Talisman Games - Midgard - Game Redesign Plan

City Defenses

Gates

I think I'd like to propose that city walls have a variable number of gates in them (at least one per city, of course), where only specific sides contain a gate. This seems more reasonable to me than having a gate in every wall. Gates on all sides would seem to be indefensible, as attackers could assault all of them at once and the city would be hard-pressed to defend them all simultaneously. It seems more reasonable that a city of a reasonable size would typically have only one or two gates in its walls so that defenders can be concentrated around those points to best effect.

In order to accommodate this idea, gates will be managed differently. Gates will be built only in specific walls (selected by the city leader) and will add their own cost to the cost of building (or upgrading) the walls. The level of gate constructed or upgraded will match that of the wall being constructed or upgraded and the walls and gates will be built as a combined unit. When walls are upgraded to a new level, the existing gates are upgraded at the same time to the same level. Upgrading gates will follow the same rules and costs as upgrading walls. Adding new gates to walls where they didn't exist before will cost 50% more mancycles than the usual price for building a gate at that level.

Here are some descriptions of gates that match the various types of walls:

Level	Type	Description
1.0	Sod	Gates in a sod wall are typically a reinforced sheet of wood (similar to plywood) with hinges anchored in the sod wall and a wooden beam for locking. A small, latching door imbedded in the gate is used for observing visitors before opening the gate.
2.0	Palisade	A gate in a palisade is constructed in the same manner as the wall, with a hinged and braced frame around it. A pair of heavier wooden beams are used to secure the door against unwanted entry.
3.0	Log	A heavy wooden gate is made from layers of planks bound together into a sturdy structure, hinged on both sides and opening from the middle due to it's width, and is secured with an iron latch backed up by pairs of locking beams. A small viewing door may be imbedded within it.
4.0	Brick	A gate in a brick wall is similar to one in a log wall, but larger and thicker and with heavier hardware and locking beams to withstand a stronger attack.
5.0	Stone, simple	Large and heavy, iron-bound double doors, with multiple locking beams and an iron grille covering the small viewing door. These usually require a few men (at least) to open and close.
6.0	Stone, with battlement	With a battlement available a defensive gatehouse is usually constructed. The gatehouse is notably thicker than the wall to provide space for the needed equipment and defensive structures. An iron-bound double door (without viewing ports) sits behind and is protected by a iron-bound, wooden, grate-style portcullis that is raised and lowered by winch equipment housed in the gatehouse above. The door is multiply-beamed at the ground level, as usual, but also includes additional locking bars extending from the gatehouse above. Exits with defensible doors on either side of the gatehouse lead to the the battlement wall-walk. Steep interior stairs lead up to the gatehouse. Above the equipment room is a battlement atop the gatehouse, reached by an interior ladder and trap door, where gate defenders can be stationed during attacks.
7.0	Stone, with bastions	This type of gatehouse, supported by towers on each side, offers two portcullises in front of the door, spaced somewhat apart so they have to be broken through separately. Both of them are solid rather than grates, and they, as well as the door, are completely encased in iron, making them stronger and impervious to fire. There are two levels of equipment rooms and each portcullis is controlled from a different level. In that way if one room falls to the enemy both portcullises cannot be opened from the single room. Internal stairs provide access to the roof battlement. Some may have hidden and well-defended posterns. Other elements of the gatehouse are similar to the battlement-only version.
8.0	Stone, with interior walkway	The gatehouse contains multiple stair-connected levels, including access to both levels of walkways, and shelters a short passageway giving outside access to the city interior. A third portcullis is installed at the rear of the passageway and it is possible to trap attackers between the front and rear portcullises. Arrowslits and murder holes provide access to assault the attackers while they are in the passageway. Two sets of stairs provide access to enclosed entry-points to the roof battlement. Access to the gatehouse is fortified for independent protection and this (or even more fortified versions) can be called a Great Gatehouse.
9.0	Stone, with interior stairs	A large gatehouse, heavily fortified against interior intrusion from any direction, provides two well-separated doors in a long passageway and double-portcullises at each end, with many opportunities for defensive fire within the passageway. The portcullises are solid hardened ironworks. This forces an attacker to fight his way through six physical obstacles on the way through the passage. In addition, the passageway does not go straight through. It is instead a bent entrance, a zig-zag shape between the two doors used to slow down attackers, confine them in a killing zone, and impede the use of battering rams against the following door. Some unexpected tactics may be used to trick the attackers, such as leaving an undamaged portcullis at the front that may later be closed to trap attackers in the passageway and exposed to attack from the gatehouse defenders. The battlement atop the gatehouse is covered similarly to the wall. A number of interior rooms provide storage for military supplies and places for troops to gather.
10.0	Great Wall	This gatehouse is essentially an entire Keep in its own right with extensive defenses of its own and is sometimes called a Gate Keep. Portcullises and doors are probably made of solid steel. It houses its own troops with their own independent supplies and can protect themselves and the walls against intrusion even if the bailey (interior of the city) is taken.