Reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybolos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybolos, at least some of these used a windlass to rearm. That may explain part

Reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybolos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybolos, at least some of these used a windlass to rearm. That may explain part of the speed difference over one using a separate lever or one that’s rearmed purely by hand. These weapons also may have given up on some firing power for firing frequency.