Slingers, split from the 'Weapons' thread Options

[Pantagathus]

I considered starting a new thread on this but didn't think it would last long so I placed it in the 'Weapons' thread. However, even there it seemed DOA so here I am, again giving the subject it's own home...

We often overlook the Slingers!

They were usually a small portion of auxillaries (~1000 men) in various armies but were important enough that many generals went out of their way (most notably the Balearics) to recruit them. Hannibal employed them, Caesar employed them, Cyrus the Great, Pompey, etc...

Great article:
The Use of The Sling Among The Ancients - Walter Hawkins

It would have been a skill that I personally would have liked to have mastered (as a back up of course)

[Virgil61]

What battle did Alexander the Great fight where he moved his cavalry laterally hiding a few hundred slingers following alongside them and was shadowed by the Persian cavalry? He suddenly made a charge into the rear flank of the Persian foot exposing the slingers who unloaded on the Persian cavalry to prevent their pursuit.

Slingers firing individually could be an big irritant but doing so in mass--several hundred small missiles coming at you at high velocity--must've been hell.

This post has been edited by Virgil61: Dec 22 2005, 01:18 PM

[Pantagathus]

What battle did Alexander the Great fight where he moved his cavalry laterally hiding a few hundred slingers following alongside them and was shadowed by the Persian cavalry? He suddenly made a charge into the rear flank of the Persian foot exposing the slingers who unloaded on the Persian cavalry to prevent their pursuit.

Slingers firing individually could be an big irritant but doing so in mass--several hundred small missiles coming at you at high velocity--must've been hell.

I'm not sure what battle that was Virgil. It's been a while since I brushed up on my Alexander campains.

Depending on how good the slinger was, I would venture to say they were more than a mere irritant. Balerics were said to be able to hit where ever they wished. I can imagine getting struck by a high velocity, sharp, almond shaped stone in the face or eye was not very fun. Debilitating is probably a more appropriate term...

This post has been edited by Pantagathus: Dec 22 2005, 02:09 PM

[Favonius Corneli...]

Were they really diamond shaped? Every slingstone I have seen is oval. I always imagined this was so because sharp edges would cause the flight pattern of the stone to become erratic and this aiming would be much harder. The only exception I have seen are ballista shot, and some of those seemed to have a little crest used to guide the rock across the firing chamber.

Slingers have considerable advantage over archers in that you need less strength to use and ammo is always plentiful! Equal skill is needed however, I've tried many times to use a sling and I still can't get it right.

Interesting to note that many rocks found at sites have little things like 'take this!' etched into the rock.

[Lost_Warrior]

I would manage to hit myself in the head with the sling. I can't even figure out how it works

[Favonius Corneli...]

I would manage to hit myself in the head with the sling. I can't even figure out how it works

Oh ya...I've done that too don't worry LOL

You spin it around, either your head or by your side whatever your style is. I think the trick is the release. I have been able to get rocks to fly well, but never straight. I imagine maybe you need to release just before on its spinning path, or have some way to hold the sling itself such that the sling opens up smooth and does not inhibit the rock's path as it leaves. I'm sure there is a book out there somewhere on this but I've never investigated that far.

[Lost_Warrior]

How do you "release" without letting go of the whole thing?

[Tobias]

How do you "release" without letting go of the whole thing?

It's not easy; i believe it is a kind of a flick of the wrist or arm that causes the missile to leave the sling uninhibited. It'd take a fair bit of practice to perfect, but once the action was honed, the slingers would become very deadly for their speed and accuracy.

[FLavius Valerius...]

Well I saw a history channel documentary on slingers based on David and Goliath. Well I have to saw, those watermelons simply were pummeled and destroyed. They even made considerable dents or damages to metal.

[Zeke]

I could never understand why the Romans didn't develope archers more instead of slingers...

Zeke

[longbow]

Slings are very cheap and most of the mediterranean populace widely used them from childhood,so you have a good recruitment of slingers.Archers weaponry is more expensive to produce(especially the ammunition),but the slingers are just as effective,so you dont gain much by recruiting/training Archers.Of course,it doesnt hurt to recruit Archers for Auxillia units,from peoples who are allready adept at using the bow.
L

[Lost_Warrior]

Makes sense. Also, once an archer is out of arrows,he's done. A slinger can pick up a rock, or even a nut from the ground. Slingers are almost never out of ammo.

This post has been edited by Lost_Warrior: Dec 24 2005, 08:45 PM

[Centurion Legion...]

Slingers were deadly to military units, unprotected by a shield or armor. Slingers were very affective against calvary, and the battle where, Alexander moved his slinger behind his calvary, while moving laterally. When ready Alexander broke off with his calvary, and his slinger made sort work of the persian calvary and infantry in range.

[M. Porcius Cato]

Were slingers used against the Macedonian phalanx too?

[Centurion Legion...]

I do not believe that the Parthians used slings against the Macedonians. I think the Parthians had archers, lots of them.