Barricades

[Lapard]

My apologies if this has already been addressed, but I'm unclear on exactly what barricades do.

At first I thought they imposed zones of control ala CIVII. So, for example, I could build a wall of fortresses, but would only need to build a fortress every fourth square.

A closer reading seems to indicate that all they really do is double the defensive bonus for a fortress, and prevent an enemy unit from moving out of the square on the same turn it enters. Presumably you'd have to leave the fortress undefended so an enemy unit could enter that square.

If that's true wouldn't it mean that you've trapped an enemy unit inside a fortress that has a double defensive bonus, thereby making it that much harder to defeat? Why would that be a good thing?

Could someone please set me straight? Thanks.

[Snotty]

I've not played around with barricades yet, but I imagine a wall of them would stop a suprise stack of fast movers in its tracks. They cant pillage that turn because they have run out of movement, and the barricades could be used to halt movement on roads outside your borders (think rise of rome roads).

As you say, it does seem a bit strange. Its not going to be perfect for every situation, but double defense is enough to keep me happy.

[TimHobbit]

I have built Barracades in both of my last two games, but none of the AI civs were dumb enough to even come near them, so I don't know what they do to movement.

[pauli]

i believe the barricade ensures that all your artillery can take free potshots at passing units. well, passing enemy units.

[Kuciwalker]

Yes, walling your borders with barricades would mean that you would have at least one turn of warning before an attack, and that you would be able to attack their attacking force before it could attack you. The downside is that the stalled forces have a defensive bonus, making it more valuable as just an early-warning system. However, if you put them on open terrain, the defense bonus shouldn't be too much of a problem. Fortress + barricade only gives a 50% bonus, right?

[RobC]

Barricades increase the defense of forts, and also stop multi-move units like cavalry on that spot for 1 turn, no matter how many movement points they have left (but it kind of sucks because you have to give them such a great defensive tile with forts AND barricades!)

[Elias]

I havent played conquests much but I did read about it. I think it would be a good place to stall enmey offencive units to hit with artilary.

[Catt]

Originally posted by skywalker
Fortress + barricade only gives a 50% bonus, right?

Isn't it 100% (50% for fort; doubled with barricade)?

Catt

[Inverse Icarus]

CIV III ZOC != CIV II ZOC;

civ3's ZOC is simply taking free shots at passerbys.

[Inverse Icarus]

and yes, it's 100% bonus with barricades (well, 110% on flat land, for basic defense value).

so those cavalry on that barridace grassland defend at 6.3.

how about a barricaded mountain? yipes!

[Elias]

that would be a great place to hide a king

[Inverse Icarus]

except that it wouldn't be hidden, as you can right click on non-city stacks to see them. enough arty and it's over

[Kuciwalker]

I just realized, if you could make barricades not require fortresses (IIRC this isn't possible, but I don't have C3C yet so I'm not sure), and you remove the defense bonus, you can make a "minefield".

[Kull]

I'm a bit concerned about the actual benefits of barricades as a defense multiplier. In the Napoleon Scenario - in three separate instances - I had veteran "Voltigeurs" (D5) fortified inside barricades on hills. These were attacked by Austrian Hussars (A6) on grassland, and the Voltigeurs lost - badly. In all three instances, the Hussars didn't even shift from Green to Yellow. Admittedly this is a small sample, so I'm curious to see if anyone else has experienced similar dubious results.

[Sarxis]

Wouldn't it be great if Barricades gave a Civ2 ZoC in the squares surrounding it?

That would make them soooooo worth it.