Trebuchet Siege Artillery - Battle Castle with Dan Snow

[@sarahtanner6932]

I would just like to respond to a few of the comments made on this video. I am a member of the siege crew shown here - I'm in the green jacket. 1) The water shot is not fake. The Treb is positioned on the outer keep of Caerphilly Castle and was built to aim into the inner moat. We used to display the engines 5 times a day over bank holiday weekends and our own show days. It was loosed (shot) approximately 40-50 times a year. There is no fire or gunpowder involved which is why we use the term loosed or shot, never fired. The moat was the safest place for the projectile to land which is why CADW had the engine build and aimed in that direction. We had no say as they were built over 30 years ago. 2) We used 10kg balls. Landing the projectile on land rather than water would have produced a small dent in the ground. They are solid shots and non explosive so there would not have been anything to really see even if we had shot it into the ground. 3) As to hitting a wall it would take multiple shots to show the damage. These trebs were designed to hit the same location every time once they were erected. Castle walls were designed to withstand such attacks. Stonemasons were used to both build the castle walls but also to make the treb projectiles to ensure the same weight in each shot. Having shots all the same weight helped to ensure the accuracy of these weapons. 14th Century castles in England & Europe were made in a double skin method, with an inner and outer skin wall, the void in between was filled with rubble. The rubble severed to dissipate the shock wave of the attacking shots, this prevented the walls from blowing apart as seen in Hollywood. 4) The only animals that may/may not have been hurt by the projectile were a few fish. The local birds (swans, geese and ducks) knew where the projectiles would land as it's been happening for a long time and therefore they never ventured near the landing zone. 5) No the kettle helems we wear would not save you from the 2 ton bucket. No amount of armour would. As the operator of the trigger it was always my job to ensure the trigger was on and hold it in position until all engineers had cleared the treb and were out of the danger zone (approx 20ft). I always took this role seriously as I was responsible for my own safety as well as that of at least 6 others. If the trigger was ever to be left unattended and slip all crew could be either crush to death by the bucket or thrown into the lake. In the video there is a shot of a man holding the end of a rope at the back of the machine. He is holding the end of the sling which the other operators use to take the weight of the bucket while the wrench crew wind the arm down. If he didn't hold that rope and something did go wrong the end of that could easily have been caught around someones leg and amputated it as the arm swings round. 6) Trebs were never on wheels although they were the original flat pack item! If they had been on wheels they would have become unstable during use. The forces that drop the buckets and swing the arm would have caused the treb to rock, roll and possible trip over. Trebs on wheels is another Hollywood fantasy. 7) As an experienced team of 8 we were often able to lock, load and loose the treb in 3 minutes on a slow day. We were asked by CADW to slow down the demos to give people the chance to see everything that goes on. The crowds would only be permitted to stand the other side of the old mill, in one shot you might catch a glimpse of a dark wooden bridge, the public had to stay that side during the display but were able to walk around the machines and ask questions between displays. I hope this has helped to dispel some of the comments and myths about trebuchets.

[@FoolishDoug]

Sarah Tanner Is there any effort made into recovering the projectiles in the moat? I would assume not, but you never know unless it's asked. Back in the day of siege weaponry of this type would the crew have bothered to try and catch the arm and bring it back down while it's still swaying? Or just let it do it's thing until it had lost enough momentum to begin locking it back down again?

[@sarahtanner6932]

FoolishDoug For the shots used on the Treb, no there is no recovering them. However they do break down over time to be environmentally friends to the inhabitants of the mout. I am unable to say for sure how a medieval siege crew would react but from our own personal experiences you do not want to be near the sling rope until she settles. You have to bear in mind that at the end of the rope is a very heavy bit of knot work that creates the hoop that slips over the sling point at the tip of the arm. Although our helmets offer little protection from the list of potential injuries they can/have reduced the concussion one could receive from being caught on the head by the end of rope. Normally when we work the Treb ourselves once the trigger has been released the person pulling the trigger would walk backwards out of harm's way but always keeping an eye on the rope. To be fair the Treb only takes a few minutes to load with a good team, so the shoot rate isn't that bad especially when compared to the mangonel which is slow to load and temperamental at best. None are nowhere near as fast as the Perrier which I believe we once managed to lose 9 shots in 60 seconds. I hope this helps answer your questions.

[@FoolishDoug]

Sarah Tanner I wasn't worried about the shot causing environmental problems. I was curious if it would have been worth the cost to try and recover them to reuse. Or if they needed to be cleaned out of the moat periodically. I mean it's just a large rock, there's already plenty of that in the moat anyway. But I don't know the cost involved in making that shot vs recovering it.

[@sarahtanner5367]

RowanBows I can only find this comment asking for a reply. What was your question or comment?

[@Rage639]

Thanks for sharing this information Sarah!

[@PopTartNeko]

FINALLY, a video that actually showed the launching of a 90kg stone projectile across a distance of 300 meters.

[@Johannes4233]

I actually prefer catapults.

[@ryantindall8415]

YES! FINALLY! SOMEONE GETS IT

[@ClemensKindermann]

+Heretic Yes, they are little beasts, though they suffer from self-destructive tendencies ;-)

[@bigcheeseroll284]

Its 10kg as said by a member of the crew in the comments

[@baronprocrastination1722]

r/trebuchetmemes

[@jcb5782]

Imagine just walking around a siege camp, seeing crews about firing these things day and night at the walls of a castle or fortified town. An impressive sight to behold.

[@danieldnbt]

Heave!

[@franciscorosario2709]

Dan: “How about you go over there and catch the projectile” Trebuchet guy: “Absolutely”

[@Dfathurr]

Trebuchet guy : HEAAAAVE

[@ABZ49er]

@@Dfathurr trebuchet guy #2 : HEAAVVVVE

[@80Loke]

Haha😅

[@elblitzb]

"It sucks to own a trebuchet" - no one - (ever in history)

[@2adamast]

The "last" trebuchet was build to compensate a lack of black powder self destroyed at the first attempt. Besides owning a 300m trebuchet when facing 400m slingers is a short lived problem.

[@smokeypillow]

WHY IS MY 95 kilogram stone projectile 300 METERS AWAY? deus vult!

[@cloroxbleach9612]

SmokeyPillow You realise that deus vult means "god wants it"?

[@earfqaukes3450]

It's 90k, get your Trebuchet right, nerd.

[@richardlionerheart1945]

@@cloroxbleach9612 IT MEANS GOD WILLS IT YOU HEATHEN

[@GGuLost1]

@@earfqaukes3450 5 years later, here to say its 10kg

[@bobsagot1163]

in the medieval times these were operated by cave trolls

[@adrians.8723]

too much lord of the rings dude

[@adrians.8723]

too much lord of the rings dude

[@danielpierik7046]

+bob sagot yeah, i read about that too, the lord of the rings ruled in new zealand right? XD

[@DRako1321]

a cave troll?

[@bonnetemile3908]

GamesMaster1321 By

[@evanw2195]

Early artillery was just a bigger version of whatever they had, bow meets ballista, sling meets trebuchet, if it works it works

[@a.t967]

Yep and Cannons and modern artillery are also essentially huge guns.

[@goober-112]

Funny how guns were the opposite. Cannons turned into small hand cannons. just realised that this comment is 4 years old 💀

[@dinoflame9696]

maybe instead of focusing eight cameras on the counterweight, at least ONE could film the projectile being fired? just an idea... otherwise good vid

[@-Kerstin]

The camera angles were great, dude. All eight of them included the projectile What video were you watching?

[@vinceb8041]

@@-Kerstin I suppose the missing shot was one with the entire trebuchet and the range in sight, where one can appreciate how far the projectile flies with reference to the ground. Probably difficult to record in cloudy weather and with non-illuminated projectiles though...

[@-Kerstin]

Haha, I don't even remember leaving that comment. Yeah, an angle that show the full projectile arc from ground level would be cool to see.

[@colinclarke4285]

It's still a fantastic example of human ingenuity

[@marcuswoolley3424]

Roses are red, soda is sold in litres. A trebuchet uses a counterweight to fling a 90kg stone projectile over 300m.

[@boomstick900]

Nice, I would change "soda is sold in" to "soda comes in", seems to flow better. :)

[@yummygoy5138]

Bars

[@fabizio]

Trebuchet, from the Occitanian word Trebuca (south-west of France). Means literally "which causes terror". Many besieged places and towns surrounded just in seeing this powerful weapon, able to break a wall in a single (lucky) shoot.

[@tankythemagnorite9855]

Like when Edward Longshanks brought Warwolf to Stirling Castle, and they surrendered as soon as they saw it. He was so keen to test out the new weapon that he refused to accept their surrender or allow anyone to leave or enter the castle until he had taken a few shots at it.

[@SirZorgulon]

Trebuchets like these were most useful against the upper levels of defensive structures where they could damage parapets, machicolations and towers to protect the besieging army from archers. Only the largest trebuchets really stood a chance of damaging the wall itself, and even then a full breach was unlikely. It would take a couple of centuries more and the introduction of the bombard before walls could be reliably breached by artillery. Prior to this either scaling the wall with ladders or towers, or undermining it with sappers was the most effective means of assaulting a castle. But in most sieges the castle would have to be forced to surrender or gates could be opened by enemy agents inside the walls.

[@codyking4848]

There are plenty of recorded instances of trebuchets and mangonels breaching walls. Not sure what you are on about.

[@kaoshjerte]

Roses are red Water comes in litres A trebuchet can launch a 90 kilo stone 300 metres

[@penzalo4119]

roses are red violets are blue you go to a pizzaria you come back with a gonorrhea

[@joksizantos7520]

Roses are red Orange is orange If i have those trebuchet I would bring back the stone age

[@30AndHatingIt]

roses are red violets are blue just shit my pants now I smell poo

[@coolguy02536]

*A trebuchet can launch a stone 300 metres seriously, can't neglect the syllables

[@viggo8213]

Roses are red People have eyes That statement isnt true It depends on the size

[@easygoing2479]

It's amazing how much work went into firing that thing. I can't imagine back in WW2 how those guys on the Bismarck and the HMS Hood did it.

[@kaycey7361]

Bismark put Hood to its proper place. huge respect for german navy. They crippled Britain that lead to de colonisation of many African and Asian nations after ww2

[@corentin.6624]

Absolutly

[@gadogadomarkesot7747]

the sound reminds me to stronghold crusader game.

[@RealCrusadesHistory]

What were some of the daily problems facing the commander of a castle defending against a siege? What would have been some of the daily annoyances, glitches, and issues that he would have had to deal with in his duties of maintaining the defense?

[@VT-mw2zb]

Food, water, hygiene, disease and morale. And where to dump the corpse of the poor bastard who took an arrow in the face.

[@Riley-xg6yy]

Real Crusades History I really like your channel do you want to sub each other I subbed you sub back

[@edie9158]

Logistics is a big one, if you starve before your enemy does than that’s some shoddy work

[@ThisIsAUser-yt4xf]

I now realized i'm watching this perfectly 8 years after this video was posted.

[@JhinDoppelgänger]

Cela est la meileure chose que j'ai jamais vue de ma vie j'adore les effort mis dans cette video et dans le montage

[@exmaarmaca]

I remember building this on AOE2 and not using them correctly, but they looked really cool lol.

[@Trefalas]

counterweight gives me goosebumps

[@HelcaraxeUlairi]

I got to see the beauty last weekend! What a dream. They weren't firing it, but just being in it's presences, wow 😲. Amazing

[@hellohowareyou8295]

It could not even kill single infantryman with shield. Just one arm broken. But in total war game, it is nuclear weapon

[@BlikeNave]

The shot of the projectile landing in the water is the same exact shot from the "Mangonel Siege Artillery" example from the same show and location (different episode). One of them is not what it claims. Played them side by side and they are identical.

[@kaidkyoung4298]

I was thinking, at the same time in East Asia already had black-powder canon

[@deci2723]

but could it throw a 90 kg projectile 300 meters away? Doubt it

[@oussematrabelsi9429]

Those canons were ineffecient

[@anas6-1-9]

Fact: Japan had a technology when they packed the trebuchet so fast that they would start packing the trebuchet after the projectile is launched and finish packing before it hit it's target and the projectile would barely scratch the paint on the target

[@codyking4848]

Fact: this is complete fiction.

[@overratedpancake9034]

@@codyking4848 No, everyone knows japanese castles can research this for only 750 wood and 400 gold.

[@dimitristripakis7364]

After 30 years, has not the woodwork rotten and break ? I see no varnice applied ? What exactly is going on ? Great machine to display, well done.

[@JJefArt]

Incredible !

[@AdrienGirod]

"Absolutely !"

[@donl3248]

The poor fish. 2:35

[@tokareuv]

The sound at 2:10 is very satisfying

[@b-1battledroid674]

Spartans when a 5 years old kid can't kill a bear with their bare hands: 2:13

[@Skittledikk]

Absolutely!

[@yahyagannour8486]

I bet u all of Aoe2 players are having a trance right now

[@guneruribarren2953]

Civilization fans also 😁

[@bwhog]

Thing about these is that if a castle were surrounded, it seems to me that your only weapon against these engines was basically arrows and other light weapons. That is, you could only attack the crew. There is very little within a castle that can destroy a siege engine. So taking one out called for people leaving the castle and sabotaging them. Otherwise, it is basically down to outlasting your attackers.

[@imshadkhan692]

Really really thanks from pakistan. I was searching this video and here I found it.

[@Bufflapierre]

I commented this on the other videos, but does anyone else notice that they use the same camera shot of the rock hitting the moat for all these videos? The mangonel uses the exact same shot and the Perrier uses it again only mirrored.

[@hmad898]

Is it in the same location?

[@bobcobb158]

im more of a siege ram and champion kind of guy myself, but trebs are sick

[@average-i9e]

The superior siege weapon

[@throwing_things7773]

Wow, very impressive!

[@The_DevTato]

dude responds like an oblivion NPC Dan: *asks a question evertime* Trebuchet man: *ABSOLUTLEY*

[@Greenriver842]

Basically is a giant hand with a giant sling, amzing

[@RoninAndrey]

Спасибо за это видео. Оно показывает, что требушеты в том виде, как нам предоставляют, никогда не использовались, и вот почему: 1. Сложность управления под огнем неприятеля 2. Сложность постройки вблизи от замка под огнем противника 3. Сложность доставки строительных материалов под огнем противника (на чем они доставляли этот брус, кстати?) 4. Сложность доставки снарядов в необходимом количестве под огнем противника 5. Сложность создания унифицированных снарядов (для хоть сколько-то приемлемой точности) 6. Непредсказуемая точность, которая зависит от множества параметров, в т.ч. от погодных условий 7. Ничтожность разрушений Резюме: сложная, дорогая, и совершенно бессмысленная конструкция, которая в лучшем случае убьет пару бедолаг, которым этот камень прилетит по голове. Вывод: древние были не идиоты, экономику, логистику и физику отменить нельзя, этого оружия в том виде, как мы его знаем, никогда не было, это фантазия историков.

[@nicholas4436]

The impact shot of the lake is the exact same one they used in the Mangonel one :DD

[@AntiCookieMonster]

I wish one of these videos showed the full flight path of a projectile, preferably captured with a fixed camera angle. It should be possible, even easy, if shooting trebuchet is indeed as repeatable as some claim. It's a real shame they never do that. It would make for much more interesting material, even if range turns out to be underwhelming.

[@AllAmericanGuyExpert]

There are several other videos of them on the tube here with other angles

[@Thor.Jorgensen]

0:48 That helmet is absolutely useless without a padded cloth cap or any padding underneath.

[@TheOldBlackShuckyDog]

I don’t think he’s actually going into battle tho 😂

[@samdumaquis2033]

Great piece of equipment

[@behnamasid]

And it attacks the water and does major damage

[@LH-bq3xo]

I like the vision of the bullet hiting the water few meters away from a walker in the park.

[@itsyuupi]

The voice, the tone... very medieval!

[@arol-main]

Man this looks so cool now imagine back then....

[@TheConfederate1863]

How do you aim such thing? Did they build one for each siege or transported it ?

[@oscarlangdon4080]

But how far can it launch a stone projectile of 90kg?

[@dankmemer2904]

Oscar Langdon over 300 meters?

[@DerSpartaner]

I want that in my garden... ^^

[@theangrycheeto]

Absolutely.. -HEAVE!

[@SiPabloPuede]

this is amazing!

[@cnon.]

One end of the two lengths of rope is not permanently attached, it goes around a pin and flies off at apex, opening the weave for the projectile to fly free. This pin is also how the device is calibrated. Sucks they had a million cameras for the release and all the angles were dumb.

[@miguelsims]

ABSOLUTELY

[@viktorszamko3739]

hy!its beautiful video...and show the real siege power...i need information about the opener "button"...cheers

[@Gryphon1-1]

This made me happy.

[@whynotanyting]

"Jolly good observation there Dan- HEAVE!!!"

[@wedgeantilles1498]

*ABSOLUTELY, HEAVE!*

[@martinmatin7112]

Quel ingenieux système de contrepoids !

[@JFBD1999]

I live a few hundred meters from Caerphilly Castle and the best thing about the castle is the trebuchets and the pokemon go spots.

[@pokerandphilosophy8328]

This video would have attracted at least 50% more views if they had used the trebuchet to demolish the actual medieval castle in the background.

[@maxh6979]

im sure felix watched this like 20 times

[@BoJangles3105]

The set up in this video shows the secondary application of the Trebuchet, i.e. slinging things over castle walls like rotting corpses, incendiaries etc. in a parabola (arc). It's prime delivery method is linear and could smash a castles walls quite easily. Only the inventor who must have been a genius, together with the Gynours (the operators) understood how to set up and apply both operations. You find many working trebuchets, but nowhere will you find one used in its primary mode. Likewise the setup of the Trebuchet depicted in the video could never produce the primary action. The most famous use of the linear throw was administered by a massive trebuchet named the Warwolf. It was used by King Edward I of England (old Longshanks himself) at Stirling castle and brought a whole section of wall down after only a few casts. Old Longshanks must have been a bit of a kid though as he wanted to see how well it worked, even though Scots had already surrendered. Range, 250 or did he say 350 mtrs. I suggest you multiply that by 8-10.

[@RennieAsh]

People have built large trebuchets and they don't launch projectiles 3km...

[@Seboolek]

How many times do we have to see that launch? Couldn't choose the best shot?

[@edelweiss-]

"biggest siege artillery" laughs in heavy Gustav

[@maksuree]

you know nothing, dan snow.

[@1entertainmentworld]

Nice video.

[@purestyle8857]

That bird at 0:11 almost thought it was a projectile

[@undeadpresident]

What is the mechanism that unslings the projectile on release?

[@aexwor1]

see staff slings

[@undeadpresident]

aexwor1 ty

[@iggysounddesign]

It's amazing !

[@microsoftice6498]

this is so cool!!!!!

[@radinelaj9280]

You should build this amusement near the sea ( at sea shore). You should build it near the sea( at sea shore ),the person who will be launched , will fall into water ,so there is no risk any more

[@UffUffsen]

"lets make a scene where you throw a big ass rock in the lake so it seems we know where the fucking boulder actually went. oh god i hope it didnt hit someone"

[@hmad898]

Trebuchets are designed to hit a specific place every single time they are used without fail. They knew where it went.

[@ROLtheWolf]

All these cameras and you never considered showing the complete arc!

[@VRichardsn]

The trebuchet *heave!* is a compound machine that makes use of the mechanical advantage of a lever *heave!* to throw a projectile. They are typically large constructions (up to 30 meters (100 ft) in height or more) made primarily of wood, usually *heave!* reinforced with metal, leather, rope, and other materials. They are usually immobile *heave!* and must be assembled on-site, possibly making use of local lumber -*heave!* with only key parts brought with the army to the site of the siege or battle. Counterweight trebuchets *heave!* are powered by gravity; potential energy *heave!* is stored by slowly raising an extremely heavy box (typically filled with stones, sand, or lead) attached by a hinged connection *heave!* to the shorter end of the beam, and releasing it on command. Traction trebuchets *heave!* are human powered; on command, men pull ropes *heave!* attached to the shorter end of the trebuchet beam.

[@federalbureauofinvestigati6386]

That’s really cool seeing a trebuchet Being loosed

[@templarknight9888]

Wonderful inovation..

[@mrmacedon]

Cant wait to use these in Mount and Blade Bannerlord 2

[@mrmacedon]

@@dafty4183 away with you vile beggar !

[@szabogergo-bence3669]

Who's here from Age Of Empire 2?

[@ghostasrielgd6297]

me lol

[@colonela7815]

me :D

[@georggross1232]

I'm from Stronghold.

[@junowong6516]

me ;) I use 29mins to imperial age and have one Trebuchet

ME!

[@billy4072]

absolutely.

[@mrt8944]

The terbuchet can be used for a good upper body workout

[@sparkyboi7352]

A superior siege weapon

[@creaakz]

So how do you turn this on?

[@StopFear]

Why didn’t they think of putting a camera in together with the rock so it’d record from the air? Could have wrapped it so it doesn’t break.

[@soldierbreakneck771]

Another beautiful war-machine.

[@WK-yw2me]

Oh my god. Ive been pronouncing Trey-Bucket in my head all my life.

[@Breadman-k6d]

1:43 in contrary to popular belief, trebuchets were not made to 'knock over big walls'. A continued bombardment of a wooden castle wall, which was not that uncommon, might knock it down, but no trebuchet no matter the size, can do any serious or imminent damage to a medieval stone castle wall.

[@hmad898]

You are so wrong. Heres just one of the many examples I can think of. In 1304 King Edward was laying seige to Stirling castle (an almost entirely stone castle, no wood from what I can see). He was using trebuchets but unfortunately for him these particular walls were particularly well built and strong and he was having trouble getting through the walls. So he decided "well let's just built one massive trebuchet!" And ordered his men to make a 6 store trebuchet. The Scots as soon as they saw it under construction surrendered. King Edward didnt care and proceded to "[bring] down the whole wall". This particular trebuchet was called the war wolf for its immense power.

[@anthonyobrian2665]

The cog slips at 1:40 and we see a peasant launched by his hut...

[@Nothyo666]

So rn there in te imperial age I see the castle but we're the town center and siege workshop?

[@renascitur7051]

"Winter is coming" "You know nothing *Dan* Snow"

[@rachellaurence9731]

This is for knocking over big walls isn't it? ABSOLUTELY

[@Iampintwo]

Absolutely

[@panzer263]

Am I the only one thinking about the feelings of that poor duck when that projectile hit the water nearby??

[@shinoobsoman9269]

Wooow, Very nice

[@2adamast]

"the size of a peasant hut" one more to line up in the realm of fantasy size units. Scores 3 twaddles on my own scale of speach

[@ty245245ty245245]

I dont think tin hats will save u fom a 2 ton counter weight

[@Fuzato15]

Tyler Maude but will save you from a axe blow to your head.

[@affectionatepunch]

@@Fuzato15 you are 4 years late why bother

[@Fuzato15]

affectionatepunch why not?