Effect of rivers

[ralfmartin73]

According to the manual, a unit on a river field is highly vunerable when beeing attacked. I have some questions to this.

1: As far as I can see this is only the case when beeing attacked, but attacking from a river field does not give a malus (therefore if being able to enter a river and forcing the enemy behind it to retreat and following can be a good move).
2: Does this also apply for frozen rivers and lakes?
3: How is this with e.g. the combination of city and river, normaly a City would give a defensive bonus, but as far as I can see the malus you get from the river is higher, so it is not advisable to defend such a field.

Overall it would be good to see the effect of a river in terain info panel

[Epperaliant]

I don't know the technicalities of river fighting, but generally being in a river is bad, both on the attack and defense.

However, if you can rout the enemy guarding the river, you can essentially cross it in a single turn ending your move on the other side, thus having no penalties. But you need to really have the enemy in deep red to attack him from a river and also rout him.

[StuccoFresco]

Point (3) is interesting, I'd like to know too.

[GabeKnight]

3: How is this with e.g. the combination of city and river, normaly a City would give a defensive bonus, but as far as I can see the malus you get from the river is higher, so it is not advisable to defend such a field.

As far as I remember, being on a river hex is the worst thing you can do - both attacking and defending.

Defend on the riverbank, with tanks entrenching in the open and infantry in high cover terrain.

[cutydt02]

As far as i know, being in river hex (not city nor jungle) is just bad in defense. Of course in close combat (ie inf, tanks or such), defense ability helps you cause more dmg also bcoz you lose less firepower than enemy.
But with no-retaliate attack like AA, AT support fire or Arty, i doubt that river can affect your outcome dmg.
Fast cross river by trembling weak units is my favourite tactics, but its trembling, not fair trade hit unless i want my conscript baits enemy out of trench.
2. Frozen lakes and rivers act as normal terrain, no penalty and no buft at all. Although it shouldn’t be for heavy unit.
3, combine hex (jungle and city) nullify the poor effect of river but let you easily cross it.