The game map's broad land border differs sharply from Gibraltar's real geography. The actual position projects from a narrow front that can be dominated by a small number of forts, making attack from the land side exceptionally difficult. An attacker therefore needs sea control to isolate and sustain an assault on the fortress. That geographic and maritime requirement helps explain why several historical sieges of Gibraltar failed even though some attempts did succeed.
Notable Point · 2:05:19-2:05:55
Why real Gibraltar requires sea control
The map's easy land approach to Gibraltar prompts an explanation of why the real position is far harder to seize from land.