Vol 4 CH Extras (2/2)

Frootten library

———– The New Star Fortifications

With the appearance of muskets and cannons on the battlefield, fortification construction theory experienced a radical change The specific introduction of cannons able to deliver great voluh-impact artillery fire necessitated a fundamental shi+ft in the concept of fortified defence

In response to this neeapon, a new fortification in the form of the Star Fort was developed The Goryōkaku in Hakodate on the island of Hokkaido to the north of japan is great example of such fortifications (Scribe annotations: Hakodate, Hokkaido and japan are not places which exist in the entire Continent Goryokaku is also no fortification known to anybody in either the Demon or Human World Since this was all written by the Crimson Scholar, perhaps she mixed up the names with some other place)

Of course, even before this, similar weapons have continued to exist The musket had its counterpart in the bow and crossbohile the cannon had its counterpart in the catapult

However, the catapult was substantially larger and lessh velocities, catapults were substantially slower and hence had less destructive power In this manner, the erection of walls served a distinct purpose

However, with the introduction of cannons, the old curtain wall, a straight vertical wall, was simply unable to withstand any sort of protracted boements

As such, walls were built to withstand cannonfire without cru them lower and thicker At this point, rather than walls, the fortifications were designed primarily to absorb and deflect the impact of the cannons

Such low-height walls were also useful against musket fire

While boere capable of direct fire (firing in a straight line towards the ene in an arc towards the enemy)

As a result, using indirect fire, archers were able to pick off ene within fortifications Of course, in response to that, soldiers learnt to put shi+elds above their heads to block arrows

In contrast, ht

Older fortifications relied on pushi+ng down siege ladders erected on walls to prevent enee stones and on pouring scalding water on enemies below

However, the newer fortifications relied on standing on thin boards (which resulted in the with muskets on enemies in safety while enemies were unable to fire back

Constructing this sort of fortification required a higher level of engineering and architectural skill The square forts which had been constructed up to noere gradually replaced by star forts Coer lines of walls needed to be constructed, which represented increased costs and time required However, despite the cost, star forts offered es

The old style forts used to shortest distance of walls to cover the area, and if necessary, could be constructed to have several corners to increase the length However, the walls were overwhelht, and would absorb the brunt of cannon fire, leading to thee with each shot

The new fortifications were constructed with sloping walls, such that even while surrounded by cannon ee In addition, as the different walls of the star fort faced each other, defensive fire fro fields and hence result in the greatest dae the walls from the front

In other words, attackers faced the troubling dilee and a strategy which would result in maximum casualties for the attacker

The very first Star Fortification constructed in history was the defences of the City of the Gate This star fortification proved to be instrumental in the Second Battle of the City of the Gate, or the Siege of the City of the Gate, and was later greatly expanded Without the star fort, the walls of the City of the Gate would have fallen almost ie hordes of Holy Crusaders

However, the chief architect and engineer of the star fortifications argued, “Even though the low-height fortifications were my idea; however, the star shape was created by si the old fortifications which previously existed in the City of the Gate They were not my invention”

To think that the City of the Gate, a city so ancient that no written records exist of its history, once had a genius capable of designing such defensive infrastructure This is a mystery of history which persists even to this day

From