The first volume of this series, Medieval Siege, explores medieval warfare of yore. In 1304, Edward I mounted a siege against the Scots at Stirling Castle. As the battle dragged on, he ordered a tremendous new medieval weapon to be made, a "giant seesaw" with one end heavily weighted and the other end fitted with a sling holding a projectile. This medieval weapon, the trebuchet , was nickname Warwolf. Today, there is no physical evidence of these medieval weapons, only a few sketches in old manuscripts. In this episode, a team of medieval warfare experts gathers to try and build a medieval trebuchet, a weapon that could demolish a castle wall from 200 yards away. As they fail and then succeed at their task, we are treated to the experience of the battlefield, the interiors of the castles, and discover how the trebuchet, "the atom bomb" of the 14th century, was a turning point in history. A mixture of science, history, and culture studies, this series is a delightful exploration into the mysteries of centuries long past. --Jenny Brown Read the TrebuchetStore.com review of this video HERE.
 

about how a trebuchet works.

There is no one better to dramatize the  theater of holy war than Wales-born Terry Jones, host of The Discovery Channel's Ancient Inventions and an accomplished medievalist. Best known for his absurdist contributions to all things Monty Python the was a founding member of Monty Python's Flying Circus and co-writer of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, among others Jones wields an uncanny ability to explain the methodologies and madness of the Crusades while not failing us his sense of humor. Jones wrote the scripts for each 50-minute presentation in the four volumes of  The Crusades , which originally aired on The History Channel. His narration is not without an occasional sardonic air, almost of the roll-your-eyes type, which not only lends a skeptical perspective to a frequently misunderstood era in Western Europe, but also quite frequently editorializes the events that occurred between Pope Urban II's call for liberation of Jerusalem from the “infidels” of Islam and the embarrassing moment when officers of the fourth Crusade are conned out of its divine calling by the Venetians. While Jones’s reconnaissance is sometimes oversimplified by casually not mentioning several Crusade sorties after the fourth (there were several, but by the 13th century they had become redolent of ennui and misguided commercial adventure), the technical ingenuity of the production and Jones’s use of anecdote backed by academicians and preserved eyewitness accounts cinches a viewer’s interest. Medieval siege machines are re-created to test their mettle against legends of famous battles, Jones dons real 11th- and 12th-century armor to demonstrate the outlandish appearance of Crusaders in the lands of Mohammed , mosaics come to life with body-painted characters of medieval fable, and computer graphics are deployed to re-create the interior of the great cathedral at Cluny. - Amazon.com

Build your own Golf Ball Trebuchet Catapult with TrebuchetStore.com detailed, easy to follow plans and instructions. When built and tuned, this Trebuchet stands just over 40"  inches tall  in the fired position and will throw a golf ball up to 50 feet Uses common, inexpensive and easy to find building materials, all available at your local home improvement and department stores. Perfect for science projects and instruction, the PVC pipe and fitting design makes assembly a snap. This complete plans package includes a shopping list of materials,  measured drawings for all parts, step-by-step assembly drawings and instructions, as well as firing and tuning instructions.- Publisher  Click Here for more Catapult Plans

Build your own working model medieval trebuchet with TrebuchetStore.com detailed, easy to follow plans and instructions. When built, this beautiful Stirling Trebuchet stands over 32 inches tall in the fired position and will throw a scale projectile up to 80 feet. Engineered with an open counterweight cabinet, the Stirling trebuchet allows you to vary the weight for range and trajectory adjustment. Fire with an empty counterweight for indoor use, or add weight (nuts, bolts, scrap lead, iron or steel, sand, or small rocks) for increased range. Uses common, inexpensive and easy to find building materials, available at your local hardware store or home center. Basic woodworking skills and tools are required, but the straight forward design requires no complicated layout or joinery. Perfect for demonstrating medieval warfare and technology and the physics of leverage and projectile motion. This siege engine plans package includes a complete shopping list of materials,  measured drawings of all parts, step-by-step assembly drawings and instructions, as well as firing and tuning instructions.- Publisher  More Catapult Plans

Build your own Roman Onager  with TrebuchetStore.com detailed, easy to follow plans and instructions. When built, this Roman Onager stands 12"  inches tall  in the fired position and will throw a scale projectile up to 50 feet. The most powerful artillery piece in the Roman arsenal, the Onager took its name from the Persian Wild Ass, because of its powerful "kick" when fired. Perfect for demonstrating Roman Warfare and technology, this easy to build torsion catapult uses common, inexpensive and easy to find building materials, all available at your local home improvement store. This complete plans package includes a shopping list of materials,  measured drawings for all parts, step-by-step assembly drawings and instructions, as well as firing and tuning instructions.- Publisher  Click Here for more Catapult Plans

Build your own Roman Mangonel  with TrebuchetStore.com detailed, easy to follow plans and instructions. When built, this Catapult stands 10"  inches tall  in the fired position and will throw a scale projectile up to 40 feet. The predecessor to the sling equipped Onager , the Mangonel could throw huge stones and clusters of rocks, baked in clay over walls and into enemy fortifications. This easy to build classic catapult model uses common, inexpensive and easy to find building materials, all available at your local home improvement store. This complete plans package includes a shopping list of materials,  measured drawings for all parts, step-by-step assembly drawings and instructions, as well as firing and tuning instructions.- Publisher  Click Here for more Catapult Plans

This slim, colorful book (containing 150 photos and diagrams) offers a good overview of medieval siege warfare. The authors use a fictional battle between the English and French to drive their narrative, but also provide plenty of historical information on how castles were attacked and how they defended themselves. In addition to surveying the weapons, armor, and tactics used, Donnelly and Diehl  include interesting social trivia: Medieval armies that went off to war, for example, usually had a cadre of prostitutes in tow. Readers who hunger for detail will want to go looking elsewhere, but those who want simply a taste of how castles went to war may find their appetite satisfied here. --John J. Miller 

Siege tactics and weaponry are discussed and illustrated. Sieges were far more numerous than pitched battles. Castles controlled the countryside and provided bases from which knights could ride out to attack. Pitched battle was a dangerous gamble which could lead to heavy losses. Henry V won the French crown not by the famous victory at Agincourt, but by the series of sieges which followed. -- Amazon.com

Build your own working model  tabletop trebuchet  with these detailed, easy to follow plans and instructions. Perfect for table top war gaming, or scale up the plans for a larger model. Uses common, inexpensive and easy to find building materials, available at your local hardware, or hobby store. This complete plans package includes a complete list of materials,  measured drawings and full-size templates for all parts, step-by-step assembly drawings and instructions, as well as firing and tuning instructions. - Publisher  Click Here for more Catapult Plans
 

about how a trebuchet works.

It all started when Jim Paul found out he couldn't bring a grapefruit sized piece of two-billion-year-old quartzite onto the plane because, the attendant said, it could be used as a weapon. That's ridiculous, he thought, holding the rock in his hand. Then he realized; at one time, such a rock had been a weapon, and a catapult had launched it. So was born Paul's  idea to build a medieval catapult, exact in every detail., a project he took on with a friend, Harry. The result is chronicled here, in a book that has become a beloved cult favorite. Building a catapult took money, a great deal of time and many sore thumbs. When they were done, they had built a Medieval catapult in a backyard in San Francisco and with it, an entire era in history, as well as a way to understand human society. - Amazon.com

The idea of total war - meaning war waged against a whole people, rather than merely its army - didn't start with bombing raids during the Second World War. Nor did it begin with Sherman's march to the sea. Instead, it dates to the beginning of recorded history itself. "All the characteristics of modern war - the blurring of the line between battlefield and society, the engulfing of women and children in the violence of war, the destruction of society's infrastructure, the uprooting of entire populations - were anticipated in ancient siege warfare," writes author Paul Bentley Kern. This fascinating book begins by describing the theory of siege warfare and its engineering, but focuses mainly on its historical practice from biblical times through the Roman period. Kern shows that besieging fortifications was mainly a technical problem that put warriors on the sidelines. When the problem was solved, however, "the assaulting troops found themselves not on a conventional field of battle opposed by an army but in a maze of streets and buildings opposed by an entire population," writes Kern. "Often they were under orders to sack the city, one of the few circumstances in which military commanders countenanced indiscriminate violence." Kern does not shy away from this uncomfortable fact, and actually focuses on the special plight of women and children: "Their presence threatened the notion of war as a contest between warriors, undermined the conventional standards of honor and prowess that governed ancient warfare, and paradoxically made war less restrained by creating a morally chaotic cityscape in which not only the walls collapsed but deeply rooted social and moral distinctions as well." Ancient Siege Warfare is a masterful book by an author in full command of his compelling subject. --John J. Miller

The prevalence of particular fortress types in medieval China, Mongolia, Japan and Korea demanded the evolution of different modes of siege warfare in each country. The wealthy walled towns of China, the mountain fortresses of Korea and the military outposts of Japan each presented different challenges to besieging forces, and this book reveals the diversity of tactics that were developed to meet these challenges. Most of  the Far Eastern weaponry of this period originated in China, but was adapted to fit the demands of siegecraft across the region and the individual strengths and weaknesses of each piece of machinery are studied here. 
This book is concerned with the machinery of medieval siegecraft as used by Chinese, Mongol, Japanese and Korean armies. Almost all the machinery was initially developed in China, but each country provides its own context into which the siege engines were fitted, and distinctive differences reveal both strengths and weaknesses in the machines themselves, and also raise questions about cultural attitudes to siegecraft and even to the practice of war itself. This, the first volume, deals with the machinery of siege warfare prior to the introduction of gunpowder (though some earlier incendiary weapons are considered). The particular concept of Chinese siegecraft was the fortified town, which was where the wealth of Ancient China was located. Towns and cities were a lure and a target for rebels and raiders alike. These urban centers were reduced by an  impressive array of machinery, including siege crossbows and catapults. In addition to walled towns on the Chinese model, Korea also possessed numerous sansong (mountain fortresses), characterized by a style of castle building that used flat stones to build walls that snaked up and down the contours of a mountain, structures that required different types of machine to conquer. In Japan, fortified places tended to be isolated military outposts rather than walled towns, and their siegecraft was also characterized by a minimal use of large-scale siege weapons. The Mongol influence brought with it many new siege weapons to East Asia, of which the most important was the Muslim counterweighted trebuchet, first used against the Song at the siege of Xiang Yang in 1272. Written by the acknowledged Western expert on Japanese military history, this book is packed with illustrations depicting the machinery of siege warfare before the introduction of gunpowder. -- Osprey Publishing

It's no stretch to claim that catapults are fun. Launch your students into a hands-on application of concepts such as torsion and elasticity as they learn the physics behind overcoming gravity and hurling objects through the air - SAFELY. Along with building a catapult , your students will get the additional benefit of a historical perspective (catapults were once a basic tool of war) as they consider design improvements in the process of  projectile launching. By relating the effects of different force settings to distance projections, you can also introduce your students to the analysis of frequency distributions. -- Amazon.com  Click Here for more Catapult Plans

Build your own Tennis Ball Trebuchet Catapult with these detailed, easy to follow plans and instructions. When built, this trebuchet stands nearly 6 feet tall in the fired position and will throw tennis and racquet balls, as well as small water ballons. Perfect for school science projects, Boff LARPA combat, or just plain fun. Uses common, inexpensive and easy to find building materials, all available at your local home improvement store. Basic woodworking skills and tools are required, but the straight forward design requires no complicated layout or joinery. This complete plans package includes a shopping list of materials,  measured drawings for all parts, step-by-step assembly drawings and instructions, as well as firing and tuning instructions. - Publisher Click Here for more Catapult Plans
 

about how a trebuchet works.

Catapults are ancient weapons that are still quite capable of  inflicting a tremendous amount of damage, but you can actually have a lot of fun with them and even put them to practical use.  Got a field of rocks you want moved?
Author Bill Wilson puts his interest in catapults to work and the result is this handy how-to. Once you have followed the instructions in his book and build your own catapult, you'll wonder  how you managed to get along without one. Contents Include: History and Introduction; Build a Catapult; Build a Ballista; Ammunition and Other Ideas and Resources. Before you know it you'll be entering competitions and talking shop with other ancient weapons enthusiasts. Contacts for these organizations are in the book also. Get Build a Catapult in Your  Backyard today and start building yours tomorrow. - Publisher  Click Here for more Catapult Plans

Siege machinery first appeared in the West during the Carthaginian invasion of Sicily in the late 5th century BC, in the form of siege towers and battering rams. After a 50 year hiatus these weapons of war re-appeared in the Macedonian armies of Philip II and Alexander the Great, a period that saw the height of their development in the Ancient World. The experience of warfare with both the Carthaginians during the later 3rd century BC, and Philip V of Macedon during the early 2nd century BC, finally prompted the introduction of the siege tower and the battering ram to the Roman arsenal. This title traces the development and use of these weapons across the whole of this period. - Publisher

The Medieval era was a period of huge variety and invention in the field of siege warfare. Before the use of cannon and other gunpowder artillery, siege engines relied on assorted sources of power from torsion ‘energy storage’ systems to manpower, counter-balances and others. In the Ancient world the Roman Empire and China had developed quite sophisticated siege warfare methods. The combining of technological traditions from the Greco-Roman world, Persia, India and above all China made a massive contribution to the development of siege techniques. The Islamic world and later the explosion of the Mongol ‘World Empire’ were largely responsible for the ease with which these traditions were brought together. Medieval military engineering was equally inventive in terms of mining, counter-mining, the breaking of walls, the use of noxious and chemical fumes as well as pre-explosive or semi-explosive fire weapons. Such devices were used in both attack and defense during siege warfare, naval warfare and occasionally in open battle. Medieval military theoreticians were similarly fascinated by more complex, and often impractical, military devices which nevertheless contained the seeds of more realistic machines which appeared in later centuries. - Publisher
 

A comprehensive anthology of essays by highly placed British academics (joined by one from West Point) that survey military development in the Middle Ages. Arguing in his introduction that war is central to the narrative political story of the middle ages, Keen (History/Oxford; Chivalry, 1984) has assembled a series of 12 crisply topical essays that consider how warfare became increasingly organized, mechanized, and militarized between 900 and 1500. Keen and his fellow authors make clear that this acceleration of war making was primarily defensive, as the fledgling European societies were regularly besieged by invaders like the Magyars and Vikings. In an attention getting early chapter, H.B. Clark observes that the Vikings derived much of their power from their simultaneously elusive and brutal nature (they combined sophisticated tactics of organized raiding with a knack of attracting poetic tributes to their violence). John Gillinghams An Age of Expansion shows how this defensive pattern underlies the warfare over Saxony and the later colonial wars in Spain, Scotland, and Ireland. And Peter Edburys Warfare in the Latin East examines the defensive motivations of the European campaigns against Muslims ranging from Eastern Europe to Jerusalem, campaigns we remember as the Crusades. Later chapters deal with more tactical matters, exploring how proprietary medieval notions, particularly chivalry, fared in the context of warfare's increasing standardization, and covering the developing range of fortifications, siege tactics, and arms and armor. Following Christopher Allmands unusual survey of War and the Non-Combatant, Keen closes with his own review of the emergence of cannon, gunpowder, and permanent armies as the ultimate developments of medieval militarism. A scrupulously prepared survey that will be invaluable to students and accessible to committed lay readers. (100 b&w illus.) (History Book Club Split Main selection) -- Kirkus Reviews 

The castles of the Medieval world continue to interest readers, both as architectural wonders and because of their dramatic role in world history. The general public is largely unaware of just how many castles survive today or over how wide an area of Europe and the Middle East they are to be found. Fortifications specialists J.E. and H.W. Kaufmann and technical artist Robert Jurga (authors of the acclaimed Fortress Europe: European Fortifications of World War II) have once again combined European sources and personal observations to present a unique portrait of military architecture. They reveal how the medieval fortress combined both Roman and barbarian features, with some influences from as far away as China. Detailed coverage is given to castles in the British Isles, France, Germany, Moorish Spain, and as far east as Poland and Russia, as well as Muslim and Crusader castles in the Middle East. The Medieval Fortress covers the origin and evolution of the castles and other walled defenses, their major components, and the reasons for their eventual decline, which was not solely due to the introduction of gunpowder. Also receiving extensive coverage are the weapons and equipment of garrisons and besieging troops. Over 100 photographs and 400 extraordinarily detailed technical drawings accompany the main text, which also takes an in-depth look at representative castles of each major type. 
-- Amazon.com

Among owner-builders, the traditional timber frame has been held as a pinnacle of achievement for its rich history, unsurpassed beauty, and the sense of accomplishment it can offer. As founder and director of Fox Maple School of  Traditional Building, Steve Chappell, author of A Timber Framer's Workshop, is in a unique position to share the knowledge he's acquired over the past 30 years. The title page says this book has been a work in progress for 15 years. The detail offered in illustrations  and explanations supports that completely. Design and engineering make up a good part of this book but it also includes an essential introduction, a section on tools, wood characteristics, and joint details, among many other subjects. The point is, Chappell's 256 page book should not be overlooked if you are serious about timber framing. 
-- Back Home Magazine, Sept/Oct 1999

A facsimile reprint of The Crossbow published in 1903 by Longmans, Green, and Co. in London. Surveys the history of the crossbow with comparisons to the longbow, short bow and handgun; the construction and management of medieval and modern crossbows; and the ancient and medieval siege engines that stand in evolutionary relation to crossbows as cannons do to rifles. An appendix looks at Turkish and other oriental bows. -- Book News, Inc. 

Ordinary folks can construct 13 awesome ballistic devices in their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple, a match powered rocket to the more complex a scale model, table-top catapult to the offbeat, a tennis ball cannon. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting, explains the physics behind the projects, and profiles scientists and extraordinary experimenters such as Alfred Nobel, Robert Goddard, and Isaac Newton. This book will be indispensable for the legions of  backyard toy rocket launchers and fireworks fanatics who wish every day was the fourth of July. - Amazon.com
 

In his classic book, J. G. Landels describes the technological advances of the Greeks and Romans with erudition and enthusiasm. He provides an important introduction to engineering, writing about power and energy sources, water engineering, cranes, and transportation devises. From aqueducts to catapults, he attempts to envision machines as they may have worked in the ancient world. He then traces the path of knowledge taken by early thinkers including Plato, Pliny, and Archimedes in developing early theories of engineering and physics. -- Amazon.com

From the rise of Greece to the fall of Rome, this superbly illustrated volume is a wonderful account oft he warriors and battles that dominated Europe and the Near East for more than 1,000 years. The story  begins at Troy, drawing upon Homeric legend and modern archaeological evidence. It continues through  Greece's Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, Alexander the Great, Rome's Punic Wars, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, and the barbarian invasions. Although John Warry's text is worth reading, the color drawings of uniforms, equipment, weapons, warships, siege engines, and more are the real highlight and make the chronicle extremely accessible. Warfare in the Classical World will excite both readers who have a mature interest in the period and, although it's not a kids' book, children becoming acquainted with ancient history for the first time. -- Amazon.com

Challenging many common assumptions about the glamour of medieval warfare, this highly readable history recreates the real war experience of thirteenth- and fourteenth century England. Filled with anecdotes and illustrations, it examines how English medieval armies fought, how men were recruited, how the troops were fed, supplied, and deployed, what new weapons were developed, and what structure was set in place for military command. -- Amazon.com

Despite the importance of warfare in the collapse of the Roman Empire, this is the only comprehensive study of the subject available. Hugh Elton discusses the practice of warfare in Europe, from both Roman and barbarian perspectives, in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. He analyzes the military practices and capabilities of the Romans and their northern enemies at political, strategic, operational, and tactical levels, and covers civil wars, sieges, and naval warfare – Amazon.com

Medieval Total War allows players to take control of one of 12 European powers as they attempt to rewrite history through a mixture of epic battles, trade, diplomacy, and resource management. Featuring an incredibly powerful 3-D engine, the game supports real time 3-D battles of more than 10,000 troops and more than 100 unique unit types, including knights, infantry, and siege engines in terrain as varied as deserts, forest, plains, and mountains. Players use authentic battle strategies and tactics as they unleash their forces against medieval castles and mighty fortresses with an arsenal of battlefield weapons including longbows, muskets, cannons, and catapults which can pound castle walls and buildings to rubble. Medieval Total War gives the player the chance to experience the Middle Ages in all their blood soaked magnificence. Battles rage across deserts, mountains, plains and forests. Massive armies lay siege to mighty fortresses and pound them into the dust with catapults, mangonels, trebuchets and cannons.  Players command medieval armies of knights, men-at-arms, archers and siege weapons to make their royal family the masters of Europe. – Developer

Dungeon Siege pushes the envelope of role playing games with fully animated 3D characters, over-the-top battles, intense special effects and awe inspiring vertical landscapes. With true 3D environments, an advanced particle system for spells and dungeons that can extend in three dimensions, Dungeon Siege keeps the player focused on the action by providing tools that simplify party combat and management with a broad array of familiar game controls such as drag select, way points and formations. Players can customize their party to include up to eight characters. There are no rules or restrictions, and the player can have any combination of fighters, archers and magic users. Characters join your party as they journey throughout the world - some are hired, others rescued, and some are brought back from beyond the grave. Lead your party into epic battles against a range of enemies – from marauding hordes to monsters of a scale never before seen in a fantasy role playing game. Dungeon Siege is engaging yet easy to understand, action packed yet easy to control, deep and involving yet quick to learn. The skill based character system plunges you almost immediately into the action, where your skills develop real time. If treasure is more your focus, grab a pack mule or two. Never again worry about passing on that armor you found because you didn't have enough space. Dungeon Siege will support up to eight players via a local area network (LAN) or through the built-in matchmaking server available inside the game. You can take part in both “short game” multiplayer experiences such as ‘capture the castle’ and the more traditional “campaign” style of play. The setting of Dungeon Siege is one gigantic, continuous world where you can seamlessly journey from the highest mountain to the deepest dungeon without ever having to see a loading screen. Discovering fantastic locations to explore - strange and mysterious dungeons, enormous castles and secret underground lairs - you become immersed in the fantasy of the surrounding world. The proprietary Siege Editor in Dungeon Siege gives you the freedom to rework nearly every aspect of the game, making Dungeon Siege not only a game, but also a role playing platform for those who want to create their own characters, spells, dungeons and even entire worlds. - Amazon.com

This is the massively multiplayer online role playing game for those whose report cards were always marked, “Does not play well with others.” Dark Age of Camelot allows thousands of players to adventure, grow, and battle one another for territory, goods, and experience. Set in Europe's mythological past, Camelot incorporates Arthurian legends, Norse mythology, and Irish Celtic lore. Players choose which realm to serve during character creation: noble Albion, brutal Midgard, or mystical Hibernia. Each realm has unique character races and classes, such as elves, trolls, and highlanders. Once chosen, the player's character will serve that realm forever. Once the character has gained in power, he or she will be asked to defend the realm from invasion and to go on raiding parties into other realms. If you're thinking that Camelot is designed to encourage player vs. player combat, you're right. Realms will battle over territory, key structures (such as towers and castles), and relics. Certain powers and noble titles can only be gained by successfully attacking or defending against rival realms. But Camelot also requires teamwork. All player vs. player combat is team based; you can only fight characters in opposing realms. Members of a realm must band together to fend off and attack other realms. In fact, each character class has been designed with player vs. player combat in mind, and each will offer a different ability or perform a specific task in player vs. player situations. The inter realm war is not merely chaotic, mass melee combat. There are towers to be taken over and defended, relics to pilfer from enemy realms, and territory to scout and conquer. Siege warfare will be required to take over castles, stealthy rogues will be able to climb into strongholds and open the gates, and much, much more will be available. Player levels will be based on experience versus monsters, not versus other players. And while players can only gain certain powers by actively going out on raids or protecting their realms’ relics from enemy invasions, it is entirely possible to have a successful and enjoyable experience in Camelot as a merchant, trader, or monster hunter. At higher levels, players will have to adventure out into regions between the realms, which could bring them into conflict with enemies but not necessarily so. In order to allow new players time to grow familiar with the game, each realm will have its own unique, protected adventuring areas designed for new players. These areas will be consistent within each realm, and will allow new players an opportunity to gain experience and power without worrying about an invasion from across the seas.  Of course, at higher levels, you could be asked to board a Viking long ship for just such an invasion, or to rally to Arthur's banner before the gates of Camelot itself, or to conduct a druid ceremony in the mists of Hibernia, all for the greater glory of the realm Dark Age of Camelot is a multiplayer online game you play via the Internet. A stable Internet connection is required to play. Mythic Entertainment charges a small monthly fee for this game, separate from your Internet service provider access charges. The first month of this fee is included in the purchase price of this package. You must provide a valid credit card to register and play. After your first month, you can use your credit card to buy more time.-- Amazon.com
 

Microsoft Age of Empires is an epic, real time strategy game spanning 10,000 years, where players are the guiding spirit in the evolution of a small Stone Age tribe. Starting with minimal resources, players are challenged to build their tribes into great civilizations. Choose from one of several ways to win the game: by conquering enemy civilizations, exploring the "known" world, or accumulating wealth to achieve economic victory.  -- Amazon.com
 

When it comes to vast, kingdom spanning ambition, you can't do better than Microsoft's Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. Microsoft went all out to create this real time strategy game, and it fairly hums with gorgeous graphics, sophisticated AI, and challenging scenarios for the novice and experienced player alike. The point of the game is to shepherd your fledgling civilization to world domination, using war, trade, and exploration. You start with the bare minimum to get going, and you've got to balance your people's needs with your desire to be a little Napoleon. The Age of Kings gives you a ton of new units and technologies to enrich your strategic options. Each scenario is placed accurately within history, but you're also free to create your own. The multiplayer format is robust, allowing up to nine players to share a world. When battles commence, you can take control of every aspect of your workers and soldiers, sending them running for shelter in the town center, ordering them to defend a watchtower, or setting their combat stance to "aggressive" for free-for-all sword smashing fun. When you're not fighting, find your idle peasants with a mouse click and send them back to work chopping trees, rounding up sheep, fishing, or mining gold and stone. As you acquire more resources, you can improve your soldier's gear and skills, start to trade more efficiently, and make life better for everyone in your empire. You can choose from 13 groups to manage, from the Japanese to the Teutons and Franks. Each group has unique units and special characteristics, making this a game that changes every time you play it. If all this sounds complicated, it is. New players may be intimidated by the range of choices, but the teaching scenarios are very helpful in conquering the controls. Age of Empires II is a sophisticated, gorgeous successor to the wildly popular original. It's a real feather in Microsoft's cap, a world building game that will hold you captive. --Therese Littleton ,Amazon.com

Age of Empires 2 Gold Edition unites the exciting game play of both Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings and Age of Empires 2: The Conquerors Expansion plus additional content for one compelling gaming experience.  Experience real time evolution as you build your civilization into a flourishing empire, from the Dark Age to the Imperial Age. Decide whether to conquer the world through military might, commerce and diplomacy, or intrigue and regicide. There are many paths to power but only one will reign supreme.  Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings spans 1,000 years, from the fall of Rome through the Middle Ages. Players control the destiny of one of 13 civilizations. The game keeps the epic scope of Age of Empires' game play while evolving the combat and economic features. Developed by Ensemble Studios, Age of Empires 2 features the expertise of Bruce Shelley, co designer of Age of Empires and the hit strategy game Civilization. Age of Empires 2: The Conquerors Expansion adds five new civilizations, four new campaigns, 11 new units, 26 new technologies, real world maps, and much more.  Experience the adventure of the Spanish Conquistadors as they enter the exotic lands of the Aztecs, or relive the destructive force of Attila's pillaging Huns. This add-on pack focuses on the armies and military thinking of a handful of history's greatest tacticians, including Attila the Hun, El Cid, and Montezuma. The new civilizations each have unique attributes, buildings, and technologies, such as Chinese Rocketry and Persian Mahouts. You'll put hussar cavalry, kamikaze siege units, and halberdier infantry into battle in four all new campaigns. Play up to eight other conquerors via modem, Internet, or LAN. -- Amazon.com

The creator and lead designer of Age of Empires has conceived Empire Earth as the premier historical real time strategy title, offering players the freedom to customize both the historical scope of their games and the character of their civilizations. Improving upon the Age of  Empires interface, Empire Earth promises to be as accessible as Age, but with far more excitement and depth. In Empire Earth, you'll command history's best known civilizations, such as those of the Greeks, English, French, and Germans, or evolve your own as you choose from more than 100 unique attributes. You'll colonize or conquer surrounding territories and establish new settlements; plan and build walled towns and city-states; and construct temples and hospitals to protect and enhance your growing empire. Your town centers inspire defenders to fight harder, and can be transformed into powerful capitals. Wood, coal, oil, and other natural  resources provide raw materials for expansion. More than a dozen technology tracks offer numerous opportunities for further advancement. Train more than 200 types of combat units from every era in history, including the future on earth. Instantly improve the combat abilities of  your troops with specific upgrades. Lead your armies to glorious victory with the help of Charlemagne, Churchill, and other great heroes from not only yesterday but also today and tomorrow. Fight in good weather during the day on an open plain, or carry out surprise assaults in the black of night or the dead of winter. Attack unsuspecting enemies with stealthy submarines and aircraft. Soften up an enemy position with artillery fire, carpet bombing, or offshore shelling, or launch ballistic missiles. Wage epic sky battles with more than 30 types of aircraft, such as Sopwith Camels, Spitfires, F-15s, Apache gunships, and B-2 bombers. Fight massive naval engagements with more than 40 different ships, from 16th century ships of the line to modern aircraft carriers. Board and capture enemy vessels. Train colossal and intelligent mechs to fight the battles of the future. In Empire Earth, the military option is just one possible path to victory. Surreptitiously convert an enemy's citizens with furtive priests.  Instruct a prophet to invoke devastating calamities, such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and plagues. Pick away at opponents' populations by taking over their citizens. Construct wonders of the world that endow your civilization with special abilities while demonstrating its superiority.-- Amazon.com

A big budget summer epic with money to burn and a scale worthy of its golden Hollywood predecessors, Ridley Scott's Gladiator is a rousing, grisly, action packed epic that takes movie making back to the Roman Empire via computer generated visual effects. While not as fluid as the computer work done for, say, Titanic, it's an impressive achievement that will leave you marveling at the glory that was Rome, when you're not marveling at the glory that is Russell Crowe. Starring as the heroic general Maximus, Crowe firmly cements his star status both in terms of screen presence and acting chops, carrying the film on his decidedly non-computer generated shoulders as he goes from brave general to wounded fugitive to stoic slave to gladiator hero. Gladiator's plot is a whirlwind of faux Shakespearean machinations of death, betrayal, power plays, and secret identities (with lots of faux Shakespearean dialogue ladled on to keep the proceedings "appropriately classical"), but it's all briskly shot, edited, and paced with a contemporary sensibility. Even the action scenes, somewhat muted but graphic in terms of implied violence and liberal bloodletting, are shot with a veracity that brings to mind believe it or not, Saving Private Ryan, even if everyone is wearing a toga. As Crowe's nemesis, the evil emperor Commodus, Joaquin Phoenix chews scenery with authority, whether he's damning Maximus's popularity with the Roman mobs or lusting after his sister Lucilla (beautiful but distant Connie Nielsen); Oliver Reed, in his last role, hits the perfect notes of camp and gravitas as the slave owner who rescues Maximus from death and turns him into a coliseum star. Director Scott's visual flair is abundantly in evidence, with breathtaking shots and beautiful (albeit digital) landscapes, but it's Crowe's star power that will keep you in thrall he's a true gladiator, worthy of his legendary status. Hail the conquering hero! --Mark Englehart

Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element) challenges established notions about the Maid of Orleans as he creates a decidedly more  human heroine than have previous biopics. The story line is the same, a young, illiterate peasant girl convinces the dauphin of France to give  her an army, and she leads them to victory in Orleans, only to be burned at the stake for heresy, but Milla Jovovich, in the title role, is a  woman possessed. Her influences are less than heavenly; as a child she witnesses the murder of her sister by the English, a death caused by the sister's giving her hiding place to young Joan, which causes an intense desire for revenge. Yes, God still speaks to Joan, but even this  is undermined, as Dustin Hoffman, playing The Conscience, questions her motives. Cinematically, The Messenger is stunning, with fantastical sequences of Joan in communication with higher powers. Yet the graphic violence (scenes include random decapitation and a dog gnawing on a body); the uneven accents, which make it difficult to tell who is  fighting on which side; and the rewriting of lore may make this version of Joan of Arc appeal only to Besson fans. Jovovich is convincing, and while at times the film may drag (at times you wish they'd hurry up and burn her), it is a remarkable and insightful retelling of a well known piece of history. --Jenny Brown 

Here is a wonderful movie that mixes fact and fiction, sometimes telling factual events in a fictional way. All in all, however, it is a film that is well done and well worth viewing. It is a fact that Attila did set foot inside the walls of Rome as a guest. However, it is false that he was the guest of  Flavius Aetius while both were grown men. As a matter of fact, as a boy the two were "exchanged." Atilla lived in Rome while Flavius Aetius lived amongst the Huns. It was then that Attila swore that he would return one day not as a guest of Rome, but as its conqueror. It is dubious that Attila obtained a liking for the hot baths of Rome during his youthful sojourn in the city. By all accounts of the period historians, the king of the Huns lived a very simple and Spartan existence, despite the excesses of his officers and his extravagant wealth. Gerard Butler also portrays a bit more of a debonair and "GQ looking" Atilla than I ever imagined the historical Atilla. However, that is forgivable. After all, this is Hollywood, right?  It is a fact that Valentian III personally murdered Aetius (bad idea) in 454 A.D. As someone supposedly told Valentian,  "With your left hand, you have cut off your right hand." Also, the Romans did sign a treaty with the Visigothic king, Theoderic I to aid in fighting the Huns. This was a reversal from earlier times when the Romans and Huns ganged up on the Visigoths. This is recounted accurately in the film. All in all, this was an extremely good effort. It is very hard to display the dwindling years of an empire's hegemony in 3 short hours. This movie does an excellent job with the material at its disposal. The battle scenes are fairly well done, and  they even pull off a passable battle of the Catalaunian Plains in the climactic sequence. However, the armies are a bit  undersized; it quickly becomes evident that the film's budget did not have the resources for an extensive use of extras. But, the battle scenes are well choreographed and do show off the "tortoise" formation of the Legions. After the death of Attila, Rome held on to her supremacy for a few more decades before finally seeing her empire fade into the darkness. Rome was one of the greatest and most long lasting empires the world has ever seen. It was people like  Atilla and Shapur who helped push it over the precipice. As such, Atilla became one of the most feared, hated and respected men in all of history. Herein lies his story.  - D. Roberts