Hi all.  I haven't written in a while.  My main character is now picking up on the sling more in my novel, and I am in need of a question answered.

If you remember...there are special powers some of my characters have. Some have percision, some have strength, some have speed...etc.

So my question.

If one person had super speed and one had super strength...which one would throw harder?

Is it speed or strength of a throw that determines how hard the stone would hit?

--Kristal

I would have to agree with Willeke on this one, but I also think balance has alot to do with it too because you step into the throw or rotate your hips at release to increase velocity.

Loki

it's speed, not sheer strength  - strength implies huge muscle mass, and big arms aren't as quick as thin whipcord muscles. just compare flyweight and heavyweight boxers.  in slinging, which is sending a very light weight to a target (!) it's speed which gives the stone it's hitting power.
read the forsythe description of the indian slinger.....

sv

Id have to say speed Built up as you are it wont help you throw a 1 oz rock or gland.... now for a staff sling or throwing rocks over 1 lb Id say strength plays a bigger role.

For smaller ammo, sniper sorts of things, speed.

If the guy is going to be lobbing HUGE stones or caltrops or something... like ballista/trebuchet large ammo, it would only make sense for it to be the strength person.

I'd say speed.  I don't see any weight lifter breaking the range record anytiime soon but I am sure a good slinger need fast arm speed!

That's deep. However, that's looking to the ideal of the slinger. It's like Plato's theory of the forms. That there is One superior form of everything by which everything else is defined and to which everything else defined by it is inferior. For example, when we would think of "THE Slinger" we would imagine an slinger of immense strength and speed, able to launch stones of any size great distances with perfect accuracy. That is the ideal of The Slinger that any practitioner of the art of slinging strives to achieve, and as slingers, we are defined by the perfect form of The Slinger, to which we are always below, yet strive to reach. As such, the will to become The Slinger is a noble will that drives one to excellence, but to become that Slinger is impossible.

In other words, the perfect slinger has the muscular power of Arnold Schwartzenegger, with the throwing arm of Randy Johnson in his prime, the accuracy of a Benjaminite or Balearic slinger, and the rapid reloading ability of a shepherd.

However, the will to perfection is great, but without practicing one's ass off to get a strong and fast arm, it's all for nothing. 

Ill buy one!