Siege

Military blockade of a city or fortification, designed to force it to surrender. The besiegers used three main techniques; close assault, bombardment, and capitulation. In close assault, they would place towers and tunnels trying to defeat the walls of the fortification, generally conducted after a period of bombardment with archery , ballista, trebuchets, catapults , and even cannons. If the fortification would not fall to direct assault, a difficult and expensive proposition, or the defenders would not give over the keys (sometimes using parlay the attackers and besiegers would agree on a specific length of time the defenders would do their best to hold out unless relieved by a friendly army), then the attackers would try to keep new supplies out of the fortress, causing privation within and usually forcing capitulation.&nbsp