DeletedUser25825
Sir Beval stood near his catapults and looked at the yet unblemished exterior wall of the fortification. He raised his hand, causing the captain of each team to start shouting at his two-man drawing crew to start turning the windlasses, drawing the arms of the catapults back. As they were drawn back to capacity, a third man stepped forward to set the stop in the release mechanism. The captains then yelled at their loading team to fill the baskets to the rim with fist sized stones. Calls of "Ready my lord!" were yelled out. Sir Beval watched the wall, not bothering to look at his veteran crews, until he heard no more from any of the teams. He raised his arm slightly more, holding up his index finger, and dropped his arm.
One catapult crew captain yelled, "FIRE!" The release was pulled and the wood creaked as the arm thrust upward, slammed into the cross beam and scores of stones sailed up into the air. Sir Beval watched their trajectory carefully, and frowned as they all smashed harmlessly against the bottom of the wall. He shouted, "Pitch up seven degrees!" That crew captain relayed his order by shouting, "You heard Sir Beval you dogs! Up seven! Move it, move it!" The crew of that catapult began scurrying to ramp the catapult upward.
Sir Beval ignored the efforts of that crew as he raised his hand again, holding up his pinkie finger. He dropped his hand and a different crew captain yelled, "FIRE!" Again, the creak of wood and slam resounded across the hill top, and the stones were hurled at the wall. Sir Beval watched them fall short by twenty or so meters of the south entrance of the outer wall. Sir Beval nodded and yelled out, "Crews three through five, same trajectory as second crew. Space your zones by thirty meters with overlap!" The crew captains began yelling at their men as the King's engineer's orders were carried out.
Four shouts of, "Ready my lord", were called out. Sir Beval held up his hand with all but his index finger extended, and then dropped it. Four catapults launched their pay load outward, and Sir Beval nodded as he watched the hundreds of stones pepper an area 110 meters wide anywhere from twenty to forty meters from the entrance. Sir Beval shouted, "Crews two through four! Darts!" His captains relayed his orders, and the loading teams dumped several bushels of heavy sticks sharpened on both ends into the baskets after they were locked back. These catapults would be held in ready to defend, rather than attack. If people were to come pouring out of the south entrance, the catapults would rain death down upon them.
Sir Beval sent a runner to bring the shield walls to the catapult teams, since they were set. The shield walls were nothing too extravagant. Meant only as cover if enemy archers were to ever get close enough to reach the area he'd set his teams at. It was unlikely, but they were very easy to create and not hard to move if needed elsewhere.
Sir Beval continued down the line of his catapult teams, gauging each team's trajectory and payload. It took several hours, and by twilight, he had a near constant barrage of fist-sized stones and sharpened darts being launched in a manner to skim the top of the south wall. He took sup, and moved to speak with the field marshal concerning his catapults being ready, the status of the trebuchets, and battering ram, and to offer his input on the assault strategy. His specialty was engines of course, and not in troop movements, but he was still useful as he knew the capabilities of his siege teams.
One catapult crew captain yelled, "FIRE!" The release was pulled and the wood creaked as the arm thrust upward, slammed into the cross beam and scores of stones sailed up into the air. Sir Beval watched their trajectory carefully, and frowned as they all smashed harmlessly against the bottom of the wall. He shouted, "Pitch up seven degrees!" That crew captain relayed his order by shouting, "You heard Sir Beval you dogs! Up seven! Move it, move it!" The crew of that catapult began scurrying to ramp the catapult upward.
Sir Beval ignored the efforts of that crew as he raised his hand again, holding up his pinkie finger. He dropped his hand and a different crew captain yelled, "FIRE!" Again, the creak of wood and slam resounded across the hill top, and the stones were hurled at the wall. Sir Beval watched them fall short by twenty or so meters of the south entrance of the outer wall. Sir Beval nodded and yelled out, "Crews three through five, same trajectory as second crew. Space your zones by thirty meters with overlap!" The crew captains began yelling at their men as the King's engineer's orders were carried out.
Four shouts of, "Ready my lord", were called out. Sir Beval held up his hand with all but his index finger extended, and then dropped it. Four catapults launched their pay load outward, and Sir Beval nodded as he watched the hundreds of stones pepper an area 110 meters wide anywhere from twenty to forty meters from the entrance. Sir Beval shouted, "Crews two through four! Darts!" His captains relayed his orders, and the loading teams dumped several bushels of heavy sticks sharpened on both ends into the baskets after they were locked back. These catapults would be held in ready to defend, rather than attack. If people were to come pouring out of the south entrance, the catapults would rain death down upon them.
Sir Beval sent a runner to bring the shield walls to the catapult teams, since they were set. The shield walls were nothing too extravagant. Meant only as cover if enemy archers were to ever get close enough to reach the area he'd set his teams at. It was unlikely, but they were very easy to create and not hard to move if needed elsewhere.
Sir Beval continued down the line of his catapult teams, gauging each team's trajectory and payload. It took several hours, and by twilight, he had a near constant barrage of fist-sized stones and sharpened darts being launched in a manner to skim the top of the south wall. He took sup, and moved to speak with the field marshal concerning his catapults being ready, the status of the trebuchets, and battering ram, and to offer his input on the assault strategy. His specialty was engines of course, and not in troop movements, but he was still useful as he knew the capabilities of his siege teams.
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