Other Obstacles

In addition to features of castle design, the garrison can use a number of unpleasant pieces of equipment to make life difficult for invaders.

A commonly employed object is the caltrop, which looks some-thing like a four-limbed spiked jack from the child’s game of “ball and jacks.” These range in size from an inch or so across to three inches or more. The four-limbed arrangement makes sure that, no matter how the caltrop lands, one spike is always pointed up. Defenders can lay caltrops along the approaches to the castle, scatter them from the walls, or strew them across the courtyard when the wall is breached. In each case, the purpose is the same: to cause attacking units to slow down while they sweep away the caltrops (assuming they notice them) or press on through the area, suffering damage all the while.

Any unit equipped with caltrops can “sow” them as they move through an area. The area sown is equal to the size of the unit in its current formation, plus 1/2” on each side. When thrown from atop a wall, the caltrops cover an area as wide as the frontage of the unit doing the sowing, plus 1/2” on each side, and 1” deep (i.e., away from the wall).

Infantry or dismounted cavalry can clear away caltrops, by moving through the sown area at a cost of 5” for each 1” moved; mounted cavalry cannot clear away caltrops. Alternatively, units can choose to move through a sown area without clearing the caltrops. The unit pays 2” for each 1” moved, and suffers damage based on the type of caltrop (discussed later). Routing units, or units retreating for morale reasons, which pass through a sown area cannot elect to clear away the caltrops. Charging units who pass through a sown area cannot elect to clear away the caltrops, and suffer double damage from the devices.

Caltrops come in two main varieties: infantry and cavalry. Infantry caltrops are smaller, and do more damage against foot units. Such devices have an AD of 4. Cavalry caltrops are larger, and do serious damage to cavalry or units composed of size L or larger creatures (AD=6). These caltrops are so large that it’s easy for M or smaller sized infantry to step around them. This negates damage to the infantry units, but they still must pay the movement penalty discussed above.

Caltrops take no sides: any unit, attacker or defender, suffers the same consequences from entering a caltrop-sown area.

Another effective tactic is to set spikes in the earth, either in the bottom of trenches, or along the approaches to the castle. Like caltrops, a spiked area slows down movement and has the potential to inflict damage. An infantry unit (or dismounted cavalry unit) equipped with spikes can plant them as they move through an area. The area so spiked is equal to the size of the unit in its current formation. Setting spikes costs 4” of movement allowance.

Unlike caltrops, a placement of spikes can have a definite facing. This is because the spikes are set at an angle so their points are aimed in a certain direction. The unit setting the spikes can select any facing or combination of facings for the spikes (i.e., the spikes can all point north, half can point north while half point south, or the spikes can point in all directions like spines on a sea urchin). This facing must be marked somehow when the spikes are originally set, and can’t be changed unless the spikes are cleared (see below) then re-set.

Infantry or dismounted cavalry can clear away spikes by moving through the spiked area at a cost of 6” for each 1” moved; mounted cavalry cannot clear away spikes.

Alternatively, infantry units can choose to move through a spiked area without clearing the spikes at a cost of 3” for each 1” moved. Each infantry figure of size M or smaller moving into a spiked area against the area’s direction of facing suffers an attack of AD 6; no damage is done if the unit enters from a non-facing direction, although the movement cost still applies. For example, take an area with spikes all facing north. A unit moving south into the area suffers damage. If the unit had entered the area heading west, however, it would have suffered no damage. Areas of spikes facing in all directions cannot be entered safely, regardless of direction of approach. Routing infantry units, or units retreating for morale reasons, which pass through a spiked area cannot elect to clear away the spikes. Charging units who enter a spiked area in a direction opposite to its facing cannot elect to clear away the spikes, and suffer double damage from the devices.

Mounted cavalry and creatures of size L or larger cannot enter an area set with spikes, unless they pay the movement cost to clear the area. Figures of this type that rout into a spiked area are eliminated.