Battering Ram


 * Battering Rams are slow moving siege units which cause massive damage to buildings and are nearly impervious to arrow fire.

Strategy
Rams do not have any melee armor, so any unit with a melee attack can destroy a Battering Ram quickly. Battering rams can cause enormous damage if left ignored. The best ways to destroy them are with Mangonels, Mangudai or hand cavalry. Although battering rams may attack units, the damage they do is negligible. However, they can be used against other siege weapons such as trebuchets to good effect. Like other rams, the Battering Ram is good against arrow-shooting towers, buildings and Castles; but is not recommended against Bombard Towers (yet this weakness was removed in a Conquerors patch).

In The Conquerors, Infantry can load themselves into battering rams, increasing their speed and damage, and giving enemies a nasty surprise should they attempt to destroy it. The presence of infantry inside a ram is denoted by a flag above the ram (similar to loading units in transport ships or garrisoning them in buildings). A battering ram may load up to four infantry units. The relationship shared between infantry and battering rams is mutually beneficial. When battering rams are fully loaded with four infantry units, it is granted a speed greater than that of most infantry units. Thus, the battering ram may be used as a viable form of rapid transportation for the infantry, in addition to providing cover from withering archer fire from castles and towers while the battering rams close the gap. Battering rams may knock holes in walls and then disgorge infantry directly into the enemy base. Finally, having infantry loaded in battering rams ensures that battering rams will always have some protection against attack by enemy units.

Upgrades
Battering Rams can be upgraded to Capped Ram and later Siege Ram, which are superior in terms of damage and durability; Siege rams may damage multiple buildings at once and hold six units as opposed to the battering ram's four. All rams excel at destroying defensive structures such as walls, castles and towers.

With the Mongol unique technology Drill, rams loaded with infantry may move faster than cavalry. Such speed and damage allow Mongol players to quickly devastate a defensive fortification far more swiftly than conventional Trebuchet or bombard cannon tactics.

Civilizations bonuses

 * A team containing Celts: Produce Battering rams 20% faster.
 * A team containing Teutons: Battering Rams are more resistant to conversion.
 * Aztecs Battering Rams are created 15% faster.
 * Chinese: Technologies that benefits Camels are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.
 * Mongols Imperial age unique technology Drill gives 50% more speed to Battering rams
 * Celts Imperial age unique technology Furor Celtica gives to Battering rams more hp. Herdables cannot be stolen within a Battering Ram'sLine of Sight.

The Forgotten Changes

 * Villagers can garrison in rams.
 * Slavs Battering Rams are 15% cheaper.
 * Teutons Castle age unique technology Ironclad gives to Battering Rams extra melee armor.

History
''The most direct way to attack a stone wall or other stone fortification was to knock it down with a battering ram. The typical ram was a stout log mounted on wheels or suspended from a frame so it could swing forward and backward. The frame was brought up to the wall or gate to be battered and then men heaving in unison repeatedly slammed the ram head into the target. The battering ram frame required a roof of some sort to protect the crew from above. This was often covered with wet animal hides to retard fire. Given enough time, any obstruction could be knocked down, opening a breach for assault.''