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<blockquote data-quote="Andre" data-source="post: 1980290" data-attributes="member: 25930">Well, let's break this down a bit and see what happens:1. No magic on either side. So long as the attacker can enforce a siege long enough, the defenders lose. Eventually starvation or disease will defeat them.2. Moderate magic on both sides. This is trickier. If we assume the attackers have enough resources to form strike teams capable of getting into the castle and raising havoc, we assume the defenders can do the same to the attacking army. My guess: victory goes to the side that uses the best tactics.3. High magic on both sides. No question - just like combat with high-level parties, victory will likely go to the side that gets in its punches first. If the attacker can choose the time of its attack, it will likely win. If the defenders can ambush the attacking army while it's travelling, they'll have the advantage.Note, none of these scenarios requires modifying the castle itself. This is for two reasons. One, as others have pointed out, strong defenses against magic covering an entire fortress are prohibitively expensive. As the French learned with the Maginot Line, that money would probably be better spent on some strong, mobile, offensive forces instead. Two, protecting a fortress against an army with magic is only part of the problem. What about dragons? Beholders? Demons and devils? You can't cover everything. Likely a fantasy castle would serve the same purpose as our real-world ones: control an area against mundane threats, which are also the most common. Stopping the more powerful magical threats is what cannon-fodder...er, I mean adventurers...are for.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Andre, post: 1980290, member: 25930"] Well, let's break this down a bit and see what happens: 1. No magic on either side. So long as the attacker can enforce a siege long enough, the defenders lose. Eventually starvation or disease will defeat them. 2. Moderate magic on both sides. This is trickier. If we assume the attackers have enough resources to form strike teams capable of getting into the castle and raising havoc, we assume the defenders can do the same to the attacking army. My guess: victory goes to the side that uses the best tactics. 3. High magic on both sides. No question - just like combat with high-level parties, victory will likely go to the side that gets in its punches first. If the attacker can choose the time of its attack, it will likely win. If the defenders can ambush the attacking army while it's travelling, they'll have the advantage. Note, none of these scenarios requires modifying the castle itself. This is for two reasons. One, as others have pointed out, strong defenses against magic covering an entire fortress are prohibitively expensive. As the French learned with the Maginot Line, that money would probably be better spent on some strong, mobile, offensive forces instead. Two, protecting a fortress against an army with magic is only part of the problem. What about dragons? Beholders? Demons and devils? You can't cover everything. Likely a fantasy castle would serve the same purpose as our real-world ones: control an area against mundane threats, which are also the most common. Stopping the more powerful magical threats is what cannon-fodder...er, I mean adventurers...are for. [/QUOTE]

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