Heavy Scorpion

Heavy Scorpion
Unit information
Introduced in	The Age of Kings
Type	Siege unit
Civilization	See table
Age	Imperial Age
Training
Trained at	Siege Workshop
Wood	75
Gold	75
Training time	30 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	50
Attack	16 pierce 0 melee
Attack bonuses	+8 vs War elephant +4 vs Building +2 vs Ram
Rate of Fire	3.6
Frame delay	26
Attack delay	0.22
Range	7
Minimum range	2
Accuracy	100%
Projectile speed	6
Melee armor	0
Pierce armor	7
Armor classes	Siege weapon
Speed	0.65
Line of Sight	9
Unit evolution
Upgraded from	Scorpion

“	Stronger than Scorpion. Light artillery that fires large arrowlike bolts.	”
—Age of Empires II description

The Heavy Scorpion is a light siege unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Siege Workshop once the Imperial Age is reached. The Heavy Scorpion fires large arrow-like bolts. It is effective against groups of enemy units as the bolts cause damage to multiple units in a straight line. Unlike the Mangonel line, they do not damage friendly units. This can make all the difference in a pitched close quarters battle.

Unit availability

Available	Unavailable
Berbers* Britons* Bulgarians* Burmese* Celts*^ Chinese^ Ethiopians*^ Franks* Goths Incas* Japanese* Khmer*^ Magyars* Malay* Mayans Mongols*^ Persians Slavs*^ Teutons*^ Tatars*^ Turks Vikings*	Aztecs Byzantines Cumans Huns Indians Italians Koreans Lithuanians Malians Portuguese Saracens Spanish Vietnamese

The * indicates that the civilization can fully upgrade their Heavy Scorpions, i.e. gets Siege Engineers. Faith and Heresy are not taken into account because they only contribute to their combat strength in a very situational manner.

The ^ indicates that the civilization has at least one civilization or team bonus or a unique technology that benefits the combat strength of the Heavy Scorpion.

Tactics

Heavy Scorpions are effective against slower units such as infantry, archers, and Monks, where its slower-moving bolts have maximum efficiency. Heavy Scorpions perform poorly against Woad Raiders, Eagle Warriors, Huskarls, and cavalry, which can dodge its missiles and close the gap quickly. Heavy Scorpions, like most siege units, should be well protected, as their slow speed makes them very vulnerable to attack. They are often paired with Halberdiers to deal with enemy cavalry. This combination is especially prominent with the Bulgarians, Celts, Chinese, Ethiopians, Khmer, Slavs, and Teutons, as all have either a civilzation bonus or unique technology that benefit the strength of both. They can also be paired with Genoese Crossbowmen, which deal a great job at protecting Heavy Scorpions from enemy cavalry, and can also perform well against other units.

When used properly, Heavy Scorpions can be quite devastating. A medium-sized group of Heavy Scorpions can decimate whole armies of infantry and archers in the blink of an eye, and even hold out well against cavalry in sufficient numbers. However, Heavy Scorpions are always vulnerable to longer ranged attacks such as that from Bombard Cannons. When maneuvered properly, Cavalry Archers, especially Mangudai can deal with Heavy Scorpions efficiently. Onagers are also very effective against Heavy Scorpions.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Buildings, slow-moving units, archers
Weak vs.	Melee units especially Magyar Huszars and other cavalry, Mangudai, Onagers, Eagle Warriors, Woad Raiders, Huskarls, long-ranged units
Upgrades
Hit points	Furor Celtica (+40%, Celts only)
Attack	Siege Engineers (+20% attack against buildings)  Chemistry (+1)  Rocketry (+4, Chinese only)  Torsion Engines (increases blast damage radius, Ethiopians only)  Double Crossbow (gives a second projectile, Khmer only)
Range	Siege Engineers (+1)
Armor	Ironclad (+4/+0, Teutons only)
Movement Speed	Drill (+50%, Mongols only)
Conversion defense	Faith  Heresy

Civilization bonuses

• Bulgarians: Upgrading to Heavy Scorpions costs 50% less food.
• Burmese: Researching Faith is 50% cheaper.
• Celts: Heavy Scorpions fire 25% faster. Heavy Scorpions can convert herdables even if enemy units are next to them.
• Chinese: Technologies that benefit Heavy Scorpions are 20% cheaper.
• Slavs: Heavy Scorpions are 15% cheaper.
• Tatars: Heavy Scorpions deal 50% bonus damage from cliffs and elevations.

Team bonuses

• A team containing Celts: Heavy Scorpions are created 20% faster.
• A team containing Khmer: Heavy Scorpions have +1 range.
• A team containing Malians: Researching Chemistry and Siege Engineers is 80% faster.
• A team containing Teutons: Heavy Scorpions are more resistant to conversion.
• A team containing Lithuanians: Researching Heresy and Faith is 20% faster.

Changelog

The Age of Kings

• Heavy Scorpions have 5 range.
• Heavy Scorpions have a frame delay of 0.
• Heavy Scorpions benefit from Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, and Bracer, gaining overall +3 attack and range of all three technologies.
• Chemistry gives Heavy Scorpions +2 attack.
• Britons: Cannot build Heavy Scorpions.

The Conquerors

• Heavy Scorpions now have 7 range.
• Heavy Scorpions now have a frame delay of 7.
• Heavy Scorpions do not benefit from Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, and Bracer anymore.
• Chemistry now gives Heavy Scorpions +1 attack.
• Heresy introduced.
• Celts: Furor Celtica introduced. It gives Heavy Scorpions +50% HP.
• Chinese: Rocketry introduced.
• Mongols: Drill introduced.

The Forgotten

• Celts: Furor Celtica now gives +40% HP to Heavy Scorpions.
• Teutons: Ironclad introduced.
• Britons: Heavy Scorpion added to the technology tree.

The African Kingdoms

• Heavy Scorpion projectile size increased (fixes their lack of pass-through damage).

Definitive Edition

• Bulgarians: with update 42848, Siege Workshop technologies cost -50% food.
• Ethiopians: with update 36906, Torsion Engines' Heavy Scorpion projectile collision size was increased from 0.3 to 0.5 tiles. With update 42848, it was decreased to 0.4 tiles.

Trivia

• The Heavy Scorpion in The Age of Kings makes a 'whoosh' sound when it fires its projectile, which it also shares with the Galleon. In The Conquerors and after, the sound no longer occurs and it makes the same sound as the regular Scorpion due to the file being missing in The Conquerors' files.
• Interestingly enough, Heavy Scorpions have a 0 melee damage value, meaning that Rams and Siege Towers take extra damage from them due to having -3 and -2 melee armor respectively. On top of that, Heavy Scorpions also have an attack bonus against Rams.

History

“	The heavy scorpion was an improved version of the Scorpion. The heavy scorpion consisted of a heavier bow and frame, and could fire larger missiles.	”
—Age of Empires II manual

The Heavy Scorpion is based on the real-world Manuballista (also known as a Cheiroballista) which was an improvement to the existing Scorpio, being more portable and less resource-heavy.

Interesting enough, despite it acting like a Scorpio, statistically and in-name, it's more of a Ballista. Interesting enough, the Byzantines despite being the only civilization to use the Scorpio (until the Crusades where it had a comeback) during the majority of the Middle Ages do not have access to the Heavy Scorpion.

Gallery

A group of Heavy Scorpions

The Heavy Scorpion (on the right) and its predecessor

The line of Scorpions, with the Heavy Scorpion on the right. In Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.

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