| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Starshade |
Posted - 01 Oct 2017 : 14:13:13
I have looked at some research into the manpower to crew castle walls, and to siege a castle and, frankly, is not finding what I'd like (scientifically, not for D&D!). But on D&D...
What do you guys do, using some D&D source to describe fortifications and castles and the crew? Any historical sources good for D&D? Other rpg sources? Or even some historians or archaeologists from other parts of the world than Scandinavia?  |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 02 Oct 2017 : 00:36:14
Some castles are purely military structures, others defend things which are functionally non-military. They range from tiny outposts to little keeps to trading forts to royal (government) strongholds to grand walled cities.
What's the castle's purpose? How much military population and how much non-military population?
What state of "readiness" does the castle maintain? During "peacetime" and "wartime"? Does it function as a barracks/garrison for troops who extend military control (armed horse patrols, etc) beyond its walls?
Are the troops all highly-trained and highly-experienced hardened elite professionals always geared up for maximum defense?
Or are they more of a police force, using less lethal methods to maintain order among the populace within the castle walls?
Or are they more like security guards at the mall, providing a presence (and implied threat) as a visual deterrent, discreetly handling intermittent "small problems", even helpfully offering information or directions to common folk?
The main function of a castle is basically a "hardened" position full of troops which invaders can't take without heavy investment (like a time-consuming siege) but also can't ignore without exposing their rear to significant risks or losses. It's sort of a "force multiplier" for owning and controlling territory. The more troops within, the more the (defensive) force is multiplied. Many castle battles were won through large numbers of inexperienced/useless defenders stationed on the battlements, as a show of force if nothing else. Many castles fell to sustained sieges, starvation, attrition, and steady pounding of siege engines against (or above) the walls. Castle fortifications were refined and evolved into grand and complex military architectures with massive outworks spanning across the landscape (a starting linky), deemed utterly "untakeable", costing many decades and even bankrupting a few monarchies to construct (let alone to fully man). And they were all rendered obsolete by gunpowder-based artillery cannons. D&D adds many complexities (magic and wizards and flying dragons and teleporting and angry gods and much more) that castles through our history were never designed to defend against.
The various city maps in the Realms provide a guideline of sorts. They usually assume a city/stronghold has a "large" population within its walls and a "small" population of defenders, some maintain extra troops to patrol "nearby" lands (kinda haphazardly or very aggressively), some maintain large standing armies because they or their neighbours aren't friendly. The usual assumption is that during times of war the population within the walls greatly increases, the populations of nearby farms and villages hide behind the security of the castle walls and (to pay for their rations) lend their craft or their sword-arms to the common defense. The castle itself might be the focus point, but it's really there to protect all the lands around it, it has little value if local farms outside the walls can't feed those within the walls, it is simply too costly to maintain if it needs to constantly stockpile food for its troops from faraway sources. |
| sfdragon |
Posted - 01 Oct 2017 : 23:51:56
... just how big is this castle?
cause if it is real big,then it is outer wall, courtyard containing few houses, merchants/ barracks/ jail. inner wall following inner courtyard and keep.( and the dungeon)
if it is small than it is outer wall courtyard containing few houses/ merchant/ barracks and keep( and possible dungeon)
if it is just the keep.... |
| Starshade |
Posted - 01 Oct 2017 : 20:56:51
And the castle guide is still on sale, for some hours on dmsguild |
| Bladewind |
Posted - 01 Oct 2017 : 20:53:02
Outside times of war and without monetary constraints, a two or three elite guards per wall section should be more than enough.
For example the Gem of the North, Alustriels high palace of Silverymoon is manned at the Gate by two guards on either sidewall, with another two standing in front of the portcullis, three inside the gatehouse, two at the murder holes on either side and another two spellguards (one officer and an apprentice) behind the secondary portcullis into the courtyard (Dragon Annual I, pg 59). The guard are all highly disciplined, and the spellguard hold the means to grant passage through the arcane locked doorways into the castle walls themselves and can cast spells while armed and armored.
During wartime its best to man all fighting men to the walls facing the enemy, so crowd those walls with about two dozen per section. If you lack resources, try to invest in mercenaries capable of commanding troops, and put one of them on each wall section to coordinate the attacks through the arrow slits and murder holes
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| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 01 Oct 2017 : 15:27:51
Back in 2E, TSR put out a book on castles -- DMGR2 The Castle Guide. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 01 Oct 2017 : 15:03:25
Basic D&D did do some effort on Dominions building. However that was more about how to collect taxes and expenses. No direct number of guards are advised. It basically breaks down to what a Lord can afford.
I have looked at many resources in building my realm.
In any event it tends to be a case by case issue. How much walls to be guarded, how great is the danger of internal or external attacks and so on.
I have looked at history of castles as well as what strong hold guides I have found related to D&D and other games. |
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