Mista Balista - a Modern, Steel and Compoisite, Full Sized, Anc

Mista Ballista is a modern adaptation of a 4,500 year old Greek war machine. Resembling a giant crossbow, the arms of the bow are 30 feet (10 m) tip to tip. With a winch, the bowstring is pulled back 20 feet (6m) with a strength of 3.5 tons. A hydraulic system raises the machine to best firing angle, and the ammo is loosed.

In 60X time lapse, you will see it transformed from 4 tons of steel, folded flat, packed for travel on its integral trailer, to in battery, ready to fire. Then, in real time, see it take out a wall of pallets at 80 yds (75m). with a single 17lb (8kg) stone.

The machine was built from 99.98% (by weight) post consumer recycled materials (aka: scrap steel), fired, and rebuilt by Team Tormentum. It can be seen in action, live at the annual world champion "Punkin Chunkin" event, held in the US state of Deleware.

Background music is a concert recording of a 17th century battle piece "L'homme Arme" (the armed man), arranged for consort of viols and lute, and performed by the Boston based El Dorado Ensemble - Its full of martial calls, battle noises, and assorted heroics.