Forts???

[NicSO]

Any use of them???

Dont think so...

[Parmenion]

I always use them to block choke-points. As the Julii for example, you can seal Italian Gaul off from attack through the alps with a couple of well-placed forts. You only need to man them with a unit or two of militia and the AI leaves them alone every time. I have yet to have a fort attacked by the AI.

(I also managed to completely seal off Asia Minor from attack by land from the east with half-a-dozen forts in the valleys - playing as Pontus.)

[Didz]

I use them a lot to block choke points and to protect my armies when they are advancing into enemy territory.

In fact when opposed to superior numbers of enemy armies my generals usually end each day's march by building a new Fort.

Unlike Parmenion I have had forts attacked, in one case by three full enemy armies. They don't provide as much protection from missile fire as cities but they do keep the enemy cavalry off your back and flanks.

[NicSO]

What in case of siege, if they decide to starve u to death....then u must attack them from the fort....

[Parmenion]

Yes, you need to sally forth from a fort when beseiged to avoid starving - much the same as a small city.
But as I said, the AI has never attacked one of my forts so I wouldn't know for sure.

[Didz]

The sally idea works in exactly the same way as it does for cities.

The added advantage is that siege engines can actually fire from inside a fort much easier than from a city as the walls are lower. You just have to be careful not to position them too close to the walls otherwise they help your attackers by creating a breach from the inside.

The way I usually use forts is to create one in the middle of a mass of enemy armies and use it as a base for launching targeted attacks on individual enemy armies that become detached and vulnerable. Provided you don't march too far from the fort you can then withdraw back into it before the enemy can counter attack.

This strategy is working well in Northern Italy where my field army is operating from a fort to attack and destroy isolated Julii armies trying to reinforce their besieging armies further south.

Also in North Africa my invasion army ends each move by building a fort whilst still driving westwards against three full Scipio armies. Every now and then they try and destroy it by attacking the fort and get shot to peaces.