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Anoutwork is a minorfortification built or established outside the principal fortification limits, detached or semidetached. Outworks such asravelins,lunettes (demilunes),flèches andcaponiers to shieldbastions and fortification curtains from direct battery were developed in the 16th century. Later, the increasing scale of warfare and the greater resources available to the besieger accelerated this development, and systems of outworks grew increasingly elaborate and sprawling as a means of slowing the attacker's progress and making it more costly. When taken by an enemy force, their lack of rear-facing ramparts left them totally open to fire from the main works.[1]
Anadvanced work, a fortification detached and forward of the main castle or fortification, is sometimes referred to as a type of outwork or 'advanced outwork'.
Thehornwork andcrownwork are subtypes of outworks.
