In battle, one had to harm one ´s enemy as severely as possible whilst trying to protect oneself. The weapons were for attacking, the armour for protection. The safest was to kill or hurt your enemy from a distance. You could do this by using a bow and arrow, or a cross-bow. If a whole group of archers shot their arrows at the same time, they could cause a lot of confusion and damage.
A close combat was often nasty and brutal. The foot soldiers attacked with their pikes, spears and axes. If the enemy was on horse, he struck with his sword or his battle-axe or charged his horse in full speed, thrusting with his long, pointed lance.
If a castle was under siege, one employed catapults. With this device, it was possible to hurl stones, pour burning oil or even dead human or animal bodies down the castle wall. Buildings could be set on fire, causing panic.
Arms and armour was developed and improved on. As the crossbows became more effective, the armours had to be strengthened as well. During the 14th and 15th centuries a knight was totally covered in metal for protection. Eventually, the armour became too clumsy. In the middle of the 15th century, when arms like guns and canons had come into use, the armour became lighter and smaller to allow more movement.
The wars and battles in the Middle Ages were brutal and violent. The weapons caused terrible, irreparable injuries. When a soldier went to war, there was a very great risk that he would never come back.