Incendiary and scatter projectiles for siege and sea
Bombita, Clotombrot packed with gun-barrels, and blazing fire-tubes for ships
The sheet gathers thrown fire-weapons. At the top is a device named Bombita; at the centre two balls, one dotted and one drawn as a spiral, illustrate the Clotombrot. Clotombrot is a ball a braccio high, hurled by a small trebuchet, packed with the tails of many small firearms that all fire off at once inside a bastion or ship. A final note describes throwing balls full of blazing fire-tubes (soffioni) onto grappled enemy ships so that the enemy, busy shielding themselves from the flames, abandon their defences.
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Clotombrot: a ball packed with small gun-barrels
Clotombrot is a ball one braccio high, thrown from a small trebuchet and filled with the tails of many little firearms that all discharge in a short time. It is meant to be thrown inside a bastion, ravelin, walls or a great ship, where there is no remedy against its pestilent effect, and a fire-tube lit within finally sets off the centre of all the squibs. It should not be used at close quarters, for it would harm the thrower as much as the enemy, but six or eight of them thrown among foes make one a sure victor.
Incendiary ball and blowpipe for naval fighting
This one is for ships. When vessels are grappled together, one is to hold blowpipes (soffioni) to keep the enemy back, and at that moment throw balls full of blazing fire-tubes behind the enemy, onto the ship. The enemy, intent on shielding themselves from the fire, will abandon their defences.
Bombita and the drawn projectiles
At the top a device labelled Bombita is drawn as a long breeched barrel. The two spherical projectiles at the centre are rendered one with a dimpled surface and one as a tight spiral, showing the packed and coiled charges within. A slim fire-tube with a radiant burst appears at the foot.
