In a recent thread I posed a series of questions regarding radar towers and how they worked, looking for answers base on objective test results or Firaxis comment -- gameplay observation was welcome, but only as a point of interest, not as an answer to the questions. It quickly became clear that no real answers were forthcoming. So, with a bit of spare time this morning, I created and then ran several tests -- I didn't answer all my (and others') questions, but I answered enough to satisfy the nagging questions
So, the Q's and A's:
Question 1. Does the bonus apply to a unit attacking from "RT+2 tiles" into an adjacent tile that is "RT+3 tiles?"
No. It appears that the game treats combat as occurring in the defender's tile exclusively. Since a unit attacking from RT+2 into RT+3 is engaging in combat in RT+3, the bonus does not apply.
2. Does the bonus apply to bombardment attacks and defenses?
Yes and No. A poor question. The bonus applies to attacks and defenses with respect to units (the bonus does apply to arty bombarding enemy units, for example), but does not seem to apply to non-units (see question 6 below).
3. If yes to question 2, does the bonus apply to a bombardment from "RT+1" where the target is "RT+3?"
No. Same principle as described in answer 1 seems to apply.
4. Does the bonus apply to naval units?
Yes.
5. Does the bonus apply to air units? And if so, where does the air combat "take place" -- is it the city square in which a fighter on AS is stationed or is it the attacker's target tile or even elsewhere?
No. Air battles seem to be unaffected by RTs (though my results were a bit quirky).
6. Does the bonus apply to non-units (i.e., city improvement, city population and terrain enhancement defense values)?
Cautious No WRT Terrain Improvements - Unknown otherwise. I tested only terrain improvements (not city improvements or population). And I abandoned my tests with a much smaller sample size than other tests -- earlier tests included 1000+ independent trials while the terrain bombardment tests included only approx 200 independent trials for both a control and a experimental group. The results seemed to indicate a clear "no" but the sample size was small enough that I won't bang my fist down with certainty.
7. Do the benefits "stack" if you have more than one Radar Tower in an area? (e.g. 2 "in range" gives a 50% bonus)?
No. Not tested, but the manual / civilopedia makes it clear they shouldn't, and, based on some of my tests, I think I would have noticed an anomaly that would have encouraged experimentation (since a test or two did have overlapping RTs).
8. Do the benefits work outside of your cultural boundary or are they limited by culture?
Yes. The benefits extend two tiles, regardless of cultural ownership of such tiles.
9. What is the defensive value of a radar tower, as a terrain improvement? (obviously only applicable for defense vs. bombardment)
Not laboriously tested. But strongly believed to be 16.
10. What is the interaction of the answer to questions 6 and 9?
N/A. Since answer 6 seems to confirm that terrain improvements (such as an RT) are not affected by RTs, the defense should remain at the assumed 16.
Catt
So, the Q's and A's:
Question 1. Does the bonus apply to a unit attacking from "RT+2 tiles" into an adjacent tile that is "RT+3 tiles?"
No. It appears that the game treats combat as occurring in the defender's tile exclusively. Since a unit attacking from RT+2 into RT+3 is engaging in combat in RT+3, the bonus does not apply.
2. Does the bonus apply to bombardment attacks and defenses?
Yes and No. A poor question. The bonus applies to attacks and defenses with respect to units (the bonus does apply to arty bombarding enemy units, for example), but does not seem to apply to non-units (see question 6 below).
3. If yes to question 2, does the bonus apply to a bombardment from "RT+1" where the target is "RT+3?"
No. Same principle as described in answer 1 seems to apply.
4. Does the bonus apply to naval units?
Yes.
5. Does the bonus apply to air units? And if so, where does the air combat "take place" -- is it the city square in which a fighter on AS is stationed or is it the attacker's target tile or even elsewhere?
No. Air battles seem to be unaffected by RTs (though my results were a bit quirky).
6. Does the bonus apply to non-units (i.e., city improvement, city population and terrain enhancement defense values)?
Cautious No WRT Terrain Improvements - Unknown otherwise. I tested only terrain improvements (not city improvements or population). And I abandoned my tests with a much smaller sample size than other tests -- earlier tests included 1000+ independent trials while the terrain bombardment tests included only approx 200 independent trials for both a control and a experimental group. The results seemed to indicate a clear "no" but the sample size was small enough that I won't bang my fist down with certainty.
7. Do the benefits "stack" if you have more than one Radar Tower in an area? (e.g. 2 "in range" gives a 50% bonus)?
No. Not tested, but the manual / civilopedia makes it clear they shouldn't, and, based on some of my tests, I think I would have noticed an anomaly that would have encouraged experimentation (since a test or two did have overlapping RTs).
8. Do the benefits work outside of your cultural boundary or are they limited by culture?
Yes. The benefits extend two tiles, regardless of cultural ownership of such tiles.
9. What is the defensive value of a radar tower, as a terrain improvement? (obviously only applicable for defense vs. bombardment)
Not laboriously tested. But strongly believed to be 16.
10. What is the interaction of the answer to questions 6 and 9?
N/A. Since answer 6 seems to confirm that terrain improvements (such as an RT) are not affected by RTs, the defense should remain at the assumed 16.
Catt
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