10-12-2010, 01:41 PM
Heron/Ctesibius "Originally the construction of these engines developed from hand-bows. As men were compelled to project by their means a somewhat larger missile and at greater range, they increased the size of the bows themselves."
Ammianus: "When its extreme tip come opposite the outer edge of the sinews, the arrow flies away out of sight, driven by internal thrust, glinting the while with tremendous brilliance; and it quite often happens that, before the missile is seen, pain indicates a mortal wound."
Procopius; "... but the missile bursts out with such power that it travels not less than two bow-shots, and if it hits tree or stone cleaves them easily.
Anonymous; "A missile projected from this engine, comprised of so many important and clever devices, travels so much further that it even has the momentum to fly across the width of the Danube, a river noted for its size..."
Have I forgotten to include any of the cotemporary experts?
These are after all artillery pieces not sniper rifles (excepting perhaps the gastraphetes/cheirobaalistra). Granted high velocity does mean a flatter trajectory and consequently much greater accuracy in direct line-of-sight shooting, so they would be more effective against single "point" targets at closer ranges. The drawback is that unlike gunpowder artillery pieces, whose ability to discharge grapeshot, canister, or fragmenting rounds allows them to defeat massed opposition, these weapons can only kill at most a couple of people per round. With less mobility and a much slower rate of fire than slingers or archers they would easily be supressed by lighter missile troops who could mass, volley, and retreat with very little risk to any one individual.
In modern terms, their real value would be in adding depth to the battle-space by using their superior range at higher angle "plunging" fire to strike whenever the enemy attempted to mass up or to harass and engage his command nodes and drive them further from the action.
To answer those who say that long range arrows lack killing power, I invite them to catch a few bolts from my little half-scale wood-framer. They are only 13.5" long, and without my winch and trigger complete I am just drawing them by hand, but it will bury a bodkin point 5-6" in the earth.
Ammianus: "When its extreme tip come opposite the outer edge of the sinews, the arrow flies away out of sight, driven by internal thrust, glinting the while with tremendous brilliance; and it quite often happens that, before the missile is seen, pain indicates a mortal wound."
Procopius; "... but the missile bursts out with such power that it travels not less than two bow-shots, and if it hits tree or stone cleaves them easily.
Anonymous; "A missile projected from this engine, comprised of so many important and clever devices, travels so much further that it even has the momentum to fly across the width of the Danube, a river noted for its size..."
Have I forgotten to include any of the cotemporary experts?
These are after all artillery pieces not sniper rifles (excepting perhaps the gastraphetes/cheirobaalistra). Granted high velocity does mean a flatter trajectory and consequently much greater accuracy in direct line-of-sight shooting, so they would be more effective against single "point" targets at closer ranges. The drawback is that unlike gunpowder artillery pieces, whose ability to discharge grapeshot, canister, or fragmenting rounds allows them to defeat massed opposition, these weapons can only kill at most a couple of people per round. With less mobility and a much slower rate of fire than slingers or archers they would easily be supressed by lighter missile troops who could mass, volley, and retreat with very little risk to any one individual.
In modern terms, their real value would be in adding depth to the battle-space by using their superior range at higher angle "plunging" fire to strike whenever the enemy attempted to mass up or to harass and engage his command nodes and drive them further from the action.
To answer those who say that long range arrows lack killing power, I invite them to catch a few bolts from my little half-scale wood-framer. They are only 13.5" long, and without my winch and trigger complete I am just drawing them by hand, but it will bury a bodkin point 5-6" in the earth.
P. Clodius Secundus (Randi Richert), Legio III Cyrenaica
"Caesar\'s Conquerors"
"Caesar\'s Conquerors"
