How were well-defended coastal fortifications overcome?

If both sides have equally good artillery and roughly equal numbers, how exactly would a strong coastal fortification be overcome (preferably without attacking from land)? Wouldn't the defenders have a strong edge, what with them being on top and the attackin ships being below?

Time period is 1650-1750, Europe.
 
If both sides have equally good artillery and roughly equal numbers, how exactly would a strong coastal fortification be overcome (preferably without attacking from land)? Wouldn't the defenders have a strong edge, what with them being on top and the attackin ships being below?

Time period is 1650-1750, Europe.
I advise looking at the raid on the Thames/Medway. The best option seems to be a raid from land forces landing outside range of the artillery. This probably remains true in nearly all cases, because as you noted, the coastal fortification beats ships in an artillery duel, pound for pound, thanks to altitude and better 'armour' (of course if there's a single fortification that can be all but surrounded by a massive fleet you MIGHT beat that logic).
 
A lot depends on the exact location of the fort or batteries in question but generally for a given amount of investment fortifications if well sited should have a distinct edge and require a greater investment in attacking force to overcome them

However the period in question also saw the rise of the specialised bomb vessel, a fairly typical smallish vessel that was strengthened so it could be equipped with siege mortars for specific operations (in peace time it would be armed with small cannon and used as a standard patrol vessel). Large bombs raining down inside your walls being more difficult to defend against and something of a solution to the difficulty of attacking forts on high prominences especially if there was conveniently sited intervening terrain to protect the attacking vessels from counter fire.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
If both sides have equally good artillery and roughly equal numbers, how exactly would a strong coastal fortification be overcome (preferably without attacking from land)? Wouldn't the defenders have a strong edge, what with them being on top and the attackin ships being below?

Time period is 1650-1750, Europe.

Land an expeditionary force and besiege the fortifications; the only exception is when one's opponent was weak or not paying attention, which is rare.

Best,
 
If you have a lot more people you can beat a fortification. But with equal numbers it is really hard.
 
It is practically impossible without massively superior numbers to overcome a coastal fortification from the sea in that timeframe. There are some tools you can use, such as bomb vessels (ship-mounted siege mortars), but altogether, a battery protected by walls or berms always has the advantage over wooden ships.

The problem for the defenders is that the attackers usually have the advantage in numbers and mobility. Warships carried large numbers of guns and men - the broadside of a first rate could outweigh the entire artillery fielded by an army siege train. Bringing this to bear saferly was usually possible with enough time and knowledge of the land. A fortified battery was immobile, and outside the range of its guns - at best 3 miles, effectively much less - impotent. Depending on the situation, an attacker could circumvent it, blockade it, land guns to run a conventional siege, or send in raiding parties to try surprise assaults. Assuming this doesn't work, it's best to not try.

An example of the British doing it right https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Havana_(1762)

And the Danish doing it wrong and losing a ship of the line and a heavy frigate to a shore battery of ten guns, six of them relatively light. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Eckernförde
 

TFSmith121

Banned
The differences between the 1859 and 1860 battles of the Taku Forts are instructive, and bring the problem into the steam era.

Best,
 

TFSmith121

Banned
You might think that, but the hydrography often gets in the way, as it did at the Pei-ho/Taku Flats.

Best,
 
Another advantage of costal fortifications was the presences of forges which allowed them to fire 'red-hot' shot which could lodge in the timbers of attacking vessels starting fires.
 
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