. This led to the issue of how to span the bow. Smaller crossbows used their own pulley system but for the large machines things such as this massive hand spanner were needed. This hardly made the weapon battlefield mobile.
Mounted great crossbow
As with the gastraphetes the answer to the spanning problem was solved by mounting the already not too mobile weapon and using a winch.
Similar problems of the ancient world were repeated and solved in similar ways, just
with a different form of propulsion.
Some questionable weapons
A number of highly questionable machines have been assumed to have existed, or not existed, according to various scholars. This machine has been called a springald by some. This name obviously already applied to a different machine.
This means nothing because names were very regional. However this machine has been dismissed because it doesn't look like it could work according to one expert.
I've decided to call it a slapper and test it to see if it can actually work. This would be in the category of the Unicorns of the Catapulting world. Others include the wheeled trebuchet and the mangonel. Both of which I have tested and one works while the other doesn't.
This means nothing because names were very regional. However this machine has been dismissed because it doesn't look like it could work according to one expert.
I've decided to call it a slapper and test it to see if it can actually work. This would be in the category of the Unicorns of the Catapulting world. Others include the wheeled trebuchet and the mangonel. Both of which I have tested and one works while the other doesn't.