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A military in an imaginary world doesn’t rely solely on offensive power to win a battle, it also uses its powers of defense. The best militaries make fantasy defensive fortifications a pivotal centerpiece in their strategies both in times of peace and war. In the former, they’re used to help curb crime and troublemakers but the latter is where they truly shine since they can spell the literal difference between a great victory or a shattering defeat.
Defensive fortifications have long been an integral component of the militaries of the real world, dating back to ancient times. It’s no surprise that they’ve been carried over into the fantasy genre where the audience gets to see not just how they fare against hostile countries but vicious beasts such as goblins and dragons. Just like their real world counterparts, they play a prominent role in battle.
The first of the three fantasy defensive fortifications this article will focus on is none other than the esteemed wall. While the majority of fictional worlds use stone as the principal building block for the wall due to their strength, other types of building materials such as clay can be used as well. Regardless of the material used, the wall is designed to hold back the attacking army so that the defenders can rain arrows upon from from the battlements at the top.
Besides the wall, another popular defensive fortification is the use of towers and turrets. Found in strategically important spots, these mighty structures give defenders excellent views of the battlefield as well as serving as prime spots in which to unleash arrows of fury upon the invading force. They’re fairly difficult for the invaders to get to which only makes them all the more advantageous for the defenders to use.
Last and not the least, the catapult is among the most powerful fantasy defensive fortifications. This contraption is designed to fling heavy objects like rocks over a wall to whittle down enemy numbers. The catapult works in tandem with the wall in that the latter keeps the hostile forces at bay so that the former can eliminate as many as they can before they break through the wall.
This is article number four in the fantasy military series. For more, check out our blog page!
The wall is one of the oldest defensive fortifications in the world. Encircling the city or town, it restricted access to it so that only selected areas could be used to enter or leave which were usually controlled by a gate. That idea was brought over into the fantasy genre, appearing in numerous worlds such as Middle-earth.
Building a wall is a process that takes a while to complete. It depends on a number of factors such as weather and the type of material used. Stone is the number one material used since it can last for a long time and is one of the most weather-resistant materials. Clay and bricks are two of many that can be used. The building material used to build it depends on the period of history the world is in and what technologies are available at the time.
How do you go about designing a wall that not only does its job well but is visually interesting? You can look to the real world or other imaginary worlds for ideas. Ideally, it ought to be unique to your world. For example, you can have multiple walls that separate areas of the city or one massive wall that towers over it. There’s no shortage of possibilities with the oldest fantasy defensive fortifications!
Walls aren’t exclusive to cities. You can also incorporate them in other strategically important areas like castles and fortresses. They perform the same function as the ones for cities and make them more difficult to conquer and keep out the riffraff and miscreants.
The wall isn’t without its weaknesses though. In fact, out of all the fantasy defensive fortifications, it has an alarming number of vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Enemy armies can use ladders to scale it, place explosives — if the world has advanced to the point where they can be used — to blow it to smithereens, dragons can burn it with their mighty fire, trolls can easily smash it to pieces, and so on.
Smart militaries don’t just rely on one defensive fortification against intruders. Rather, they utilize different ones, all part of a comprehensive strategy. They all work in tandem to keep enemies at bay. To complement walls, they make great use of towers and turrets.
Towers and turrets are fantastic fantasy defensive fortifications. These structures stand tall over walls, in many cases they are actually part of said walls. They provide excellent vantage points of the battlefield, enabling those defending the city or whatever they’re protecting to quickly apprise their superiors of the latest battle conditions.
While they can serve as command centers, towers and turrets are excellent areas in which to launch a constant stream of arrows upon the invading army. They can snipe them from afar and use them to protect against the enemy’s response while dispatching soldiers to the areas that need them the most.
These impressive structures are built in strategic spots or areas that enable the defenders to easily see afar so they can quickly make the necessary preparations. This is why you see many alongside the wall, serving as important sites for the local military, as well as that of castles and palaces. These fantasy defensive fortifications are also found in close proximity to gates or other areas that people could potentially enter like a grate.
Due to their importance in the overall strategy of protecting the area, towers and turrets are primarily built in stone. This hardy material is resistant to fire, though not that of a dragon nor explosives, and is also weather resistant. Regardless of if it’s raining or snowing, they still make it possible for the defenders to keep their eyes out for any potential signs of trouble or an approaching enemy force.
A large part of a country’s defensive fortifications revolves around the use of weapons that are designed to support the defenders in the event of an attack. One such weapon is that of the catapult and it is perhaps the most powerful in terms of defensive power. This contraption is the primary go-to in medieval worlds due to how versatile it is.
Though it is mainly a weapon that’s used in offensives, it is quite useful in terms of defending. It can fling heavy objects such as rocks over long distances and when they land, they pulverize everything underneath them. Major cities typically include them in their defensive arsenal so that they can shrink down the number of enemy forces, making it easier to deal with the remaining ones.
The catapult can come in many different designs, depending on the situation, which is why it’s one of the most dependable fantasy defensive fortifications. For instance, you can have them be stationery, parking them atop the walls to increase their throwing distance or you can give them wheels so they can be moved to where they’re needed. You can also adjust the throwing arm to make it shorter or longer and so on.
Rocks aren’t the only thing that a catapult can fling. You can use it to throw decayed food and chemicals to dampen enemy morale. In some cases, they can also be used to throw people over though there’s a high chance they’ll wind up dying upon impact.
To support the heavy objects that will be eventually placed on them, catapults use materials that can easily withstand that weight. Many of these fantasy defensive fortifications feature a mixture of wood and metals to make something that isn’t too heavy to move but also has the power to throw powerful objects across a great distance.
A country doesn’t just rely on brute offensive power to win a war, it includes a good number of powers for defending. That power comes from the use of defensive fortifications, all of which make it easier for the defenders to withstand a long and ferocious siege. Having them can make the difference between victory and defeat.
There are three fantasy defensive fortifications integral to a country’s defenses. The first is the wall. This long structure runs around a city, castle, or fortress, protecting it by limiting the ways in and out of them. Typically made of rock or stone, the wall means that enemy forces have only a few attack vectors to choose from unless they have explosives with them, giving the defenders ample chance to reduce their numbers significantly.
The second one is all about towers and turrets. These buildings stand above the wall, giving defenders a great look at the battlefield as well as serving as a place in which to let loose a steady stream of arrows from in the event of an attack. They also serve as important strategic points since the soldiers there are tasked with apprising their superiors of the latest battle conditions during times of war and in peacetime, they enable them to see afar to identify any potential signs of trouble.
Out of all the fantasy defensive fortifications, the catapult is one that gets the most use. It appears in many battles, mostly on the attacking side though it gets its fair share of use on the defending side. In the latter, it can fling objects that can shatter an enemy army, sharply reducing its numbers.
When developing a country’s military, including its defensive fortifications is key in fleshing out its defensive capabilities since there will be a time in history that it will be attacked, either in the story itself or at point in its past. Bringing them into your world adds a splash of realism which your audience will appreciate!
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