12-24-2012, 04:55 PM
Quote:... 300-400m ... would be a respectable range for a wood-framed Vitruvian era scorpion, but it is only about half of what the later iron-framed ballista they a trying to build should do.Of course, Dietwulf Baatz already established this by theoretical means (combined with his long practical knowledge of Schramm's Saalburg machines). I reproduced his important graph in the Osprey Greek and Roman Artillery book (p. 21). The only variable that is open to question is his assumption that the initial velocity was around 70m/s. This still seems likely for the average Vitruvian machine, but we are now seeing that the outswinger design can achieve a faster initial velocity.
However, in my opinion, it becomes rather academic, as the catapult remains an anti-personnel weapon, meaning that it is only effective against a target that can be seen and isolated. How's your eyesight over 400m, trying to track a human-sized object that is most likely jogging all over the place to spoil your aim?
