###Siege Weapon##

”Magic” is the ability to control forces of nature (wind, water, flames, lightning) and inanimate objects.

Since the mage can manipulate inanimate objects that would include walls surrounding castles, fortifications, and cities. A mage or small group of them could pull down part of a wall and create a ramp thus breaching the defenses. This would dramatically speed up sieges. The city being sieged would likely have their own mages working to keeping the walls up, but because of the siege they likely have limited sources of fuel for their magic, and would eventually give out to the side conducting the siege.

###Magic Powered Rifles and Other Military Hardware### This goes hand in hand with the idea of using mages as snipers, but can be applied in a more general sense. A mage can use their magic with existing weaponry to enhance its effects and make it more deadly in combat. By leveraging existing military hardware this would reduce the burden on the fuel for the magic and help it last longer.

Alderamin on the Sky has an example of this with their air rifle. Each rifleman had a wind spirit for a partner that acted as a power source for their rifles. The air rifle shot a projectile, but instead of using combustion to propel it the wind spirits built up air pressure in a chamber in the rifle which rifleman released to fire the bullet. They also had air powered mortars and artillery which worked similarly but on a larger scale.

Another way to combine magic with existing hardware is with catapults. If mages can create a more powerful version of a flaming jar containing pitch/tar/resin they could use the catapult to throw it rather than having to spend mana to throw it.

###Enhance or Create Hazards### A group of mages could spend a sizable amount of mana to summon a lightning strike on their foes, but what if it is already raining and there is already some rumbling in the clouds? Instead of creating a lightning bolt from scratch take what nature gives you and spend a little bit of mana to direct it (and possibly scatter it) so that it lands in the middle of the enemies forces.

Rain itself could be turned into a nasty weapon. Rain is already falling at terminal velocity, so freeze it into small spikes and speed it up some more, thus creating some nasty hail. This would not be deadly, but it would hamper the enemy.

###Logistics### War is also not only fought on the front lines. There are other aspects to war that mages can help out with that can turn the tide of battle. Mages can use their magic to help create bridges over difficult to cross rivers and also destroy enemy controlled bridges. Small things like this can benefit your supply and troop movements and/or negatively impact enemy logistics.

If the enemy has a key road they use to move their supplies (like a mountain pass), sneak a mage back there and have them remodel the road with a huge mound of rocks (triggering a rock slide) or create a giant hole. This would create delays in the enemy troop movements that can decide battles before they even start.

Siege Weapon

”Magic” is the ability to control forces of nature (wind, water, flames, lightning) and inanimate objects.

Since the mage can manipulate inanimate objects that would include walls surrounding castles, fortifications, and cities. A mage or small group of them could pull down part of a wall and create a ramp thus breaching the defenses. This would dramatically speed up sieges. The city being sieged would likely have their own mages working to keeping the walls up, but because of the siege they likely have limited sources of fuel for their magic, and would eventually give out to the side conducting the siege.

Magic Powered Rifles and Other Military Hardware

This goes hand in hand with the idea of using mages as snipers, but can be applied in a more general sense. A mage can use their magic with existing weaponry to enhance its effects and make it more deadly in combat. By leveraging existing military hardware this would reduce the burden on the fuel for the magic and help it last longer.

Alderamin on the Sky has an example of this with their air rifle. Each rifleman had a wind spirit for a partner that acted as a power source for their rifles. The air rifle shot a projectile, but instead of using combustion to propel it the wind spirits built up air pressure in a chamber in the rifle which rifleman released to fire the bullet. They also had air powered mortars and artillery which worked similarly but on a larger scale.

Another way to combine magic with existing hardware is with catapults. If mages can create a more powerful version of a flaming jar containing pitch/tar/resin they could use the catapult to throw it rather than having to spend mana to throw it.

Enhance or Create Hazards

A group of mages could spend a sizable amount of mana to summon a lightning strike on their foes, but what if it is already raining and there is already some rumbling in the clouds? Instead of creating a lightning bolt from scratch take what nature gives you and spend a little bit of mana to direct it (and possibly scatter it) so that it lands in the middle of the enemies forces.

Rain itself could be turned into a nasty weapon. Rain is already falling at terminal velocity, so freeze it into small spikes and speed it up some more, thus creating some nasty hail. This would not be deadly, but it would hamper the enemy.

Logistics

War is also not only fought on the front lines. There are other aspects to war that mages can help out with that can turn the tide of battle. Mages can use their magic to help create bridges over difficult to cross rivers and also destroy enemy controlled bridges. Small things like this can benefit your supply and troop movements and/or negatively impact enemy logistics.

If the enemy has a key road they use to move their supplies (like a mountain pass), sneak a mage back there and have them remodel the road with a huge mound of rocks (triggering a rock slide) or create a giant hole. This would create delays in the enemy troop movements that can decide battles before they even start.