siege engine
Medieval assault machine
A siege engine is a large military machine designed to attack fortifications—catapults, battering rams, trebuchets, siege towers.
These devices were essential in ancient and medieval warfare for breaching walls or hurling projectiles into fortified positions: The army rolled siege engines toward the castle gates.
The term now appears mainly in historical contexts and fantasy games.
Counterweight-powered projectile launcher
- catapultSiege engine for launching
- ballistaAncient projectile siege engine
- battering ramHeavy beam for breaching
- mangonelTorsion-powered medieval catapult
onager · warwolf · petard · ram · belfry · sambuca · tortoise
Balancing mass in machinery
- torsionRotational strain force
- tensionStretched or strained state
- tractionAdhesive friction enabling movement
- windlassCranked cylinder for lifting
winch · projectile · sling · arm · fulcrum · release · calibration · range
Breaking of agreement
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- barrageSustained, overwhelming attack
- rammingStriking with violent impact
- batteringRepeated forceful striking
demolition · scaling · mining · sapping · undermining · incendiary · missile · enfilade
Sealing off a place
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- attritionGradual reduction through loss
- garrisonStationed military force
- defenderOne who guards another
assault · capitulation · surrender · starvation · emplacement · crew · deployment · logistics
Strengthening defenses or nutrients
- rampartFortified defensive wall
- castleFortified medieval residence
- citadelFortified urban stronghold
- fortressHeavily defended military structure
stronghold · curtain wall · gatehouse · barbican · battlement · parapet · tower · keep
trebuchet
Counterweight-powered projectile launcher
- catapultSiege engine for launching
- ballistaAncient projectile siege engine
- battering ramHeavy beam for breaching
mangonel · onager · warwolf · petard · ram · belfry · sambuca · tortoise
counterweight
Balancing mass in machinery
- torsionRotational strain force
- tensionStretched or strained state
- tractionAdhesive friction enabling movement
windlass · winch · projectile · sling · arm · fulcrum · release · calibration · range · trajectory
breach
Breaking of agreement
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- barrageSustained, overwhelming attack
- rammingStriking with violent impact
battering · demolition · scaling · mining · sapping · undermining · incendiary · missile · enfilade · flanking
blockade
Sealing off a place
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- attritionGradual reduction through loss
- garrisonStationed military force
defender · assault · capitulation · surrender · starvation · emplacement · crew · deployment · logistics
fortification
Strengthening defenses or nutrients
fortress · stronghold · curtain wall · gatehouse · barbican · battlement · parapet · tower · keep · wall
- ancient weaponssword, swords, shield, shields, bow
- Roman militarylegion, cohort, centurion, legionnaire, legionaries
- siege warfarebattering ram, trebuchet, catapult, ballista, bombardment
- siege weaponscatapult, trebuchet, ballista, mangonel, onager
- siegesbattering ram, trebuchet, catapult, scaling ladders, bombardment
- ancient warfarephalanx, warriors, army, legion, battle
siege enginerampart
Fortified defensive wall
fortification · defensive wall · castle wall · battlement · bulwark
engine, engineer, siege, engineering, besiege, engines, engineered, besieged, sieging