Part II — V5RC Advanced · Chapter 17
Launchers, Catapults, Flywheels & Punchers
A research pass, not a build story. We haven't built one of these ourselves yet.
Same approach here, research first. We haven't built a flywheel, catapult, or puncher ourselves yet, so this chapter is the starting map we'd use to pick one, not a proven build. Confirm what's here against a build video or two before you commit to a design.
A catapult stores energy in a swinging arm. The arm rotates, an object at the end gains momentum, then the arm stops abruptly, transferring that momentum into the game piece. High power per shot, but it has to reset between shots, so it fires slower than a flywheel.
A flywheel stores energy in a spinning wheel. The wheel spins continuously, a game piece touches it and gets thrown by friction, no reload because the wheel never stops. Best for games that reward rapid, repeated scoring.
A puncher fires one stored-energy hit. Usually a slip gear or rubber bands storing tension, released in a single linear strike. Lighter and simpler than a catapult, shorter range, same single-shot-then-reload tradeoff, just built differently.
Match mechanism to reload demand, not raw power. Fire once and reload calmly, puncher or catapult. Fire constantly under time pressure, flywheel. Need range and accuracy, flywheel or catapult over puncher.
One-line takeaway
Catapults and punchers hit hard once and reload, flywheels hit lighter but never stop.