Ralegh on Sieges

[Ralegh]

Ralegh on Sieges
These are tips from my play - not holy writ - I haven't seen the source code on this stuff.[Cross post from an AAR thread]

Sieges consist of 3 main parts

First, the siege check: In the siege check, the total attacking force siege capability is compared to the defending siege capability. There is no siege check if you are set to "starve the city", and a bonus if set to "charging the walls".
The following are roughly equivalent:

• 10,000 attacking inf/cav
• 1,500 attacking arty
• 3,333 defending inf/cav
• 1,500 defending arty
• 1 level of guns in the province (helps the defender only)
• 10 ships bloackading (helps the attacker only)
• guerillas count triple!

The actual siege check is done by generating a random number within the attacker's strength (so if they have 20 attacking siege strength, then a number between 1 and 20) to a random number within the defender's strength (so if they had 60 defending siege strength, a number between 1 and 60). The attacker needs their random number to be at least half of the defenders number to 'pass' the siege check and get at assault.

Second, if the siege check is successful, there is an assault - all attacking forces do damage on the defenders (regardless of their siege settings, so even corps set to 'starve the city' will fight). The defenders will do much more damage to units set to 'charge the walls'.

Third, starvation casulties. Starvation casulties seem to be increased if a corps is set to starve the city. Starvatioin casulties are MASSIVELY reduced for a port city if it is not blockaded.

Therefore the following tips:

• If you have more than one army/corps, have one set to starve the city.
• If you are in a hurry, set one army/corps to 'charge the walls'.
• The number of armies, corps, divisions is all irrelevent - it is pure numbers of men. The ONLY benefit from having armies/corps is the ability to set 'starve' and 'charge'.
• Leaders are irrelevent to sieges.
• Morale is unimportant in sieges - militia are just as good both at defending and at beseiging. I prefer to have sieges done by units I wouldn't want in battle.
• I often conduct sieges using 'hanger on' divisions from units I can't fit into my armies/corps, or special 'militia' armies.
• Consider PLUNDERING the province - reducing the level of guns will reduce the defenses!

I am arguing for a rule change to limit the number of attacking divisions to something like the no of walls of the city plus the number of roads in the province. At the moment, you could have 50 divisions in an attack, which strikes me as silly.

There is also a small chance of the defenders surrending - I don't know what effects it.