What Does Orbital Bombardment Even Do?

[GrandMajora]

I haven't noticed any effects during war in which I bombard a planet, regardless of what level I set my policy to. I even tried exterminatus type bombardment once and still didn't notice any change.

When I'm bombing a planet, I see a green bar on the planet tick down and eventually turn gray. but when I investigate the planet, I don't notice any civilians, nor any defensive soldiers being killed off. Even the structures built on the planet seem to be protected.

So if there's something that I'm missing, can somebody explain it to me?

[Ноэнамас Z]

The chance to kill a civilian pop or destroy a building is pretty low and that isn't really what bombardment is for. Bombardment is used to deplete that green bar so that you can drop soldiers on that planet and occupy it.

Bombardment also stops the enemy from gaining resources from that planet. The different types of bombardment let you increase the damage done per shot but at the cost of more collateral damage (it tells you when you mouse over the button for a bit).

[cooltv27]

planets have a fortifications level (that green meter) that reduces the damage defending armies take when being invaded. bombardment lowers the fortifications. at max the damage multiplier is .02 (98% reduction) and 0 the multiplier is 2 (double damage). different levels of bombardment have different damage amounts.

killing pops and destroying buildings are seperate effects and have a monthly chance, though not a very high one

[GrandMajora]

Thanks. I'm still new to the game and much of what I've learned has been through trial and error experiences.

[Ноэнамас Z]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Thanks. I'm still new to the game and much of what I've learned has been through trial and error experiences.

Did the tutorial not mention it? Feels like an oversight if it didn't teach bombardment.