dariopatke Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Consider those in both Westeros and Essos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Stark Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 In Westeros, Eyrie is the hardest to storm, but imho one of the easiest to sustain a siege. Casterly Rock is extremely strong and was reported to never fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maester of Valyria Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 The Twins are difficult to take by siege: you'd have to cut off both castles and the river for it to be effective. They're also described by Yandel as some of the strongest castles in the realm. The Hightower would be difficult to storm but easy to besiege. Storm's End is considered nigh-impenetrable. Riverrun is tricky because of its on-demand moat. As for Essos, I'd go with Qarth, Asshai, Volantis, Braavos, Tyrosh...basically all the Free Cities apart from Lorath and Pentos, the fortresses of the Bones, and anything in Yi Ti. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raisin' Bran Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 31 minutes ago, Maester of Valyria said: The Twins are difficult to take by siege: you'd have to cut off both castles and the river for it to be effective. They're also described by Yandel as some of the strongest castles in the realm. The Hightower would be difficult to storm but easy to besiege. Storm's End is considered nigh-impenetrable. Riverrun is tricky because of its on-demand moat. I think it is important to note that many of the "strong" castles in Westeros could be taken by small strike forces sneaking inside. Theon did it in Winterfell, The Northmen sort of did it in Harrenhal (admittedly with the help of the Brave companions). Storm's End had potential with the cave that Davos used. In the show ( I know its not canon, and not quite like described in the books) Bronn states that he could take the Eyrie with a small force climbing the mountain and not using the mule road. I think similar tactics could be used to take most castles. With that considered, I think the Twins, Casterly Rock, and Riverrun would be harder to take due to some of the natural defenses available (river, mining tunnels). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dofs Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Casterly Rock, imo, doesn't have any competition. Not only it is basically a mountain, meaning that it can't be taken by storm with medieval weapons, it was sad that even dragons are helpless against it. It is also extremely difficult to besiege it - not only you have to posses a navy to do that, you can only besiege it with a gigantic army. CR at it's widest place is over 10 km - what kind of army you must have to have to successfully encircle the thing and not spread your forces too thin for them to not be very vulnerable to sorties? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dariopatke Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 31 minutes ago, Maester of Valyria said: The Twins are difficult to take by siege: you'd have to cut off both castles and the river for it to be effective. They're also described by Yandel as some of the strongest castles in the realm. The Hightower would be difficult to storm but easy to besiege. Storm's End is considered nigh-impenetrable. Riverrun is tricky because of its on-demand moat. I think it is important to note that many of the "strong" castles in Westeros could be taken by small strike forces sneaking inside. Theon did it in Winterfell, The Northmen sort of did it in Harrenhal (admittedly with the help of the Brave companions). Storm's End had potential with the cave that Davos used. In the show ( I know its not canon, and not quite like described in the books) Bronn states that he could take the Eyrie with a small force climbing the mountain and not using the mule road. I think similar tactics could be used to take most castles. With that considered, I think the Twins, Casterly Rock, and Riverrun would be harder to take due to some of the natural defenses available (river, mining tunnels). Theon took WF which had dozen men, 100 Northmen plus BC outnumbered ser Amory, they could never take HH if Tywin was there, we are talking if a castle has desent garnison, although not overcrowded because of supplies. Still, yiu can smuggle 10,20 men in Eyrie, what next, can they kill 500 men? Can they slaughter all those archers in gates to open doors for men? Of couse not. Only Ramsay and his 20 good men can acomplish that mission. Agree on Twins, CR and RR. I would add Qarth certanly, invading army must approach from north across Red Waste and certanly block port which will hardly be acomplished because of you know 3000 ships they have. And I guess its more likely invaders will starve under the walls or die trying to pass triple walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raisin' Bran Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 13 minutes ago, dariopatke said: Theon took WF which had dozen men, 100 Northmen plus BC outnumbered ser Amory, they could never take HH if Tywin was there, we are talking if a castle has desent garnison, although not overcrowded because of supplies. Still, yiu can smuggle 10,20 men in Eyrie, what next, can they kill 500 men? Can they slaughter all those archers in gates to open doors for men? Of couse not. Only Ramsay and his 20 good men can acomplish that mission. Agree on Twins, CR and RR. I would add Qarth certanly, invading army must approach from north across Red Waste and certanly block port which will hardly be acomplished because of you know 3000 ships they have. And I guess its more likely invaders will starve under the walls or die trying to pass triple walls. I know these were not perfect examples. But who said they had to be decently garrisoned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dariopatke Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 I know these were not perfect examples. But who said they had to be decently garrisoned? It is kinda important because you can either infiltrate like you said or storm any castle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrow of the Morning Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Casterly Rock - By far the hardest. The castle never fall, it is so big that is almost impossible to storm due its great size and formidable defenses and can last a really long siege. Even Visenya got impressed with the castle and stated even with the dragons they would not be able to conquer the rock. The Eyrie - Impregnable, it is almost impossible to take the castle by storm, but it is possible by siege, despite the castle have a large granary. Storm's End - So massive that you can't hope to attack and win. You need to besiege by land and siege for a long time. Riverrun - The castle can become an island, so no surprising no one never took it by storm. You have to besiege it for a long time. The Twins - It is not a castle, but a double castle, really strong and each one in a different side of a river, so you need to put a army in each margin. Winterfell - The castle have two walls, a moat filled with water, have a strong keep and big granary, when full garrisoned would be a pain in the ass. Other strong castles that were little described by seem imposing as well are Skyreach (the castles is carved in stone in the top of a cliff), Starfall (the same case as Riverrun) and the castles of the Marche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Stark Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Also, the Eyrie is uninhabitable during winters. So that's kinda useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Creighton Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 1 hour ago, Raisin' Bran said: I know these were not perfect examples. But who said they had to be decently garrisoned? Because the question, of what ungarrisoned or abandoned Castle is the hardest to take is irrelevant. Go up to it, use a rope, climb wall, plant flag. It's pretty much the same result every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Few of the Fingers Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 1 hour ago, Bryan Stark said: Also, the Eyrie is inhabitable during winters. So that's kinda useless. Did you mean uninhabitable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mountain That Flies Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 In Westeros it's Casterly Rock, and in Essos it's Qarth. Every other fortified complex or city has clear points of vulnerability or can have a siege against it maintained very easily. Neither are true for these two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dariopatke Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 In Westeros it's Casterly Rock, and in Essos it's Qarth. Every other fortified complex or city has clear points of vulnerability or can have a siege against it maintained very easily. Neither are true for these two. Agree about that two, but Im also curious, what do you thing the weakness of SE is? Braavos too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhitewolfStark Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I'm surprised no one mentioned Sunspear with its maze of gates and switchbacks through the Shadow City. Casterly Rock would be difficult, but not impossible to take. Essentially, I'd find some way to take the inner harbor underneath the Rock and then take the remnants of the Lannister fleet, and burn it, starting a fire and fill the rock with smoke. I would have to find a way of continuing the fire for a few days to be sure, but if the Lannisters are going to hole up in it like ferrets, then the best way to get them out is to smoke them out. I'd put a bunch of forces at the Lion's Mouth and prepare for desperate people to come hurrying out and trying to cut a way through my forces out. The hardest part of such a plan would be taking that inner harbor, defeating the Lannister navy, and keeping that fire going for days on end. To achieve this, using Wildfire would most likely be the best thing rather than normal fire. There's problems with such a plan, and it would be difficult, but I wouldn't say that it isn't impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good Guy Garlan Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I'd give the edge to Riverrun. Storm's End and Casterly Rock might fall after a long siege and a starving and rebellious garrison might open the gates to the enemy, as it happened to Stannis. But with Riverrun, even if some traitor opens the gates, the invading party still faces the additional difficulty of actually reaching the castle. Like, they'd have to build rafts right there or something to be able to cross the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple-eyes Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I agree rock seems to be very strong, it can stay under the attack of dragon because it is basically a hill with a lot of caves inside. Dragon can not burn a hill. Only tyrion can take it by using the underwater system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtree Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Casterly Rock, the castle is basically its own town with its width of 6km. But why did Harrenhal get the largest reputation ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple-eyes Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 3 minutes ago, redtree said: Casterly Rock, the castle is basically its own town with its width of 6km. But why did Harrenhal get the largest reputation ? HH is very very big. So...... But it is indeed vulnerable to dragon fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtree Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 7 minutes ago, purple-eyes said: HH is very very big. So...... But it is indeed vulnerable to dragon fire. I think CR has a bigger land but HH has the bigger square meters of the building, maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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