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[Ampersand]

Slings are deadly in the hands of a novice, certainly. Of course so is a billiards ball in a sock.

[kuro_suna]

Barbs.  *shudders*

Also, Roman javelins were designed to stick into shields as well, so a hit or two would force a foe to bend down, just enough to stab over his defenses and into his head.

At least in Roman times they had doctors that could remove projectiles with barbed or break off heads. In the dark and middle ages they just let the wound fester until enough flesh liquefied to remove them.

[atomicwinter]

Barbs.  *shudders*

Also, Roman javelins were designed to stick into shields as well, so a hit or two would force a foe to bend down, just enough to stab over his defenses and into his head.

At least in Roman times they had doctors that could remove projectiles with barbed or break off heads. In the dark and middle ages they just let the wound fester until enough flesh liquefied to remove them.

If by doctors we are referring to butchers

Oh a history joke! My my quite funny! 

[Rilder]

Also stops people from throwing them back.

Who the hell would throw a javelin back?

I, personally would fall down and cry.

Gaesatae, Gallic warriors drugged to fuck so they can't feel pain, they'd rip the javelin right out their gut and throw it back.

Also they go to battle naked.

[Footkerchief]

Yeah, it was guns that ended the use of full plate. Dudes went back to breastplates, but made of lead, as it was dense enough to stop the shot.

I tried looking this up.  Were you talking about those big lead belt buckles they used in the Civil War?  They look sturdy but I doubt the lead was chosen for its ability to stop bullets -- pound for pound, you'd be much better off with steel.

Gaesatae, Gallic warriors drugged to fuck so they can't feel pain,

Really?  I'm skeptical because claims of this kind have been made throughout history -- hashshashin on cannibis, gangsters on PCP, Somalis on qat -- and usually turn out to be highly exaggerated at best.

[Cthulhu]

The gangsters in PCP is totally true.  My dad has a friend who used to be a cop, big guy, who was literally thrown through the air by a relatively small guy on PCP.

[Footkerchief]

The gangsters in PCP is totally true.  My dad has a friend who used to be a cop, big guy, who was literally thrown through the air by a relatively small guy on PCP.

No offense, but cops (and soldiers) tend to have so much hearsay, exaggeration and fabrication mixed into their anecdotes that it's very hard to take this at face value.  The trope of crazed, unfeeling PCP addicts is so pervasive in law enforcement that any act like the one you described would get attributed to PCP (or crack) no matter what the drug test said.

edit: god, I derailed the crap out of this.  My bad.  I do actually think slinging is really cool and am vaguely inspired to make my own now.

[Hawkfrost]

One of my only happy memories of my dad is when he took me to the park and he taught me how to use a slingshot.
Those things are fun, I want one.

[sonerohi]

Who here has siege engines in their back yard? I've got a ballista with a 4^2ft swiveling base, where each corner has a 2x4 nailed to it that make two triangles which support a dowel rod. The dowel is stuck through a big as hell 5 foot long, foot and a half wide ballista. I've yet to actually measure it out, but this thing can chuck what amounts to short spears from my back yard to my front, which I think is at least an acre, so one side should be some 200 feet.

[Hawkfrost]

Who here has siege engines in their back yard? I've got a ballista with a 4^2ft swiveling base, where each corner has a 2x4 nailed to it that make two triangles which support a dowel rod. The dowel is stuck through a big as hell 5 foot long, foot and a half wide ballista. I've yet to actually measure it out, but this thing can chuck what amounts to short spears from my back yard to my front, which I think is at least an acre, so one side should be some 200 feet.

I had a catapult made from backyard objects (including a hose reel, rope, a long wooden post, and several cinder blocks) that could fire across my backyard, the next house, and into the street beyond. After I put dents in my neighbors roofs I dissembled it.

[Dwarf]

The gangsters in PCP is totally true.  My dad has a friend who used to be a cop, big guy, who was literally thrown through the air by a relatively small guy on PCP.

No offense, but cops (and soldiers) tend to have so much hearsay, exaggeration and fabrication mixed into their anecdotes that it's very hard to take this at face value.  The trope of crazed, unfeeling PCP addicts is so pervasive in law enforcement that any act like the one you described would get attributed to PCP (or crack) no matter what the drug test said.

edit: god, I derailed the crap out of this.  My bad.  I do actually think slinging is really cool and am vaguely inspired to make my own now.

You should, it's good fun. Once you're experienced, you can rain mayhem™ on your foes (or neighbors)