re: History in Pictures is a great twitter feed. Here is one just posted.

quote:

---

Actually this was the sniper rifle of it's day.

---

Hardly. It was the artillery (along with trebuchets) of it's day. Actually akin more to machine guns (heavy weapons) in employment. They were employed to protect flanks from cavalry; or to break up mass formations of troops (a single bolt could impale several armored infantry). Larger versions were used as siege weapons. This is an 'area denial' weapon.

A sniper rifle is utilized as a supporting arm, but it, by definition, singularly targeted. It is used specifically to destroy individual, particular, targets.

Also, the ballista shown is obviously a modern contrivance utilizing modern materials and pieces of modern design.