Strategic use of the Fortress Button

[Zxqv8]

As I understand it from the Civilopedia, a Fortress gives a unit a 50% defense bonus and a zone of control. Does that zone of control mean that the unit occupying that tile will attack a passing enemy unit like a catapult or artillery unit does? If so, what's the best way to utilize them?

I figure with all these angry Civs running around my territory, I'd benefit from proper use of this little function, because I don't know what to do with it now.

 

[Cruiser]

From the lack of responses it doesn't look like anyone knows!

I use them so little I don't know. I always build offensive units. Maybe too much so.

And I thought they got a 25% bonus.

P.S. Remember fortresses in mountains in Civ II? You needed to nuke them out!

 

[Grotius]

I do build Fortresses, usually on my border, where I like to station pickets to give me advance warning of an attack. In one game I also built them on strategic resources like oil. I can't say I've noticed my fortified units doing much to passing units, though.

One trouble with fortresses: if the enemy does invade and take the fortress, then they've got a defensive bonus they wouldn't otherwise enjoy. So I don't put them right around cities.

 

[Kedinik]

While I don't know exactly what they mean, I have noticed that my fortified musketmen take potshots at passing enemies, doing one damage. Could this be what it's referring to?

 

[kring]

Originally posted by Kedinik
While I don't know exactly what they mean, I have noticed that my fortified musketmen take potshots at passing enemies, doing one damage. Could this be what it's referring to?

Yes, in order to take the pot shots, you have to be fortified (the command fortify) in a fortress, according to the manual. I don't know if the sentry command will work or not.

 

[Ouchgeddon]

I used them to make walls, blocking choke points in my land and in one case actually lining my entire border with them. Made a mistake though, left one single entry hole (since the border area is zig-zaggy). This proved an advantage however, as when Germany came stomping into town they ignored my fortresses (heavily defended) and ran thru the hole. My Tanks and Mech Infantry therefore took potshots at his cavalry and Knights until each had used one potshot each. And then they died to Artillery and my own attacks.

You may have to activate Enemy Movement if you want to see them get shot at when they move past your fortress.

 

[Dralix]

Originally posted by Ouchgeddon
This proved an advantage however, as when Germany came stomping into town they ignored my fortresses (heavily defended) and ran thru the hole. My Tanks and Mech Infantry therefore took potshots at his cavalry and Knights until each had used one potshot each. And then they died to Artillery and my own attacks.

IMHO, this is the reason to use fortresses. Force the enemy to pass by several units with ZOC and your battles will be that much easier.

Probably less useful in modern times, when more units already have ZOC.

 

[petey]

In one game I was playing, I only had one source of oil and went to war against the Zulus. His bombers kept flying over and destroying my roads to the oil. That meant I couldn't build any reinforcements and had to sue for peace as soon as possible.

Before starting the war again, I built a fortress over the oil and stacked some Mech Infantry on it. I was able to keep the resource safe from his bombing runs long enough to knock him out of the game.

They can't be used that often, but they can be effective in the right situations.

 

[MrMulan]

Could anyone give me advice on how to use fortresses in mountain ranges? Am i suppose just build one road trough the range, and line up the fortesses on the side. Or am I supposed to put fortress up in a huge line?

Thanx in advance!

 

[Willem]

One thing I did in my last game that worked quite well. Around my border cities, I built Fortresses two squares apart from each other, then stuck in a defensive unit and a bombard unit. The AI didn't bother trying to take out the Fortress, it went for the hole in between, so that my bombard units on either side got a chance to fire a shot at the enemy units. By the time it had reached the city in behind, it was quite damaged, and easy pickings for my Cavalry.

One thing about using them, the AI knows that the odds of it winning are generally slim, so it tends not to bother trying to take out a Fortress. Which means that you can use them in order to "herd" the enemy to where you want it go. Just set up a chain of them, and the AI will head for the weakest point, where you'd have a large force waiting in order to ambush them as they try to come through.