More cities (City Designer 3)

[jfrazierjr]

The castle is mainly there to oversee the harbor and protect it. It's not the most important place. The whole city is one huge castle actually

But I might still move it to the center of the city as the place to make a last stand.

Ah... understood.

PS: I still like your original geography.

[Gandwarf]

Yeah, so look at the post before yours We made a post at the same time...
I think I am going back to the original layout...

[jfrazierjr]

Ok, you have convinced me
I will probably go for something like this. Makes much more sense to have the castle as the last retreat.

YES!!!! My Jedi mind trick worked! Strong in the force I am, hmmmm?

[Gandwarf]

YES!!!! My Jedi mind trick worked! Strong in the force I am, hmmmm?

The force is with you, young jfrazierj, but you are not a jedi yet.

[Gandwarf]

Well, I am going to finish this version of the map. Too late now to move any of the walls
As you can see I am placing the houses in a defensive grid. Only one direct route from gate to gate so the enemy can be peppered with arrows from the houses, roofs or walls.

[Nomadic]

Well, I am going to finish this version of the map. Too late now to move any of the walls
As you can see I am placing the houses in a defensive grid. Only one direct route from gate to gate so the enemy can be peppered with arrows from the houses, roofs or walls.

Nice, though I personally would make the road to the inner gates and keeps non-direct. That forces an invading force to weave through the houses. That means a longer path and more chances for ambushes.

[Gandwarf]

Nice, though I personally would make the road to the inner gates and keeps non-direct. That forces an invading force to weave through the houses. That means a longer path and more chances for ambushes.

Well, I thought about that before putting down the roads. The straight line for the gates is actually the ambush
Enemies that take the straight line can be peppered with arrows from all sides. From houses, froms rooftops, from the walls. If the enemy is reckless and they push too far too fast, they can also be surpised from behind.
And a well trained force with pikes for example can hold off the enemy, while archers are behind it (won't work if there are lots of twisty roads). Besides that I wanted the troops from the city to be able to quickly pull back and not get trapped in all the different alleys. City fighting can get very nasty for both sides.
A straight line also favors a cavalry charge, though that can work both for and against the enemy of course.

Besides that, although this is a fortress, it still gets a lot of trade.

*edit* I got this idea from the urban renewal of Paris in the 19th century. Paris was mostly a medieval city before that, but the city was greatly renovated. A lot of large boulevards were created. This made fast troop movement possible and the straightness also helped artillery.
(it wasn't really done to protect from outside enemies, but more to protect against rebellious citizens )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haussma...ation_of_Paris

[Gandwarf]

Last WIP for now. I think I am at 50%. Placing the houses and farmland gets a bit tedious, so need to chill now.

[Nomadic]

And a well trained force with pikes for example can hold off the enemy, while archers are behind it (won't work if there are lots of twisty roads).

Just a small thing here but a main road that switches back on itself actually makes it easier to hold off the enemy with pikemen. It also allows for surprise cavalry charges. The point in this aspect is to have a long straight road that then switches back on itself and is long and straight again. The enemy forces are at risk each time they turn the corner of being flanked by pikemen or charging cavalry (who only have to deal with a small section of the invading force as opposed to the entire force at once). The longer road also makes a retreat easier as the enemy has to go farther to reach the next gate (meaning more points for rooftop archers to harass them from while friendly forces fall back).

[Hoel]

Switchbacks, spiraling roads and entries are good for defence. The archers shoulnd't be on the ground in the first place.
I think it works anyway. Sometimes you have to make allowances for the normal city life, planned fortified cities can have straight roads.
One thing thou. If you turn the gatehouse to the main keep to the south, you will force the enemy around the moat, it's practically made for the entrance being there, covered from the south by a big tower