ANST - Nasty Ballista in A&S

[Dennis Grace]

Salut, Cozyns,

Lyonel aisai.

Lord Gnith suggests:

>I think I'll wait on A&S until the completion of my latest project:
>
>     KATHERINE
>
>A 3/4-size Roman ballista (50% larger than Jezze) built using period
>joinery and real rope skeins. She will be able to throw both the PVC,
>thrusting tip-capped combat spears required at this year's Estrella (that's
>why she's being built in the first place); and, with a couple more cranks
>on the ol' power-up device, REAL spears (woo ha ha!).
>
>Coming soon to a battlefield near you ... and I WILL enter this one in A&S.

Sounds, like a potentially awesome creation, Cosyn, and you still have time
to prepare for this year's A&S competition.  So, as to the other questions I
asked on this topic, how should it be "judged" as an A&S entry?  Should the
judges fire it to test for accuracy, range, and speed of operation?  Also,
how "period" was it to prettify ballistas and such?  I mean, would you
expect the Duc de Britagne to have a plain old wood and iron catapult or
mangonel or ballista, or would it be decorated with scrollwork and paints
and so forth?

lo vostre por vos servir

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace
_____________________________
Dennis Grace
University of Texas at Austin
English Department
Recovering Medievalist
amazing at mail.utexas.edu

Micel yfel deth se unwritere.
                           AElfric of York

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