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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > "Medieval Siege" (history/weapons buffs, check this out)

"Medieval Siege" (history/weapons buffs, check this out)
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olePigeon
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Nov 27, 2006, 08:22 PM
 
I saw this show on NOVA about five years back, and it was this really awesome show about some traditional carpenters and medieval weapons historians who decided to build full size trebuchets and knock down a castle wall from over 200 yards away using 250 and 300 lbs sandstone boulders. Everything was built using traditional tools and methods. It was the coolest show I'd seen in a very long time.

Naturally, I immediately jumped onto PBS to see if I could buy it, but it turns out it was produced by WGBH Boston and PBS didn't have any rights to resale for the show. A little while ago I was doing a search on Amazon and I found it! They finally released it on DVD! Bought it that second.

The most amazing thing is watching a monstrous, five story tall swinging trebuchet hurl huge boulders 200+ yards and pulverize a castle wall. Freakin' unbelievable.

I'm gonna make an MPEG4 video of one of the trebuchets firing so you guys can see it, but you need to rent/buy it, it's an awesome video.

The name of the trebuchet that the big one was based off of, by the way, was War Wolf.
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
nonhuman
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Nov 27, 2006, 08:37 PM
 
I remember seeing that. So damned cool.

On the other hand
     
jonasmac
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Nov 27, 2006, 09:12 PM
 
That sounds pretty cool. Did they build the castle too?
     
olePigeon  (op)
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Nov 27, 2006, 09:17 PM
 
Originally Posted by jonasmac View Post
That sounds pretty cool. Did they build the castle too?
They built a section of a castle wall to spec based off 2 of the strongest castles in Wales.
(Last edited by olePigeon; Nov 27, 2006 at 10:55 PM. )
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
Atomic Rooster
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Nov 27, 2006, 09:50 PM
 
Hint...don't go for a ride on one.

Whales have castles?
     
olePigeon  (op)
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Nov 27, 2006, 10:55 PM
 
Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster View Post
Hint...don't go for a ride on one.

Whales have castles?
Err, Wales.
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
   
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