Stacking and Fortifying

[Kessey]

I know that if a stack is attacked, the unit with the highest defense is used to defend. However, if this unit is fortified outside a city and the other unit in a stack is not fortified, would the fortified bonus still count for the stack?

For example, a catapult and a knight are stacked, and the knight (def 2) fortifies but the catapult doesn't. Does the stack still get the 50% bonus (making the total defense 3) if attacked?

I'm just trying to get some ideas together to being my early campaign. Thanks in advance.



Take care,

Jay

 

[ElephantU]

The stack as a whole does not get a bonus if only one unit fortifies, but that is immaterial in your example. What actually happens is that the Knight alone gets a 50% bonus by being fortified (note that is not the same as "fortifying", that is it must have completed fortification, not be in the process) and defends the whole stack with it's defense of 3 (assuming it's on flat ground, which is really dumb). If it loses, however, the Catapult is lost with it.

This is different than if both units were in a Fortress, where they defend sequentially and fortifying the unit is unnecessary. Starting with the unit with the highest defense value, each unit defends separately with their defense value doubled. So the Knight would "defend the fort" first, but if it loses the Catapult is still there.

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

The stack as a whole does not get a bonus if only one unit fortifies, but that is immaterial in your example. What actually happens is that the Knight alone gets a 50% bonus by being fortified (note that is not the same as "fortifying", that is it must have completed fortification, not be in the process) and defends the whole stack with it's defense of 3 (assuming it's on flat ground, which is really dumb). If it loses, however, the Catapult is lost with it.

I don't think this is what the original post was about, but consider this scenario where the unfortified unit would defend: A phalanx fortifies, gets attacked and has significant damage, but is still fortified, then another unit moves in and stacks with it. If attacked again, The new unit will likely be chosen as the defender, but the damaged one is fortified.

However, the point is, like you said, the fortification bonus only applies to one unit: the next unit has to dig its own foxhole.

 

[ElephantU]

Didn't SlowThinker do some exhaustive tests on this kind of stuff years ago? Anybody know where the thread is?

 

[Peaster]

You don't mean the Combat thread in the GL at Poly, do you ? I think it is by MarquisDeSade (or similar name) but ST contributed.

Related question: if a unit (eg a howitzer) ignores walls, does it also ignore forts?

 

[Ace]

Nope. The Howitzer only gets to ignore city walls. The fortification does work against it, but, only a vet mech inf in a fort has a real chance to beat the howie.

 

[Kessey]

Thanks everyone. My plan was to have both units get to the city, then the defending unit would fortify to defend (when enemies struck from inside the city)them while the catapult attacked. I found out the hard way that when the knight fortified, the catapult was left all by his lonesome. How he survived (with 2 hp) I have no idea.

Thanks again,

Jay