The Medieval Fortress

Castles, Forts and Walled Cities of the Middle Ages

By J. E. Kaufman & H. W. Kaufman

Illustrated by Robert M. Jurga

One of the best aids for Fantasy Roleplaying Games was the series of arms, armor and castle books that Palladium Books published during the 1980's.  Most of these were compiled into the
Compendium of Weapons, Armor & Castles that is currently available.

The Medieval Fortress takes this concept one step further.  Written by historians, the book covers the origins and evolution of castles and other walled defenses.  It also discusses the strategies and tactics used by both attackers and defenders of these fortifications.  The technological developments in weapons and defensive countermeasures are also discussed in depth.

But the best part of this book is the 200 photos and 300 technical drawings.  Like the work done in the earlier Palladium books, The Medieval Fortress contains hundreds of floorplans of castles, walled towns, and other defensive structures.  In addition, this book also gives a wide variety of information about each castle, detailing its history, architectural significance, and performance under siege.