Forts seem underpowered

[fatgordy]

Fort Civlopedia Entry

• fatgordy
• Nov 5, 2016

I haven't felt the need to build a fort in any of my games yet. They only give +4 to defense strength. So does that mean I just get 4 extra strength points when I'm fighting with units that have strength of 40 or so around the time frame that I can build them?

What does 2 turns of fortification mean? Does that mean I get double the fortify bonus there? Is that good? I'm apparently not understanding some obvious benefit.

Have you built forts and if so, how did it work out for you?

 

[skyclad]

I only build them for the eureka.
Fortification builds up over a number of turns, I forgot the exact number but its something like +2 per turn up to maximum +10. So fort gives first 4 combat and then two turns of fortification, so another +4 if im correct about the numbers.
Also, +4 combat is equally good with warriors and tanks. Combat is based on difference, so 10v20 is the same as 80v90.

 

[dwarfling]

This is another case of the Civilopedia hiding how the mechanics of the game work. Fortify bonus? How much? It's a per turn thing? What?

 

[fatgordy]

Fortification builds up over a number of turns, I forgot the exact number but its something like +2 per turn up to maximum +10. So fort gives first 4 combat and then two turns of fortification, so another +4 if im correct about the numbers.

So the 2 turns of fortification just gets you to the +10 max bonus faster. So you'll get there in 2.5 turns (effectively 3) instead of 5? Plus with the extra +4 base, you could potentially get an extra +14 strength in 3 turns? So fighting against the same unit would give you a difference of +14.

Also, +4 combat is equally good with warriors and tanks. Combat is based on difference, so 10v20 is the same as 80v90.

Ok, I didn't realize that either. So it's not a percentage difference then, it's actually just raw difference points? I guess I need to do more research on combat because I'm not understanding that mechanic. Your response does get me closer though, thanks.

 

[sigmakan]

This is another case of the Civilopedia hiding how the mechanics of the game work. Fortify bonus? How much? It's a per turn thing? What?

I didnt even know that was a thing . . .

 

[fatgordy]

Ok, so for a test, I built a fort and then let the AI move onto it so I could see their bonuses. After one turn, they moved and I think they fortified. You can see they get +4 static fortifications and +6 fortified bonus for a total of +10 in just one turn.

Fort Defense

• fatgordy
• Nov 5, 2016

And then I reverted back and I compared it to the same catapult without a fort and here is the result.

No fort bonus

• fatgordy
• Nov 5, 2016

So you can see he gets the +10 bonus with the fort and it does some extra damage to my unit during the attack and a little less to his. Doesn't seem huge, but it may be significant enough to make a difference I suppose.

The only other thing is that after another turn and then another, his bonus didn't change. So either he isn't fortifying the unit or the +10 max after 5 turns isn't a thing?

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Fortifying gives +6 max (3 per turn)

So the fort gives the full bonus plus another 4

so +10

and +10 is the same power regardless of tech level

42 v. 29 is the exact same battle as 92 v. 79

 

[MadDjinn]

also keep in mind that the fort is 'automatic'. So a unit sitting on the fort can attack (say ranged unit with the first level promotion of +10 when in district or fort) and then auto-fortify after attacking to get that +10.

It's not something you totally need to do, but forts now work in a more interesting way. Think about gatling gun emplacements that, unlike civ V, can fire and fortify at the same time.

 

[Frank327]

The technology for it comes ridiculously late as well, at the same time as bombards and after gunpowder is researched. And even considering that it might be useful against bombards, the timeframe you have until flight is really really short. Forts are just completely useless this game, which is a real shame.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

The technology for it comes ridiculously late as well, at the same time as bombards and after gunpowder is researched. And even considering that it might be useful against bombards, the timeframe you have until flight is really really short. Forts are just completely useless this game, which is a real shame.

Forts aren't affected by bombards/air, because they are best with a ranged attacker in them (and fighters/AA can protect anywhere)