User blog:Dark Paladin X/Huo Pao

Huo Pao is a unique tech available to the Jurchens in the Imperial Age. It boosts Bombard Cannons and Trebuchets power by granting them +2 range, +150 damage vs. buildings, and +50 damage vs. siege weapons and ships.

Strategy
Huo Pao greatly boost the strength of the Jurchen's Bombard Cannons and Trebuchets by granting them extra range and more damage vs. buildings, siege weapons, and ships. Given the fact that the Jurchens do not access to Siege Engineers, it's a must research tech to boost the Jurchen's long range sieging power (combined with the Jurchen's team bonus and their Bombard Cannons having reduced minimum range), thus giving the Jurchens the best Trebuchets and Bombard Cannons in the game that rivals the Portuguese and Ethiopian  siege weapons.

This tech is incredibly diferent from the Turk's Artillery tech, as Huo Pao boost the bonus damage and range component for Bombard Cannons and Trebuchets while the Turk's Artillery only boosts the range for Bombard Cannons, Cannon Galleons, and Bombard Towers. The Turk's Artillery tech has more versatility as it allows the Turks to have better defensive and offensive power for their cannon units while the Jurchen's Huo Pao puts more emphasis on sieging.