Ballista (Age of Mythology)

This article is about the unit in Age of Mythology. For the unit in Age of Empires, see Ballista (Age of Empires).

Template:Infobox unitsThe Ballista is a bolt-firing siege weapon in Age of Mythology. It is available to the Norse in the Mythic Age and is strong against both units and buildings.

Attack bonus

• Ships: x3
• Buildings: x2.5

God Bonus

Odin increases Ballista hit points by 20%.

Upgrades

General

• Draft Horses increases speed by 20%.
• Engineers increases attack by 25% and attack against walls by 35%.
• Burning Pitch +20% crush damage attack (+50%% in Tale of the Dragon).

Strategy

Ballistae fire several bolts which damage multiple units at a time and deal a fairly large amount of damage. 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 it from units that get too close.

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.

Trivia

• In the Alpha version of Age of Mythology, the Greeks were supposed to get a version called the Oxybeles that did Pierce Damage, the Egyptians were also supposed to get a Ballista Unit, tying in with their Ballista Tower technology.

Gallery

Ballista.jpg.png

Ballista in-game

Player 3's Ballista

Ballista concept art

Ballista with and without the Engineers upgrade

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