forts

[King of Town]

I have never built a fort, but I was really bored and reading the civ 4 wiki and it said in there that if you are in a fort and a unit goes from one square next to the fort to another square next to the fort you attack him without him attacking back. Is that true? I may have to start building forts.

 

[Premier Valle]

I don't think thats true, as far as I can remember a few forts of mine haven't been that lucky.

 

[MrCynical]

That happened in Civ 3, but doesn't in Civ 4. Aside from their role as canals in BtS, and the occasional bottleneck, I don't find them that useful either.

 

[CivAgamemnon]

I agree. I wish they had Zone of Control, like they did in Civ 3. Add in their features from Civ 4, they would be rather formidable.

Come to think of it, with all of the features they possess now, maybe that's why there's no ZoC added.

 

[Premier Valle]

I like to use forts to have some overseas military bases, not that useful but I like it.

 

[Black Mech]

Never bothered with forts, my boarders move too much for them to be useful.

 

[weasel77066]

I use them for plane bases on little islands, after I get some defenders on it. Also use it for canals.

The AI seems to build forts in mass quantities... I mean rediculously large amounts of forts in any area that arent city squares.
Players with automated workeers seem to do the same thing, which is ticky cause it stops forest growth, so I never atomate workers at all anymore.

The AI has used them to store strong defenders. He had four infantry in one on a hill in the jungle, and Made the odds of combat so harsh, I sent a spy in and destroyed the improvement, then attacked.
Really, unless its set in a choke-point (like you guys mentioned) I dont use them to any degree.

Now if they had ZOC.........

 

[PibbZ]

This is why i design my own maps before playing them when im about to start a new marathon game. This way i can create bottleneck-entrances to my empire, in which i can guard with forts on both sides on the passage.

 

[Capt Ajax]

When playing on maps with high sea levels, there are often "choke points" or bottlenecks. I always use forts in these locations and place infrantry units there....leaving highly moble units centered in my empire to be rapidly deployed wherever.

 

[skallben]

Airbases, just to get that extra range.

 

[Steiner-Davion]

Anything printed in the manual is "questionable" at best. Try reading the espionage section. a lot of it, is simply no true whe nthe game was initially release, as it was removed from the game prior to launch.

 

[weasel77066]

I believe its been mentioned many times, but perhaps forts should get their own line of promotions...

It could be handled in different ways, but just one that pops to mind is making a separate (additional) Defense Slider that works much the same way as espionage. You build points via buildings and specialists the same way as espionage, and perhaps by spending cash into your slider (but doesnt necessarily have to even be a slider)

Castles +2Defense, Wall+1, MilitaryAdvisor+3, GGeneral spent+1000, GreatWall+8, etc......... Any manner of points for balance.

These point could be spent to upgrade promotions in forts and city defenses.. Something like Defense 1 through 5, ZOC 1 through 5, Airbase 1&2 (number of planes 4&8), Dispensary 1&2 (healing), Bunker 1&2 (defense from bombs&Artillary), AA 1&2 (chance for intercept)...

The list and cost for promotions could go on and on, and make Forts something that could be usefull and quite fun as well

Well, Just a loose thought-

 

[Fjordson]

Without choke points or resources outside your borders - they are essentially useless

 

[Nishdog]

As mentioned, forts are neat as canals and airbases. Another use I've found is to build them on Oil resources once you discover Scientific Method. That way, the oil resource becomes available immediately upon discovery of Combustion; no need to wait while your worker builds a well

If the oil is within a city radius, you can replace it with a well later, but might as well build a fort immediately to get quicker use of oil.

 

[TravellingHat]

I like to use forts on my borders even if they're not on bottlenecks, just as mustering points (otherwise I tend to forget where I've left my men!). Leave a medic in the fort, and border patrols can pop back to the fort for a quick refit and resupply (aka heal) and be back on duty good and quick. Also, if an invasion force comes at you, they either have to tackle the fort first (buying you a few more turns, assuming you can't get additional defenders to the fort), or they leave an enemy strong-point to their rear from which you can harrass them. I'd keep such forts to a minimum, since you just won't need many, and beware there is a risk: if you do get invaded and lose the fort, the enemy can use it as a forward command.

Which provides a nice link to my next point. If you can spare some workers to form a "pioneer corp", forts can be useful on the offense. If your starting out on what will probably be a long campaign, move your force onto a good defensible spot in the enemy's territory and build a fort. If you can occupy a resource or build adjacent to some, so much the better for a little raiding with impunity. Take some good defenders with you (I believe CG promos also work in forts) and you have an excellent forward command from which to launch offensives, shelter casualties, muster reinforcements etc. Just be sure to have sufficient defenders not to lose it to the enemy!

 

[Lightwave]

I believe its been mentioned many times, but perhaps forts should get their own line of promotions...

It could be handled in different ways, but just one that pops to mind is making a separate (additional) Defense Slider that works much the same way as espionage. You build points via buildings and specialists the same way as espionage, and perhaps by spending cash into your slider (but doesnt necessarily have to even be a slider)

Castles +2Defense, Wall+1, MilitaryAdvisor+3, GGeneral spent+1000, GreatWall+8, etc......... Any manner of points for balance.

These point could be spent to upgrade promotions in forts and city defenses.. Something like Defense 1 through 5, ZOC 1 through 5, Airbase 1&2 (number of planes 4&8), Dispensary 1&2 (healing), Bunker 1&2 (defense from bombs&Artillary), AA 1&2 (chance for intercept)...

The list and cost for promotions could go on and on, and make Forts something that could be usefull and quite fun as well

Well, Just a loose thought-

Personally, I do not want any more economic sliders. If this were considered, I think a better solution may adopting be a Call to Power feature of "Public Works" where cities can "build" public works that goes into a pool of points much like Research production in a city. I am not suggesting abolishing the worker model, but that was one interesting feature of Call to Power (though I did not like the game overall).

Partly contradicting myself now, as I am writing this though, if we replaced your "Defense" slider with a generic Public Works slider typically no higher than 10% or less usage (need a finer scale of course), and lump in certain defense abilities with public works, it could at least be something to think about. However, basic game mechanics inertia would probably disqualify it from serious consideration. Given that, adding a few simple additional worker tasks like "Upgrade Fort to Fortress" would be consistent with the rest of the game model even if slightly inferior from a micromanagement standpoint.

The Fort promotion idea is interesting overall although it does sound strange for a Fort to be "promoted."

 

[lulu135]

They are good for paratroopers as well. Bring 5 workers and construct a fort on the border in 3 turns, then you can jump 5 spaces in, saving 2 turns.

 

[Blaarg]

I use forts all the time.

I put them on borders with agressive civs
I put them on vulnerable strategic resources
I use them as canels
Sometimes I'll put one in the wilderness to watch my border from barbarians

 

[BeeBot]

Unfortunately, in the new patch you won't be able to build forts in enemy territory. A shame, really--I thought that aspect lent some real interesting options to invasions. Bring some workers along as combat engineers! All gone now.

 

[skallben]

I use forts all the time.

I put them on borders with agressive civs
I put them on vulnerable strategic resources
I use them as canels
Sometimes I'll put one in the wilderness to watch my border from barbarians

Yeah I do this aswell. When you know how to use forts, they are awesome.
Allthough I want ZOC back.