Why do catapults suck so bad?

[Caligastia]

They are a load of crap! They hardly ever hit their target, and when they do they only take one measly hit point off the target!

Also I want to know why I cant build the units that come with bronze working when I have the technology.

[Worthingtons]

they dont suck so bad. you just have to use them correctly. A catapult seemingly always hit's it's target the first time. They can be useful in defense when you take a city too.

[Arrian]

Catapults are kinda weak, and I almost never build them. I do, however, keep ones that I capture, because they will eventually upgrade to artillery, which IS useful.

-Arrian

[Spec]

IMO they suck. I never build them, never use them, never want to see them..... I dont even use artillery so imagine what I think of catapults. But that's only MY way of playin, doesn't mean I'm right.

Spec.

[Willem]

The thing with all bombard units is that they work much better on units in the field than they do on cities. I admit I get frustrated sometimes with all the "Bombard failed' messages I get when trying to soften up a city, but I find with units out in the open they do a pretty good job. With just a few of them, I can reduce any attacking units to a single hit point, making it very easy for my regular units to pick them off.

[BillChin]

Best uses for catapults are to reduce the population of a 7+ pop city to eliminate the defense bonus. To soften up fortified defenders, especially Hoplites or Legionaires. To damage enemy units in the field.

About 10% of an attacking stack is a good number for catapults, or one catapult in a stack of ten units. Increase this to 20% if attacking 3 defense units such as Hoplites or Legionaires (or Pikemen before Knights show up).

Bad ways to use catapults include bombarding low pop cities with small garrisons. The chances of hitting anything are tiny. Another low percentage use is against hill cities as the hill defense bonus increases the number of misses. However, sometimes shaving off one hitpoint can save a player several units when storming a hill.

[Zylka]

Catapults function about right, and are best for defense. Artillery, on the other hand, is way too powerful and easy to exploit.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by BillChin
Bad ways to use catapults include bombarding low pop cities with small garrisons. The chances of hitting anything are tiny.

Ah, that would explain it then.

[KrazyHorse]

By the time I've built enough roads to actually use catapults it's time to upgrade them to gunpowder units.

[Willem]

Well that's still quicker than having to build Cannons from scratch.

[KrazyHorse]

I suppose.

[Pius Popprasch]

How often do they miss(fail)? From my experience it's 50%.

They suck because they are underpowered. They should cause real damage. I'm aware that real Catapults were little effective, too, but Civ is a game and we want some fun.
Not building Catapults is an option, though.

[Deathwalker]

I think that they do suck. The problem is if there defending a city they only defend against the forst attack. They shold have a shot at hitting every unit that attacks the city they are in. If they could do that is would make them better for the game
ThoughN I personally aggree that should not have the power to destroy land units, though they should be able to sink ships

[Tingkai]

Yeah, I'd say catapults are not worth it. Same thing for cannons.

[kailhun]

Originally posted by Deathwalker
I think that they do suck. The problem is if there defending a city they only defend against the forst attack. They shold have a shot at hitting every unit that attacks the city they are in. If they could do that is would make them better for the game

But that would make a city with 3-4 catapults amost impossible to take. Those 3-4 would each take a shot at every attacking unit before the defense even has to wake up.
Although limiting the defensive attack to one catapult regardless of the number in the city, would make them more useful.
I seem to remember building a lot of catapults and cannon in civ1. Don't really remember them in civ2.

Robert