History Main / BatteringRam

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[[caption-width-right:320:"Knock knock!"]]

* In the early ages of ''VideoGame/EmpireEarth'', the very first siege weapon available is the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Samson]], an infantry unit carrying a huge log he repeatedly bashes against whatever building he's pointed at. Due to TacticalRockPaperScissors, he's unable to attack anything but buildings. Later eras have wheeled battering rams that can still only attack buildings and are best used in large groups (the AI certainly will).
* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' has the Steam Tank / Siege Engine, which (despite being a steam-powered tank) is functionally a battering ram, as it has very short range and can only target buildings. In the expansion, it gains a MacrossMissileMassacre attack against air units.

* A reliable way to smash through city or castle gates in many ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' games, assuming enemy archers don't get lucky and set it alight with [[ArrowsOnFire flaming arrows]]... or it's not late enough in the game for the enemy settlement to have cannon towers that smash the ram to splinters in one shot. Unlike many video game examples, these rams aren't constructed normally, but built by your armies in the field once they besiege a settlement.
** War elephants can also be used as battering rams.
** ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer'' includes the ram when besieging, but it becomes redundant for some races who have access to monstrous creatures (such as giants, Dragon Ogres, or Varghulfs) who are more durable than a wooden ram and can smash a gate apart just as easily.
* Similarly in ''VideoGame/{{Stronghold}}'', engineers build rams on the field and must man them to be usable.
* ''Kingdoms of Camelot'' has battering rams as a weapon. They're a higher-level weapon, not unlocked until the player has a level 9 Barracks and several high level researches completed. They also tend to require a lot of food upkeep, so they aren't trained quite as often as foot or horse troops. They are great for attacking other players' cities, though you have to watch out for defensive trebuchets, which specifically target siege weaponry.

* ''VideoGame/AllPointsBulletin'' has these for the Enforcers when the player is to breach a door or car to get to an item.
* One of the many siege weapons available in ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors''. ''8'' also has the "Siege Spear" wielded by Xiahou Ba: a bizarre fusion of a spear and a rocket-propelled battering ram.
* During the "Here Lies the Abyss" quest in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', the eponymous military force assaults an ancient fortress called Adamant. Part of the assault involves swinging a battering ram at the door; it's shaped like a giant arm clutching some kind of weapon in its fist.

* In ''Webcomic/TheSenkari'', a dragon serves as a makeshift battering ram.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': One time when Maggie Simpson was locked inside the bathroom all by herself, Bart used Homer's head as a battering ram to try to open the door.

* ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddParents'' episode "Information Stupor Highway" used battering rams in a RunningGag.

* In Disney's ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', Quasimodo drops a long piece of wood onto the rabble attacking Notre Dame and the rabble use it as an improvised battering ram.
* In ''Animation/TheReturnOfHanuman'', the villagers uses a piece of log to break into Maruti's house.
* ''Film/JackbootsOnWhitehall'': ThoseWackyNazis try to [[AnachronismStew break down Hadrian's Wall with a battering ram]] mounted on the front of a [[MilitaryMashupMachine Kettenkrad]]!
* ''WesternAnimation/TheMansionsOfTheGods'': As Astérix and Petiminus are trying to break into the building where Obélix is held, a dimwitted Roman soldier arrives... and joins them in trying to open the door, then is promoted to living battering ram. When that still fails, Dulcina steps in to pick the lock.

* Some policemen attempt to use one to break into an apartment in ''Film/TheManWithTwoBrains''.
* In ''Film/{{Hairspray}}'', at one point they use a hairspray battering ram
* In ''Film/ThePirateMovie'', the pirates use a battering ram to... ring the doorbell. On their second charge, the butler opens the door and they charge through.
* After numerous unsuccessful assaults, at the end of the western comedy ''Film/TheGreatBankRobbery'', the Mexican bandits successfully smash their way into the fortress-like bank using a giant tree trunk as a ram, only to [[spoiler: learn the bank's already been robbed by someone else.]]
* ''Film/HotFuzz'': two huge chains of shopping carts were used as this.

* A highly modern one is used in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' to breach Fury's [[CoolCar SUV, because the thing's armored like a tank.]]
* ''Film/DawnOfThePlanetOfTheApes''. The apes and gorillas are shown using the handheld version, only to leap out of the way when Koba comes riding up on a runaway armoured vehicle. The steel doors come crashing down under the impact, and the human defenses quickly fall once the numerically superior apes swarm inside.
* Hilariously combined with UseYourHead in ''Film/TheHobbitTheBattleOfTheFiveArmies''. When the orc forces begin their attack on Dale, a troll with huge chunk of stones tied to his head rams the wall as a living battering ram and then...promptly flops back after knocking himself out.
* In ''Film/{{Fury 1936}}'', an angry mob uses a large wooden beam to break open the door to the sheriff's quarters.
* ''Film/{{Dragnet}}'' features an LAPD vehicle which is a cross between a battering ram and a tank.
* ''Film/BenHur'' (2016). There's a HopeSpot when the Roman galley appears to have escaped danger, only for a Greek warship to come baring down on them and ram straight through their hull, causing their own galley to break up and sink. In a further horror, there's a [[CruelAndUnusualDeath Roman prisoner strapped to the front of the ram]].
* ''Film/SiegeOfTheDead'': the protagonist constructs a ''Rammbock'' to break through the walls of the apartment building he's trapped in during a ZombieApocalypse.
* Bunch of pirates after a treasure map in ''Film/TreasureIsland1934'' break their way through into an inn with a log acting as a makeshift battering ram.
* In ''Film/UpTheChastityBelt'', Sir Braggart's men use a battering in an attempt to break into Lukalot's workshop, but he defeats them with DoorJudo.

* Jake's rhinoceros morph and occasionally Rachel's elephant morph were the substitutes several times in ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}''.

* ''Literature/{{The Infected}}'' has a curious incident in which a battering ram, mounted in some kind of IFV, is used to bring down a chain-link fence. Nevermind that an armored vehicle could probably bring down the fence by simply driving through it.
* ''Literature/AbleTeam'': Carl Lyons takes part in a SWAT raid and notes with amusement that their battering ram has the letters L.A.P.D. engraved in reverse on the head, so it would stamp them on any door it's rammed into.

* ''Series/{{Masada}}'' features a battering ram with a massive ram-shaped metal head mounted on a siege tower to bring down the walls of the LastBastion of the Jewish Zealots.

* ''Series/PowerRangersTurbo'': In the end of the series, the BigBad's Mooks [[AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs enter the command center]] using one of these.
* In the ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' sketch "The Bishop", the Bishop's acolytes use one of their number as a battering ram at one point.
* A device similar to the "big red key" is used by "real" S.H.I.E.L.D. to break into a Hulk-proof safehouse in the ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' episode "Afterlife".
* ''Series/DadsArmy'': In "Museum Piece", the platoon uses a battering ram in an attempt to break down the doors of the museum, only to be defeated by some DoorJudo by the museum caretaker.
* ''[[Series/BrainiacScienceAbuse Brainiac: History Abuse]]'' had the Brainiac Battering Ram Squad, whose job was hitting things with a battering ram.

* ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'': the villagers use a log to force open the Beast's castle door.
* ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'': When Shan-Yu takes the Emperor hostage inside the Imperial Palace, Shang and the others use one of the guardian dog statues to try to break in.

* In Disney's ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', Quasimodo drops a long piece of wood onto the rabble attacking Notre Dame and the rabble use it as an improvised battering ram.

* In the [[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1923 1923]], [[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1939 1939]], and [[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1956 1956]] versions of ''Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', Quasimodo drops a long piece of wood onto the rabble attacking Notre Dame, and the rabble use it as an improvised battering ram.

* In the [[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1923 1923]] and [[Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame1939 1939]] versions of ''Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', Quasimodo drops a long piece of wood onto the rabble attacking Notre Dame and the rabble use it as an improvised battering ram.

* ''Literature/AbleTeam''. Carl Lyons takes part in a SWAT raid and notes with amusement that their battering ram has the letters L.A.P.D. engraved in reverse on the head, so it would stamp them on any door it's rammed into.

-->"I shall break out of this cell using the hardest substance known to Mankind! [[UsingYourHead MY HEAD!]]"

* Kremmen of the Star Corps: "I shall break out of this cell using the hardest substance known to Mankind! MY HEAD!"

* ''Literature/{{TheInfected}}'' has a curious incident in which a battering ram, mounted in some kind of IFV, is used to bring down a chain-link fence. Nevermind that an armored vehicle could probably bring down the fence by simply driving through it.

* In the 1923 and 1939 versions of ''Film/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', Quasimodo drops a long piece of wood onto the rabble attacking Notre Dame and the rabble use it as an improvised battering ram.

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* ''Film/LordOfTheRings'':

* Luftwaffe named a heavily armoured and armed version of Focke-Wulf 190A-8 as ''Sturmbock'' ("battering ram"). Why? Because it was [intended to bring down the Flying Fortress!

If you use a vehicle as the ram, then you have found that RammingAlwaysWorks. If the vehicle is an automobile, then you have mastered the art of CarFu.

* The ''Series/RedDwarf'' crew once needs a battering ram to get through a series of doors. "All we need is something, say, I dunno, six foot long, fairly sturdy, with a flat top." [[WhyAreYouLookingAtMeLikeThat Everyone looks at Kryten]]. "Fifty-three doors!? You can't be serious!" Fifty-three doors later...

This is very common in fiction. After all, it's dramatic, [[RuleOfCool looks cool]], and has plenty of basis in RealLife. The TheoryOfNarrativeCausality, however, means that it's only effective half the time.

* In the opening theme for the first season of ''Series/{{Reno911}}'', Dept. Jones tries to open a door by ramming into it using his shoulder. He only succeeds in hurting himself.

* Very much TruthInTelevision. Police forces and fire brigades use battering rams even today to access locked doors.
* Luftwaffe named a heavily armoured and armed version of Focke-Wulf 190A-8 as ''Sturmbock'' ("battering ram"). Why? Because it was [[DeadpanSnarker intended to bring down the Flying Fortress]]!

* VideoGame/AllPointsBulletin has these for the Enforcers when the player is to breach a door or car to get to an item.

* The end of the ''Stomrblood'' story in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyhXIV'' has a unique take on the trope. The huge door leading into the city of Ala Mhigo is sealed shut. How does the Alliance get it open? By having their black mages all cast their fire and ice spells on the door at the same time to weaken it, followed by a barrage of cannonballs until they blow a huge hole in the door.
* VideoGame/AllPointsBulletin has these for the enforcers when the player is to breach a door or car to get to an item.

* VideoGame/AllPointsBulletinReloaded has these for the enforcers when the player is to breach a door or car to get to an item.

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes:'' In "Red Riding Hoodwinked," the unnamed cat that accompanies Sylvester uses a log this way to bust down the back door to Grandma's House. But then he greets Sylvester's response: a boulder slingshot from the front door.

* The end of the ''Stomrblood'' story in ''VideoGame/FinaLFantasyhXIV'' has a unique take on the trope. [[The huge door leading into the city of Ala Mhigo is sealed shut. Does the Alliance get it open? By having their black mages all cast their fire and ice spells on the door at the same time to weaken it, followed by a barrage of cannonballs until they blow a huge hole in the door.]]