Escalade (TCG)

Note: This chapter refers to rules and concepts used in TSR'S BATTLESYSTEM™️ miniatures rules. Since siege warfare is, by its very nature, an activity involving scores, hundreds or even thousands of troops. BATTLESYSTEM™️ is the system of choice. Of course, this doesn't mean that small segments of a siege can't be roleplayed to great effect using standard AD&D® rules.
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==Escalade==
Why bother to break down the walls of a castle when you can simply go over them? In renaissance times, the task of getting troops over the walls into the fortification was sometimes called "escalade". Methods for scaling walls include ladders, grapples and siege towers.
The standard BATTLESYSTEM™️ miniatures rules (page 80) cover the use of ladders and grapples, and the consequences of trying to scale a defended wall. More details are necessary on siege towers, however.
===Siege Towers===
These massive, cumbersome creations ranged from simple scaffolds of hastily-felled trees, sometimes with little or nothing to protect those within, to elaborate enclosed structures with such refinements as hinged shutters and even small draw-bridges to streamline access to the tops of the castle's walls. Siege towers often provide their occupants with some bonus to AR against missile weapons. Depending on the particular tower's construction, this bonus can range from -2 (for target figures protected by an open doorway or window) to -4 (for target figures behind loopholes or arrow slits).
This variation in construction also affects the sturdiness and "survivability" of a siege tower. Although the figure for hits given in the BATTLESYSTEM™️ rules-10 hits per 1" (10 feet in scale) of height-makes sense as an average, the actual number of hits can range from 6 hits per 1" of height to as high as 15 hits per 1" for singularly elaborate towers.
Siege towers are vulnerable to fire attacks, as described on page 86 of the BATTLESYSTEM™️ rules. Troops within an ignited siege tower suffer casualties as if they were the target of an AD 8 attack on each turn they remain in the burning structure. If they don't immediately leave the burning tower, they must also make a Morale Check, at a -1 penalty, at the beginning of the second turn.
The weight of siege towers makes it very difficult to move them. The BATTLESYSTEM™️ rules state (page 84) that they can be moved up only the gentlest of slopes, and at that only if propelled by twice the usual number of figures. Should it be necessary to move the siege tower downhill-in the rare case of a castle set in a depression or dell or surrounded by earth ramparts-the same rule applies: the tower can negotiate a slope no steeper than 1" rise or fall for every 12" of horizontal distance, and even then only if twice the normal number of figures propel it. Note that additional motive force won't make it possible for the tower to negotiate steeper grades. Sheer mass isn't the only problem: having a small base and high center of gravity, towers are typically rather unstable, and would topple on a steeper slope regardless of motive force.
Intelligent opponents would recognize that wrecking the wheels of an approaching siege tower will render it useless, and would probably concentrate their attacks on these targets. Assume that a siege tower that has sustained 25% of its total number of hits has been immobilized. Repairs can be made, but require the participation of at least 20 troops (two figures) equipped with tools and materials, and take 2–6 hours. During this time, these troops are exposed to missile fire.
===Other Climbing Techniques===
Thieves can use their climbing skills to help them scale a wall, in the absence of ladders or grapples. Although very unlikely, it's possible that a unit of one or more figures might be designated as having thief skills. This rare event might occur should one thieves' guild be trying to force entry into the stronghold of another such guild, for example. Since such troops could theoretically assist each other, it becomes easier to assume that all of them will complete the ascent unless they are op posed. If they are opposed, however, they suffer the same effects as troops scaling the walls on grapples, and must make the same Morale Check when they reach the top to determine if they can attack.
It's much more likely that only one or at most a handful of attackers are trained thieves. In this case, their ascent of the walls should be handled using the standard AD&D game rules.
The same is true for mages using spells like spider climb, though it's almost unthinkable that a unit of wizards should be thrown against the wall of a castle as there are surely better ways of using their talents. Assaults on the walls by one or a few spellcasters should also be handled using role-playing rules.
===Airborne Operations===
In a fantasy world, it's easy to imagine many other techniques for getting troops over a castle wall. The BATTLESYSTEM™️ rules (page 72) covers such tactics as pass-by attacks and vertical envelopment, but these rules must be somewhat modified (or at least clarified) to take into account the close quarters of a fortified environment.
Ground attack-where a flying unit lands and then attacks a ground unit is viable, but only if there's enough space for the entire flying unit when it lands. This becomes a significant issue in close quarters, such as in the courtyard of a castle. If walls or outbuildings make it impossible for the entire attacking unit to land, those figures for which there is no space are removed from play. They are assumed to have come to grief by slamming into walls or buildings. While an attacking commander might sometimes consider such losses to be worth the potential benefits of the attack, it's probably more likely that the attacker will realize that the space is inadequate only after moving a few of the figures in the attacking unit. In this case, the movement can't be aborted. The unit must complete its action, even if it means the loss of figures. The justification for this is that flying troops will theoretically be holding (at least loose) formation on leaders or wing-men. They are too busy concentrating on their formation to realize their danger until it's too late. This situation has caused the deaths of several members of aerobatic teams in the real world.
Walls and other obstacles also represent real risks to flying troops conducting pass-by attacks. The attacking unit must have enough room to dive to the attack, and to pull out safely after the attack is complete.
Diving causes a flying unit to accelerate (this is represented by the bonus of 1" to forward movement for each 3" dived), and this additional speed might be difficult to "bleed off. As a rule of thumb, a diving unit must expend 14 (rounded down) of its total movement allowance for each 3" (or portion thereof) it dives.
For example, a flying unit (maneuverability class C) has a base movement allowance of 12", and it dives 6". For the turn in which it dives, its actual movement allowance is 14" (12" plus 2" bonus for diving). During the dive it picks up so much speed that it must use 1/2 of its total movement allowance, or 7". Some of this required movement allowance can, of course, be used up by climbing again after a pass-by attack.
The real risk for a unit conducting a pass-by attack in close quarters is in the pull-up after the attack (remember that creatures of maneuverability class C, D, or E must move forward 1" for each 1" they climb in altitude).
As an example, take the unit discussed above. It is currently at an altitude of 6", and it is 1" away from a unit in a castle courtyard. First, it dives 6" and moves 1" forward, to conduct a pass-by attack. After the combat, the rule above requires that it use at least another 6" of its movement allowance. At its steepest rate of climb, it can ascend 3", but it must also move forward by 3" (see the BATTLESYSTEM rules, page 72). If an obstacle such as a wall is less than 3" away from the unit, and 3" (30 feet) or more in height, the flying unit can't avoid crashing into the wall. Figures forced to fly into obstacles by this rule are removed from play.
After a vertical envelopment attack (BATTLESYSTEM™️ rules, page 73), one or other of the units must be dislodged from its place on the battlefield. Obstacles might make this impossible, however (again, a castle courtyard is an example). If the combat result requires a unit to withdraw, but it is unable to do so because of walls or buildings, the unit is removed from the battlefield.
Note that flying units can make pass-by attacks against units atop a castle wall or tower. In such a case. the defending unit gains no benefit from battlements or crenellations since the attack is from above.
Some pretty far-out situations might arise in a magic-heavy campaign world. Troops equipped with sufficient magical items or spells might be able to make a kind of "paratroop" attack. For example. take a unit of human cavalry riding flying mounts, each of whom is equipped with a ring of feather falling. At any time in their movement, these riders may "dismount" and use their rings to descend safely to the ground. An attack from above like this would be a special form of vertical envelopment. Although events like this would probably be very rare, even the possibility should put defenders on their guard. A unit of enemy "paratroopers" skydiving into a castle courtyard might prove disastrous.
===Giants===
Giant humanoids pose a special case when it comes to scaling walls. Theoretically, a unit of giants could be equipped with ladders or grapples of a scale appropriate to the creatures' size. (Obviously, normal grapples or ladders would be useless to giants: conversely, such equipment for giants could not be used by normalsized troops.) Giants can climb appropriately-sized ropes or ladders at twice the rate for other troops: in other words, 2" of movement allowance to climb 2" (20' scale) for ladders, and 3" of movement allowance to climb 2" for grapples.
Giants are able to scale walls 1.25 times their height without using any equipment. (The height of different types of giants can be found in the AD&D Monstrous Compendiums. A wall less than one-half the height of a giant qualifies as an obstacle (with the appropriate movement cost to cross).
Climbing a wall between one-half and 1.25 times the giant's height takes one complete turn. Like troops using grapples, giants climbing such a wall must successfully make a Morale Check to be able to attack when they reach the top.