Second Annual Caidan 12th Night

Tabletop Siege Engine Contest

 

Well it’s official, it’s now a tradition, the tabletop siege engine contest will happen again at Caidan12th Night. This contest is designed to challenge and amuse while at the same time keeping the hall and peoples garb clean. THIS IS NOT A FOOD FIGHT! Nor is it any other sort of fight. The idea is to use standardized ammunition to compete for distance and accuracy. This activity will take place outside the main hall. If it is raining we will find some covered open area in which to test these engines. That being said I present the rules below. Also for inspiration I have provided a number of links for web pages about siege engines both large and small alike.

 

This year I hope to see many more entries. That is one reason for the long lead-time of this contest notice. Also, please be aware I am looking for assistance in judging. Below are the rules. There have been a few minor changes from last year, so please read them completely.


1) NO entry shall be used during the inside the Hall. Any entry so used will be removed from competition.


2) Ammunition shall be a standard sized “Jet-Puff” marshmallow


3) No entry shall measure more then 2 feet in any direction or plane.


4) There shall be three prizes. There will be one award each for the most period appearance, longest distance and accuracy. This rule is subject to change if I receive advance noticed that there will be enough entries to divide the distance category into three divisions. One division each, will be created for the general categories of catapults, ballistas and trebuchets.


5) A folding table will be setup, out side the hall, after court. (Most likely it will be a standard six-foot folding table). For the distance and accuracy portions of the contest, the entry may be set anywhere on the table, prior to firing. Only one entry will be on the firing table at a time.

 

6) Any shot during which the siege engine breaks, will be disqualified. No re-shots will be permitted.


7) The marshmallow ammunition may not be altered in any way prior to taking a shot. The contest organizers will provide the marshmallow ammunition.


8) There will be two firing rounds. The first round will determine the distance competition. Each entry will get three shots. The entry that sends a marshmallow the longest distance down range from the table is the winner. All distances will be measured from the table edge.


9) After the distance competition the judges will place a small marker at the short, middle and long distances as determined above. Each entry may take three shots at the marker of their choice (must be declared prior to firing). The entry that lands a marshmallow closest to their declared marker will be the winner.


10) For the most period appearance contest, the entries must have been used in the prior two contests to determine that they are functional models.


11) A display area for the entries will be arranged with the site autocrat.


12) Judges will be recruited from the assembled Laurels and any assembled members of the Caidan Royal Artillery Corp (CRAC) that are not competing.


13) Each judge will receive one vote. If a tie results, those entries involved will be judged again by the entire judging staff. If the tie is not
broken, then the tie score will stand.


14) Documentation is not required. However, documentation may be used to justify a period design to the judges.





A table top siege engine named Cheese Chucker
http://members.iinet.net.au/~rmine/cheese.html
Which is part of the larger Grey Company siege engine site
http://members.iinet.net.au/~rmine/gctrebs.html

The Trebuchet Resource site
http://trebuchet.com/

PBS and Nova's Trebuchet Page
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/

Virginia Military Institute builds a Trebuchet
http://www.tfguild.org/treb.html

On this set of pages, skip the fun plans and go straight to the tricky
ones. Unless you like building things with spoons and Popsicle sticks.
http://www.schamp.net/andy/

Plans taken from Eric W. Marsden's Greek & Roman Artillery.
http://198.144.2.125/Siege/Blueprints.htm


Well there you have it. Have fun and I look forward to seeing lots of cool toys come 12th Night

Njall Olaf Hagerson
(mad toy maker)