Note: I have copied this idea off of the Runescape Official Forums (it was written by myself there originally). You can view this suggestion on the Official Forums here: http://[Please Use QuickFind Code].com/c=6c4be568/[Please Use QuickFind Code]?24,25,188,57339023,goto,1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This thread will discuss the possible implementation of a ballista into the mini-game Castle Wars.

 

 

 

Firstly, to understand this suggestion, it is important to know what a ballista is. Ballistas are essentially massive crossbows mounted on the ground that fire large projectiles such as giant steel "arrows". Ballistas were often used in the medieval times for large battles.

 

 

 

So how would a ballista tie in with Castle Wars? Well, it's quite simple really - the introduction of a ballista into castle wars would introduce a new and exciting dimension to the mini-game, changing it forever!

 

 

 

Ok, so how would said ballista work, and what would it do? The ballista would fire a giant steel "arrow" across the battlefield. The "arrow" could be obtained from a table on the first floor of either castles where all of the other Castle Wars supplies currently are. However, because this "arrow" is so large, it is only possible for a player to carry one at a time. In order to fire this "arrow", the ballista would have to be both loaded and have its firing mechanism wound tight. The ballista would be a 2-player operated machine. One player would be in charge of aiming and shooting the massive steel "arrows", while the second player would be in charge of reloading the ballista and winding the firing mechanism. The higher the ranged level of the player firing the ballista, the more accurate the projectile would be. The higher the strength level of the player winding the firing mechanism, the more damage the projectile would do if it made contact with its intended target. So what would be its intended target? The enemies' castle walls! Each ballista successfully fired into a section of the enemies' castle wall would cause that section of the wall to crumble slightly. If enough "arrows" were shot into a section of wall, that piece of the wall would collapse completely, at which point players on both teams could climb up and over the destroyed wall.

 

 

 

Ok, great. So we have a bunch of destroyed walls...what now? Well, if you can destroy something than you have to be able to repair it, right? A whopping 3 more supplies tables would have to be added to the supply rooms in each castle to serve the purpose of providing supplies for repairing damaged castle walls. One table would contain hammers, another would have swamp paste, and a third would have stone blocks. The overall status of the castle wall would also be displayed in the lower-left hand corner along with the status of all of your other team's assets, such as the door strength and catapult functionality (or lack there of). At any time, it would be possible for a player to gather some stone blocks, swamp paste, and a hammer and go repair their castle walls. However, if at one some point in the game a wall becomes extremely damaged, it will become impossible to walk across from on top of the wall (if you took the stairs up onto the wall but there was a damaged section cutting the wall into two halves, you couldn't get across to the other side by walking along the wall). However, ropes could still be thrown up onto the wall to create new points of entry onto your castle's wall even if sections of it are damaged.

 

 

 

Another impact of the ballista's missile would be on player's health. If a player was too close the the point of impact of the ballista (for example, if they were standing on the section of wall that the missile hit, or if they were running past the wall as the missile hit) pieces of shrapnel (stone shards) would deal damage to them. However, this could happen to both allied and enemy players, so be careful! The closer a player is to the site of impact of the missile, the more damage they will take form the impact of the missile.

 

 

 

Like the catapult, the ballista would be made out of an extremely flammable material: wood. It would be possible for the ballista to be destroyed by an enemy either using explosive potions on it or by using a tinderbox on it. Again, like the catapult, the ballista can be easily repaired by a player using toolbox on it to repair the ballista. Keep in mind that, while the ballista would do a great deal of damage to the enemy, it takes a long time to reload and fire, and is therefor vulnerable to attack for long periods of time!

 

 

 

The ballista would also open the door for new Castle Wars reward items that would help with either increased winding ability of the firing mechanism (for increased damage upon impact), as well as a device to increase accuracy when firing the ballista so as to hit your intended target more often.

 

 

 

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Credits:

 

 

 

Magib1 (for the idea of the ballista)

 

 

 

Breakfastguy (for all his ideas on the uses, effects, and possibilities of the ballista)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporters:

 

 

 

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AS an avid castle wars player, I have to say I really don't enjoy this idea. Destroying the doors leave you enough room to move an army. This is runescape, hundreds of people can stand in a single space. Newton's laws do not apply.

 

Just seems kinda pointless.

also, i think that ballista's were mainly used as anti-personnel, and not as heavy duty wallbreaker.

Seems kinda interesting. I support.

Catapults are used for mainly walls, ballistas were mostly anti people. Maybe add something to make this make more sense, like there are some towers that magers and rangers can sit it, and can shoot further from, but ballistas can destroy.