Ranged Attack Help

[zarakand]

I'm having a hard time understanding the range of ranged attack. Is there a way to see how the bombard range of a unit before expending a point to set up for ranged attack? There are times when I end up wasting a movement point to check.

Also why can certain units, shoot more in one direction than the other as demonstrated by this picture? For example, I can shoot two tiles behind me but only one tile ahead of me.

 

[rastak]

I guess the mountain is blocking. I agree completely that the ranged weapon stuff needs to be changed to provide more feedback.

 

[Asplundh]

General rule for Ranged Fire is two hexes/squares; however, you must have a clear, unobstructed line-of-sight to the enemy unit.

If there is a hill or mountain between you and the enemy unit (or a forest if you're on a grassland/plains square), you can't see the enemy unit unless you have another friendly unit adjacent to the enemy unit (think of him as a "friendly forward observer").

The only exception I've found applies to naval units - an intervening landmass no "thicker" than one hex/square doesn't seem to impede naval line-of-sight. Ultra tall mainmasts with a crow's nest atop them, I guess.

 

[GoaGalneGbilski]

Early game ranged units can fire two hexes, but not over hills, trees, or mountains. If there is a hill and a flat land between you and the enemy it is not blocked, same goes for every combination of blocked and unblocked. Late game ranged units get "indirect fire" which ignores blocked tiles entirely. To attack an enemy you must see it as well, but most often the ranged unit is not the one in the front.

 

[dannythefool]

Artillery can also fire three hexes away, in addition to being able to fire over a mountain.