Thearos wrote on Jan 3
rd, 2014 at 2:08pm:
To restate things,
1. at 30 m, you can whang a 100g stone
2. at 30 m, you can lob a 200g stone.
1 over-stresses the shot, 2. delivers a lot of punch and is easier to control, and hence to obtain accuracy. Mr Marauder's trick is that he's strong enough to whang 170+g stones, and skillful enough to keep them on target. Most people evolve towards 2.
If you want to fantasize what it would be like to fight with a sling at 30-40m, go ahead; it's not clear that it would be easier to dodge a 200g arcing shot, any easier than to dodge a javelin. Experience in reenacting, or shooting at targets
5. At longer distances, everyone lobs.
"Sigh", why are you so defiant!
1. This does not require over stressing! It really isn't that hard to sling flat if you have proper form. Flat-lining is like drawing a bow to full draw with a hunting weight arrow, lobbing is like short drawing with a war arrow, you just aren't utilizing the sling to its full potential.
It would take a healthier person to flat-line a 7.5 oz. stone but its definitely doable. I know I keep promising a video but the weather has really taken a turn for the worst lately (single digits and snow as of lately). As soon as I can, I will weigh and make a video flat lining such unnecessarily large rocks.
2. This isn't any easier to control. Most people find accuracy just as well flat-lining, including most of the best slingers I've seen. Most slingers that I've seen really go towards 1 (Look at the poll! Lobbers barely beat the people that kick rocks. ).
It simply isn't normal or natural to sling such large rocks and it really cuts down on the versatility of the sling if they only way you can get power is through the gravity of a large stone. That cuts out tennis ball, golf balls, most concrete glans, clay glans, lead glans, racquet balls, and any rock smaller than a clementine.
By the Rules of Dodging, It would be easier to dodge a large slow moving object than a fast reasonably sized one. I have experience being a teenage guy playing "Toss Rock" and "Catch Spear" (which is really a Staff if it makes you feel better). I know it is possible to dodge both, but that really isn't as relevant when you have 500 coming towards you every few seconds.
5. No they don't. That is arcing, or flat-lining on an angle. We've been over this numerous times. It is often utilized with much smaller ammunition and significant amounts of strength (to maximize KE at longer distance). Think of it as though you were slinging at a bird with an egg sized stone. You aren't going to try to drop the stone on top of the bird, you'll sling hard to get the stone there quickly so you don't have to lead too much. Now if the stone misses the bird and keeps going off into the distance, you have successfully arced a shot, with strength and finesse.