Rome TW Forts and Watch Towers

[Fire Fly]

I was wondering, for the short time that I played it when I was at home for Thanksgiving break, what exactly is the usage of forts? I had built some but didn't really see any purpose to them other than to block mountain passages. Do they act as a small city that must be seiged when attacked? Do they give the defenders a bonus in defending?

And is it possible to attack watch towers to limit the enemy's line of sight?

[Ace Pace]

I was wondering, for the short time that I played it when I was at home for Thanksgiving break, what exactly is the usage of forts? I had built some but didn't really see any purpose to them other than to block mountain passages. Do they act as a small city that must be seiged when attacked? Do they give the defenders a bonus in defending?

And is it possible to attack watch towers to limit the enemy's line of sight?

The fort is mostly usful if you suspect the enemy AI will attack your army the next turn, and its exposed, its a mini-village with walls.

[Stark]

I find forts can be a bad thing if the enemy has onagers et al, since you're stuck inside. But I love watch towers; although they'd be a lot more useful if the game had a 'get your fucking armies out of my country or I'll fucking kill the lot of them' diplomacy option, but eh, the dip system is broken.

Having a good network of watch towers gives excellent early warning (essential in the late game) and frees your spies up for proper activities.

[Darth Wong]

It would be nice if any infantry group could make a watchtower, instead of having to use a general for that purpose.

[Fire Fly]

So when the enemy attacks a roman army inside a fort, can they build seige weapons? Or do they just attack and hope their swords and chop through the palisade? In the short time that I played RTW, I've only ever once built a fort. I just never really saw the need to build a fort. I prefer to fight in the open where I can manuever my troops around. I guess the only time I would probably use a fort is if I were surrounded by enemy troops on all side, but I have never been stupid enough to actually let that happen.

[wautd]

So when the enemy attacks a roman army inside a fort, can they build seige weapons? Or do they just attack and hope their swords and chop through the palisade?

Only stormrams.

A fort can be usefull for blocking roads of invading armies, altough I prefer my army out in the open. I play greek and the roman comp prefers to siege for 3 ticks so I HAVE to break out or i'll loose my army. Needles to say, breaking out quickly with palanx units trough a small gate is kinda tricky

A fort might also be handy if you are horribly outnumbered and you'll know the enemie will attack you instead of starving you to death

[Vympel]

Forts are good for defending choke points. Take the Seleucid Greeks- if you defeat Armenia and Parthia, Scythia will only have access to Asia Minor/Persia etc between two mountain passes (that, or ships) leading down from modern-day Russia. Two forts in those passes buys you time to bring up troops from elsewhere if Scythia is dumb enough to attack you.