Notes from Windward: #63


The First Fighting Deck

the fighting deck for the north leg
     In order for the castle defenders to protect the wall from attackers, they need an elevated deck to fight from. Also, this particular fighting deck needs to go in so that the stairway can be built leading up to the high deck.

     The first consideration is that it has to be one very sturdy deck in order to bear the weight of heavy fighters jumping up and down in the heat of battle. Consequently, it's made from the same 2x12 inch planks that form the outer wall, and while the deck draws support from the outer wall, in return it provides substantial rigidity. Any army that smashes into that wall is just going to bounce right back.

     Part of the challenge of designing a structure such as this involves finding ways to make sure that it can withstand the impact of a couple of enthusiastic 250 pound fighters without hurting them unduly. And that those who are "killed" scaling the wall won't be likely to get hurt while dying.

a wider view showing the fighting deck, the stairway fighting platforms and the high deck
  
     If we were building a serious castle actually intended to keep people out, the wall would be taller. In this case, for the sake of fun, it's important to insure that the castle isn't too well built in the sense that it actually can be successfully attacked. The true purpose of a real castle was to insure that uninvited guests suffered as much damage as possible upon arrival at the castle wall, all the while insuring that the defenders remained as safe as possible.

     But what's the fun in that?
the fighting deck
from the attacker's point of view

Notes From Windward - Index - Vol. 63