4 Medieval Warfare Tactics So Weird They Actually Worked

If you think medieval warfare was just swords, knights, and catapults, think again. The truth is, medieval war tactics were often as bizarre as they were brutal—but they were surprisingly effective.

We’ll look at four strange but true medieval warfare strategies that actually worked. Whether you're a history buff, a writer like me, or just curious about the weird side of the past, these stories prove that real history is stranger than fiction.

Catapulting Plague-Infected Corpses

Okay, this one is more horrifying than weird. One of the most startling examples of early biological warfare occurred in 1346 at the Siege of Caffa. Facing a stalemate, Mongol forces catapulted the plague-infected corpses of their own soldiers over the city walls to spread disease.

Historians believe this war tactic may have helped trigger the Black Death’s spread into Europe. Regardless, it was effective: the defenders panicked, disease spread, and the siege eventually ended. You can even see a similar strategy incorporated in my own novel, Storm of War (which you can read for $0.99, by the way).

Why it worked:

• Caused terror and confusion

• Spread deadly illness

• Bypassed traditional siege methods

Medieval war tactics like this show how desperate and creative armies became when brute force failed, which it often did.

Using Beehives and Wasps’ Nests as Weapons of War

Yes, medieval soldiers did indeed throw beehives at their enemies during times of war. In small skirmishes, rebellions, and monastery defenses, defenders would lob beehives or wasps’ nests into advancing troops. Weird? Yes. Effective? Also yes.

Horses panicked. Soldiers ran. Chaos followed.

Why it worked:

• No special weapons required

• Created confusion and broke enemy lines

• Nature did the dirty work

For anyone writing or researching medieval warfare, this is a weird yet striking reminder that even monks could weaponize their environment. And while I've never employed the deadly yet bizarre beehive in my own writing, you can see examples of it in Bernard Cornwell's The Burning Land.

The Medieval False Retreat Strategy

Less weird, more deadly. One of the most clever and effective tactics in medieval warfare strategy was the false retreat. Soldiers would pretend to flee in panic, only to lure their enemies into an ambush. It was made famous during the Battle of Hastings in 1066 when William the Conqueror’s Norman cavalry used a false retreat to draw English forces off their strong defensive position, though whether his initial retreat was false or real is debatable.

Why it worked:

• Exploited enemy overconfidence

• Broke defensive formations

• Allowed smaller forces to control battlefield dynamics

This wasn’t just medieval trickery—it was early psychological war. And it worked. The Seljuks and other horse archers used it repeatedly as they conquered Anatolia in the 10th and 11th centuries, and you can see it on stark display in my novel, Dorylaeum.

Collapsing Castle Walls with Pig Fat—Weird!

During sieges, when walls couldn’t be breached by force, attackers would dig tunnels under the foundations and set fire to wooden supports. The resulting collapse could bring down entire towers.

But what do you use to keep a fire hot enough?

In the Siege of Rochester Castle in 1215, King John’s engineers reportedly used forty pigs worth of fat to fuel the fire and collapse a stone tower.

Why it worked:

• Undermined strong fortifications

• Avoided drawn-out sieges

• Used available resources (including livestock)

This weird-but-true tactic shows how castle warfare had its moments of horrifying ingenuity.

Why These Weird Medieval Warfare Tactics Still Matter

These tactics may seem unbelievable today, but they reflect how medieval warfare was shaped by:

• Desperation

• Resourcefulness

• Faith and fear

• A complete lack of modern ethics in war

For historical fiction writers, these are goldmines of realism. For editors and readers, they offer a lens into the harsh worldview of the past.

Conclusion: Medieval Warfare Was Stranger Than You Think

From catapulting plague victims to collapsing towers with pig fat, these medieval military tactics remind us that war was never really noble—it was cunning, grotesque, and deeply human.

So the next time you imagine a medieval battlefield, picture more than swords. Picture:

• Bees buzzing into helmets

• Tunnels burning with bacon grease

• Warriors faking fear to spring traps

That’s history.

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