23 May 2013 Utrecht -- The Walls

When it came to city defenses I was always under the assumption that the bigger the better.  Smaller walls only happened due to the lack of financial planning and budgeting. Yet we learnewd at the observatory that smaller walls were eventually the perferred. When cities had walls atleast. Mayhaps I like it when long held child assumptions are learned to be wrong but it was a bit of a surprise when I learned at the observetory that when the canonball was improved, to be steel instead of rock, the walls were readjusted to fit the new weapondry. Bigger walls were a larger target, most likely inspiring "the bigger they are the harder they fall"statement. Interesting. Due to smaller walls not only did the opposing forces have a smaller target but also the city was more easily ably to return fire. I wonder if small walls became a deterrent after this, like "Oh they have a small wall they most have the better canons, we should leave them alone!"on second thought the war types were probably more like "Oh a challenge" Pity. -- Alix Carpenter