Destructable Defenses

[Atilius]

I did some testing with the following script:

script

declare_counter loop_counter
set_counter loop_counter=0

monitor_event GeneralCaptureSettlement SettlementName Arretium
    and FactionCultureType barbarian
    and SettlementBuildingExists >= stone_wall
    console_command damage_wall Arretium breach
    console_command damage_wall Arretium breach
end_monitor

while compare_counter loop_counter=0
end_while

end_script

This script will cause a couple of breaches in Arretium's walls if it's captured by a barbarian faction and the city has any level stone walls. It could be made faction specific by replacing

    and FactionCultureType barbarian

with

    and FactionType germans

As expected, the script caused a couple breaches in Arretium's (stone) walls when I captured the city playing as the Germans. The Romans laid seige to the city soon after. I didn't really expect this: I thought they would immediately attack through the breaches. Instead, they built a ram, some ladders, and a siege tower. A few turns later they attacked using only the siege tower, but most of their troops poured through the breach. (The other breach was on the opposite side of the city.) I was able to repel the attack and another army attacked a few turns later, having built a couple of rams. As usual, fire from my towers set the rams alight and the troops attacked through the breach again.

It might be worthwhile to repeat this experiment making more breaches in the walls. Perhaps this would induce the attackers to attack without building seige engines first.

Here's a short discussion on extending the above script to work for all settlements on the map:

In order to make this work for ALL settlements, an event monitor would be required for every settlement. There's also problem with the line

monitor_event GeneralCaptureSettlement SettlementName Narbo Martius

or for the event monitor for any two-word settlement name. The SettlementName condition requires the name string (not the name "tag") but fails to parse the string correctly if it consists of two words. The solution for Narbo Martius to use

monitor_event GeneralCaptureSettlement region_id=43

instead. You can determine what a settlement's region_id is using the show_cursorstat console command.

Fortunately, the damage_wall console command accepts the settlement name "tag", so it's satisfied with Narbo_Martius. (Appropriate settlement name "tags" are found enclosed in curly braces in the file text\imperial_campaign_region_and_settlement_names.txt)