technology of Ancient China

[stevapalooza]

According to the Yuanshi two Muslim engineers named Isma'il and Ala Al-din were sent by the Ilkhan Abaqa to assist Khubilai Khan with the siege of Xinagyang in late 1272. They built a mangonel and a catapult capable of hurling huge projectiles that destroyed everything they hit. By early 1273 the defenders surrendered. There's no mention of the walls being breached, but at that point it doesn't really matter. Once the enemy has the power to rain down hell on your city from the outside, eventually you're going to surrender, even if the walls are perfectly intact.

 

[heavenlykaghan]

As I said in the past, the counterweight was merely the straw that broke the camel's back. It is not some decisive technology which turned the tide of the war. The Mongols already defeated Song sorties and navy and dominated the field outside of the city gates without the need to fear that their counterweight trebuchets could be attacked. These battles are what doomed the Song, not any single weapon. They would probably have taken the city even with normal trebuchet; its only a matter of time.

 

[HackneyedScribe]

Is there any complete quotes from the siege of Xiangyang about that? Not just about the counterweight trebuchets.