The reboot of Conan the Barbarian (2011) is a far cry from its predecessors, but it does incorporate a trebuchet, a distinctly medieval machine.
In this fantasy world that appropriates all sorts of medievalism to spark a sense of the Other in viewers, it is obviously more fiction than reality. However, the trebuchet must succumb to the laws of physics.
Remarkably, the design and motion are all in order. It is a hinged-counterweight trebuchet, which means the counterweight moves straight to the ground for a longer period of time, allowing it to propel an object faster over a greater distance than a fixed-counterweight.
The main problem is the amount of weight it projects. With a full grown man weighing around 200 pounds resting upon a large boulder at least three times that weight, the size of the throwing arm and the counterweight are not enough to get the job done. Consider that that fixed-counterweight trebuchet at Urquhart needs 6 tons just to through a 250-pound ball a mere 200 yards. With so much weight, this trebuchet would like not move at all.
Logistically, those operating trebuchets need some engineering skills, adjusting the counterweight and length of the sling in order to strike a target. There is also some trial-and-error involved. If the shot is too far or short, then they adjust accordingly. Modern-day enthusiasts at the Pumpkin Chunkin find themselves requiring several attempts just to get a shot off. Yet, Conan loads and fires, hitting his target on the first try.
When it comes down to it, this trebuchet is as overpowered as Conan. Still, what better way to throw a man into a beached ship in the middle of the desert?