Lead Adventure Forum

Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: Braz on 21 March 2019, 10:09:03 PM

Title: Castle ramparts, parapets and stairs - what gives?
Post by: Braz on 21 March 2019, 10:09:03 PM

Google-fu is failing me - reaching out the LAF hive mind.

What I'd like to know is what is the reason that so many castle ramparts have only a parapet facing the outside and the inside is completely open; no railing, nothing and just waiting for a Hollywood-esque dramatic action packed death plummet to occur. Same thing for high narrow stairs with no railings. Maybe there were wooden hoardings and railing at some point but see no evidence of this. Lots of walls have the inner parapet but lots don't. Was there a logical reason for this?

I ask as most wargame castle walls I've seen also have the open inner rampart. Inquiring prior to building a small keep.

It just offends my sense of not wanting to fall from high places.

Thanks and cheers

Title: Re: Castle ramparts, parapets and stairs - what gives?
Post by: AKULA on 21 March 2019, 10:48:40 PM

Quote from: Braz on 21 March 2019, 10:09:03 PM

What I'd like to know is what is the reason that so many castle ramparts have only a parapet facing the outside and the inside is completely open; .......... Was there a logical reason for this?

If an attacking force manages to take the outer wall, they are still exposed to defenders inside the castle, and would be vulnerable to missile weapons.

 ;)

Title: Re: Castle ramparts, parapets and stairs - what gives?
Post by: mithril on 21 March 2019, 11:04:57 PM

in gaming, basicaly because it is easier to stick based figures on the walls if one side of the ramparts lacks a wall. so the inner one tends to be left off since that gives you that ease of use without ruining the look of the exterior.

so it is purely for ease of play.

real castles usually had at least a low wall on the otherside for safety purposes, or some kind of railing. in the later situation these were often the first things to break and fall off when a castle was left unmaintained.

Title: Re: Castle ramparts, parapets and stairs - what gives?
Post by: Little Odo on 22 March 2019, 08:02:47 PM

Usually some kind of wooden railing.

Check out this real life castle building archaeology project for some details of how castles were really made...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu%C3%A9delon_Castle

Use Wikipedia as a starter and surf from there. Fascinating place I will be trying to visit this summer (BBC 2 did a few programmes about it in 2014 which prompted my interest).

Title: Re: Castle ramparts, parapets and stairs - what gives?
Post by: Braz on 24 March 2019, 12:40:04 PM

Thanks for confirming what I suspected but couldn't find proof of.

Now to build a keep

Title: Re: Castle ramparts, parapets and stairs - what gives?
Post by: Codsticker on 24 March 2019, 06:15:42 PM

I am building a wall section right now but will be leaving the railing off mostly due to time constraints.  If time allows though...