siege warfare
Surround and starve
Siege warfare is military strategy focused on surrounding and isolating a fortified position—a castle, city, or stronghold—to force surrender through starvation, attrition, or eventual assault.
The besieging force cuts off supplies and reinforcements while the defenders hold out for relief.
Historically, sieges could last months or years.
The term extends to any prolonged campaign of pressure and encirclement: The company's aggressive pricing amounted to siege warfare against smaller competitors.
- siegecraftArt of capturing fortifications
- artilleryLarge-caliber battlefield weapons
- sappingGradually draining vitality
- trebuchetCounterweight-powered projectile launcher
- fortificationsDefensive barriers against attack
ballista · glacis · citadel · barbican · trenches · ramparts · battering ram · investiture · sally port · defenders · hold the line · last stand · provisions · walls · blockade · ladders · bombardment · castle
- Punic WarsHannibal Barca, Scipio Africanus, Hannibal, Carthage, Scipio
- Roman siegesMarcellus, Archimedes, city walls, Sicily, death ray
- Roman warfarelegion, cohort, centurion, Caesar, testudo
- wargamingminiatures, terrain, dice roll, rulebook, tactics
- medievalknights, castles, cathedral, kings, queens
- Medieval Eraknights, Middle Ages, castles, feudal lords, medieval period
siege warfarepitched battle
Intense preplanned military confrontation
blitzkrieg · lightning war · mobile warfare · frontal assault · cavalry charge
siege warfarediplomatic negotiation
Official discussion between nations
peace talks · peaceful resolution · treaty · armistice · surrender terms
siege warfareblitzkrieg
Fast, overwhelming military campaign
lightning strike · decisive battle · raid · surgical strike · surprise attack
warfare, siege, besiege, besieged, sieges, sieging, besieging, besieger, besiegers