Spiked Barricades does not work for adding an effect

Right now I'm trying to use Spiked Barricades to add an effect to a building to differentiate levels of upgrade (the building is Temple of Tides)

For no reason that I can see (I have done everything from forcing the upgrade to changing the race on the ability) the ability simple does not work (I have also tried to add it to other units an buildings)

Has this ability been broken? Am I missing something?

FYI, there are no requirements on the ability to remove

Also, I used to use this ability to do exactly what I'm trying to do. What has changed since then, am I forgetting something simple?

EDIT: This is fucking ridiculous, absolutely ALL effect attachment abilities are completely broken for me. Not a single goddamned one works. What the fuck is going on, and why is this shit happening? Am I just missing something obvious?

Now I remember why I stopped modding in the first place: bug after goddamned bug after goddamned bug after bug

Spiked Barricades requires an upgrade in order to work in the first place. it doesnt show up unless an upgrade is researched. you could make the building require the upgrade in order to be upgraded. think you need 2 things for Spiked Barricades to work: the ability and and upgrade that applies Spiked Barricades. you also need to add it to the upgrades used field.