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Plumbata theory (Read 1705 times)
Archaic Arms
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Plumbata theory
Aug 3rd, 2020 at 3:27pm
 
It's recently occurred to me that it would make a lot of sense to have a length of string attached to the bottom of a plumbata, so that it could be thrown in the same way as mono-bola to increase range and power significantly.

Perhaps this or something similar was done historically,
Or is it contradicted by historical accounts?
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« Last Edit: Aug 3rd, 2020 at 5:00pm by Archaic Arms »  

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AncientCraftwork
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #1 - Aug 3rd, 2020 at 3:59pm
 
Oh I must build that
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ghost0311-8541
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #2 - Aug 3rd, 2020 at 9:52pm
 
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Kick
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #3 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 1:29am
 
https://youtu.be/oF6M82Qi81c

Sarosh has a fantastic video on the kestros.
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AncientCraftwork
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #4 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 2:15am
 
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« Last Edit: Aug 15th, 2020 at 4:43am by AncientCraftwork »  

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Sarosh
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #5 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 5:01am
 
thanks Kick

kestros darts and plumbata darts have differences. one is like a small pilum with fins the other is like a small javelin with fins. one has lead the other only iron.

if it had a string it could be thrown back where it came from. after a point you might wonder why bother with reloading but if you have enough darts you might start getting them tangled.
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Curious Aardvark
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #6 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 11:15am
 
If you permanently attach a cord to a dart - it just makes it a LOT easier for the enemy to throw back at you !

Stop thinking our ancestors were stupid.
If you thought of it, so did they Smiley
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Archaic Arms
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #7 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 11:40am
 
Curious Aardvark wrote on Aug 4th, 2020 at 11:15am:
If you permanently attach a cord to a dart - it just makes it a LOT easier for the enemy to throw back at you !

Stop thinking our ancestors were stupid.
If you thought of it, so did they Smiley

That's exactly why I thought there must be more to the plumbata than contemporary understanding, as I'm convinced they would have found a more effective way of throwing them.
I also cannot see that by adding a string it makes it any easier to throw back. I actually think the opposite as when the dart lands in a dense formation it's more likely to be stood on, along with the fact that there is not enough room to swing it around to throw it back. The darts are also barbed, and so if it were slung with a string, the added force is going to make it much more likely that the barbed tip is going to stick into something (to the point where it cannot be pulled out).
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Archaic Arms
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #8 - Aug 4th, 2020 at 11:42am
 
I found someone else with a different theory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPQGBsQAcb0

(using an atlatl to launch plumbata)

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AncientCraftwork
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #9 - Aug 5th, 2020 at 3:19am
 
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« Last Edit: Aug 15th, 2020 at 4:43am by AncientCraftwork »  

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Curious Aardvark
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Re: Plumbata theory
Reply #10 - Aug 5th, 2020 at 8:58am
 
by attaching a string - ie: the launch method.
Of course it's easier to throw back.
You are sending someone the missile and launch method in oneeasy to pick up package.

And again - these people were not idiots. They generally would not have been in a tight packed formatrion.
Why would they ?

Amcient armies were smaller than modern ones and a battlefiedl line would have been fairly widely  spaced.

David has  a dart launch sling that just attaches to the end of the dart. Because of the flight and front end weight - it will self orient in flight and land point first.

Throwing something short with an atlatl - would be tricky.

But arrows and darts are fairly easy to throw with the correctly configured sling.

Yurek pretty much nailed the arrow sling. He's got a bunch of videos on youtube with him slinging arrows and cross bow bolts.

Simple and effective.
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Do All things with Honour and Generosity: Regret Nothing, Envy None, Apologise Seldom and Bow your head to No One  - works for me Smiley
 
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