balls of fire

[PROMETHEUS ts]

Just a question , I can't seem to remember any episode in history where those balls of fure were mentioned or used ... I am not saying are unhistorical or that they are but I just can't remember any references , perhaps someone can throw some light thanks?

[breenma]

To my knolagethere has been no evidence that they were used, but they were seen in the movie Centurion.

[Shek93]

Also in the movie of Troy

[TheTank]

I think they are from hollywood.
They are in Brat Pits Troy movie....

[PROMETHEUS ts]

the oneI remember are the fire logs of the Spartacus movie ...

[Adreno]

yeah centurion had them, and honestly theyre not all that farfetched at all, something like this could have easily existed.. as long as theyre keeping them to ambushes its fine with me

[oneah]

Yes, gigantic balls of fire are pretty much a Hollywood thing. Honestly I wouldn't mind so much if not for their ridiculous size, can you even imagine what it would be like to carry things of that size around? I can accept the gigantic ballistas because those actually existed but they were extremely rare, the smaller variations had far more use.

The only episodes of fire balls being used would be in sieges. It would actually be pretty cool if you had tar jars being catapulted into enemy lines and then use decent sized fireballs to roll down and create havoc.

[Efix]

Yes, gigantic balls of fire are pretty much a Hollywood thing. Honestly I wouldn't mind so much if not for their ridiculous size, can you even imagine what it would be like to carry things of that size around? I can accept the gigantic ballistas because those actually existed but they were extremely rare, the smaller variations had far more use.

The only episodes of fire balls being used would be in sieges. It would actually be pretty cool if you had tar jars being catapulted into enemy lines and then use decent sized fireballs to roll down and create havoc.

100 % Hollywood invention no roman or any other ancient civilizations have ever use gigantic flame balls in that way for obvious reasons
They used to catapult them in cities to start fire tho

[KR153]

100 % Hollywood invention no roman or any other ancient civilizations have ever use gigantic flame balls in that way for obvious reasons
They used to catapult them in cities to start fire tho

Awesome, another super expert in ancient history! Now, as you seem to know everything, would you mind to enlighten us? What are those "obvious reasons"? That they are heavy? There was an ancient technique which was called "rolling" and by doing this "rolling" heavy but round objects can be transferred from A to B. In parts of the world that technique is still used today.
And if you happen to live in a forest area there´s plenty of material laying around so the only thing you need to bring is something like oil. I don´t see the problem. Furthermore, it is effective as hell, so I am pretty sure (yes, only "pretty sure") that they were used in one or another way on different versions and occasions in the ancient world.

[Dan113112]

Awesome, another super expert in ancient history! Now, as you seem to know everything, would you mind to enlighten us? What are those "obvious reasons"? That they are heavy? There was an ancient technique which was called "rolling" and by doing this "rolling" heavy but round objects can be transferred from A to B. In parts of the world that technique is still used today.
And if you happen to live in a forest area there´s plenty of material laying around so the only thing you need to bring is something like oil. I don´t see the problem. Furthermore, it is effective as hell, so I am pretty sure (yes, only "pretty sure") that they were used in one or another way on different versions and occasions in the ancient world.

People seem to think that if they haven't read it then it isn't true. It's kind of a stupid concept. In the case of the fireballs I think CA decided to put them in because they were in some Hollywood movies. I think CA has struck a fine balance between "was it actually done?" and "could it have been done?" I'm am certain there were tactical maneuvers performed in the ancient world that were never recorded.

[RedGuard]

People seem to think that if they haven't read it then it isn't true. It's kind of a stupid concept. In the case of the fireballs I think CA decided to put them in because they were in some Hollywood movies. I think CA has struck a fine balance between "was it actually done?" and "could it have been done?" I'm am certain there were tactical maneuvers performed in the ancient world that were never recorded.

because balls of fire are stupid. Why not use the time and resources wasted on play testing and balancing a unit or tactic that was probably never used, then tell us later on "oh phalanxes are real hard to make" no thier not, but its obvious to everyone where the focus was.

[The Thin Red Line]

People seem to think that if they haven't read it then it isn't true. It's kind of a stupid concept. In the case of the fireballs I think CA decided to put them in because they were in some Hollywood movies. I think CA has struck a fine balance between "was it actually done?" and "could it have been done?" I'm am certain there were tactical maneuvers performed in the ancient world that were never recorded.

^This.

For all those saying it's too Hollywood, Thucydides reports the use of a flamethrower-like device at the siege of Delium in
424 BC.


So, do we know of accounts of flaming balls? Probably not.

Are the feasible? Sure. And that's good enough enough to warrant inclusion in my book.

[oneah]

Awesome, another super expert in ancient history! Now, as you seem to know everything, would you mind to enlighten us? What are those "obvious reasons"? That they are heavy? There was an ancient technique which was called "rolling" and by doing this "rolling" heavy but round objects can be transferred from A to B. In parts of the world that technique is still used today.
And if you happen to live in a forest area there´s plenty of material laying around so the only thing you need to bring is something like oil. I don´t see the problem. Furthermore, it is effective as hell, so I am pretty sure (yes, only "pretty sure") that they were used in one or another way on different versions and occasions in the ancient world.

There's no way of knowing 100% that great balls of fire were never used in a battle, but none has ever been recorded, if they were ever used they likely had very poor performance since if it had been an effective tactic then it would have had been used more often and we would surely have records of it.

Regarding the fact they they are heavy, sure they are round.. but is that exactly good? What if your trying to roll it uphill? An accident and people get killed + the ball rolls all the way down and you gotta do it all over again. What if your trying to roll it downhill? Well.. if you let it go by itself then the likely hood of it getting damaged is pretty big, and accidents again and the fact that its round doesn't help the weight here.

I don't mean to break your enjoyment of playing with them in-game. It has 99% chance to make it into the game and I'll probably find it entertaining the 1st time too. But honestly i hope it doesn't become an actual big factor in battles like it seems to have. It's something you can deploy which means it could potentially exist in many battles.. and if its something you must deal with all the time i'm not gonna like it.

[davieholgate]

100 % Hollywood invention no roman or any other ancient civilizations have ever use gigantic flame balls in that way for obvious reasons
They used to catapult them in cities to start fire tho

Maybe it wasn't a conventional idea, the suebi you seen in the trailer looked pretty 3rd rate.

[eskil]

Why did you resurrect this thread??? I though it was finally over XD

[Darth_Revan]

I remember seeing them in the movie Troy, but that is about it.

[=Vastator=]

Some historical reference about balls of fire:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IjgZGhHrYY

[von stoker]

they were mentioned in a Jerry Lee Lewis song

[MancombSeepgood]

they were mentioned in a Jerry Lee Lewis song

Goodness gracious!

[jamreal18]

I prefer killing enemy with arrows than those firing balls...