diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/automation/SpecificUnitAutomation.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/automation/SpecificUnitAutomation.kt
index 2c575910a5..12fa87a87c 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/automation/SpecificUnitAutomation.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/automation/SpecificUnitAutomation.kt
@@ -170,16 +170,42 @@ class SpecificUnitAutomation{
         if(enemyAirUnitsInRange.isNotEmpty()) return // we need to be on standby in case they attack
         if(UnitAutomation().tryAttackNearbyEnemy(unit)) return
 
-        val reachableCities = tilesInRange
+        val immediatelyReachableCities = tilesInRange
                 .filter { it.isCityCenter() && it.getOwner()==unit.civInfo && unit.movement.canMoveTo(it)}
 
-        for(city in reachableCities){
+        for(city in immediatelyReachableCities){
             if(city.getTilesInDistance(unit.getRange())
                             .any { UnitAutomation().containsAttackableEnemy(it,MapUnitCombatant(unit)) }) {
                 unit.movement.moveToTile(city)
                 return
             }
         }
+
+        val pathsToCities = unit.movement.getArialPathsToCities()
+        if(pathsToCities.size==1) return // can't actually move anywhere else
+
+        val citiesByNearbyAirUnits = pathsToCities.keys
+                .groupBy { it.getTilesInDistance(unit.getRange())
+                        .count{it.airUnits.size>0 && it.airUnits.first().civInfo.isAtWarWith(unit.civInfo)} }
+
+        if(citiesByNearbyAirUnits.keys.any { it!=0 }){
+            val citiesWithMostNeedOfAirUnits = citiesByNearbyAirUnits.maxBy { it.key }!!.value
+            val chosenCity = citiesWithMostNeedOfAirUnits.minBy { pathsToCities[it]!!.size }!! // city with min path = least turns to get there
+            val firstStepInPath = pathsToCities[chosenCity]!!.first()
+            unit.movement.moveToTile(firstStepInPath)
+            return
+        }
+
+        // no city needs fighters to defend, so let's attack stuff from the closest possible location
+        val citiesThatCanAttackFrom = pathsToCities.keys
+                .filter { it.getTilesInDistance(unit.getRange())
+                        .any { UnitAutomation().containsAttackableEnemy(it,MapUnitCombatant(unit)) } }
+        if(citiesThatCanAttackFrom.isEmpty()) return
+
+        val closestCityThatCanAttackFrom = citiesThatCanAttackFrom.minBy { pathsToCities[it]!!.size }!!
+        val firstStepInPath = pathsToCities[closestCityThatCanAttackFrom]!!.first()
+        unit.movement.moveToTile(firstStepInPath)
+
     }
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/map/UnitMovementAlgorithms.kt b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/map/UnitMovementAlgorithms.kt
index aab5b2714c..f6078f7774 100644
--- a/core/src/com/unciv/logic/map/UnitMovementAlgorithms.kt
+++ b/core/src/com/unciv/logic/map/UnitMovementAlgorithms.kt
@@ -311,11 +311,12 @@ class UnitMovementAlgorithms(val unit:MapUnit) {
 
     fun getDistanceToTiles() = getDistanceToTilesWithinTurn(unit.currentTile.position,unit.currentMovement)
 
-    fun getArialMovementBfsTree(startingTile: TileInfo): HashMap<TileInfo, TileInfo> {
+    fun getArialPathsToCities(): HashMap<TileInfo, ArrayList<TileInfo>> {
         var tilesToCheck = ArrayList<TileInfo>()
         /** each tile reached points to its parent tile, where we got to it from */
         val tilesReached = HashMap<TileInfo, TileInfo>()
 
+        val startingTile = unit.currentTile
         tilesToCheck.add(startingTile)
         tilesReached[startingTile] = startingTile
 
@@ -333,6 +334,19 @@ class UnitMovementAlgorithms(val unit:MapUnit) {
             }
             tilesToCheck=newTilesToCheck
         }
-        return tilesReached
+
+        val pathsToCities = HashMap<TileInfo, ArrayList<TileInfo>>()
+
+        for(city in tilesReached.keys){
+            val path = ArrayList<TileInfo>()
+            var currentCity = city
+            while(currentCity!=startingTile){ // we don't add the "starting tile" to the arraylist
+                path.add(currentCity)
+                currentCity = tilesReached[currentCity]!! // go to parent
+            }
+            path.reverse()
+            pathsToCities[city] = path
+        }
+        return pathsToCities
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file