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This article is about the unit in Age of Mythology. For other uses, see Ballista. |
| “ | Ranged siege weapon. Strong against units and ships, decent against buildings. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
| “ | Siege weapon. Artillery strong against units and ships, decent against buildings. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
The Ballista (plural: Ballistae) is a bolt-firing siege weapon in Age of Mythology. It is available to the Norse in the Mythic Age at the Hill Fort, and is strong against both units and buildings.
Special ability[]
Nature's Eyes (Passive, requires Eyes in the Forest): Animals and natural objects within the unit's Line of Sight reveal their surroundings (30-tile radius) for 6 seconds.- Wall Breaching (Passive): Deals area damage against walls.
Further statistics[]
God bonuses[]
- Odin: None.
General technologies[]
- Draft Horses: +20% speed.
- Engineers: Upgrades to Heavy Ballista, granting +25% attack and +1 attack multiplier vs. walls.
- Burning Pitch +50% crush damage. (Before Retold)
Myth technologies[]
- Eyes in the Forest (Loki): Animals and natural objects within its Line of Sight reveal a radius of 30 around them for 6 seconds.
- Freyr's Gift (Freyr): +10% hit points. (since update 17.27932)
- Ydalir (Ullr): -20% training time.
- Nine Waves: (Aegir): +20% attack and +10% speed.
Relic bonuses[]
- Arrows of Heracles: +5% attack.
- Archimedes' Ledger: -1 population cost.
- Bow of Artemis: -10% wood and gold cost.
- Dwarven Calipers: -20% cost.
- Pelt of Argus: +6 Line of Sight.
- Ullr's Bow: +1 Line of Sight and range.
Strategy[]
Ballistae fire several bolts which damage multiple units at a time and deal a fairly large amount of damage. They pack a good punch against ships, human soldiers, and even slow and engaged myth units. They aren't as effective as other siege weapons at destroying buildings, but can destroy them fairly quickly in groups. They have a minimum range, so they should be escorted with cavalry or infantry to protect them from units that get too close.
Changelog[]
Age of Mythology[]
- Ballistae have 9 pierce attack, 4 crush attack, 80 pierce armor, 90 crush armor, a 2× multiplier vs. towers and 0.5× vs. building obstructions, and take 3 population.
Retold[]
- Ballistae have 22 pierce attack, 12 crush attack, 90 pierce armor, 60 crush armor, and Area of Effect of 8 vs. walls, no multiplier vs. towers and building obstructions, and take 4 population.
- With update 17.64528, its crush attack is increased to 15 and its population cost is reverted to 3.
- With update 18.7603, Ballistae have 65% crush armor.
History[]
| “ | The Ballista was another type of pre-gunpowder era artillery, mainly used against men in formation. It was a large bow mounted sideways. It used a winch and ratchet to create bow tension. The missile was usually a large metal, or metal-headed, bolt. Fired into a mass of men at ranges up to 1000 feet, bolts could disable several enemies. Ballistas could be placed on fixed mounts on walls or ships, or mobile-wheeled mounts for battlefield use. They were not particularly effective against fortified buildings and walls. | ” |
| —In-game help section | ||
Trivia[]
- During development, the Ballista was available to not just the Norse, but also the Greeks and Egyptians. However, the Egyptians' counterpart was removed (per the design shift in order to make all three civilizations more distinct), and the Greeks got an Oxybeles instead, before even that concept was merged with the Siege Tower to create the Helepolis.
- The icon used in the final game still depicts the original design of the Ballista/Oxybeles, despite the actual texture being changed.
Gallery[]
Ballista with and without the Engineers upgrade in Retold
Ballista in-game
Player 3's Ballista
Ballista concept art
Ballista with and without the Engineers upgrade in the original game
Ballista firing multiple bolts
Pre-release image from mid-2002 showing the cut Greek Oxybeles, and Cataphracts
A 3D model of a Ballista, with the in-game mechanism of tension from bending of bow limbs
See also[]
- Cheiroballista: A similar unit available to the Atlanteans.
