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This article is about the unit in Age of Mythology. For other uses, see Ballista. |
The 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.
God Bonus[]
Odin increases Ballista hit points by 20%.
Upgrades[]
General[]
Draft Horses increases speed by 20%.- Engineers increases attack by 25% and doubles damage against walls.
- Burning Pitch +20% crush damage (+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 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 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. | ” |
| —In-game history section | ||
Trivia[]
- During development, the Ballista was available to not just the Norse, but the Greeks and Egyptians as well. 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 the 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 in-game
Player 3's Ballista
Ballista concept art
Ballista with and without the Engineers upgrade
Ballista firing multiple bolts
Pre-release image from mid-2002 showing the cut Greek Oxybeles, and Cataphracts.
