[Ansteorra] Questions regarding slings & Tavern Fights

[Richard Culver]

Greetings, Lady Runa!

    I am glad you brought this sling topic up, as I have thought about it as well.  For me, at the very least, I would like to see it added to the Thrown Weapons competitions as it is very much a medieval weapon skill.  Now militarily, the sling dropped out of favor in most place in armies by the late Roman period, mostly because they were no longer just running up against unarmored barbarian warbands anymore, but Rome did have cohorts of nothing but slingers and were known to be effective, but usually in the early period of Rome.  That said throughout the period, slings were well tested hunting weapons; the sort of thing anybody could use as long as they could find rocks.  A slinger is depicted on the Bayeaux Tapestry either hunt for or just clearing birds.  My guess is anyone who grew up with one became a damn good shot in a matter of time and continued use would make you not want to be in the way of their shot.  So again I think using them in
 thrown weapons tourneys could and should be acceptable, perhaps using golf balls as slugs, which having some loud color choices would make them easy to find and clean up of a field.


  Now that said staff slings were still used for combat in the middle ages, having seen some manuscripts depicting it, especially in sieges, either from a defenders vantage or an attackers.  Given that staff sling could easily in reality throw something the size of a large brick or garden rock, roughly like the 4 tennis ball pyramid Stefan talked about already used, I really do not see why it wouldn't be worth getting a rule change on that.  I would just use similar rule for any trebuchet or catapult, save that you could move much more across the field.  Limiting proximity to the fight (you can't point blank with a ballista either if recall correctly) should be enough.  I don't care what kind of armor you are in a 5-10 pound rock being hurled at about 20-30 mph or from above on a defensive wall is going to hurt you and even likely kill you as their helm were not nearly as thick during most of the period as what we require for safety.  That way our
 enemies could suffer the slings and arrows of Ansteorran fortune. ;)

   I'd be willing to write off-list with you and anyone else interested in perhaps bring this skill into the Society.  I admit I am looking at it as something to do during fighting events where archery contests re present as I cannot afford the gear for archery right now.  Even if I could, slinging looks like a blast and is simply to make and use after a little practice. 

Gódspéde!
Wihtric, who hopefully will be more active this coming fall