Catapult Catapults and trebuchet s use a lever arm to hurl a projectile in an arcing ballistic trajectory toward their target , yet that simple mechanism is employed in many different manners on the battlefield . Spring catapults . A spring catapult lacks the axle used by many similar weapons and instead uses a windlass and pulley system to draw back its flexible lever arm . Once a projectile is mounted in the sling at the end of the arm , the arm is released to hurl the projectile at the target . Spring catapults are easy to construct and are often built from scratch by tinkers and engineers on the battlefield . Torsion catapults . The lever arm of a torsion catapult is mounted in an axle made of a twisted skein of leather or sinew . Once winched back into place , the basket on the end of the lever arm is loaded with a projectile that can be fired downrange . Siege catapults . A larger version of the torsion catapult , the siege catapult is made to hurl large payloads far behind the enemy ' s front lines . Siege catapults in World of Warcraft . Catapults appear in the Isle of Conquest battleground , as a means of propelling the driver great distances . While the primary use is to launch one ' s self over the walls of the opposing keep , other uses can be imagined . Toy catapults . Originally intended as a mass - produced siege weapon that could be carried in a soldier ’ s backpack , these catapults can be reduced to the size of a child ’ s toy upon command . Unfortunately , they proved too fragile and expensive to truly catch on . One orcish army drained its entire treasury to create a kind of “ catapult cavalry ” unit equipped with these tiny weapons , only to lose the whole unit ( and their weapons ) in a single ambush . Unaware of their true powers , the victorious opponents took the “ toys ” home to their children . No one is sure how many of these items are now scattered around the world , gathering dust on a child ’ s bedroom shelf . This is a shrinking spike stone siege catapult that effectively has the shrinking property twice . The siege weapon can be made to shrink to approximately a foot in size , enabling it to be easily packed away with its commander ’ s gear . Human catapults . As the ultimate machine of war during the First War , the catapult brings fiery death to all who stand in its way . Capable of destroying any target in its range , the projectile from a catapult can smash the toughest of defenses , or through the sides of buildings . This behemoth is large , slow , and difficult to maneuver , but the power that it holds made it an essential part of Alliance forces during the First War . The same technology was adapted into the spring , torsion and siege version seen after the First War . After the First War , humans favored the ballista ( although they hadn ' t completely stopped using catapults , see above ) which was a joint collaboration of the Alliance forces . Orc & Horde catapults . Used during the First War . Destruction and mayhem are its purpose , and those who are its target will reap only death . Chaos reigns supreme as the ground shakes with the approach of these gruesome machines . Walls and buildings prove no barrier to the devastation of the orcish catapult . Although they are sluggish and huge , your forces will prove unstoppable when you command these devices . In , the human and orc catapults were identical . By , humans replaced their catapults with ballistae , presumably because they were better than the catapults . However , the orcish catapult and the human ballistae were still identical for combat purposes ( unit data ) . It is possible the orcs upgraded their own catapults during this time , which would account for the spikes on the wheels among other visual changes . Furthermore , in Warcraft : Orcs and Humans , catapults could not have their weapon damage upgraded , whereas in Warcraft II : Tides of Darkness , they could . During the Second War . Sharpened horns , crimson with blood of those unfortunate enough to be caught in their path , herald the advance of the orcish Catapult . Approaching on the battlefield , its grim visage is enough to make the weak human troops flee in stark terror . These cumbersome , wheeled machines launch deadly incendiary shot which explodes upon impact . The sheer destructive force of these great engines of war make them feared and respected throughout the land . During the Third War . The orcish catapult has always been a standing asset to the Horde . Capable of hurling fiery projectiles over great distances , the catapults have been the doom of many Alliance regiments . Catapults served as the Horde ' s greatest siege weapon until the advent of the demolisher .