City Walls

**Urg** · 09-03-2009, 02:51

Originally Posted by Frontline1944

I always find that defending a city with a large stone wall is much easier than defending one with wooden walls...

Thinking again about my initial post, Frontline is probably right. Generally speaking, if I have a significant sized garrison I sally against the besieging army. The only time I would actually battle to defend a city against a siege is where I have a relatively small garrison. This is when stone walls cause me a problem, because I do not have enough troops to defend the walls and the gates at the same time, and my troops end up getting fired on my the walls once they are captured. The problem doesn't arise with wooden walls. Maybe this is not a problem at all? I'm not sure.

On the other hand, The problem with attacking walls is a much more serious one because its far easier to capture an AI city with stone walls than one with wooden walls.

The solutions I can think of to this issue is as follows (forgive my presumption, oh holy eb team):

- making stone walls more dangerous for attackers (does this make them unhistorical, ie too much like medieval walls? how common were high stone walls in ancient times?)
- limiting the utility of siege towers such as by limiting the time it takes to build them or the ease with which they can be set on fire (were siege towers actually used in ancient times??)
- assisting AI troops to run around on top of walls to meet attacks (this is the most important)
- prevent the stone walls/towers from firing on 'home' garrison troops even when those towers are captured by an enemy

**Prussian to the Iron** · 09-03-2009, 17:32

wait wait wait....Siege Towers fired ballista bolts in EB1?!!?!!? where was I?!

**athanaric** · 09-03-2009, 18:25

Originally Posted by Prussian Iron

wait wait wait....Siege Towers fired ballista bolts in EB1?!!?!!? where was I?!

In case you haven't noticed, the large siege towers in RTW (those used for large and huge stone walls) have synchronized gatling ballistas mounted on them. Impressive technology, especially seeing as even the Barbarian and Nomad factions can field them...

**Prussian to the Iron** · 09-03-2009, 18:42

i honestly never knew that they fired, and i got the game only a couple months after release! amazing that i missed that...

then again, i never knew you could merge until i got E:TW so...

**bobbin** · 09-03-2009, 19:45

The first level of stone wall is the best, it has all the benifits of a stone wall without the evil seige towers you get with the larger walls.

Originally Posted by Urg

Thinking again about my initial post, Frontline is probably right. Generally speaking, if I have a significant sized garrison I sally against the besieging army. The only time I would actually battle to defend a city against a siege is where I have a relatively small garrison. This is when stone walls cause me a problem, because I do not have enough troops to defend the walls and the gates at the same time, and my troops end up getting fired on my the walls once they are captured. The problem doesn't arise with wooden walls. Maybe this is not a problem at all? I'm not sure.

. Don't trying to guard the gates 9 times out of 10 the ram gets set on fire, once you realise this defending stone walls is easy, I've held off of armies of thousands with 6 units in the past.

On the other hand, The problem with attacking walls is a much more serious one because its far easier to capture an AI city with stone walls than one with wooden walls.

Really? I've always found taking stone walled cities is far more costly as you have to fight the enemy on the walls which always results in more deaths. With wooden walls its essentially a normal straightforward fight, just knock a few holes in it and use missle troops to drive the defenders away from the breaches.

**DaciaJC** · 09-03-2009, 22:13

Originally Posted by bobbin

Really? I've always found taking stone walled cities is far more costly as you have to fight the enemy on the walls which always results in more deaths. With wooden walls its essentially a normal straightforward fight, just knock a few holes in it and use missle troops to drive the defenders away from the breaches.

A few archers and skirmishers firing into the sides and rear of enemies as they run around like headless chickens makes the assault a much easier and quicker process.