Fortress' Stage 2 mattering more

[wonshot]

With the current system and meta, Stage 3 in a fortress is what will make or break who will win. Stage 2 is not mattering too much in the current state of the forts.

Yes if the defenders are holding more BOs their lord will be stronger, and take longr to kill, and to some extend that will give a better chance of holding 3rd floor and do a push when the lord is doing his super aoe knockdown around 49% and 30%hp.

However, the artilery barrage is close to a none factor and could be improved uppon I think. Giving the defenders more of a reason to go hold more BOs on stage 2, and reward them for doing so in the following stage 3. Not to mention giving them a win condition if a siege is abandond to go push simultanious forts from the enemy realm

Suggestion:
Make the artillery barrage way more powerful but with a warning message broadcasted for both realms when it is landing. Maybe with 1-2 mins between so morals can be ready for both sides if they chose to push during a barrage.
Also increase the overall presure the barrage is doing, right now a single healer in each group can sit and watch netflix while not even notising the barrage has hit, and the attackers have no real idea when it lands so they can use this presure.

Increase the barrage to be a real bombardment in terms of damage numbers, heck maybe even let it be based on line of sight so tank-blocking a Dry-moral-rush from the attackers is not viable. Basicly give us ANYTHING to play around with, that requires a little more coordination than an afk funnel.

Stage 2 for the defenders should also have a wincondition. Same way as the inner door is getting rammed based on holding BOs. The other gates should be building back up if the defenders manage to hold the 3 outer gates for long enough and prevent any stealthers or ninjacappers to enter and back-cap. This will spread out the action, give smallscalers some use, and give the defenders a wincondition.

[anarchypark]

Artillery is 400dmg 1~5 tick every 30sec.
It's up to attackers to coordinate push with it or not.
and Lord aoe KD was not % trigger mechanic after all.
It start at 50% when announced with blue msg, lord is being overrun.
after that, lord use it every 4x seconds.
not sure if it's shared by all lords or each lord( 3set ) have different aoe KD mechanic.

sry for hijacking your suggestion,
but how about making bottom defense stage 3 ?
and lord room stage 4.

Fort bottom floor have unique designs, decorations, corridors and hideouts.
just found it yesterday.
there was not enough time to enjoy it cuz of prison fear or intense funnel.

let them enjoy bottom funnel, let it ends with timer eventually. 20min?
BIG artillery to wipe bottom to respawn at lord room for stage 4.
or enemy fort lord invade bottom to wipe defenders.

same funnel for 45min is sometimes too long.
yesterday i had to wake up myself few times during bottom funnel.
and detailed arts of bottom floor gave me this idea lol

[Tesq]

idk where you live, step 2 matter a lot, if defender can hold flags , kill lords became extremly hard, 1 wipe and you dont have enough time to kill it anymore...

[normanis]

well if pug get lord to 50 % and there is already 20 min left in fort. defenders wipe attackers at 50% so its nomore point go and rest 20min feed defenders. ppl go afk and that all fort system.
p.s city sieges will be more disbalanced ( if they will be same as on old war). attackers will feel they cant do nothing , and they will wait for champs-after champs is always loot (and u win loot there ) also most rr. i dont know how will be here byt there sometimes lords in first phase buget out to damage main citadel doors

[Natherul]

there are changes coming for forts, though I wont specify what exactly although I can say we have been listening to feedback

[Xergon]

there are changes coming for forts, though I wont specify what exactly although I can say we have been listening to feedback

Please make Victory condition/goal for Defenders so they can end/win Fort earlier if Invaders gave up/abandon/not joining Fort.

[Rockalypse]

I really hope that there will be siege engines in place for both attackers and defenders, may be based on stage 2 in some way.
Also would be great to have more NPC or even heroes guarding flags/gates/walls do places don't look as deserted with limited pop.

[SenatorGrimm]

Another suggestion: Give Forts a max duration (example: 60min). If invaders take over 30 minutes to open the door they should not have another 45min for the lord.

[chakzo]

there are changes coming for forts, though I wont specify what exactly although I can say we have been listening to feedback

Glad to hear that.
The running around part is the most fun you can have at fort atm. Final stage is just pure boredom sadly.
My suggestion would be to make fort bigger version of Reikland factory scenario.
5 flags outside (lesser ticks)
2 flags inside keep (higher tics)
Remove lord
Make more entry points into the bottom floor of keep. Not sure if you can change structure model. but there is enough postern doors already.
Play to set amount of points obtained by kills and flag ticks.
Defenders spawn in keep if they hold both flags in it. Make other(s) spawn points if not.