Sappers create breaches before the assault

Carthaginian sap points require extra preparation time, then let troops undermine and collapse sections of the wall without bringing siege engines up to the defenses. Multiple breaches widen the attacker's options and prevent a single gateway from becoming the only approach. The assault plan sends skirmishers to suppress Roman defenders while infantry clears the openings and cavalry deals with Roman horsemen. Rome: Total War compresses the labor and uncertainty of siege mining into a game mechanic, but the sequence still illustrates how breaching, missile support, and assault troops must be coordinated.