Haltherrion
First Post
Very cool- no wall towers though. As an attacker, I'd be tempted to come in at one of the corners on the upper left or lower right. Wouldn't take much fire from the walls there
Castle or Not?
Very cool- no wall towers though. As an attacker, I'd be tempted to come in at one of the corners on the upper left or lower right. Wouldn't take much fire from the walls there
I would have liked to see more non-european castles and forts on that list. All but one of the castles in the poll are from Europe or otherwise descend from European designs. India in particular should have had an entry or two, since it is a region that was perhaps even more prolific in its castle-building than Europe, and at a large scale as well.
Anyways, I voted for most of those except for the Roman Forts. Thinking about it, I probably shouldn't have voted for Fort Putnam, but oh well.
I actually like the look of Star Forts seen from the air. They remind me of ancient tombs like that. Reading the article though, it sounds like a lot of "star forts" were actually the defensive bulwarks around towns and cities. Since towns were uniformly walled and garrisoned in medieval times, it actually raises the question of where do you draw the distinction between a walled town, a castle, and a fortress?
Anyways, I voted for most of those except for the Roman Forts. Thinking about it, I probably shouldn't have voted for Fort Putnam, but oh well.
I actually like the look of Star Forts seen from the air. They remind me of ancient tombs like that. Reading the article though, it sounds like a lot of "star forts" were actually the defensive bulwarks around towns and cities. Since towns were uniformly walled and garrisoned in medieval times, it actually raises the question of where do you draw the distinction between a walled town, a castle, and a fortress?
Haltherrion
First Post
I assumed from previous experience that there was a 9 entry limit on the poll. Given that constraint, and my desire to span time more than geography although I did get one non-European one in there. Feel free to post specific examples you have in mind.
As we've discussed elsewhere, it depends on your definition of a castle of course.
One way to distinguish:
Walled town is a fortification around a town. There may be strongpoints within or along the calls. These could be a fortification or a castle, I would tend to call it the latter if it contained administrative or ruler accomodations but wouldn't put too fine a point on it.
I tend to think of fortresses as especially strong fortifications which seems to be in line with wikipedia's definition. Going with that scheme, a fortress might be a very large fortification with particularly stout walls, dungeons, and/or concentric walls. It might also be a walled town with very extensive fortifications including multiple strong points (castles/sub-fortifications), elaborate gate-house complexes, very strong wall towers, multiple walls.
Fortress seems more subjective. Walled town seems straight forward. Castle versus fortifications seems somewhat subjective as well.
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DumbPaladin
First Post
I'm definitely no architecture expert, nor military tactician, but I only voted for 4 of the 9 options listed: the motte-and-bailey, the caernarfon, the Japanese castle, and Deal castle. The others I'd all classify as something else, or ascribe another word to.
When I think, "Your party sees a castle up the road", I see one of the 4 I voted for. "Your party sees a grand palace up the road" might bring to mind option #9, and "a fort" might bring up any of the others.
When I think, "Your party sees a castle up the road", I see one of the 4 I voted for. "Your party sees a grand palace up the road" might bring to mind option #9, and "a fort" might bring up any of the others.
MonsterMash
First Post
In most of my RPG campaigns the castles or fortifications are semi-appropriate to the background - e.g. medieval european style in D&D games despite them not really being designed to cope with flying attackers or magic.
Haltherrion
First Post
Same for me and I'm pretty sure, same for all my players. I'm positive about one of them: he built a cool scale model of part of a castle that we often use when we need a castle (walls, couple wall towers, gatehouse and small keep).
What is the difference between a japanese castle and Neuschwanstein?
Why do you put useless fortifications in your game?
The difference is probably that Neuschwanstein was a castle built during the 19th century, and wasn't really built as a military fortress, but rather as a really luxurious house. Its walls and fortifications are nothing more than really elaborate decorations.
On the other hand, most famous Japanese castles were the preferred homes of feudal warlords during times of chaos. Major castles such as Osaka castle and Himeji Castle were built during the violent Sengoku period, and Osaka castle in particular was the site of one of the era's final famous battles. While they just look like pretty buildings today, they really are fortifications with all of the stone walls, guard towers, elevation ground for gun emplacements, and chutes for deadly objects to be dropped onto invaders that we expect from a military fortress. While the architectural styling is very different, their function is identical to a European castle.
Haltherrion
First Post
For those who voted, many thanks. Folks seemed to have a broader view of what consitutes a castle than I would have predicted (at least among the smallish sample size.)
So, next question, if you voted for more than a few of these examples, how do you define castle? How do you define a military fortification? How do you distinguish between the two terms? Do you use them essentially as synonyms or do you see a difference and if so, what is it?
So, next question, if you voted for more than a few of these examples, how do you define castle? How do you define a military fortification? How do you distinguish between the two terms? Do you use them essentially as synonyms or do you see a difference and if so, what is it?
To me, a castle is a fortified structure a local warlord or feudal lord uses as his base of power, or as a means of projecting his power over an area. As such it relies on two elements: it must be a military fortress, and it must be focal point for government power. I don't think its status as a residence is even as important as the fact that it is a seat of government of some sort. Generally speaking, fortresses stop being castles when the seats of government are moved to fancy unfortified buildings in urban centers.
In short a castle is a fortress where authority resides, particularly authority primarily borne from the military power embodied by the castle itself.
In short a castle is a fortress where authority resides, particularly authority primarily borne from the military power embodied by the castle itself.
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