Civ3 Bombard: Specifics?

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GriffonSpade
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Civ3 Bombard: Specifics?

Post by GriffonSpade »

So, freeciv has a bombard ability. It hits every unit on a tile, cannot kill a unit, and I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), engages in bombard_rate number of rounds of combat, dealing damage to the target as per usual, but does not harm the attacker. Bombarding also consumes any remaining movement points.

So how does Civ3's bombardment work? The only thing I can ever find is this quote copied and pasted everywhere:
Another important aspect of combat is bombardment, which can be done by artillery (Catapult, Cannon, Artillery, Radar Artillery, and, in Conquests, Trebuchet), air units, and more advanced naval units (destroyer, battleship, etc.). Bombardment can soften a target before it is attacked, and, if attacking a city, may kill some of the population or destroy certain city improvements. Despite this, only certain units have the ability to kill other units through bombardment (known as "lethal bombardment").
I note that bombarding units have a bombard score, along with a range and rate of fire.

This suggests that units have defense against bombardment. I assume succeeding in a defensive check when bombarded merely prevents damage from being inflicted.
Archer and Bowman have 1 defense vs. Bombardment.
Additionally, it is mentioned that only units with "lethal bombardment" can kill with bombardment. Unfortunately, the only one to have any mention of such an ability is the ancient naval unit "Dromon" which is described as having a 'lethal sea bombardment'.

I'm looking for someone who has actually played Civ3 to explain how it works.

1) Is it single-target or mass-target?
2) Does the bombard score work like the attack score, only without the defender able to damage the attacker and lasting [rate of fire] rounds?
3) Do units with bombard counter-bombard anyone who bombards them from within their bombard range?
4) Do units with bombard counter-bombard anyone who attacks them?
5) Which units actually have 'lethal bombardment'? Which can /be/ killed with a lethal bombardment?
6) Does firepower multiply damage dealt each [rate of fire]?
7) Does bombarding consume all remaining movement points?
Last edited by GriffonSpade on Thu Dec 07, 2017 10:18 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Corbeau
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Re: Civ3 Bombard: Specifics?

Post by Corbeau »

Just a correction, I think that bombard_rate is how many times the unit attacks, and if it hits, firepower is how much damage it inflicts (unless that would drive the target to zero; in that case, I suppose the HP remain at 1).
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GriffonSpade
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Re: Civ3 Bombard: Specifics?

Post by GriffonSpade »

Corbeau wrote:Just a correction, I think that bombard_rate is how many times the unit attacks, and if it hits, firepower is how much damage it inflicts (unless that would drive the target to zero; in that case, I suppose the HP remain at 1).
Yeah, this is so. Apparently, at the bottom of the wiki's Combat page. Also has to pass normal combat round success to deal damage to each unit.
Akechi
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Re: Civ3 Bombard: Specifics?

Post by Akechi »

Civ 3 bombard unit has 3 status, such as Bombard Strength, Bombard Range (Operational Range if Air unit), Rate of Fire.

1. Unit can Bombard action up to radius Bombard Range tile away (Bombard Range 1 = 3x3, Bombard Range 2 = 5x5, and so on).
Even if your unit is surrounded by enemy unit within 1 tile around, and your unit try to bombard 2 tiles away, you can bombard.
If Air unit, they use Operational Range instead of Bombard Range.

2. Unit can conduct bombard combat Rate of Fire round.
In bombard combat, attacker use Bombard Strength instead of Attack Strength.
If attacker lose round during this combat, attacker bombard unit does not receive damage.

3. If unit has Lethal Land Bombardment ability, Bombard action can kill enemy Land unit. if has not, Bombard action cannot kill enemy unit (1HP remain).
If unit has Lethal Sea Bombardment ability, Bombard action can kill enemy Sea unit. if has not, Bombard action cannot kill enemy unit (1HP remain).

In my opinion:
1) Single target. Bombard unit stack target is invented from Civ 4.
2) Bombard Strength work as Attack Strength. they can conduct combat limited to Rate of Fire rounds.
3) I think no. if attacker conduct bombard combat, defender defensive bombard (see below) does not work.
But this is my faint memory.
4) Partially yes. if enemy unit attacked to our unit which has Bombard Strength, our unit try to bombard combat only 1 round before enemy normal combat resolution.
This is known as defensive bombard, and in this case, attacker uses Defense Strength to prevent defender bombard, and defender Bombard Range and Rate of Fire is ignored.
So Bombard Range 0 bombard unit is only can conduct defensive bombard (in C3C(2nd expansion), Archer/Longbowman/Guerrilla/TOW Infantry has).
5) In my faint memory, if C3C, Fighter/Stealth Fighter has Lethal Sea Bombardment ability, and Bomber/Stealth Bomber has Lethal Land/Sea Bombardment ability.
If vanilla Civ 3, there is no Lethal Land/Sea Bombardment unit.
6) There is no Firepower status in Civ 3. all combat round deals 1 damage to each round loser.
Digression: In Civ 3, unit's maximum Hit Points is determined by Veteran Level (2 for Conscript, 3 for Regular, 4 for Veteran and 5 for Elite).
7) No. but in Civ 3, if unit does not have Blitz ability, this unit can only one attack per turn (attack consume only 1 movement point regardless of Blitz ability).
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GriffonSpade
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Re: Civ3 Bombard: Specifics?

Post by GriffonSpade »

Thanks a lot Akechi, that was very informative.
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