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Dragons as Siege Weapons

A dragon can not inflict serious structural damage to stronger fortified positions, such as a stone castle, and its tactical role as a siege weapon would consequently be limited, but it can still pose a threat through indirect means.

Its flying abilities obviously makes it easier for a dragon to fly past the ramparts and attack or suppress the defenders, making it easier for friendly forces to scale the walls. But apart from hurling fireballs, a dragon would need to fly close to the walls to threaten the defenders, exposing itself to enemy fire from arrows or heavier missiles. A dragon flying close to the enemy strongholds could also prove counterproductive for friendly siege artillery trying to avoid blue-on-blue incidents.

Stones or heavier objects could be dropped from the dragon's claws or by its rider (if any), but this method would be less destructive or effective than a powerful siege weapon, such as a catapult or trebuchet. Even if a dragon is able to lift heavy objects weighing several hundred pounds, it would still need to fly relatively low (for improved accuracy), exposing itself to missile fire. The accuracy would also be dictated by the rider ("drop on command") or by the intuition of the dragon. A dragon's role as the counterpart to today's fighter-bomber would probably be more effective on the open battlefield against mostly unprotected units.

However, lightly defended and smaller strategic positions without missile defenses can be quite vulnerable to aerial attacks from dragons. If the fortifications are built of wood they can easily be set aflame by the dragon's fire breath.

Dragons versus Dragons

Another dragon is perhaps a dragon's worst enemy, because two of its primary advantages, flight and high mobility, can now be challenged. It is also conceivable that certain kinds of dragons can be bred or trained for this very purpose, in the same vein of modern air-superiority fighters whose single task is to destroy other aircraft.

A fight between two dragons would most likely resemble an aerial dogfight between two World War I-fighters. Dragons hurling fireballs at each other is in many ways similar to a dogfight between machine gun-equipped WWI-fighters.

Even if none of the dragons could hurl fireballs, factors such as speed and altitude (energy advantage) would still be of importance. If a dragon manages to close in on its opponent undetected, it would gain a precious initiative and an important element of surprise. A successful initial sweep attack could put the opponent on the defensive or even disable him. To improve the chances of success, the dragon can, for example, attack from behind and above or dive out from the sun.

There are many ways a dragon can disable another dragon: One effective means is to rip or tear apart the wings of his foe. Dragons can set an opponent off-balance by ramming him with his claws from the sides or rear, or by grabbing his tail with his teeth. Fire-breath can come in handy against dragons who lack resistance to fire.

Skilled fighter pilots stress the importance of aggressiveness in air combat (RS95), and the same goes for dragon versus dragon encounters. If a dragon does not get stunned or disabled by a surprise attack, it must try to regain the initiative through aggressive maneuvers. The fight will then probably evolve into an aerial ballet in which the dragons try to swoop down onto the flanks or rear of each other. If one of the dragons somehow loses its foe from sight, it would stand at a disadvantage which could prove fatal against an experienced foe. If a dragon is injured or hopelessly outmatched, it can try to seek refuge in the clouds (if any) or on the ground.

Dragons versus Ships

A single ship will have problems defending itself against a dragon, because of lacking maneuverability and lacking firepower. A medieval warship would typically hold a crew of up to a few hundred men equipped for boarding of enemy vessels. Only a portion of these would be archers.

The sails and rigs are some of the most vulnerable spots on a ship, and they also restrict the archer's field of fire unless they are lowered. Therefore, a dragon should attempt to set the sails aflame, preferably from a distance using fireballs. If the dragon is unable to hurl fireballs, they could attack from the bow or stern at a steep angle (to minimize the enemy field of fire) and then break off almost vertically without deviating from the line of attack. The dragon would need some altitude in order to efficiently perform this kind of attack: Higher dive-speeds reduce the amount of time the dragon has to linger in the danger zone.

Some medieval ships were equipped with towers, both fore and aft, and these manned towers represent a potential threat to a swooping dragon. Before attacking the sails, a dragon could attempt to attack or destroy these towers first. After the dragon has disengaged, it must watch its tail for incoming missile fire. It should try to figure out in advance the least risky disengagement path. Sometimes the best way to disengage is to simply fly in a straight line away from the target, without resorting to lots of fancy turns and movements which only reduce the speed.

Attacking a ship from the broadside, however, is not a very good idea: The sails do no longer restrict the field of fire, and the crew is therefore able to concentrate more firepower along the sides of the ship.

More ships complicates the issue. The dragon has to be careful and avoid getting exposed to several broadsides or 'killing sacks', areas in which missile fire can easily be concentrated. The ships, on the other hand, have to watch their background when firing, in order to avoid friendly fire. A dragon would still retain its mobile advantage, and could easily outmaneuver the ships and hit weaker or undefended spots. A dragon would, of course, pose an even greater threat if assisted by a friendly fleet.

Miscellaneous Capabilities

Dragons would be very useful as reconnaissance units. Their height above ground will enable them to see far longer into the distance than a person on the ground, and their superior mobility will let them inspect specific areas more carefully in a shorter amount of time. A scouting dragon can prove invaluable when an army is moving through enemy territory. However, the potential drawback is that a flying dragon will also be easy to spot by the enemy.

Superior mobility also comes in handy when sending long distance messages: Messages or letters can be sent from place to place by a trained dragon. And there is no risk of getting eaten by birds of prey which is often the case with trained birds.

Some dragons can be mounted, which is analogous to a pilot flying a plane. Trying to direct the dragon from the ground is obviously much more difficult. The effectiveness of a dragon can be vastly improved in this manner, because a rider will be able to tell the dragon exactly what it wants it to do. The dragon may need training in order to understand the signals from its rider, but dragons should be relatively easy to train because of their intelligence.

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