ChivTW PREVIEW: Castles & Sieges

[Lord Adherbal]

No factions and units this time, but one of the things thaty makes our mod more unique: Castle settlements, and siege warfare.

CASTLES & SIEGES

INTRODUCTION

While muslim and russian settlements are representing major cities, the european settlements represent the largest fortification in the province. Starting from small wooden fortifications, they will eventually evolve into castles, fortresses, and virtually inpregnable citadels. The last 2 levels will be walled cities, developed around a fortification protected with it's own walls. However these are not available until the High and Late eras, and therefor they are not featured in this preview.


FORTIFICATIONS

A quick overview of the first 3 levels of fortification:

Motte & Bailey
The first fortified constructions were simple wooden towers, usualy placed on a hill. Such a tower was called a "motte", and often a small village was built around it, including the house of the local landlord.
To offer further protection , a pallisade wall was constructed around this small village, called a "bailey". These primitive castles would often be improved and eventually evolved into magnificent fortifications.



Donjon
Over time the wooden motte was often replaced by a stone variant, called a "donjon". These were tiny castles on there own with a small food and weapon supply stored inside, allowing them to endure sieges for a couple of weeks. Enough to protect the landlord, his bodyguard and a few lucky peasant families against raiders and bandits.



Keep & Castle
The keep is a large stone construction, made out of several towers connected to a solid building. It towers high over the rest of the castle and offers an easily defendable place, allowing a small garrison to withstand attackers for a long time. Around the keep large stone walls and towers are constructed, providing the first line of defence. These walls can be manned with archers and infantry, and require special siege equipment to overcome.



SIEGE EQUIPMENT

Catapults
Catapults are stone throwing catapults. They can shoot stones of 20kg about 150 meters far. However they are inaccurate and do almost no damage against stone walls. Therefor their use is mostly psychological, because no one likes to get a big stone thrown at his head. These catapults can also shoot pots of burning liquids, which can do quite some damage - provided they actualy manage to hit something.


Rams
The weakest point of a castle is it's gate. While thick stone walls are almost indestructable (until the invention of gunpowder) a gate can be cracked open rather easily with the use of a battering ram. It's a dangerous and costly operation, but it is the only way to get inside an enemy castle without trying to scale the walls.


Ladders
The most basic form of getting to a higher spot also works for scaling castle walls: ladders. Easiest to construct, but the carriers are exposed to arrow fire.


Siege Towers
A siege tower is a specialized siege engine, constructed to protect assailants and ladders whilst approaching the defensive walls of a fortification. Siege towers were of unwieldy dimensions and therefore mostly constructed on site of the siege. The tower had a height roughly equal to that of the wall or sometimes higher to allow archers to stand on top of the tower and fire into the fortification. When a siege tower was near a wall, it would drop a gangplank between it and the wall. Troops could then rush onto the walls and into the castle or city.


Trebuchets & Cannons
Because I expect someone to ask, or be disappointed that they aren't in the mod: trebuchets will be added in the High era release, and multiple sorts of cannons (bombard cannon, orphan gun, ...) in the Late era.


STORMING THE KEEP

1168 AD, the french and english are at war. The english hold an important castle near Paris which allows them to control the region and raid deep into french territory. But the french have managed to muster a large siege force, and plan to retake the castle...

The french bring their siege equipment toward the castle.


Once they get close enough, english archers open fire...


...as do the french catapults


The french take casualties while trying to breach the walls.


But they are determant, and their infantry reaches climbs the walls with siege towers and ladders.


Once a foothold is established, the french try to capture the gatehouse, while english men at arms desperately try to hold them back.


When the gatehouse falls in french hands, the french cavalry finally sees their chance for glory and rushes through the open gate.


The last few english knights, lead by the king himself try to push the french back.


But it is all in vain, they are overran, scattered and destroyed.



MEDIEVAL BUILDINGS
The following screenshots show several new medieval themed buildings that can be seen in and around castles.








SIGNATURE BANNER



Older Previews
Northern Europe
The Byzantine Empire