WHy build Encampments?

[Toadman]

Am I missing something other than the barracks, stables and amory xp buff?

I think they may give a slight prod boost but not sure. ABd the range attack fortress they make for defense.

Am I missing something though becuase they seam almost not worht it?

[paugus]

Production, housing, exp for units trained there, the ability to build certain wonders, the ability to make strategic resource-requiring units with only one copy of the resource instead of two, the ability to train corps/armies, etc. I rarely build them, but only because the AI is inept at warfare and it's easy to get by without them.

[Azunai]

one of the militarist city states (i think carthage) adds a traderoute for each encampment. if you can secure suzerain status of them, the encampment can serve as a (potentially) cheaper replacement for (or addition to) the commercial and harbor districts.

[Son of Thor]

A well placed encampment doubles your ability to defend your cities and gives you an extra slot for a range attacker.

[Numbers]

I'm just gonna list all of the benefits I'm aware of and you can judge for yourself if they are "worth it".

1. EXP buildings
2. A second city bombard
3. A second spot to park a unit so that they can defend without being at risk.
4. You can still train military units when your city center is completely surrounded.
5. Production boost
6. Housing boost.
7. If you have an encampment, you can train units that require strategic resources with only 1 of that resource instead of 2. (Really important)
8. Can train corps and armies directly. (Not sure but I think training a corp directly is cheper than 2 of a unit overall)
9. Can often be gotten on the cheaps due to policy cards.
10. Counts as a district for adjacency bonuses.
11. Required for some wonders.
12. Great General Points
13. Encampment city project

Disclaimer: I usually build 1 in my capital, and then 1-2 besides that depending on how buddy-buddy the AI is deciding to be.

[CivNut123]

Most of the reasons have already been said:

1. It's a district, and you get district bonuses for being adjacent to other districts.
2. You can train more experienced units there. You get bonuses for training units. Think of the units trained in a city without an Armory as noobs.
3. It adds a production bonus.
4. Once you invest in city walls, it can fire on the enemy.
5. It's a fort. By strategically placing this area, you can offer more protection, and fire on the enemy as they approach.
6. Required for certain wonders.
7. One strategic resource instead of two.

Keep in mind that the opposing army doesn't have to take over this area, before they take over the city. However, if you keep a unit stationed here, it will be safer.

Also remember that you can have several cities side by side and place the Barracks wherever you want them, which means that you can increase defense even more. Start to think about military history, and how they were used. They can be placed at choke points, and they can also be placed near the sea to fire on ships. Take a look at some real life places, like Vladistock in Russia, to understand their use. As well as some of the British forts which can still be seen in real life today.

One thing I really hate though is the lack of roads, which makes it very slow to get back to a city, especially one with hills etc.

You know those annoying civs that want to settle right beside yours? Drop a barracks right beside where they are going to settle. :)

The Alahambra wonder can also be placed beside them for extra protection, I think.

(would like a double check on the fort claim)

[Azunai]

one thing that wasn't mentioned (i think) - it adds a +1 production bonus to incoming internal trade routes. so if you want to optimize new city buildup times, it's nice to have one target city that has all the districts that add production to incoming internal routes (city center, industrial, commercial, harbor, encampment, later also aerodrome and (i think) also the spaceport)

[BladeSe7en [ICON_RESOURCE_FURS]]

Originally posted by Numbers:

I'm just gonna list all of the benefits I'm aware of and you can judge for yourself if they are "worth it".

1. EXP buildings
2. A second city bombard
3. A second spot to park a unit so that they can defend without being at risk.
4. You can still train military units when your city center is completely surrounded.
5. Production boost
6. Housing boost.
7. If you have an encampment, you can train units that require strategic resources with only 1 of that resource instead of 2. (Really important)
8. Can train corps and armies directly. (Not sure but I think training a corp directly is cheper than 2 of a unit overall)
9. Can often be gotten on the cheaps due to policy cards.
10. Counts as a district for adjacency bonuses.
11. Required for some wonders.

Disclaimer: I usually build 1 in my capital, and then 1-2 besides that depending on how buddy-buddy the AI is deciding to be.

Everything you said is good except You forgot the two most important parts of having an encampment.
The general points and the city project encampment training

[Kapjak]

It can also be used to block chokepoints, I used it to block a mountain path that was close to a civilization I was at war with.

[CivNut123]

Excellent, forgot to mention those two points.

[Numbers]

Originally posted by BladeSe7en:

Originally posted by Numbers:

I'm just gonna list all of the benefits I'm aware of and you can judge for yourself if they are "worth it".

1. EXP buildings
2. A second city bombard
3. A second spot to park a unit so that they can defend without being at risk.
4. You can still train military units when your city center is completely surrounded.
5. Production boost
6. Housing boost.
7. If you have an encampment, you can train units that require strategic resources with only 1 of that resource instead of 2. (Really important)
8. Can train corps and armies directly. (Not sure but I think training a corp directly is cheper than 2 of a unit overall)
9. Can often be gotten on the cheaps due to policy cards.
10. Counts as a district for adjacency bonuses.
11. Required for some wonders.

Disclaimer: I usually build 1 in my capital, and then 1-2 besides that depending on how buddy-buddy the AI is deciding to be.

Everything you said is good except You forgot the two most important parts of having an encampment.
The general points and the city project encampment training

Added. Thanks!

[RedGeneral]

Encampments are great when you want to make your own Maginot Line against a particular hostile civ on your border. This wall of encampments can bombard units coming in sometimes with overlapping firing zones from a neighboring city or another city's encampment. Its great for turtling.

[BladeSe7en [ICON_RESOURCE_FURS]]

Originally posted by RedGeneral:

Encampments are great when you want to make your own Maginot Line against a particular hostile civ on your border. This wall of encampments can bombard units coming in sometimes with overlapping firing zones from a neighboring city or another city's encampment. Its great for turtling.

It's not only great for defensive turtling but it also is great for an aggressive assault as well. Especially if you have envoy points in a militaristic city state

[Lady Grey]

The overlapping firing zones are especially useful. I usually only build Encampments on my frontier cities, especially on nice defensive spots. Having an archer in the Encampment provides a nice defense.

[Rhudda]

Do the XP buildings work now? Haven't had a chance to play since the patch, but before that I don't think I ever gained XP with a unit trained in an encampment.

[CivNut123]

There's a city state which will also give you a free trade route with every encampment, go figure! :)