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How did the moat drawbridge main gate portcullis gate towers and murder holes each attempt to make it difficult for attackers to use the battering ram?
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
By making it difficult to get to the gate in the first place and if the battering ram were able to get across, then to kill the engineers and soldiers manning it.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
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How did the English defend themselves from battering rams?
A raised draw-bridge over a deep, wide moat made using a battering-ram difficult.
What are the weaknesses of a Motte and Bailey Castle?
The Wooden castles were not very strong and they caught fire easily many attackers used fire arrows. A battering ram could be used to breach the palisade. The keep was the last line of defence. As well as this, the wood rots quite quickly.The walls were made of wood, which made protecting them from fire difficult. The defenders would try cover them with wet hides during an attack, but this would not always work.They were also vulnerable to attacks by battering ram or catapult.
How do you attack a stone castle with a battering ram?
The core idea of battering rams was never to batter walls down, as even with wooden walls, this would be difficult. The principle behind the ram was to concentrate a lot of attacking force onto the weakest point of any castle, its gates.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a stone keep?
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of Stone Keep Castles (Stone Castles): AdvantagesThey don't rot within a few decades but will last for centuries to comeThey don't burn as the castles are made of stoneThey are very strong as the stone that the castles are made from are very heavyThe Stone Keep Castles have very high walls meaning that any attackers that come can't fire arrows over it, but the defenders are able to shoot arrows back over the walls because they are on top of themThe towers in Stone Keep Castles are massive meaning that the attackers not to be able to shoot arrows up but enabling the defenders to shoot arrows off the towerThe walls are a few meters thick making it really hard to knock downThey have arrow slits in the walls which are useful for the defenders to shoot arrows out of at the attackersThe drawbridge are usually thick so the attackers battering ram can't get throughDisadvantages Although the walls are high enough for arrows not being able to shoot over. The attackers can still fire rocks, pigs & other missiles by a trebuchet or a catapultThe towers are a one way path up to the top so if a few attackers are coming up the tower, the defenders don't have anywhere to goThese type of castles are very expensive to build unlike their previous castles the Motte and Bailey castlesStone Keep castles are also very heavy making them hard to buildOnce getting through the drawbridge there was an open area where all the attacking soldiers could kill the defendersPeople can undermine and knock the corners of the castle downThey took a long time to buildMore specialized skills were needed to build themBasically, all in all, the stone keep castles were a very good castle to have a the time given the circumstances that happened at that time.If this isn't useful then please edit or feedback as not useful.Thank you xxAdvantagesThey don't rot within a few decades but will last for centuries to come (They still stand today)They don't burn as the castles are made of stone (obviously)They are very strong as the stone that the castles are made from are very heavyThe Stone Keep Castles have very high walls meaning that any attackers that come can't fire arrows over it, but the defenders are able to shoot arrows back over the walls because they are on top of themThe towers in Stone Keep Castles are massive meaning that the attackers not to be able to shoot arrows up but enabling the defenders to shoot arrows off the towerThe walls are a few meters thick making it really hard to knock downThey have arrow slits in the walls which are useful for the defenders to shoot arrows out of at the attackersThe drawbridge are usually thick so the attackers battering ram can't get throughDisadvantagesAlthough the walls are high enough for arrows not being able to shoot over, the attackers can still fire rocks, pigs or whatever they can find out of a trebuchet or a catapultThe towers are a one way path up to the top so if a few attackers are coming up the tower, the defenders don't have anywhere to goThese type of castles are very expensive to build unlike their previous castles the Motte and Bailey castlesStone Keep castles are also very heavy making them hard to buildOnce getting through the drawbridge there was an open area where all the attacking soldiers could kill the defenderspeople burry and nock the corners of the castle downThey took a long time to buildMore specialized skills were needed to build them
Did goodrich castles steep walls make it hard to attack?
Definitelly! They were also made of stone, so attackers couldn't undermine and it was extremely difficult to get up.
How could an attacker get into a concentric castles?
Concentric castles had multiple defensive walls which made attack very difficult. Often, the attackers laid siege to the castle and in effect would starve the defenders until they had to surrender. Alternatively tunnels would be dug underneath the defensive walls until they collapsed and allowed the attackers entry.
How did the catapult affect society?
The development of siege engines like the catapult resulted in changes in the conduct of warfare and the architecture of defensive structures. Walls had to be made thicker to handle the large missiles being thrown at them. It made it more difficult for defenders to wait out a siege, hoping that nature would drive the attackers away through weather and as the seasons passed. The attackers could breach the walls and no longer had to depend on starving out a garrison.
What was hill forts for?
Hill forts were strategicly placed on high ground (hills) this was enabled the fort dwellers to be able to look across country and see potential attacks. It also made it difficult for attackers who had to advance up hill for the attack.
What was wrong with square keeps?
Square faces allowed attackers to climb ladders etc to access the castle.Further to this it also allowed a better target for missiles. having rounded walls gave an element of greater strength, was more weather resistant and more difficult to climb.
Why is it so difficult for an attacking force to take over a trench system?
In a World War I context (and in most other military contexts), attackers are at a distinct disadvantage in trench warfare. They must expose themselves to enemy fire in order to get close to the enemy lines. They remain exposed while they cross defense-works such as barbed wire, minefields, and other obstacles. All the while, their enemy is below ground, mostly hidden and protected, yet still able to shoot their rifles, machine guns, and cannons at the approaching attackers.
What were the disadvanages of moats?
The advantages of moats in medieval times where that it made it extremely difficult for an attacking army to get into the castle. Castles usually had bridges that crossed over the moats so in times of war these gates would be raised up forcing the attackers to just generally lob boulders at the castle rather than foot soldiers running in and slaughtering everyone.
What is Warwick Castles positive and negative features?
The southern part of Warwick Castle faces the River Avon, which floods during the winter making it difficult to even reach the castle in times of battle. Caesar's Tower is so tall it is impossible to scale, but the northern part of the castle is less protected. Invaders could fill the ditches outside and use heavy machinery or battering rams to enter.
