AI and building FORTRESSES!?!?

[DrJambo]

Can anyone explain to me why the AI never builds fortresses?! In civ2 fortresses were a big favourite of the AI, but in civ3 this seems to be totally reversed... Why?

I have found them to be very useful when defending my territory from pesky invading civs.... so why o why do civs not use them for their own purposes?1?!

 

[Troyens]

You're right!

I guess we've discovered yet another bug in the game needing a patch. I have never seen the AI build a fortress either.

The AI never built them in Civ I, but built them like crazy all over the place in Civ II.

Maybe they'll get it right in Civ IV in five years.

 

[DaEezT]

I saw several AI fortresses. But only before the patch... (didn'T play much after thx to Wizardry 8). The AI built less fortresses than in civ2 but on better locations.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

I swa some excellent fortress positioning - but only when the spot has prooven to be a location of frequent battles. if for instance there`s only 2 squares in an isthmus and the two inerested parties go to war count on seeing a fortress there soon...... On the other hand the AI doesn`t plaster the place with fortresses since the ZOCs are gone and it`d need just too many to close off it`s borders.....

 

[basta72]

I have seen the AI build fortresses in strategic locations several times, even after the patch.

One time the AI used two fortresses to cut of a narrow road/railroad access to a large part of the continent. If I had gone to war with him then the only way to attack him would have been with ships or I would have been forced to breach his fortresses.

In my experience the AI only build a fortress when there´s a good strategic location. It would have been bad if the AI had built fortresses across the whole map.

 

[Zachriel]

Originally posted by Troyens
You're right!

I guess we've discovered yet another bug in the game needing a patch.

AI is an evolving science. A patch would be the wrong terminology. It would be great if the AI would improve on a continuous basis. A subscription service such as is done with Asheron's Call would be great. Then we could have continuous upgrades of the AI over time.

Unfortunately, that is probably not economically viable, and certainly not acceptable to <many players> on this forum. Maybe on the upcoming upgrade they will add a few features to the AI.

Then there is always CivIV (one day)!

 

[eyrei]

The only place I have seen the AI build fortresses is on top of colonies.

 

[SteveLS]

The AI seems to build them just fine. In a recent game, the French even built, and staffed up a fortress on a narrow neck of land, blocking all but their own forces from moving back and forth. Very smart thinking, that.

I built a fortress right next to theirs, and we immediately engaged in centuries long merry war, ( I won )

Oh, and I've seen the AI build numerous fortresses both pre, and post patch.

 

[Troyens]

It would be great if the AI would improve on a continuous basis. A subscription service such as is done with Asheron's Call would be great. Then we could have continuous upgrades of the AI over time.

PERFECT! Great idea. I agree totally.

Now someone forward this idea to Firaxis and get the ball rolling.

 

[zebomba]

I bet you're whinning bc you want to use its fortresses against it, like in Civ2 right? But the AI isn't that dumb anymore.
Ask yourself, do you build so many fortresses?

 

[kring]

If I don't have anything better for my workers to do, or I am a war with the AI, I have them build a lot of fortresses to protect my resources (strategic, then luxury) as well as choke points. I put troops on sentry duty in this fortresses.

 

[Bamspeedy]

The only place I have seen the AI build fortresses is on top of colonies.

This is usually because they used to be colonies. Anytime a colony is lost due to a city's 'sphere of influence' taking over that spot, a fortress automatically remains where the colony used to be. That is the only time I have ever seen an AI fortress, was from where a colony used to be. I guess some fortress could be considered the remains or 'ruins' of a past colony.

 

[Mapache]

I think I need a patch, too. I don't build fortresses. Borders move fast and the A.I. will attack one field to the left. Maybe The A.I. will be attracted by the Worker if the fortress isn't finished.

I haven't seen the A.I. to build a fortress. Those on resources were colonies as before mentioned.

 

[kring]

Originally posted by Bamspeedy


This is usually because they used to be colonies. Anytime a colony is lost due to a city's 'sphere of influence' taking over that spot, a fortress automatically remains where the colony used to be. That is the only time I have ever seen an AI fortress, was from where a colony used to be. I guess some fortress could be considered the remains or 'ruins' of a past colony.

I have had several colonies acquired culturally, whether I acquired my own, I acquired theirs, they acquired mine; and none of them had fortresses where they were. They probably built fortresses on them. In the ones I acquired from them, they had just recently been built so the AI didn't have time to build the fortresses. On mine, I had not yet built fortresses and when they became part of my border, they still didn't have fortresses.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

A.I fortresses???

Artillery???

I haven't seen any.

 

[medwynn]

Having just played a game as the Germans, I felt I had to invade Russia (a voice made me do it). They had control of a fairly long ithsmus with 5 cities on it. The rotton b*****ds built fortresses all the way along it. Unfortunately for them, they forgot to station defensive units there!

 

[romelus]

the ai builds forts on 1 square chockpoints and remote colonies, that's it. unfortunately on a lot of maps you wouldn't see them. until zoc is brought back, forts are meaningless. when is the last time you built one?

 

[IronicWarrior19]

The AI is smarter for not building them, they aren't very useful in civ3. If stacked death was brought back or ZOC or they had higher defence they might be more useful. Anyway, the AI in civ2 was a joke with forts - they just build them in random spots throughout their territory.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

Originally posted by romelus
when is the last time you built one?

there`s one good use for fortresses that I often use:

let`s say there`s two big continents, one`s mine and the other`s split up. Those civs go to war. This will result in frreing up land, which I can grab (different luxuries pr sp ). Now I know the AI will come for me somewhen. And the attack will take place there, especially if there`s a lux near(under the city. So I surround it with Fortresses (or, if I have a 2-square culture radius I leave a 1-square path through it) and fill them with top notch defenders and bombard units. Then I build walls, stack bombard units in the city, but no more than 3 defenders.

When the AI attacks it will throw it`s troops at the city - all of them. So it will practically lose it`s entire offensive capacity for one town - if it gets it! Usually, the defence is strong enough.... This keeps my permanat army small since I won`t have to deal with huge invasion forces.

 

[eyrei]

If I have a mountain square overlooking the border between myself and another civ, I will build a fortress there, and fortify an infantry and a couple artillery. If my border is along a mountain range, I will build a line of these. Have you ever watched cavalry attack an infantry unit fortified in a fortress on top of a mountain?