Rapid-fire Crossbow from "Van Helsing" movie

[Tuzenbach]

Before I denounce the weapon as thoroughly unfounded & technically impossible, are there any engineers here (or anybody else, for that matter!) who can tell me whether or not that contraption actually would have worked? Thanks!

 

[Moonstone Spider]

Before I denounce the weapon as thoroughly unfounded & technically impossible, are there any engineers here (or anybody else, for that matter!) who can tell me whether or not that contraption actually would have worked? Thanks!

He commented in the movie it was gas powered, implying that it simply worked like a modified paintball gun, continuous stream of air blowing through the "barrel" and arrows constantly falling via gravity into that airstream to be propelled out at high speed.

Under those conditions it would jam like crazy and there's really no need for crossbow arms since the gas is supplying the motive power. Also unless you had a wagon hauling a tank of gas behind you the bolts would either have a really wimpy velocity or it'd run out of gas real fast. It's technically possible but it'd be inferior to a normal crossbow in every way except rate of fire, and RoF doesn't help when your range is fifteen feet, your crossbow jams every fifth bolt, and the bolts frequently fail to penetrate a woolen shirt.

 

[Nadaka]

short answer: no.

Moderate answer: very, very no.

not enough energy, the bolts would have pathetic penetration (as in about as good as a modern day paintball)

Add to that the mechanical complexity, and I think 2 very's and a no is far to generous.

 

[BSF]

Before I denounce the weapon as thoroughly unfounded & technically impossible, are there any engineers here (or anybody else, for that matter!) who can tell me whether or not that contraption actually would have worked? Thanks!

In our reality with our physics, no.

But hey, we are talking a reality where a bit of alchemy can turn Dr. Jeckell into Mr. Hyde, Dr Frankenstein creates his monster, gypsies hunt werewolves, a newly bitten werewolf's blood is a theoretical buffing agent for vampire 'children', lycanthropy has a fast acting cure, and you know, vampires really do exist. In that reality, the crossbow doesn't strain my suspension of disbelief.

 

[Yair]

It's totally impossible. But it's cool.

Kinda like vampires.

 

[Matt Black]

Whether or not it's possible (kind of irrelevant in a fantasy game), what bugged me was that the crossbow arms didn't do anything. In fact, they didn't even move when the thing was being fired. That took away a lot of the 'cool factor' for me.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Whether or not it's possible (kind of irrelevant in a fantasy game), what bugged me was that the crossbow arms didn't do anything. In fact, they didn't even move when the thing was being fired. That took away a lot of the 'cool factor' for me.

They're the thing's spoilers. Pimp my weapon and all that.

 

[Whimsical]

Although such a crossbow would be considered "mad science", it would be nice to have even a little technobabble explanation for how it works.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Although such a crossbow would be considered "mad science", it would be nice to have even a little technobabble explanation for how it works.

Sure:

Sophisticated secret Vatican technology allows short bursts of gas to be administered to each bolt when it hits the "barrel", activating a very sensitive pressure plate.

Or the bolts are chained, and the connection is broken when they're in the position to be fired, allowing them to be affected by the gas at the very moment it is needed.

 

[BlackMoria]

My impression of the weapon was that the gas was used to 'c.o.c.k.' the weapon, not propel the bolt. Still, even if possible to engineer, the gas canister in the stock of the weapon would only have enough gas to 'cycle' the action a few times before pressure was too low to c.o.c.k. the weapon.... assuming of course that you could ever get enough pressure to c.o.c.k. a crossbow (which tend to be in the 100 - 150 lb pull category for modern crossbows).

Basically impossible given the canister size and the size of the crossbow. Still, cool as hell for visual effects.

Edit: damn language filter