Re: Interesting snippet on hill-fort design

From: donald_at_...
Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2006 04:20:14 GMT


In message <e04jak+hokl_at_...> "Jane Williams" writes:

>For us Orlanthi who like living in hill-forts, an interesting fact I
>just read in a wargaming article. Iron Age hill forts had the distance
>between the inner and outer ramparts set at exactly the range of their
>slings, that being their main missile weapon.
>
>So javelin-using Orlanthi will have the distance set to javelin range
>(don't ask me what that is, but no, it's not a mile). And bow-using
>Elmali will prefer it at bow range (rather longer).

Effective ranges of slings and most bows are similar. From memory there is more variation between lead and stone slingshot than between slings and bows. One reason the Iron Age celts used slings was that their bows had a shorter effective range than their slings. Javlins have a much shorter range - a third to a half of the sling which may put the ramparts rather close together.

>I can see potential plot and building projects here myself.

Yes, there's enormous scope for plots based on differing weapon technologies. And magic will add even more.

-- 
Donald Oddy
http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/

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