Calling all pumpkin chuckers, wannabe marauders, and tinkerers of all ages...Flinging things and playing at defending your own castle has never been more fun!
With some scrap wood, rope, hammer, nails, and this book, build seven historic catapults including Ludgar the War Wolf, God's Stone Thrower, Cabolus, and the Wild Donkey. Building these simple yet sophisticated machines introduces fundamentals of math and physics using levers, force, torsion, tension, and traction. Instructions and diagrams illustrate how to build seven authentic working model catapults, including an early Greek ballista, a Roman onager, and the apex of catapult technology, the English trebuchet. Additional projects include learning how to lash and make rope and how to construct and use a hand sling and a staff sling.
The colorful history of siege warfare is explored through the stories of Alexander the Great and his battle of Tyre; Saladin, Richard the Lionheart, and the Third Crusade; pirate-turned-soldier John Crabbe and his ship-mounted catapults; and Edward I of England and his battle against the Scots at Stirling Castle.
For the legions of Tolkien fans, budding backyard warriors, and engineering wizards, this book is a must-have.
"A wonderful blend of science, history, and fun. . . .An inspiration for another generation of tinkerers and future engineers."
—Grigg Mullin, Professor of Engineering, Virginia Military Institute and builder of the catapults featured on PBS's Nova program "Medieval Siege"
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