Siege Warfare Tactics: Attacking and Defending Settlements
Success in a siege usually comes down to who controls the approaches and who can endure the shortages that follow. Whether you are the one outside the walls or the one inside them, the first days set the pattern for everything afterward.
Reading the Ground and the Walls
Walk the perimeter yourself before any equipment arrives. Note the height and thickness of the main curtain, the placement of towers, and where the settlement draws its water. A spring outside the ditch gives the attacker an immediate lever; a well inside the keep removes it.
- Check fields for recent harvest signs. Empty storage means the defenders will run out of grain sooner.
- Look for postern gates or drainage culverts that can be forced or blocked.
- Mark any ground that offers dead space for ladders or rams.
Opening a Breach
Most settlements fall after a single usable gap appears, not after total destruction. Concentrate effort on one stretch of wall rather than spreading fire across the circuit.
- Position mantlets and screens to cover sappers working at the base.
- Bring the ram or bore only after the ditch is partially filled and the footing is stable.
- Once the breach is shoulder-wide, feed fresh troops through in small groups so the defenders cannot seal it again with rubble.
Artillery helps, but only when it can actually reach the same point repeatedly. A single trebuchet that lands stones on the same tower three days running will drop more masonry than six engines firing at random.
Holding the Perimeter from Inside
Defenders who waste arrows on the first probing parties run dry when the real push comes. Keep most missile troops on the towers until the attackers commit to ladders or a ram.
| Position | Defensive Priority | Typical Consequence if Lost |
|---|---|---|
| Main gate | Double the sentries at night | Enemy gains direct road into the yard |
| Water gate | Block with carts or stones | Immediate pressure on remaining stores |
| North wall tower | Keep one engine loaded | Flank becomes open to scaling |
Keeping Men and Supplies Moving
Attackers who neglect their own camp starve as fast as the people they are trying to trap. Rotate foraging parties every four days so no single group is caught too far from the lines. Inside the settlement, issue strict rationing from day three and post guards at every granary door.
Both sides benefit from a clear signal system. A raised banner on the highest tower tells relief columns exactly how many days of food remain.
Breaking a Relief Attempt
When word reaches you that a friendly force is marching to lift the siege, decide early whether to meet it on open ground or let the defenders sally and weaken themselves. A small mounted screen placed two miles out can usually turn or delay the column long enough for the main assault to finish its work.
If you are the defender waiting for help, keep one gate lightly held and ready to open the moment your own troops appear. A sortie at the wrong moment only hands the attackers fresh prisoners and equipment.
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