History Main / SiegeEngines

Historical accuracy [[BambooTechnology varies]] and the RuleOfCool rules. [[FantasyGunControl Depending on the setting]], cannons may also appear, making [[BreachingTheWall knocking down thinner walls in a realistic fashion an option]] (other siege weapons almost always rely on bypassing the wall or attacking those inside from range rather than knocking it down).

* ''VideoGame/WarriorKings'' have a variety depending on your faction. The Pagans and Imperials are relegated to a mangonel though the Pagans do have various demons such as the rock-lobbing Fomor and the poison-squirting, gallstone-spitting Deathwyrms which are very strong against buildings whereas the Imperials are weakest at siege as the only other unit that hits buildings hard are the Inquisitors and their fire-shooting staves. The Renaissance faction get catapults and mangonels as well as a trebuchet and the [[TacticalSuperweaponUnit Rocket Tower]].

* ''VideoGame/WarriorKings'' have a variety depending on your faction. The Pagans and Imperials are relegated to a mangonel though the Pagans do have various demons such as the rock-lobbing Fomor and poison squirting Deathwyrms which are very strong against buildings whereas the Imperials are weakest at siege as the only other unit that hits buildings hard are the Inquisitors and their fire-shooting staves. The Renaissance faction get catapults and mangonels as well as a trebuchet and the [[TacticalSuperweaponUnit Rocket Tower]].

* ''VideoGame/WarriorKings'' have a variety depending on your faction. The Pagans and Imperials are relegated to a catapult though the Pagans do have various demons such as the rock-lobbing Fomor and poison squirting Deathwyrms which are very strong against buildings whereas the Imperials are weakest at siege as the only other unit that hits buildings hard are the Inquisitors and their fire-shooting staves. The Renaissance faction get catapults and mangonels as well as a trebuchet and the [[TacticalSuperweaponUnit Rocket Tower]].

* ''Warrior Kings'' from ''Microids'' have a variety depending on your faction. The Pagans and Imperials are relegated to a catapult though the Pagans do have various demons such as the rock-lobbing Fomor which are very strong against buildings (the Imperials are weakest at siege as the only other unit that hits buildings hard are the Inquisitors and their fire-shooting staves. The Renaissance faction get catapults and mangonels as well as a trebuchet and the [[TacticalSuperweaponUnit Rocket Tower]].

* ''Sands of Salzaar'' from Han Squirrel Studio has the Ballista and Bombard which are T4 and T5 units respectively. Both come in a pair and fire incendiary ammunition (with the Bombard having scattered shot too) at ranges farther than the player's screen.

* ''Steam Defense'' from [=MadSword=] Studio has the Missile System and Airship for the Humans. The Missile System launches a single powerful missile far beyond the range of any defensive structure, but it can't defend itself against enemies at close or even mid-range due to its missiles arcing so sharply. The Airship rapidly fires damaging rockets and its height prevents it from being attacked by defensive structures, unfortunately it greatly prioritizes attacking buildings and then large enemy units, often ignoring human-sized enemies unless those are the only enemies around.

* ''Sands of Salzaar'' from Han Squirrel Studio has the Ballista and Bombard which are T4 and T5 units respectively. Both come in a pair and fire incendiary ammunition (with the Bombard having scattered shot too) at ranges farther than the player's screen.

* ''Warrior Kings'' from ''Microids'' have a variety depending on your faction. The Pagans and Imperials are relegated to a catapult though the Pagans do have various demons such as the rock-lobbing Fomor which are very strong against buildings (the Imperials are weakest at siege as the only other unit that hits buildings hard are the Inquisitors and their fire-shooting staves. The Renaissance faction get catapults and mangonels as well as a trebuchet and the [[TacticalWeaponSuperUnit Rocket Tower]].

* ''Film/The7thVoyageOfSinbad''. Near the end Sinbad's sailors use a giant ballista to kill a dragon.
* ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''
** The French knights presumably used some kind of catapult to fling the cow and giant rabbit.
** Several are seen amongst Arthur's army at the end of the movie, probably to be used against the Castle Argh.
* In ''Film/ThePinkPantherStrikesAgain'', Inspector Clouseau is accidentally propelled up and through a castle window by a catapult.
* ''Film/TheMessengerTheStoryOfJoanOfArc'' has a multiple arrow launcher.
* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''
** In ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers The Two Towers]]'', the assault on Helm's Deep shows suicidal berserker sappers deploying explosives against the weakest point in the outer walls to devastating effect. Earlier in that same battle, multiple siege ladders (including large ones with ballista winches) were used to attack the walls.
** In ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing The Return of the King]]'', trebuchets are used to defend Minas Tirith's walls, and catapults are used by Sauron's forces to weaken Osgiliath, and a huge ram was brought to bear against the gates of Minas Tirith, in addition to siege towers pushed by trolls and full of angry orcs.

%%* ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' -- "On my signal, unleash hell."

* ''Film/YoungFrankenstein''. At one point the villagers use Inspector Kemp as an impromptu BatteringRam to knock open a door.
* The 2010 version of ''[[Film/RobinHood2010 Robin Hood]]'' had mantlets used during the siege on the French castle that King Richard is killed in, along with bags of oil that were set on fire to burn the gates down.

* ''Film/FiftyFiveDaysAtPeking'' (1963). The defenders at the Peking legation watch in horror as a huge siege tower is hauled out of the darkness by hundreds of Chinese soldiers. [[OhCrap Then it starts shooting rockets at them.]]

* ''Film/ResidentEvilTheFinalChapter''. The human enclave in a tower in Racoon City uses a trebuchet to throw flaming barrels of oil at a horde of attacking zombies. Alice makes sure to paint aiming points on the ground beforehand so they can adjust their fire accordingly.

Siege engines are war machines of various sorts used by attacking armies to help them win a siege, whether by destroying enemy fortifications, helping to bypass them, or attacking enemy forces through or over the walls. They’ve been fairly common in RealLife from ancient times until the end of fortresses as major military factors, and are as a result very well represented in fantasy works, alternate history and HistoricalFiction. Often used during TheSiege or when StormingTheCastle.

* Galleries: A portable roof to protect attackers undermining a wall.

[[folder:Comics]]

* ''ComicStrip/HagarTheHorrible'' and his horde make frequent use of rams and catapults. In one strip he fills in for the catapult while his men assemble it, until his arms get tired. And on occasion the French or English follow them home, in which case Helga's cooking makes an apt substitute for boiling oil.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Galaxy Trio''. Normal-sized Vikings use ship-mounted catapults to attack a small village.

* ''VideoGame/The Patrician'' takes these to naval warfare. And once pirates appear, you ''will'' need them. You can get small and large trebuchets. Over the course of the game, you'll also get the bombard, an early cannon that's PowerfulButInaccurate because it was made before ballistics. What really takes the cake, however, is the "driving work" which is the {{BFG}} of ballistae, the medieval WaveMotionGun. It shoots entire tree trunks. Needless to say that the Hansa is not amused if you sail around with these monsters on your ships, even though some traders will gladly add their ships to convoys where the orlog ship is equipped with these things if the pirate situation is dire enough.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfCamelot'' has a wide array of these. Offensive one are Ballista,{{Battering Ram}}s and Catapults (though catapults requite a level 10 barracks and Alchemy Lab for lvl 10 researches and thus two purchased or won Divine Inspirations to access, which has lead to some complaints of players who choose not to spend being at a disadvantage, especially since acquiring a level 12 Rally Point and using the Aura of Conquest item can permit a player to send a 200k Catapult 'death wave' at another player. That said, each additional city acquired does give a free Divine Inspiration and they can be won in contests, so it's not impossible to play for free and still get catapults.) Defenses include Trebuchets and Wall Mounted Crossbows.

* ''VideoGame/ThePatrician'' takes these to naval warfare. And once pirates appear, you ''will'' need them. You can get small and large trebuchets. Over the course of the game, you'll also get the bombard, an early cannon that's PowerfulButInaccurate because it was made before ballistics. What really takes the cake, however, is the "driving work" which is the {{BFG}} of ballistae, the medieval WaveMotionGun. It shoots entire tree trunks. Needless to say that the Hansa is not amused if you sail around with these monsters on your ships, even though some traders will gladly add their ships to convoys where the orlog ship is equipped with these things if the pirate situation is dire enough.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick '' has them, notably with Redcloak throwing [[ElementalEmbodiment titanium elementals]] with catapults (and after his victory, about to fling a bunch of humans).