Siege
Different types of castles had different vulnerabilities and strengths. As new castles were built so were new defenses. As new defenses were built so were new siege methods though of. Several siege methods were for different castles. Sieges also had developed different technology and gears to counter these castles. Siege methods included using fire, battering rams, ladders, catapults, or using a special tactical method called 'siege'.
Different types of castles had different vulnerabilities and strengths. As new castles were built so were new defenses. As new defenses were built so were new siege methods though of. Several siege methods were for different castles. Sieges also had developed different technology and gears to counter these castles. Siege methods included using fire, battering rams, ladders, catapults, or using a special tactical method called 'siege'.
Arrows with fire were very effective against Bailey castles. Bailey castles were usually made of wood and only some stone. Fire arrows would easily light the wood and burn the castle, or usually its defenders. Archers were highly mobile and could attack the castle from a distance using fire, making it a highly effective.
The battering ram was a pillar hanging down on swinging thick pieces of wood that could hold up the main pillar. Several men would hold the sides, back and around the front of the mail pillar and use their own strength to swing the main pillar forward to ram down castle walls and large siege doors. It would take some time because of the strength required to operate the battering ram because the men would tire out after some use. Other battering rams are sometimes just the main pillar and the men holding it up. The design as shown on the right is a depiction of a Roman battering ram, with an iron front of a ram. To breach walls men could use picks, but only worked on thin walls, the battering ram was used on strong thick walls.
There were different types of siege ladders in which attackers could scale over the walls and into the castle for close range melee combat. Tall ladders were carried and then placed on the walls, but while the attackers climbed the ladders they were vulnerable to the attackers inside the castle, attackers would sometimes pour boiling oil or just simply knock the ladder down, or shoot arrows down towards the attackers, as the attackers fell off and were severely injured or killed. To counter this vulnerability, the Belfry ladder was invented. The Belfry ladder was on wheels and offered cover for the attackers while climbing it. The Belfry ladder was heavy and prevented the defenders from easily pushing the ladder back. To counter the Belfry ladder the defenders piled up dirt against the castle walls to prevent the attackers from pushing the Belfry ladder up against the castle walls, because it was on wheels it couldn't be put up against the walls because of the dirt.
The catapult was a type of sling shot using charged up power. Ropes would be wound up around wheels attached to a wooden like spoon. Releasing the ropes would release all the power into the arm. Over the medieval ages cattle, plague victims and rocks were launched into the walls or over the walls. Cattle that were launched into the defending castle would spread disease to the defenders inside the walls causing death and bad symptoms, plague victims acted the same way when launched.
The tactical method called 'siege' was to surround the castle with heavy catapults and men to ensure that no one could enter or leave the castle. Doing this tactical method would eventually starve the defenders until they came out or starved to death. If the defenders knew the method was being done the defenders would send all the elderly, children and women out of the castle so that the men who were left to fight would have a longer food supply.