This 15th Century Weapon of War Fired 100 Arrows at Once

A German weapons expert is attempting to recreate a 15th century Korean rocket launcher, known as a ‘Hwacha.’ Essentially, it’s a device that is lit from the back to fire off a hundred arrows at the same time.
From the Series: World of Weapons: Attack From Above bitly.com/2PQA8HQ

[@Powertoyah32]

No balloons were harmed in the making of this Documentary.

[@defenceoffense4831]

Literally

[@Hellomyfrndss]

😅😅😂

[@asadattayyem2637]

They are very merciful guys! 😀😁😂🤣😃😄😅

[@sarmadabrar185]

But the balloons were scared during the making of this video.

[@Villageno1_cooking]

That balloons for usable in night 😝

[@achilles704]

He was just out of range....ten feet closer and he might've popped a lot more balloons

[@dlighted8861]

Finally the voice of reason.😀

[@haydenbrayton]

HayabusaJudah Yup, probably just a slight miscalculation.

[@haydenbrayton]

Renee L All you would need to do is build a launcher out of wood and PVC then attach small thrusters to 100 arrows and wick them together. After all this was made in the 15th century, so it is pretty simple

[@SergeantPsycho]

That's what it looks like to me.

[@bkjeong4302]

The Hwacha was an artillery-type weapon, it was intended to overwhelm the enemy with sheer volume of fire rather than being particularly accurate. Hence why it was fired only at large infantry formations.

[@ElNietoPR]

I’ve watched enough anime to know that any samurai would’ve cut those arrows in half mid-flight!

[@whathell6t]

El Nieto PR Is that a Rurouni Kenshin reference, especially the Eneshi arc?

[@tgmtf5963]

Some arrows even turn into tentacles midflight and find their way into your holes.

[@TheRedRaven_]

Yamato Genskie “NANI!!!??”

[@xotl2780]

In fact the weakest Samurai could still easily chop up those missiles, and be fine.

[@c-light7624]

😂

[@블라블랄라]

The land of Korea has 70% mountains. Old cities and castles are on high ground, so they are very advantageous when defending. There is a reason why ancient korea has excellent artillery technology

[@maosama3695]

Obiwan would be proud of your ancestors.

[@tedwang906]

Rubbish, the culture and technology was spread from ancient China to Korea.

[@furtfurt]

Interesting, had no idea Korea was so mountainous

[@thomasjosh2652]

Yeah, right, so-called superior ancient Korean technologies were all from ancient China... Of course, it's nothing to do with modern CCP, CCP is not China.

[@Lrripper]

@@thomasjosh2652 No true scotsman

[@PhantomSavage]

I had to do a double take when Wolfgang started speaking and Kurzgesagt's voice came out of him.

[@abhisheksah2961]

Yup, I noticed it too.

[@flerbertflubber3842]

I rushed to the comments immediately upon hearing his voice, hoping I wasn’t alone.

[@balagadoo]

I couldn’t believe it was actually him at first lol

[@Silrak50]

The english va is kurzgesagt tho

[@lancelotdulac6076]

I can't stop thinking: was it so hard to repeat the experiment with the baloons IN RANGE this time??

[@korstiaanakse1]

Guess that where all the arrows he had

[@bighands69]

It was a useless weapon.

[@pedropayapa2963]

They said that it was enough to scare the samurais seeing hundreds of arrows raining down on them, so maybe the ballons retreated too. Try making a reasearch on Ben Kei. He died standing protecting his friend. Maybe this was the weapon their enemies used. Ben Kei died laughing and standing still coz none of the arrows hit him.

[@Potato-zu3up]

@@bighands69 well just imagine like a hundred of it. Only using 1 would be pointless :/

[@junhopak8839]

In comparison the arrows and the cart itself was made from a balsa wood (the wood they make bridge models from) It's very light and brittle. The real Hwacha's used better things in everything overall.

[@leoli2450]

Soviets in 1940s: Hey, that ancient weapon is brillant! But what if we replace the arrows... With boom boom stuff?

[@daniellabinjo6046]

That's the first thing I thought about...same concept(and effect)..medieval katyushas

[@thebravegallade731]

@@daniellabinjo6046 ... this is the small version, the small version is just arrows. honestly only effective if you are high uo in a castle and letting gravity do the work, and it still doesn't hurt as much as a regular arrow. the medium one, has explosives on it with a timed fuse. there ias also a two stage one...

[@daniellabinjo6046]

@@thebravegallade731 that's insane however I was referring to the saturation effect on the target even if less deadly it's still no less dangerous and still has the same psychological effects

[@hiban751]

MOAR DAKKA!!!

[@abdulhamid2369]

The birth of katyusha😆

[@PANZERFAUST90]

Now imagine a hundred of those launchers....

[@101jir]

Or you could get, idk, 200 actual archers that are likely to hit at least one target each in the same time with the same resources or less.

[@burningpipe2627]

@@101jir But then that would mean paying multiple times in wages for men who can only fire one arrow at a time. Or, you can have those same number of men on the field actually fighting while thousands of arrows (generally laced with poison) immediately rain down on the enemy, completely crippling enemy morale and rousing great confusion as to the actual number of enemies.

[@101jir]

@@burningpipe2627 That is a fair point, and to contribute further to your point, I forgot how extremely corrupt Korea was at the time, so funds were probably at a premium. As far as raw materials it would be no where near as efficient, but now that you mention it I agree that it would be economically far more efficient.

[@hzhang1228]

@@101jir only actual history shows that these weapons allowed a much smaller army to repell much larger forces. 200 archers worth of man power would operate 200 machines holding 20000 arrows. The top portion can be removed and reloaded with a new one that is already loaded with arrows. Like modern artillery they are not used to hit apples but enemy positions. Plus they are the weapons of a more advanced society. For example a skilled mongol archer trains from a young age to adulthood and learns to maintain his bow. While the mass produced crossbow comes off of assembly lines with interchangeable parts and only takes a week to train. Allowing a nation to move away from a military state while also rally large forces quickly without maintaining a large standing army.

[@101jir]

@@hzhang1228 " The top portion can be removed and reloaded with a new one that is already loaded with arrows" Ah, well that's an important distinction! Good to know, I was operating under the understanding that each arrow would be loaded individually.

[@eks0128]

'Hwacha' has a record of actual battles inflicting great damage against Japanese troops in the 1593 battle called Haengju Daecheop. The reason why the Hwacha was much more damaging is that the Joseon army used 16th-century blasting bombs and cannons together. When the enemy's row and shield are broken with a cannon, it is a method of subduing a large number of enemies with a massive fire of a Hwacha and a Korean-style bow. In this way, the Chosun army defeated three times more enemies and was able to retake Seoul.

[@cucklepuffyao5842]

Were they used in Busan? I’d think that it would have been very destructive in a well fortified place like Busan.

[@eks0128]

@@cucklepuffyao5842 At the time of the Japanese Invasion of Korea, Busan was the stronghold of the Japanese army, but it was never attacked from land except by Admiral Yi Sun-sin from the sea. In addition, the 'hwacha' is fatal to humans, but attacking the fortress was much more powerful because other cannons were so developed.

[@cucklepuffyao5842]

@@eks0128 I meant, before the Japanese took Busan. Surely, due to the rising tensions, they would’ve been at the ready?

[@eks0128]

@@cucklepuffyao5842 The military system of the Joseon dynasty was a system that conscripted and sent from the central government for fear of local rebellion. Therefore, all powerful weapons such as hwacha were stored in the center, so they could not be used during the first Japanese invasion. that's the sad part.

[@무무명-r3z]

감사합니다. 좋은 역사 알려주셔서..

[@Катюша-ш8о]

Katyusha: who are you? Hwacha: i'm you, but i fight the Japanese

[@DoctorDeath147]

Katyusha were also used against Japanese in Manchuria.

[@Simon-dc2gr]

No Товарищ Катюша, it is WE, only at a different time.

[@user-ok9lm3fj5l]

@@Simon-dc2gr Soviet meme. LOL

[@user-ok9lm3fj5l]

@@Simon-dc2gr Oops, Soviet wewe, I mean.

[@houstonhelicoptertours1006]

Its psychological impact outweighs its effectiveness.

[@wellthatwasdaft]

That was the case for pretty much anything in ancient warfare: arrows were as much a means of pinning down or disrupting enemy infantry formations as they were a mechanism of actually thinning their numbers. Likewise, infantry clashes and even cavalry charges often saw relatively few casualties; most soldiers were content to hide behind their shields or at spear's length and simply defend themselves. The main killing started once one side broke the other through the psychological impact of, say, a cavalry charge in the rear of an already-engaged infantry formation. Fleeing men can't fight as well as ones standing in disciplined groups, so they die.

[@HardSmartfuxu]

Sooo... it is effective then?

[@Chironex_Fleckeri]

Uh, duh? That's the point of the weapon.

[@7shelties]

Agreed! I would like to see a test of the penetrating power of the arrows fired by this thing. Maybe the test would surprise me. Bu at a present I doubt it would have been very effective against heavily armored samurai. Against formations of conventional, lightly armored troops I could see it working fairly well though. Plus, how long would it take to reload?

[@oo-bl5kx]

It looks like if it was closer it would've worked

[@felixcat9318]

Wait till the advancing enemy get closer then fire the rocket propelled arrows horizontally into their ranks.

[@lolentsunglakichu4142]

There is shield to protect

[@felixcat9318]

@@lolentsunglakichu4142 In the early development of ballistic weaponry, an archer was capable of delivering a greater amount of accurate, sustained lethal fire than anything else on the battlefield! However, it was the blast, flash, smoke and the spectacle of ballistic weapons that had a huge psychological effect on those unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end! Hearing and seeing such weapons being used against them caused fear and panic, with considerable demoralising effects. This would have been magnified if the force had to attack emplacements of these weapons being fired directly at them! Shields couldn't protect against a literal wall of rocket propelled arrows, and the casualties would be considerable, as would the terror, panic and fear. On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the inadvisability of marching one's troops directly into walls of enemy machine gun fire were painfully discovered. Similarly, charging at enemy positions reinforced by machines firing 100 rocket propelled arrows at a time would have produced a similar outcome!

[@benjaminmanning5309]

@@lolentsunglakichu4142 Japanese samurai (Korea's main threat at the time) usually didn't equip themselves with shields. I am curious though if these arrows had enough velocity/force to Pierce samurai armor at medium/long range

[@camper1749]

@@benjaminmanning5309 Japanese infantry used shields.

[@presidentlouis-napoleonbon8889]

@@lolentsunglakichu4142 Shields don't protect everything.

[@TopShotDustin]

Sweet! *looks for old box of bottle rockets and arrows*

[@sleak9783]

IT'S YOU

[@briank8697]

I have been on the receiving end of these, sure they were tipped with explosives and it was in Afghanistan

[@sleak9783]

@@briank8697 the Afghanistanies went back to the sengoku period and let it loose

[@briank8697]

@@sleak9783 when was the last time you were in Afghanistan?

[@sleak9783]

@@briank8697 never y?

[@1원-j5p]

According to medieval records, the weapon was very useful, and soldiers at that time only had 400hwacha in Korea, so the king insisted on installing 100 for each fortress. It was a very useful weapon to recapture Pyongyang from Japan. It is also a weapon that 2,500Korean soldiers blocked 23,000 samurai in the Haengjusan Fortress Defense. Only arrows are fired in the this video, but there is also a version that explodes at the target with gunpowder. The power is similar to the current grenade. The range was between 400m~600m. However, due to the high cost, it was later eliminated by the development of artillery guns with a range of more than 1 km. Experts believe that the transitional invention and power of the gunpowder age were very clear.

[@ryanwang4280]

You are right. Gun powder was very expensive material 500 years ago. It was same in Europe too.

[@mnomadvfx]

@@ryanwang4280 It would have been less so in Korea considering gunpowder originated first in Asia. They would already have it in usable quantities long before Europeans even knew that it existed.

[@누누-n2e]

​@@mnomadvfx It was hard to get it in Korea because there were no materials for the gunpowder. Because Korea had superior gunpowder weapons technology than China and Japan, China never sold gunpowder to Korea and korea had a bad relationship with Japan.

[@BestMods168]

don't forget, corruption was rampant during many times in later korean history.@@누누-n2e

[@simonphoenix3789]

@@mnomadvfx The fact that it originated in asia doesn't mean it will be cheaper there. In Europe there was an industry to supply massive amounts of it, and it was still expensive because of the process required to produce the saltpeter and the danger of mixing it together so it burned as fast as possible. And you can't just store away gunpowder and expect it to be usable decades down the line. Plus the formula for it evolved over time, and a lot of the early stuff used in asia wasn't as powerful. The biggest impediment to making lots of gunpowder was the acquisition of saltpeter, and it got bad enough that there were instances of people digging up soil from outhouses in order to make the stuff.

[@kether1]

About 550 years ago, South Korea has a record of making and using a large missile with a timed-explosive warhead. They studied ballistics to ensure that the warhead flies correctly. Also, some were designed to explode after impact.

[@CannibaLouiST]

korea was a single kingdom 550 years ago

[@stevenbaksh5545]

It was just Korea back then meaning all lands in North and South Korea today was one kingdom back then

[@mkim721]

'Hwacha' means 'fire vehicle' in korean. Only referring to the fire pad which the 100 rocket arrows were fired from. These vehicles were used in numerous different ways with different weapons that could be mounted onto this vehicle. Even including the role as an medival era 'tank' where they barricaded the outside and placed hand cannons to fire on all 4 directions. Those rocket arrows are called 'Shin-Gi-Jeon', a small one to be more specific. There were large variations which would actually explode on impact as well. While the accuracy may look horrible, you have to keep in mind that this was fired off by some random modern day German historian rather than the actual military technician of that era. You wouldn't call your proud m16 an 'epic fail' of a weapon just because someone from ancient Rome fired without properly mounting the rifle and missing the target right infront of them. As the documentary has suggested, this had huge role in breaking enemy morale. Historic records also states arrows firing on them with gunpowder firing off everywhere would cause panic and rout the enemies. However, this weapon was still seen as being quite wasteful of precicious gun powders and therefore was used more for the role of signalling instead, firing single arrows at a time.

[@burningpipe2627]

The dynamics of a modern rifle is fundamentally different from arrows propelled by ignition. You can even aim a catapult, but there are intrinsic limitations in trying to aim a weapon like this and hit accurately. What alterations of behavior or management could possibly improve the accuracy to a significant degree?

[@mkim721]

@@burningpipe2627 That's a good question. Firstly, Hwacha is more similar to the modern day rifle compared to a catapult. That is because this piece of technology is essentially a variation of a cannon adopted for anti-personnel purpose. Then it would make much more sense in thinking that cannon fired by a specialist would be significantly different to untrained individual. Changes that a military specialist for Hwacha and Shin-Gi-Jeom could apply to improve accuracy would be endless. Starting from the ballistics of the weapon. What's the ideal angle of elevation? What distance from the target would be most ideal?These are just simply the beginning of ballistics that would substantially improve accuracy. Also, you have to think about other parts as well. How much gunpowder goes into each arrows? What should the lengths of the fuses be for each arrows? Should all arrows be fired at once? Or be fired in sequence? If should be fired in sequence, What's the most ideal firing rate? These are just few things that I could think of on top of my head and I am no means an engineering or physics expert. I have just studied Korean history in depth during university.

[@user-qv6ej9og4b]

정보추

[@Mrfish-bc9on]

@@burningpipe2627 there were even variant with fixed battery aimed at blank range efficiency. This performed as of grape-round loaded western artillery. For the close range engagements.

[@renaudtheis1197]

M Kim Thank you for your input. Having traveled to Korea and heard of this device i have always been wanting for more information. Hollywood to the contrary, and regarding regular archery, I do not believe in volley fire in a ballistic arch aimed at enemy formation. An arrow doesn't retain enough kinetic energy to do any damage at long range. Now having a rocket strapped to it might change the equation and provide enough velocity to hurt. So do we know for sure that these machines were used on the battlefield? Do we know what kind of tactical situation were they used? Were they effective?

[@MyYouTubeAZ12345]

Medival Age's Katyusha... Great idea

[@FreeManFreeThought]

Similar weapons were used in europe at the time as well. Rocket batteries were also used in naval warfare to set ships sails on fire.

[@SonicSpeedy862]

Land mattress

[@kakakiri2601]

LoL

[@coleparker]

@@kayagorzan Me too. I could see a battery of them.

[@kayagorzan]

@Cole Parker Indeed

[@tlotpwist3417]

Joergsprave: A korean friend rebuilt this medieval weapon for me,let me show you its features HA HA HA

[@homemadeblowgunchannel3967]

he will definitely make a slingshot version of it. Hahaha

[@bryrye4545]

Can you show me ...your, features?

[@gobanito]

More of a psychological terror weapon but probably ineffective against armored soldiers

[@김해여심폭격기]

the arrows where too short. They say that the hwacha used arrows called 'shingijun' and it was more a arrow with a rocket mechanism. there were three types of shingijun and it was the so-shingijun(1103mm),joong-shingijuun(1455mm), and the dae-shingijun(5500mm with an explosive pouch, world's first long range rocket). The arrow used here is probably the so-shinkijun

[@dietreppe9565]

Ballons : Then we will fight in the shade!

[@diegocervantes3629]

“It’s not much but is honest work”

[@soldier3801]

That BMP 1 there just chilling in the back..

[@DonVigaDeFierro]

That's just the backup in case the balloons try to escape.

[@Ko_Reisen]

that bmp1 be vibin doe 😳

[@redacted8872]

@@Ko_Reisen homie is just trynna relieve itself

[@Perifroog]

Ted Hubert Pagnanawon Crusio No it’s a BMP 1 lol

[@slyngn7847]

"This... is a weapon of terror! It's made to... intimidate the enemy!"

[@zorinx6590]

Japan watching this video : i told you to be a inches apart

[@naufaldaffa194]

After repeating shooting with the same distance, this person was frustrated and finally used the tank in the background of the video 😂

[@putatankinamall7168]

Where can i get you profile picture?

[@naufaldaffa194]

@@putatankinamall7168 You can download it in Zerochan that is a wallpaper's website, just type "anime waffen ss"

[@putatankinamall7168]

@@naufaldaffa194 thanks

[@naufaldaffa194]

@@putatankinamall7168 Sure, my friend

[@ginthama4911]

So.. basically katyusha is a hwacha on a massive steroid.

[@theotmt7906]

plus a truck too.

[@Jakewolf69]

It does not take in account of armor worn by soldiers.

[@szaki]

That's what shields are for, against arrows!

[@malikelshabazz3192]

@Kshitij Raj idk about a Windlass crossbow bolt

[@shanphilipbael3696]

@@szaki the Japanese barely used shields at this era

[@elee9056]

extra weight of powder holders would carry enough momentum and they had delayed explosion technology.

[@Dayvit78]

Either they loaded this contraption wrong or you're very right. There was no momentum on those arrows. It wasn't a rain shower, but some light drizzle.

[@General_History]

1:36 hey I didn't expect the Kurzgesagt narrator to be here

[@fungus322]

nice

[@TheB-B88]

Yeah

[@ChickenLiver911]

It’s so accurate it even adjusted for the movement as if the troops were real!

[@armchairwarrior963]

He needs alot more to be effective. That is the point of these things, you group of them raining down arrows etc...

[@Daylon91]

He was just out of range of the balloons. A majority of then landed in front

[@PANZERFAUST90]

a lot*

[@bons244]

Exactly.. You have to simulate real war situation by placing 12 sets of these, that way maybe you may hit a balloon or two.

[@101jir]

@@Daylon91 a majority may have landed in front, but that's a huge spread, some even landed behind.

[@Mightiestboi]

nope. the original hwatcha arrows exploaded after hitting

[@kcgibbs]

Thankfully no balloons were harmed. The balloons were very scared and needed counseling.

[@shanecarubbi7864]

My heart was racing there for a second!

[@theemirofjaffa2266]

Actually I did see a balloon pop. Casualty

[@RightOne1]

😂😂😂😂

[@georgep.burdell7237]

Safe space please

[@bluehorseshoe444]

This is like that scene in Pulp Fiction where the guy runs out of the back room an unloads on Vincent and Jules only to miss every shot

[@wilhelmu]

"Soldiers! This is a secret wunderwaffe you've waited for all war long that will turn the tide of the conflict! Wait....why are you deserting!?"

[@alvin4433]

Hwacha: **exist* accuracy: *y e s*

[@ForeverHollowed]

This weapon was used primarily for large groups charging at you. Problem of this weapon is that it takes time for the fuze to light however for one man. It takes a pull back and release.

[@garymitchell5899]

"Had the enemy placed themselves under the arrows, it's more likely they would have been hit."

[@technodevil153]

I believe my uncle still nags about using this and say 'that's not the samurai way'.

[@drrizzla4557]

Yi Seonggye : Well, time has come to get rid of this balloons invasion Balloons : pfffffsshhhrr

[@redeye8075]

Samurai wouldn’t have run away, they believed that going into battle determined to die and you will survive, go into battle hoping to live and surely you will not. Loyalty and honor were what was most important to them. Just like sangheili.

[@DangeHD]

Loyalty yes, honor no. That whole honor thing is a mindset from the 17th century upwards not when Japan was at war. Samurai switched sides when their side was losing, they were bribed and they sometimes assassinated targets. They did everything they could to survive, there was no honor on the battlefield and in war. They were loyal to their lord but if their lord was weak they betrayed them for their best interest.

[@redeye8075]

I don’t think deadliest warrior was JUST Hollywood

[@동글땡글-w7x]

The Imjin War was a war of aggression by Japan. Japanese feudal lords had their noses and ears cut off for majors. Even in modern times, there are graves on Japanese soil. and Japan They are called the nose tomb and the ear tomb. A war of aggression is not an honorable thing.

[@redeye8075]

@@동글땡글-w7x it depends on what someone believes is honorable, what’s honorable to one person may not be perceived as honorable to another.

[@waylandwarner7727]

I absolutely love the cheap sound effects.

[@theaverageblueberry]

I love the fact that there's a tank, just standing there

[@hiimryan2388]

Gotta use anti hwacha tanks

[@Koruscinematics]

Its apc

[@윤동현-n2f]

@@Koruscinematics A BMP-2 I believe

[@altaccaltacc7652]

not too effective against tanks

[@polyroach2281]

Someone tell me the interpreter sounds like the Kurzgesagt narrator.

[@headflap7569]

That sounds EXACTLY like him!

[@DizzyK1D]

YES

[@dragonslayer3203]

Kurzgesagt is a german channel so this would make sense

[@oneaboveall1895]

Lol

[@noahjordan6761]

I'm pretty sure it is

[@ThisHandleFeatureIsStupid]

It's easy to laugh at the total miss, but it was probably f-ing terrifying in its day. Even in the demo, the view at 0:56 is pretty intimidating! I imagine a few dozen of those bad boys would have no problem routing a large force of medieval attackers.

[@BillDerBerg]

The way to hit advancing targets is to aim low not high because they are moving forward and the projectiles you fire are going over them in an arc. It's physics

[@Jia1337]

Now picture 5 more of them and they're all in range.

[@PANZERFAUST90]

50* lol

[@stephenle-surf9893]

If he had it fifty yards closer 🤔

[@silassheriff7868]

Das ist der Pyrotechniker von Galileo, hallo ihr Deutschen in den Kommentaren XD

[@kaiserchillhelm4457]

Bester mann, meine lieblings Wolfgang Stabe Catchphrases sind: "Wir müssen den Sicherheitsabstand erweitern", "Das hätte Kinder treffen können" und "ALLE ACHTUNG"

[@PANZERFAUST90]

oh hallo 👳🔫👮

[@thefablegamer4109]

Hallo! Wie gehts?

[@silassheriff7868]

Bester Mann der Wolfgang

[@azazzelx]

Pretty good to stall an advancing formation...which is tactically usefull

[@myungkim5703]

Hwa-cha was created mainly to create havoc among the enemy formation charging at you and to disorient the soldiers. The arrows were not shot with enough speed or kinetic energy due to the limited technology of 15th century when the weapon was developed. The kings of the era during which the weapon was developed invested heavily in science and technology. Korean alphabet was created during the same period. Afterwards Korean kings along with the politicians decided to do away with military other than minimal naval force to deal with Japanese pirates. And a very small unit of Calvary patrolling its northern border. Basically Korea didn’t have soldiers. It was more like modern day police force. Even that system was quite corrupt, so it was almost non-existent.

[@Debbiebabe69]

To those complaining this hwatcha is inaccurate, fires arrows too slowly to pierce armour, takes too long to loose its full load, etc... This hwatcha was made by ONE MAN. In his SPARE TIME. Its not even his job to make them. Real hwatchas will have been made by ENTIRE TEAMS, each of who has one job from the day they start work till the day they retire - hwatcha maker - whos fathers and grandfathers before them were also skilled hwatcha makers and passed the knowledge through the generations, and whos entire existence on earth basically revolves around designing and making hwatchas.

[@aterico9063]

It's looks like Minecraft when you put a arrows in dispenser with a red stone..

[@CheseBitez]

it does

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

Now imagine a row of Hwachas instead of a a single one... that’s the dangerous part

[@R.O.K.SimGameEnjoyer]

Hwacha is one of shingijeon rockets. It's multiple rocket launcher type. And other one of singijeon's version called "sanhwa-singijeon" was single rocket like congreve but it had 3 rocket propelled explosive charge warhead on it's head. That means sanhwa singijeon was world's first two stage rocket And also world's first explosive charged cluster for war.

[@hertzer2000]

Yeah, they made one on Mythbusters about 13 years ago.

[@Daylon91]

This version is better. Smaller but shoots just as far

[@Who_Am_I_d.i.y.ryanpanana1349]

I got to check that out.

[@zeimarc752]

It's called Hwacha from Korean history.

[@Tommy15670]

@@Daylon91 mythbusters version was better, their hwacha even had more range

[@dynamo3059]

and they made one in korea about 500 years before that, what's your point?

[@warframewarframe5095]

The arrows job was to cause enemy soldiers to “button up” due to the THREAT of being hit by an arrow not the actual probable chance the arrows going to take out an enemy

[@VictorChooJernLiang]

came here after the latest season of walking dead

[@imabun9969]

Redstone engineer's: *"Give me 10 dispenser's 25 slime block's 25 piston's a bunch of repeater's maybe 5 stacks of redstone and 2 observer's then 100 arrow's and give me an hour!"*

[@NubianRider]

I believe that this weapon would have been devastating to enemy troops on the battlefield. The issue of accuracy is being questioned because of this example but I believe that the example proved just that. The charge alloted to each narrowed would have been carefully calculated for its maximum potential - its killing zone - and as a result, all 100 arrows would have landed in a given area for maximum devastation.

[@Ahria256]

This "test" isn't considering multiple are used at once to make up for the accuracy.

[@larsmunch4536]

"One man can fire hundred arrows with the blink of an eye" - yes, when everthing is prepared in advance, but how long does it take to prepare it?

[@LVCIVSBRVTS]

Actually, you have to prepare more than one cartridge that means you have to prepare everyday for battle. :)

[@miciboo9993]

You go to war prepared

[@konigstiger3252]

Your rifle will only fire if you load your mag

[@michaelweston409]

Reloads we’re quick. The arrows are pre inserted into a box. The box is loaded onto the face of the weapon reloading all 100 in one go.

[@larryalvares1369]

I’m surprised that no one is talking about how the narrator is the same one that voices Kurzgesagt

[@prestonjones1653]

"Officer I will have you know that it is fully legal to own a weapon designed before 1899 without a permit." "Sir this is an artillery piece." "Designed in 1448."

[@fabmulah6277]

This reminds me of... Danger doesn't look for you, you look for it instead, just maintain your current position"

[@saukraya3254]

He should test fire a range first before the full salvo.

[@ViktoriousDead]

I can’t imagine these being effective at all as an actual weapon, but more of a physiological warfare. Those arrows have such little velocity no way they were penetrating armor

[@SuperSaiyanD48]

It was pretty OP in Ghost of Tsushima. 😆

[@user-jq5bs8ij1u]

Well there were bigger ones it is as tall as a adult human and can fly over 3 km

[@abordwaylong1339]

You wouldn’t think so if one hits you in the face

[@17Trees33]

get 4 of them with more gunpowder and its a bit scarier

[@ViktoriousDead]

@@abordwaylong1339 you could say that about any object, that doesn’t mean it’s an effective weapon

[@aspiealex9710]

Having dozens of these machines just the sound alone would be some pretty effective psychological warfare

[@smacdsmaccers]

"the Hwacha works well" yes, the ground is dead

[@_lordtachanka_2314]

Imagine a battery of those,not just one.

[@Hsnshot]

@@_lordtachanka_2314 u ded

[@averagephonkenjoyer7021]

When you can understand German, but the translator makes it impossible for you to understand xD

[@rikkkardodavid7137]

1:47 “the blink of an eye”. I blinked like 10 times...

[@dhirendratrivedi3705]

this device : *fires 100 arrows at once* mumbo jumbo : pathetic

[@50_cal_enjoyer]

I would say that this was more of an intimidation thing. Seeing THAT many arrows land would have been scary

[@whatsamatta_u]

Every Smithsonian video I have watched, so far, makes me think the experts need to go back to playing with legos and Lincoln logs

[@themartianway]

Don’t be too proud of this technological terror you’ve constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.

[@user-ko3te7oy6d]

The power of the dark side

[@MichaelWilliams-mo1vv]

I'd call that a fail.

[@user-zm5wr2zw2t]

TWD

[@n0denz]

Hwacha is a meme. Anyone that close would be well within arrow range and sitting ducks for archers. And the Japanese weren't fighting in closely-packed formations. They were a mounted archer culture first and foremost until firearms dominated the battlefield. This bottle rocket launcher was someone's little toy.

[@terrykim827]

Everytime I see hwacha "Weapons of the enemy, not samurai" - lord shimura

[@randomworld4662]

The soldier who survive these arrows will say God save them !

[@PANZERFAUST90]

survives* him*

[@digitform2832]

In all honesty, at the speed those arrows were moving, I doubt it would have pierced the amour of the enemy.

[@icynok]

this video isn't showcasing their full capabilities they were used when first introduced.... these were essentially bottle rockets with a pointy tip.... the original ones used gun powder or black powder and were blasted out at a much higher velocity. :)

[@17Trees33]

a lot more gunpowder was used.

[@moonroooof]

Wha-cha was invented in 1448 and it was used in 1593 during the war. 2800 Korean soldiers defeated 30,000 Japanese troop using this weapon. At that time, Korea operated 200 Wha-chas. In addition, 1st Korean rocket was invented in 1377.

[@thecook2260]

The Koreans should’ve just used that BMP-1 to fight off the samurai. If I remember correctly, samurai armor is vulnerable to ATGMs

[@enyboy123]

When youre german and just want the narrator to not disturb that mans beautiful voice

[@briankrebs7534]

Just imagine if you had someone aiming it with and handlebar to the side. Especially ambushing an cavalry charge or supply chain. This thing in fortifications would be unassailable except for the best armored opponent or an organized shield phalanx

[@mr.beanladen1469]

They were mostly used defensively and on fortifications during the imjin wars.

[@maverick740]

To Wolfgang, those Launcher are Nebelwerfer

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

Amazing considering how long ago this technology was being used, I am sure, as with more recent artillery, they would have ranged the enemy before letting off the whole salvo

[@jeffburnham6611]

Good thing they had that tape to make sure the enemy balloons didnt run away in fear.

[@ThePawsketeer]

As a Korean, I’d say these were the 16th century Asian version of the famous Russian Katyusha rockets.

[@elmerjhon9063]

This episode is entitled: how to waste a hundred arrows.

[@gordonadams5891]

Whoa! This is so cool. A draw back is it would likely be a single use weapon. It must take a long time to load.

[@동글땡글-w7x]

Replace only the square box. The arrows are pre-inserted into the rectangular box.

[@makmak]

0:45 What a brave guy that camera man is

[@윤동현-n2f]

Probably a camera just fixed in front of it. Obviously you don’t want to stand in front of a firing weapon.

[@MattnessLP]

Is nobody gonna mention the BMP just casually parked to the side?

[@joejoseph08]

Hiding behind the baloon appears to be the safest place ..🤣🤣

[@rafitohornero3850]

Feel bad for the guy that had to reload that thing.

[@PANZERFAUST90]

I feel worse for the guy who had to assemble all those arrows.

[@snoozing68]

I wonder how much time it would take to reload on a battle field?

[@PANZERFAUST90]

@@snoozing68 Is that a question? lol

[@panzerhuy445]

“Ok, it didn’t work, but I know it DID work!”

[@scottmcintosh4397]

It would be interesting to have the arrows explode at the end of their flight like Black Cat pop-bottle rockets 🚀💥

[@hamzabilal9124]

Tipu Sultan was the first person to imply the method of ballistic missiles with explosion on impact

[@AntVaz7]

People who recognized this weapon because of Anime: Broke People who recognized this weapon because of TABS: *W O K E*

[@SuperSaiyanD48]

Ghost of Tsushima?

[@teccec]

Odds are a practiced warrior from the 15th century would have "tuned" or otherwise have known how to get better control with a barrage.

[@roadkill8098]

I dont think that would be as dangerous as drawing an arrow from a bow.. i think that has a weaker impact against an armored foe .. just my opinion doe from looking at it

[@zeimarc752]

Barrage of arrows will pin down cavalry charges but very less effectives against armoured infantry.

[@georgep.burdell7237]

It takes a lot of training and time for human archers this is a lot more efficient even if not as accurate

[@yerroc9816]

@Abu Troll al cockroachistan propellant*

[@PANZERFAUST90]

@Abu Troll al cockroachistan its* losing*

[@101jir]

@@georgep.burdell7237 This still takes wood, gunpowder, time to build, much higher accident risk, time to setup, time for the fuse,I could go on but I am beating a dead horse. Definitely not more efficient. Probably not useful against cavalry either unless you have a significant height advantage. Very few situations it would be useful at all, mostly if you had it in a castle or something.

[@Bobjoe2143]

Isn’t that the Kurzgesagt narrator doing the voice over for the German guy?

[@KUrisu-hj4uu]

maybe

[@prasannabora7644]

During the time of Mahabharata in India very sophisticated war weapons were developed almost 5000 years ago.

[@PortlyPete]

"they would have likely been decimated" yeah thats why they lost repeatedly