Since early medieval times catapults have been used to lay siege to walled cities and fortresses.


Among the most fearful of these siege engines
trebuchet.
early handheld slings to trebuchet
Right HAND OF GOD
LEFT HAND OF GOD
used in the crusades
idea launch a projectile in the air over walls and other defenses from great distances away, almost half a mile
started off small the idea was to hit specific enemy buildings (such as the barracks of food stores) from as far a distance as possible with as large or dangerose a projectile as promossible.