Medieval Siege Thread

Construct a floating bridge and sap the walls.

File: Idea.png (26KB, 905x583px) Image search: [Google]

26KB, 905x583px

Also why didn't castles have a metal bar across their wall like this to prevent people from using ladders?

>>280568
Because that would ruin the aesthetics.

>>280568
If they get the ladder behind the bar, then it becomes impossible to kick it down.

>>280568
What's to stop the attack from using a ladder with a hook and plank at the end that anchors onto the metal bar and then drops the plank thereby allowing the attackers a fighting platform to climb up onto and then jump or push their way into the ramparts?

File: Idea_V2.png (24KB, 905x583px) Image search: [Google]

24KB, 905x583px

>>280588
You could make it pretty looking
>>280597
>>280598
What about this?

>>280649
>aestetics

>>280556
Guns.

>>280649
Congratulations, you've extended your battlement outside the support of the wall by a few feet. Not only can it be accessible by ladder, it's way easier to knock down via catapult or other projectile.

>>280568
people would just go assassins creed and grappling hook + parkour into castles

>>280652
whoops
>>281080
>>281106
what about this

File: Idea_V3.png (29KB, 905x583px) Image search: [Google]

29KB, 905x583px

>>281178
shit forgot pic

>>281185
yeah no. all the pictures describe the perfect reasons as to why they DIDNT employ this retarded method

Castles were mainly display pieces

>>280568
>>281106
>>281178
>>281185
what if they put barbs onto it?

>>281185
hmmm that could work desu.
why didnt they think of this

File: Idea_V4.png (20KB, 905x583px) Image search: [Google]

20KB, 905x583px

>>281200
>>281255
>>281270
NEW VERSION

>>280556
They can burn the bridge so no

Maybe if you use catapult throwing barrels of oil to cover the entire front walls and the nlit it on fire

>>280556

They used to fill moats in, so you can assualt a castle that way.


In real life medieval warfare though, the main way you took castles and other fortifications was to convince the garrison to surrender by stomping whatever relief army was in the field and giving them better terms than they'd get if you broke in.

File: 30_big.jpg (32KB, 600x412px) Image search: [Google]

32KB, 600x412px

>>280568
They kinda did.

During actual siege conditions, they built a wooden fighting platform past the wall called a hoarding that protected against ladders.

>>281299
What if it was made of some timber/iron grid. So that attackers couldn't slip a ladder up between it, nor could they easily use it as a platform to stand on.

>>281350

hoardings weren't there to protect against ladders, it was to give the defenders a field of fire that included "The base of the wall" and stop people from slipping in like that.

File: Idea_V5.png (47KB, 1063x585px) Image search: [Google]

47KB, 1063x585px

>>281356
>>281350
>>281299
Its evolving

File: castle defence.jpg (69KB, 523x509px) Image search: [Google]

69KB, 523x509px

Okay, what about pic related?

>wooden rail
>curved upwards so you can't do >>280597
>spikes to stop people climbing across it
>if attackers are about to reach the battlements, sections can be dropped by releasing the ropes

File: Bourgondisch_kasteel.jpg (157KB, 670x638px) Image search: [Google]

157KB, 670x638px

>>280556
Swim to the base of the wall and start chopping away with a pickaxe.


Funny twist: They actually did this in the Poitiers compaign.

>>281299
spikes don't do any damage without kinetic energy

>the seige layers put a wooden board over the spikes
gg

File: chateau chaumont.jpg (392KB, 2048x1365px) Image search: [Google]

392KB, 2048x1365px

>>281453
Here is what they actually did.

Ignore the large windows.

File: 9830039-Old-plank-of-wood-isolated-on-white-background--Stock-Photo.jpg (133KB, 1300x805px) Image search: [Google]

133KB, 1300x805px

>>281453
I present you my countermeasure.

File: Lanobre_-_château_de_Val_(1).jpg (4MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 3264x2448px

>>281473

>>281473
Why didn't they just slope the ladders?

File: Castle-Vitre-France6.jpg (414KB, 1687x1353px) Image search: [Google]

414KB, 1687x1353px

>>281488
What do you mean slope the ladders?

File: Idea_V6.png (39KB, 1063x585px) Image search: [Google]

39KB, 1063x585px

>>281453
What about this?
[spoiler]Yours is better tho[/spoiler]

>>281494
I'm assuming the point of the sloped roof is that soldiers can't climb it. But if the ladders are placed at the same angle as the roof, they'd just climb the ladder and be over the wall.

File: Muiderslot_by_Edi_Weissmann.jpg (3MB, 2494x1878px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 2494x1878px

>>281515
The point of sloped roofs is to look nice and not collect a lot of snow. They are just a wooden frame with slate covering.

File: harfleurMoyenAge.jpg (125KB, 736x619px) Image search: [Google]

125KB, 736x619px

>>281527

File: dwarf.png (246KB, 830x711px) Image search: [Google]

246KB, 830x711px

>>281498
>>281453
Is this some sort of dwarf fortress thread?

File: castle defence.jpg (113KB, 800x600px) Image search: [Google]

113KB, 800x600px

>>281559
Apparently.

On topic, this is my second design. I honestly can't see how attackers are going to breach it. Though admittedly the classic 'wait until they run out of food' is still an option.

>>281607

Catapults knock holes in your walls.

File: battle_grandson04.jpg (65KB, 450x301px) Image search: [Google]

65KB, 450x301px

>>281607
You're over thinking it.

But you essentially drew the wall/tower on >>281478 minus pikes didn't you?

>>281607
Well you can't defend the walls if you do that they could just raise ladders that match the outer shape and then throw hay stacks to the pikes and walk over the hay stacks

I think the most effective method would be 2 sets of wall

>>281661
Yup. What with the theme of stopping ladders, and railings/boards having their own flaws, simply sloping the top of the roof is the perfect answer. It won't trap ladders and you can't climb over it with a plank of wood.

>>281657
They're, like, really thick walls

>>281685
>simply sloping the top of the roof is the perfect answer.

What's the slope gonna be made out of? Plywood?

How is your wall going to prevent someone walking up to it with a pickaxe and mining chucks away or digging a tunnel under it. How would it stop projectiles?

Medieval engineers knew their shit and probably designed castles with features even we haven't figured out yet.

File: z29.jpg (78KB, 538x404px) Image search: [Google]

78KB, 538x404px

>>281685
How thick

>>281699
>What's the slope gonna be made out of? Plywood?

Plywood wasn't invented until the 18th century. It would be the same material as the walls. That's why I coloured/textured the schematic, you can clearly see it's stone.

>How is your wall going to prevent someone walking up to it with a pickaxe and mining chucks away or digging a tunnel under it. How would it stop projectiles?

Archers and light catapults in the courtyard have the top of the wall presighted. It wouldn't be difficult to build a system that can fire crossbows without requiring a person in line-of-sight, as aiming is take care of. You pick them off, they can't hit you.

>Medieval engineers knew their shit and probably designed castles with features even we haven't figured out yet.

But that ruins the entire thread.

File: Walls_of_Constantinople.jpg (829KB, 1920x1080px) Image search: [Google]

829KB, 1920x1080px

>>281670
>the most effective method would be 2 sets of wall

Sup.

>>281753
>Plywood wasn't invented until the 18th century.

...


> It would be the same material as the walls. That's why I coloured/textured the schematic, you can clearly see it's stone.

And how are you going to construct a stone slope on top of a wall?

>Archers and light catapults in the courtyard have the top of the wall presighted.

There's no way for archers to aim down directly under them unless they lean outside that window, which isn't big enough according to you.

>>281607
Persuade a defector to open the gate.

Defeating the classic moat and bailey.
Step one.
Investment. Ask the garrison to surrender under good terms.
Siege works, covered trenches, pavase and lots of scouting in the surounding countryside.
Bring up the catapults. trebs to batter the walls, scorpions to damage hoardings and towers.
Fill the moat with baskets of rocks, faggots, brush, clay jars full of gravel. Not all the moat, just three or four different places.
By this time the trebs have damaged a wall enough to create a workable breach.
Second offer to the garrison to surrender. Less than good terms.
Now the fun begins.
Scorpions shoot fire arrows over the walls. Trebs launch dead cows and horses over the walls. Great bonfires furled by pitch coated wood burn up wind of the castle. The most accurate archers or crossbow men harrass the firing slits. Mass movement of men around the castle at random times. Archers send clouds of black painted arrows over the walls at night at random times.
Mid afternoon assault through the breach and onto the walls.
Take the walls and outer Bailey.
Third offer to the garrison. Surrender and you get to walk out with your families but nothing else.
Move the trebs up to range on the keep.
Repeat last step.

All while hoping that your army does not fall to dysentery. Get attacked by a releasing force. Desert. Your side gets defeated else wear and the war ends. The King runs out of money.

>>280568
Constructing it would be hard. And its not obvious why its a good thing.
And repairing it would be hard.
And if you search, you could most likely fins something like that.

Also ladders to siege wasn't that common, because its fucking dangerous to do. You use ladders after you have already breached whatever makes it a good fortification.

Get as many corpses from previous battles as I can, also get corpses from peasants or whoever that have died of disease. Let the catapults find their range. "Ammunition" storage and handlinh would be risky as hell, though.