Siege Warfare - Should require experts to be present! Engineers?

[Destraex]

Lets face it. Sieges in Rome1 were so damned quick there was only really a one or two size fits all choice when it came to assaulting a fortress. But even that was more than what the games that followed had. How do you relieve a siege if everybody attacks the turn after they besiege? Defences obviously mean nothing in a total war game really.

I think that for larger more complex siege techniques that engineers should have to be present. I am fairly sure the Roman army had specialised engineers to build bridges and the like
Specialised artillerists should also perhaps be used.

Apart from the normal defences and attacks that would normally be present engineers would add a really nice touch to what wonderfull devices could be built to attack or defend. Perhaps even resulting in a successful defence for once. Standard stuff being burning oil, portcullis, bolt throwers, archer towers etc

I would even like to see engineers get traits. Perhaps a greek expert joins them and adds some really exotic possible builds to their repertoire. A animal shaped all metal siege tower or some such perhaps.

What I think engineers could add if sieges were longer:

Basic Siege Techniques: Needs Legionaries

• Basic Log RAM - no top
• Basic single log ladder
• basic siege camp

Medium Difficulty: Needs Engineers

• Metal head or skin covered RAM or other armoured RAM.
• Basic forts
• Basic earth works
• elaborate wide ladders
• small siege towers
• covered walkways
• stone siege camp

Relatively complex or Difficult: Needs siege specialist

• Mine shafts
• Earth siege works raised to the walls
• Large Siege Towers
• Siege towers with bolt throwers\catapults\archer towers on top etc
• Elaborite surrounding fort works and trenches
• Build towers on ships
• Build ladders on ships
• hidden caltrop fields
• 10m triangular ditches
• Super large spear thrower\catapults. Non-movable

I also believe engineers need to have options when defending in sieges:

• Wall behind a wall built
• Plugging gates with stone walls
• Making new gates or new exits for harbours
• Putting new catapults on walls
• Extra wooden plugs for gaps caused by besiegers
• counter siege tower device built behind walls
• Sorties allowed to burn besiegers devices
• Night sabotage agents\parties
• Counter siege tower with higher wall

[Pistolero Pete]

Well I think it would be best to have it like in the first Rome where you had a number of build points, however having engineers as a type of agent would be a great idea. One of their skill trees could give bonuses to give more build points for armies they are attached to and some more ammunition for artillery, while the other skill tree would reduce the cost and time for building in settlements.

[The Juggernaut]

I'd like to have generals with the trait "Engineer", one of the things we can pick in the first level-up. That way we don't have to have a unit of engineers taking up a slot, or an extra agent, but instead have a general who specialized in siege warfare.

Otherwise, I like the idea of basic siege equipment being built at lower levels, with more experienced siegers being able to make more advanced equipment. And counter-siege equipment should DEFINITELY be in!

[Destraex]

I'd like to have generals with the trait "Engineer", one of the things we can pick in the first level-up. That way we don't have to have a unit of engineers taking up a slot, or an extra agent, but instead have a general who specialized in siege warfare.

Otherwise, I like the idea of basic siege equipment being built at lower levels, with more experienced siegers being able to make more advanced equipment. And counter-siege equipment should DEFINITELY be in!

This sounds good enough to me. Having a general or legion trait that has siege engineers of varying calibres ready. These engineers themselves should have a mastermind and their own traits menu.

[Destraex]

Personally I just think that Sieges of Larger more unusual\difficult settlements with good defensive positions particularly should not be easy kills.
I think defended will they should force besiegers to use the above methods.

[Shigawire]

[*]Earth siege works raised to the walls

I would put this on the "Legionnaire present" list, as the early Roman Republic dug earth ramps up to the enemy walls on a number of occasions, even though they had no experience in siege warfare beyond escalade (ladder).

[removeduser_4536284751384]

How do you relieve a siege if everybody attacks the turn after they besiege? Defences obviously mean nothing in a total war game really.

I take it you've never played above medium difficulty?

[Destraex]

ireland I have never played a total war game on easy. Are you saying that besieging in rome total war was anything but a foregone conclusion?

[Knipfaa]

Actually the KI made some many mistakes everytime they attacked like getting shot down by your towers. You could easily defend your cities with minor amounts of troops if done properly. I found it far more difficult and took heavy losses when i tried to take a huge city with a decent garrison (around 10 units) with a full stacked superior army.