Catapult shooting
in teams
Aiming at targets with a large catapult, where pulling back and aiming are a job for two. We provide equipment and hosts.
An activity for two
Catapult shooting is built around a large catapult that teams use to fire soft projectiles at targets. Pulling back the catapult and aiming are two separate tasks, and you can't do both at once. So there is always someone pulling while someone else shouts that it needs to go more to the left.
That is exactly what makes the activity useful for a team. After three shots every pair has worked out that pulling harder doesn't help and that you have to remember what the previous attempt did. Groups that keep track of that walk away with the most points, even when nobody is particularly good at anything.
What we provide
We lay out the course, bring the equipment and run the shooting. You provide an outdoor space and the group.
- The catapult and soft projectiles that cause no damage
- Targets at different distances and with different points
- Laying out the course and the safety zone behind it
- Explanation, scoreboard and a host during the shooting
Book it separately or as part of a programme?
As a standalone activity, catapult shooting stays interesting for about three quarters of an hour. After that everyone has shot enough and the tension goes out of the competition. For a neighbourhood party, an open day or a family day that is perfectly fine as one of the stations people walk past.
If you want to fill half a day, we use it as part of a team games day, where it is usually the activity that lets the quieter participants win. It also combines well with archery, because both are about aiming but call for a very different movement.
For an open day or an event with a steady flow of visitors we set it up differently: no teams and points, but a continuous course where people take three shots and move on. Then it works as a crowd-puller rather than as a competition.
Group size and pace
Catapult shooting works with teams of three to five people, because then someone pulls back, someone aims and someone keeps the score. From about twelve participants it turns into a pool competition. With larger groups we set up a second course, otherwise the queue becomes longer than the activity.
The activity makes few demands on fitness or agility, so it works for groups with a wide age range. At a family day with grandparents and grandchildren all mixed together, this is usually the activity where there is least grumbling about the teams.
Rain is no obstacle, strong wind is, because it turns aiming into a gamble. In persistent wind we move the targets closer or shift the activity to later in the day.
A half day starts at €195. The final price depends on the group size and the venue.
Frequently asked questions
What do you shoot with in catapult shooting?
We shoot soft projectiles that cause no damage to people or property, usually balls or bags with a filling. No stones or hard objects are involved. That means it can be set up close to a building or a terrace without any concern.
How much space does a catapult need?
Catapult shooting needs a course about thirty metres long and ten metres wide, with a clear zone behind the targets. A lawn, a meadow or a large car park will do. The course doesn't have to be flat, because slightly sloping ground actually makes the aiming more interesting.
Is catapult shooting suitable for children?
Catapult shooting is possible from about eight years old, because pulling back is done as a team and nobody has to supply the force alone. For younger participants we lower the tension and put the targets closer. At a family day this is one of the few activities where a ten-year-old and an adult are evenly matched.
Tell us about your plan
Interested in catapult shooting? Fill in a short form and we'll send a price estimate within 1 working day.
Catapult shooting at your venue
Tell us how many of you there are and what outdoor space you have, and we'll send a proposal.