Anybody using forts?

[Ming]

I've used them on a limited basis in OCC as well.
I usually end up building long rail networks into the "bad lands" so that I can keep getting my new units into battle quickly in far away lands... I block the access of these rail networks back into my home land with forts built on good defensive terrain.

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by Ming
I've used them on a limited basis in OCC as well.
I usually end up building long rail networks into the "bad lands" so that I can keep getting my new units into battle quickly in far away lands... I block the access of these rail networks back into my home land with forts built on good defensive terrain.

In OCC can you build improvments outside of your citys cultural area?

[Ming]

Originally posted by Geronimo


In OCC can you build improvments outside of your citys cultural area?

Unfortunately, no. I put the forts just within my border or great terrain. As for outside my borders... I build the rail through some forest/hill and station a few units there every once in a while.

[bjsiders]

I've tried lining my borders with forts in my first Warlords game. I put one seige, one melee, and one archer in each. When the Japanese declared war on me, I found it helpful to be able to sneak out and attack but not tide-turning. The AI was VERY reluctant to attack those units, though, and they certainly slowed the enemy down.

[dregor]

I think a nice thing for forts would be to have them provide a combat bonus for freindly units in squares adjacent to them, while still providing the defensive bonus for units occupying the fort itself. It would help represent the fact that the fort is supporting and resupplying the area around it.

[popejubal]

Originally posted by bjsiders

Forts + ranged weapon = zone of control. I remember any historical scouts exploring the entirety of a continent by 800 AD, nor any fishing boats at sea for 5000 straight years charting the coastal waters, yet it happens in the game.

Same is true for the assault on pretty much any city in the age of sail. Land based cannon could fire farther than ship based cannon, so the ships had to sail into the range of the forts guns for at least some time without mounting any counterassault. This was commonly known as a "bad thing". Also, land based fortifications could safely (safe-ish, anyway) launch fire based weapons at wooden ships while those wooden ships did not have the same weapon in their arsenal.

At least not if they didn't want to burn down because some gunner sneezed.

That said, the zone of control of any fortification was exactly as far as the guns in that fortification could shoot. That was about 3 miles during the golden age of fortifications. Interestingly, I believe that's the reason why "international waters" starts 3 miles off shore. If you were within 3 miles of shore, then you were within range of the country's guns.
Within range of guns == within range of laws.


I believe that Civ squares are supposed to be greater than 6 miles wide, so a fort would not extend its zone of control beyond that individual square.

[popejubal]

I just confirmed things that I believed were true.

Warlords, latest patch, forts do leave forests intact.

City Garrison promotions give their bonus inside a fort. This is huge.
City Attack promotions also give their bonuses inside a fort. Also huge.

If someone is attacking your cities and there is a choke point, you can send one of your spare Garrison units (archers and longbowmen, especially) to man a fort and defend quite well where they would otherwise get slaughtered.

[MikeH]

I once built 2 to block a narrow 2 square bit of land from an invader who I didn't want doing the traditional pillage. But to be honest I had built troops enough to go back on the offensive before they were finished, total waste of time. Never built one since.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by popejubal

City Attack promotions also give their bonuses inside a fort. Also huge.

Eh? You get a city attack bonus for attacking a unit outside of the fort (and presumably not in a city) from the fort itself? If so that's news to me.

[popejubal]

Originally posted by DrSpike


Eh? You get a city attack bonus for attacking a unit outside of the fort (and presumably not in a city) from the fort itself? If so that's news to me.

Other way around.

If you are attacking a unit inside a fort, you get the city attack bonus for the appropriate promotions.

[DrSpike]

Well yes, but that's not what he said. The wording was precisely the same as for the city garrison bonus.