This article is based on some testing i did on civforum.de in 2013. A scenario file and a savegame used for testing are attached there.
When bombarding a settlement different rules apply for different types of units. This article aims to develop an understanding of those rules.
Bombardment by land based artillery:
City walls are hit first. This is even true, if the walls are only simulated by the world wonder "great wall".
If there is are no city walls or the settlement has already reached city level, then land units are hit.
If neither city walls nor land units are left to be hit, then citizens or buildings are hit, apparently with same probability.
Ships and air units cannot be hit with land based artillery.
Bombardment by air units:
If air units are left in the settlement, then air units or citizens are hit.
If no air units are left in the settlement, then ships, citizens or buildings are hit.
If there are no air units in the settlement and no ships are left to be hit, then land units, citizens or buildings are hit.
Bombardment by ships:
A coastal fortress is hit first.
If there is no coastal fortress, then ships are hit.
If there is no coastal fortress, and no ships left to be hit, then air units are hit.
If there is no coastal fortress, no air unit and no ships left to be hit, then land units are hit.
If there is no coastal fortress, no air units and no ships and no land units are left to be hit, then citizens or buildings are hit.
Bombardment by cruise missile:
Ships are hits first.
If there are no ships, then air units are hit.
If there are no ships and no air units, then land units are hit.
If there are no ships, no air units and no land units, then citizens or buildings are hit.
Bombardment by nuclear weapons:
All nuclear weapons are immune against nuclear attack. All other units are destroyed at a chance of 2:1. All units that survive that loose 2 hitpoints. All units with 2 HP, 1 HP or no HP are killed instantly.
Each building is destroyed with 50% probability. 50% of all citizens are killed, the amount surviving is rounded up to integer.
Peculiarity of world wonders:
If the bombardement occurs against a settlement of a civilization that has reached the industrial age, then any world wonder in this settlement is immune against any bombardment. Before the target civilization has reached the industrial age this is not the case and world wonders can be destroyed like any other building.
Oddity of civil defence:
If a regular building(meaning neither a coastal fortress nor city walls) is hit and a civil defence is in the settlement, then it is the civil defence that is hit.
Lethal bombardment:
Land units can only be destroyed by bombardment, if the bombarding unit has the capability "lethal land bombardment".
Naval units can only be destroyed by bombardment, if the bombarding unit has the capability "lethal naval bombardment".
Air units can be destroyed by bombardment. There is no such attribute as "lethal air bombardment".
When bombarding a settlement different rules apply for different types of units. This article aims to develop an understanding of those rules.
Bombardment by land based artillery:
City walls are hit first. This is even true, if the walls are only simulated by the world wonder "great wall".
If there is are no city walls or the settlement has already reached city level, then land units are hit.
If neither city walls nor land units are left to be hit, then citizens or buildings are hit, apparently with same probability.
Ships and air units cannot be hit with land based artillery.
Bombardment by air units:
If air units are left in the settlement, then air units or citizens are hit.
If no air units are left in the settlement, then ships, citizens or buildings are hit.
If there are no air units in the settlement and no ships are left to be hit, then land units, citizens or buildings are hit.
Bombardment by ships:
A coastal fortress is hit first.
If there is no coastal fortress, then ships are hit.
If there is no coastal fortress, and no ships left to be hit, then air units are hit.
If there is no coastal fortress, no air unit and no ships left to be hit, then land units are hit.
If there is no coastal fortress, no air units and no ships and no land units are left to be hit, then citizens or buildings are hit.
Bombardment by cruise missile:
Ships are hits first.
If there are no ships, then air units are hit.
If there are no ships and no air units, then land units are hit.
If there are no ships, no air units and no land units, then citizens or buildings are hit.
Bombardment by nuclear weapons:
All nuclear weapons are immune against nuclear attack. All other units are destroyed at a chance of 2:1. All units that survive that loose 2 hitpoints. All units with 2 HP, 1 HP or no HP are killed instantly.
Each building is destroyed with 50% probability. 50% of all citizens are killed, the amount surviving is rounded up to integer.
Peculiarity of world wonders:
If the bombardement occurs against a settlement of a civilization that has reached the industrial age, then any world wonder in this settlement is immune against any bombardment. Before the target civilization has reached the industrial age this is not the case and world wonders can be destroyed like any other building.
Oddity of civil defence:
If a regular building(meaning neither a coastal fortress nor city walls) is hit and a civil defence is in the settlement, then it is the civil defence that is hit.
Lethal bombardment:
Land units can only be destroyed by bombardment, if the bombarding unit has the capability "lethal land bombardment".
Naval units can only be destroyed by bombardment, if the bombarding unit has the capability "lethal naval bombardment".
Air units can be destroyed by bombardment. There is no such attribute as "lethal air bombardment".
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