If a "Bombarder" unit is attacked by bombardment, it fires back causing damage to the attacking unit (not tile)

[psampathkumar]

Requested by Corbeau for the SIM ruleset.

• Probably an opportunity to refactor the combat code

[lmoureaux]

So we have:

• Normal combat: 1v1 to death
• Combat_rounds: 1v1, limited number of combat rounds
• Bombardment: 1vN, limited number of combat rounds, no fighting back

So both the opponents you fight again, the number of combat rounds, and the ability to fight back should be configured independently?

What happens to a Howitzer bombarding a city with 80 Catapults?

[Corbeau-1]

What happens to a Howitzer bombarding a city with 80 Catapults?

Hm, good question. I'd let'im have it because when one unit attacks 80, bad things happen to it. But create a marker that allows any bombard unit to return fire only once per turn.

Maybe, just maybe, reduce attack strength when returning fire because it is an "emergency counterfire" so it's not as precise as incoming fire.

[lmoureaux]

So basically it would be some kind of "bombard defense" metric separate from defense and attack. The "one time defense" thing sounds a bit strange though... maybe the strength could be made proportional to HP...

[Corbeau-1]

It shouldn't be completely separate from attack (and defence doesn't really have anything to do with it) because counter-barage definitely depends on whether the firing unit is a catapult or a howitzer.

One-time defence may seem strange for Civ frame, but it makes perfect sense in realism and also gaming terms.

Realism: you did not acquire your target the normal way (sending scouts and correcting fire), but are instead reacting to an immediate attack that initially you don't know where it's coming from, and detecting it takes time.

Gameplay: as it is now, all you have to do is cram enough bombard units on one tile and they'll smash anything that touches them, thus creating a superstack. And we don't want superstacks.

Keep in mind that this is not "attack vs. defence" like in infantry combat where you are actually moving in to expel your opponent. This is attack vs. attack without moving.