Reduction

In a true medieval setting, reduction--that is, forcing entry into a castle by storming the walls or gates-was simply not a viable option in most cases. The technology just didn’t exist to break down a well-built stone wall, and the greatly superior position of the garrison-shielded by battlements, towers and bastions-made it possible for a handful of troops to hold off an army many times superior in numbers.

This is not to say that armies didn’t try, of course. The value of a castle was just too great for an invading army to ignore. While they could certainly bottle up the garrison and prevent them from having any say in current events, the castle continued to be a threat. As long as a castle and its garrison remained unconquered, the defenders could harass the invaders’ lines of supply or communication and, when the attacking force withdrew, emerge from their refuge and regain control of the countryside.

This changed with the introduction of gunpowder. If left to its own devices, a well-equipped attacking force skilled in the use of cannon could eventually reduce the strongest fortification to rubble. The bravery of the garrison’s troops or the skill of its commander come to mean little when unopposed cannon systematically pound the walls into gravel. If the siege was conducted correctly, the attacker could be almost certain of eventual success. Of course, “eventual” is definitely the key word. The attacking general must be ready to commit a lot of effort and time, and to spend a lot of men, in order to succeed. Some historians state that, with the widespread introduction of the cannon, the day of the castle began to come to an end.

The situation changes even more in a fantasy environment. In fact, it can be argued that traditional castles make no sense in a magic-rich fantasy campaign. Is it logical to invest years of labor and many thousands of gold pieces in a castle when a low-level mage could-theoretically, at least-approach the gate invisibly and open it with a knock spell?

In any case, the attacking general has a number of options when it comes time to force entry into a fortification. The following examples are certainly the most commonly used.