Apologies for the doubling of the previous post. I have had some minor issues learning how to use this engine and have had entire posts disappear here while trying to edit. As time was short for me, I decided to leave as is for the moment. It should be more readable now. It is all user error, I am sure. I do attempt to get it right, though.
Continuing on with my findings...
Testers:
To throw for me over the test period, I employed (as in 'used' not 'paid') my two sons. Here is a brief description of them and their capabilities. My estimation is based on coaching hundreds of kids and young adults, as well as other related experience:
Tester A:
Trained ball thrower. Twenty years old. Athletic. Excellent health. Below average throwing power. First time plumbata. Has not thrown in three years -
Tester A+: (I use this designation to help you differentiate more easily which of the two is stronger)
Trained ball thrower. Twenty-eight years old. Athletic. Excellent health. Average to good throwing power. First time plumbata. Plays softball currently.-
Both testers are right-handed. They wore athletic shoes, blue jeans, shirts and either a sweater or a sweatshirt during the tests.
No gloves of any type were used.
No animals were injured in making this study, but I did have to chase off the cat from our target range a few times.
Test Environment:
Range:
For our test range we used my front yard which is about 1 hectare. We are located at about 560m asl. The range itself is sloped down slightly to the SW. The ground was firm but pliant.
(I made no attempt to record impact angles because, in soft landing-surface environments, results cannot be reasonably deduced from the position of the dart in the ground as the weight posterior to the point will cause a shift. Robert Vermaat points out and illustrates this phenomenon in his previous testing. In my case, the ground is firm but giving and all throws exhibited no shifting. Perfect impact points and good penetration. So, if there is a clamor for such testing, I am willing to attempt it, I think. I do have a crazy big protractor).
Weather:
Sky was clear. Temperatures cool (40s and 50s F). Day One had swirling winds (I live in a valley on a mountain.) of about 10mph. Subsequent test days had stronger swirling winds of up to 20mph.
Test Procedure:
Warm-up: Testers warmed up throwing balls to one another both overhand and underhand. Proper form fundamentals were reviewed.
Measurement: I used my pace as the measuring device. I am 195cm tall with disproportionately long arms and legs. My pace measures very close to an exact meter, and I calibrate it every time I walk down my hallway as I have two 9-foot Persian carpet runners and I am a little bit OC. I do not look like a spider. Not too much.
Testing:
For distance throwing, testers worked from a standing start. Each would take turns throwing 'Jove' for the record, while the other threw the experimental model (results not included). Throws were made alternating between each thrower and alternating the throwing direction so as to account for inequities in wind and terrain. Simply stated; they threw the darts, we walked over to get them, I measured the distance, then they threw the darts back to where they started, we walked over to get them, I measured...and so on.
When throwing for accuracy, I set up a cardboard guitar shipping box supported by a sawhorse. Throws were made from both 30m and 50m away. Test target represented an enemy leader in the front row of an enemy formation 16 men wide by four ranks deep; 6m to each side of target to a depth of 4meters.
Shots were ranked as Kill (hit target), Hit Neighbor (hit person in direct proximity to target), Hit Formation (at least you hit something worthwhile!), and Misses (throws too long, too short, or more than 6 meters from target on either side).
Test Results:
Today, I am only including the basic results from the distance tests as I am just about plumbataed-out and don't want to tabulate the accuracy results at the present moment. Numbers are rounded.
Day One-
Tester A: Underhand: (Avg. 52m, long 56m) Overhand: (Avg. 60m, long 65m) Differential: +15% Overhand
Tester A+: Underhand: (Avg. 61m, long 64m) Overhand: (Avg. 77m, long 80m) Differential: +27% Overhand
Day Two-
Tester A: Underhand: (Avg. 55m, long 61m) Overhand: (Avg. 64m, long 71m) Differential: +14% Overhand
Tester A+: Underhand: (Avg. 58m, long 64m) Overhand: (Avg. 74m, long 81m) Differential: +28% Overhand
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So folks, I will leave this where it is. I have plenty of thoughts for the analysis, but I am tired. And frankly, I want to read what you folks think. I'll save my analysis for later.
The attachment below is Tester A+ throwing a dart overhand in slow motion.
Brucicus
Continuing on with my findings...
Testers:
To throw for me over the test period, I employed (as in 'used' not 'paid') my two sons. Here is a brief description of them and their capabilities. My estimation is based on coaching hundreds of kids and young adults, as well as other related experience:
Tester A:
Trained ball thrower. Twenty years old. Athletic. Excellent health. Below average throwing power. First time plumbata. Has not thrown in three years -
Tester A+: (I use this designation to help you differentiate more easily which of the two is stronger)
Trained ball thrower. Twenty-eight years old. Athletic. Excellent health. Average to good throwing power. First time plumbata. Plays softball currently.-
Both testers are right-handed. They wore athletic shoes, blue jeans, shirts and either a sweater or a sweatshirt during the tests.
No gloves of any type were used.
No animals were injured in making this study, but I did have to chase off the cat from our target range a few times.
Test Environment:
Range:
For our test range we used my front yard which is about 1 hectare. We are located at about 560m asl. The range itself is sloped down slightly to the SW. The ground was firm but pliant.
(I made no attempt to record impact angles because, in soft landing-surface environments, results cannot be reasonably deduced from the position of the dart in the ground as the weight posterior to the point will cause a shift. Robert Vermaat points out and illustrates this phenomenon in his previous testing. In my case, the ground is firm but giving and all throws exhibited no shifting. Perfect impact points and good penetration. So, if there is a clamor for such testing, I am willing to attempt it, I think. I do have a crazy big protractor).
Weather:
Sky was clear. Temperatures cool (40s and 50s F). Day One had swirling winds (I live in a valley on a mountain.) of about 10mph. Subsequent test days had stronger swirling winds of up to 20mph.
Test Procedure:
Warm-up: Testers warmed up throwing balls to one another both overhand and underhand. Proper form fundamentals were reviewed.
Measurement: I used my pace as the measuring device. I am 195cm tall with disproportionately long arms and legs. My pace measures very close to an exact meter, and I calibrate it every time I walk down my hallway as I have two 9-foot Persian carpet runners and I am a little bit OC. I do not look like a spider. Not too much.
Testing:
For distance throwing, testers worked from a standing start. Each would take turns throwing 'Jove' for the record, while the other threw the experimental model (results not included). Throws were made alternating between each thrower and alternating the throwing direction so as to account for inequities in wind and terrain. Simply stated; they threw the darts, we walked over to get them, I measured the distance, then they threw the darts back to where they started, we walked over to get them, I measured...and so on.
When throwing for accuracy, I set up a cardboard guitar shipping box supported by a sawhorse. Throws were made from both 30m and 50m away. Test target represented an enemy leader in the front row of an enemy formation 16 men wide by four ranks deep; 6m to each side of target to a depth of 4meters.
Shots were ranked as Kill (hit target), Hit Neighbor (hit person in direct proximity to target), Hit Formation (at least you hit something worthwhile!), and Misses (throws too long, too short, or more than 6 meters from target on either side).
Test Results:
Today, I am only including the basic results from the distance tests as I am just about plumbataed-out and don't want to tabulate the accuracy results at the present moment. Numbers are rounded.
Day One-
Tester A: Underhand: (Avg. 52m, long 56m) Overhand: (Avg. 60m, long 65m) Differential: +15% Overhand
Tester A+: Underhand: (Avg. 61m, long 64m) Overhand: (Avg. 77m, long 80m) Differential: +27% Overhand
Day Two-
Tester A: Underhand: (Avg. 55m, long 61m) Overhand: (Avg. 64m, long 71m) Differential: +14% Overhand
Tester A+: Underhand: (Avg. 58m, long 64m) Overhand: (Avg. 74m, long 81m) Differential: +28% Overhand
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So folks, I will leave this where it is. I have plenty of thoughts for the analysis, but I am tired. And frankly, I want to read what you folks think. I'll save my analysis for later.
The attachment below is Tester A+ throwing a dart overhand in slow motion.
Brucicus
