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

The ultimate tower. Upgrade of the Guard Tower. The Ballista Tower has more attack strength than the Guard Tower.
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition

The Ballista Tower is the upgrade of Guard Tower, that is researched from the Granary once Ballistics is researched.

Since Return of Rome, like all towers, Ballista Towers can also be used to shelter up to five Villagers when the base is under attack. These garrisoned Villagers do not increase its combat power. No other unit can be garrisoned in towers.

Civilizations[]

Aoede east asian ballista tower available Available Aoede east asian ballista tower unavailable Unavailable
x indicates that the civilization can fully upgrade their Ballista Towers, i.e. gets Architecture, Alchemy, Craftsmanship, and Ballistics.
+ indicates that the civilization has at least one civilization bonus that benefits the combat strength of their Ballista Towers.

Gameplay[]

Unlike its preceding towers, the Ballista Tower fires missiles similar to that of the Ballista, Helepolis, and Trireme and has a considerably lower rate of fire. However, it has a much higher attack and deals more damage per minute. The upgrade also allows the tower to deal +2 damage to enemy buildings compared to the Guard Tower. Like all towers, Ballista Towers are more resistant against stone throwing siege weapons unlike other buildings, having 18 additional armor against them (meaning they will do 10 bonus damage instead of 28).

The Ballista Tower upgrade is very expensive and takes a while to research, but pays off as it increases the DPS of all the player's towers substantially. However, the tower can still be easily destroyed by siege weapons such as the Catapult or the Helepolis which out-range it and can attack it without retaliation.

To build, they cost 150 stone, like all their predecessors.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Infantry, archers, ships
Weak vs. Siege units
Upgrades
Construction time Architecture aoe Architecture (-33%)
Hit points Architecture aoe Architecture (+20%)
Attack Alchemy Alchemy (+1)
Range Woodworking Woodworking (+1)
Artisanship Artisanship (+1)
Craftsmanship Craftsmanship (+1)
Accuracy Ballistics Ballistics (hit moving targets)
Line of Sight RoR City Watch City Watch (+3)

Civilization bonuses[]

Team bonuses[]

  • Babylonian AOE DE ROR icon Babylonians: Ballista Towers are built 10% faster.
  • Choson AOE DE ROR icon Choson: Ballista Towers have +2 Line of Sight.
  • Hittite AOE DE ROR icon Hittites: Ballista Towers provide +4 population room.
  • Palmyran AOE DE ROR icon Palmyrans: Technologies which benefit Ballista Towers are researched 30% faster.

Changelog[]

Age of Empires[]

  • Ballista Towers have 20 attack, 7 range.
  • Ballista Towers have construction time 80 seconds, 200 hit points, 4 pierce armor, 3.0 Rate of Fire, and 4.5 projectile speed.

Definitive Edition[]

  • Ballista Towers have construction time 72 seconds, 5 pierce armor, 3.1 Rate of Fire, and 4.9 projectile speed.
  • With update 38862, Ballista Towers have 240 hit points.

Return of Rome[]

  • Ballista Towers have 18 attack, 8 range, and can garrison up to five Villagers.
  • Team bonuses added:
  • With update 99311, Ballista Tower build time decreased from 72 seconds to 65 seconds.

History[]

The tower discovered on the wall at the ancient site of Jericho served several purposes. It extended the visual range of lookouts that would be watching for the approach of raiders and other visitors. An early warning might have been the difference between a successful defense and the fall of the town. The tower was a superior firing position for archery. Bowmen shooting down had an advantage in range and penetration power of arrows versus enemies shooting up. Enemies hiding at the bottom of the wall may have remained visible to archers in the tower. The tower itself was an independent bastion that could serve as a defensive position of last resort if the wall was carried. The Ballista Tower was the ultimate defensive fortification of the ancient era. It could withstand a major attack and was equipped and designed to take a heavy toll on attackers.
Age of Empires manual

Gallery[]

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Aoede greek barracks available
   
   
Starting
Aoede greek town center available
   
   
Aoede storage pit available
   
   
Aoede house available
   
   
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Aoede dock available
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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Tool Age
   
   
Aoede stable available
   
   
   
   
   
   
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Aoede market available
   
   
   
   
   
   
Aoede small wall availableReturnofrome small gate available
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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Bronze Age Icon (DE)
Bronze Age
   
   
Aoede greek academy available
   
   
   
   
   
   
Aoede siege workshop available
   
   
   
   
Aoede sentry tower available
   
   
Aoede greek government center available
   
   
Aoede temple available
   
   
Aoede greek medium wall availableReturnofrome medium gate available
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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Iron Age
   
   
Wonder
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Aoede greek guard tower available
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Aoede greek fortified wall availableFortified Gate
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Aoede greek ballista tower available
   
   
Buildings in Age of Empires
Civilian buildings
GeneralReturnofrome stone age house icon House · AOEDE Temple icon Temple · AOEDE Government Center icon Government Center · Returnofrome greek wonder icon Wonder
EconomicAOEDE Town Center icon Town Center · AOEDE Dock icon Dock · Storage Pit icon Storage Pit · AOEDE Granary icon Granary · Market AOEDE icon Market · AOEDE Farm icon Farm
UnconstructableAqueduct aoe2DE Aqueduct · Army Tent icon nuRoR Army Tent · Barricade aoe2DE Barricade · Chain aoe2DE Chain · Amphitheatre aoe2DE Colosseum · 2de granary new icon Granary · Pyramid aoe2DE Great Pyramid · Hut small aoe2DE Hut · Returnofrome greek wonder icon Monument · Pyramid aoe2DE Pyramid · Returnofrome ruins icon Ruins · AOEDE Trade Workshop icon Trade Workshop · Yurt thatch small aoe2DE Yurt
Military buildings
ProductionAOEDE Barracks icon Barracks · AOEDE Archery Range icon Archery Range · AOEDE Stable icon Stable · AOEDE Siege Workshop icon Siege Workshop · AOEDE Academy icon Academy
TowerAOEDE Watch Tower icon Watch Tower · AOEDE Sentry Tower icon Sentry Tower · Returnofrome greek guard tower icon Guard Tower · Returnofrome greek guard tower icon Ballista Tower
WallReturnofrome small wall icon Small Wall · Returnofrome greek medium wall icon Medium Wall · Returnofrome greek fortified wall icon Fortified Wall · Small Gate (AOE RoR) icon Small Gate · Medium Gate (AOE RoR) icon Medium Gate · Fortified Gate (AOE RoR) icon Fortified Gate
UnconstructableReturnofrome greek guard tower icon Mirror Tower · Returnofrome roman guard tower icon Zenobia's Tower
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