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Building the mobile castra defenses
#16
Very impressive Luca, the 45 degree stakes look very effective.
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#17
Well made Luca. :!: :!:

Now you can tell ars dimicandi that metallic segmentatae and trench working are compatible. :lol:
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#18
Quote:[Image: Valli3.jpg]
The "45 degree" configuration (more effective).
How easy or hard would it be to knock these down with a log or pull them out with a rope?
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#19
Amazing amount of work and wonderfully done. I might suggest with the 45' stakes that they be buried up to the middle while piling dirt on top of them. This would make them very hard to pull out or knock aside, short of grabbing ahold of them and wiggling them free. It may be that the taperning on each end made that sort of thing easier, and they could be switched end to end to rotate wear.
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
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#20
Looks great those photos!
Reminds me a bit of what Markus Junkelman did.
Very nice!
Martin
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#21
Saluete amici,
interesting remarks, really!
Actually when the stakes are buried up to the middle they are more difficult to pull out: maybe the suggestion to bury them gradually, during the digging, is a good idea (we didn't test it though).
I guess that in a mobile camp the most important thing is the speed in the carrying out the defenses. So the valli were not barriers but just "slowers" or a deterrent. Just thoughts.
The ropes to bind together the stakes can be even dangerous: with a harpoon or something similar an attacker can pull out all the row of the valli...
Valete omnes.

[Image: Scavofossa.jpg]
A view of the ditch

[Image: Clavicola.jpg]
Thr ditch in front of the clavicola

[Image: Aquila1.jpg]
It's raining hard, but the Eagle keeps an eye on us...
Flavius
aka Giuseppe Cascarino
Decima Legio
Roma, Italy
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#22
We have often used our double ended stakes in tripods to make things similar to tank traps, which would slow down an enemy attack rather than stop it, or alternatively act as an encouragement for enemy troops to attack a different part of the defences and trick them into entering a killing zone. We have also found that they work well in a 'chevaux de fris' type arrangement with crossed pairs lashed to a log. Again this would be an impediment rather than a defence as such. It could be used as part of a static arrangement or a section could be used as a removable gate. I believe that these stakes probably served as useful multi-purpose items which could be employed in a variety of ways.
With regard to the efficacy of the 45 degree line use as illustrated, if the stakes were lashed to horizontal poles, this would help to stablise the defence. The horizontal poles could be braced with futher vertical poles which would be driven into the base of the trench. This could produce a stronger defence which would not be as easily dislodged by enemy hooks, chains or ropes (assuming the enemy could get close enough to attach the said hook, chains and ropes).

Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers.  :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:

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