Effects of flooding

[Abaxial]

I have been looking at a strategy of rushing Computers in the tech tree, building flood barriers everywhere, and then burning as much coal as possible. Particularly on maps with a lot of floodable terrain. The results don't seem to be as effective as one would think. Even if an AI civ's territory is entirely flooded, it seems to continue to function. I would have expected it to fall apart, with every city revolting for lack of food and amenities, but they seem to hang on, and even trade normally. Maybe there is a slow decline? Any thoughts?

 

[Naokaukodem]

Well floods just hinder yields and, I think, pillage/destroy districts, there's no other mechanic that prevents to do trade for example, and yet less rebellions mechanics for lack of food. (lack of amenities translates to barbarians spawning, but I would say you don't lose too much amenities from floods)

 

[aieeegrunt]

Doesnt repeated flooding actually boost yields?

 

[bene_legionary]

Doesnt repeated flooding actually boost yields?

Sea level rising, not river flooding, I think that's what Abaxial meant. In later stages of climate change natural disasters are meant to remove yields but I've never seen anybody even notice that.

In my experience the when tiles are flooded by the sea, the AI gets on with it like nothing happened. In their view I think nothing really has changed, only they lost a few tiles they weren't working anyway. Some of their yields will be impacted but some of AI will build floodwalls if they catch up with you. The AI is already severely handicapped though. I guess the AI might lose trade route capacity when their commerical hubs are flooded by the sea, but most of the time they'll have harbours that aren't affected by sea levels. The AI wouldn't lose too many food tiles either as the land is replaced by coast tiles that could be more valuable with harbour buildings. If you are thinking of diplomatic trading, I can't see how there would be too much change apart from losing a few districts and the things they hold (relics, great works etc.). Luxury resources shouldn't be affected too much and AI would cope by trading with each other... maybe not from what you saw.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I have been looking at a strategy of rushing Computers in the tech tree, building flood barriers everywhere, and then burning as much coal as possible. Particularly on maps with a lot of floodable terrain. The results don't seem to be as effective as one would think. Even if an AI civ's territory is entirely flooded, it seems to continue to function. I would have expected it to fall apart, with every city revolting for lack of food and amenities, but they seem to hang on, and even trade normally. Maybe there is a slow decline? Any thoughts?

The biggest issue is that Floodable tiles are workable, and retain their old yield bonuses, since it becomes a Coastal tile, so there's no huge loss of yields to begin with.

 

[aieeegrunt]

Sea level rising, not river flooding, I think that's what Abaxial meant. In later stages of climate change natural disasters are meant to remove yields but I've never seen anybody even notice that.

In my experience the when tiles are flooded by the sea, the AI gets on with it like nothing happened. In their view I think nothing really has changed, only they lost a few tiles they weren't working anyway. Some of their yields will be impacted but some of AI will build floodwalls if they catch up with you. The AI is already severely handicapped though. I guess the AI might lose trade route capacity when their commerical hubs are flooded by the sea, but most of the time they'll have harbours that aren't affected by sea levels. The AI wouldn't lose too many food tiles either as the land is replaced by coast tiles that could be more valuable with harbour buildings. If you are thinking of diplomatic trading, I can't see how there would be too much change apart from losing a few districts and the things they hold (relics, great works etc.). Luxury resources shouldn't be affected too much and AI would cope by trading with each other... maybe not from what you saw.

Ah ya I was thinking of rivers

 

[Jarms48]

Well floods just hinder yields and, I think, pillage/destroy districts, there's no other mechanic that prevents to do trade for example, and yet less rebellions mechanics for lack of food. (lack of amenities translates to barbarians spawning, but I would say you don't lose too much amenities from floods)

Coastal flooding, not river floods. The ones that remove tiles completely.

The strategy itself depends more on how many coastal districts they have. That’s the biggest loss. If you can shut down their campuses and theatre squares with sea rise then that will definitely help you win.

 

[Naokaukodem]

Coastal flooding, not river floods. The ones that remove tiles completely.

I know. I was just retaking the OP way of speaking.

 

[Abaxial]

I was looking at a situation where I could send a trader to the Egyptian capital, the entire hinterland of which was underwater, and still come away with 25 G. This doesn't seem right! If you like we can call it marine inundation instead of flooding, but I would expect it to be more devastating. Oh, and there are map mods that greatly increase the amount of low-lying land.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I was looking at a situation where I could send a trader to the Egyptian capital, the entire hinterland of which was underwater, and still come away with 25 G. This doesn't seem right! If you like we can call it marine inundation instead of flooding, but I would expect it to be more devastating. Oh, and there are map mods that greatly increase the amount of low-lying land.

Agreed, also those mods don't work well

Yields modifiers are kept, meaning a once floodable region (from floods) that are submerged still give those amazing bonuses, so you end up with a rich coastal.

Honestly, what they did for Apocalypse mode, is what I think they should have done for coastal flooding, remove all yields off those tiles, or force them to stick to the worst yields (1F/1P) with no chance to improve unless it has a resource on it (like Amber or Oil).