he ballistae brought by Dain to the Battle of the Five Armies are an ingenious military invention that serves two purposes on the battlefield. Attached to the huge wooden bolts fired by the ballistae are a series of chains that upon being unleashed will spin about the bolt in a vicious fashion, slicing their foe’s arrows to kindling before careening into their ranks, sending both enemy and earth flying in all directions. Not only do these ballistae cause massive destruction, they also provide Dain’s armies with the protection they require to reach their enemy’s ranks unscathed.

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