| “ | Anti-unit siege weapon. Fires bolts that pierce multiple units. | ” |
| —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.
Availability chart[]
 Available
|
 Unavailable
|
|---|---|
- x means that the civilization can fully upgrade its Heavy Scorpions. The technology being considered here is Siege Engineers.
- + means that the civilization some civilization or team bonus or a unique technology that benefits the combat strength of the Heavy Scorpion.
Comparison among prominent civilizations[]
| Civilization |  Celts
|
 Chinese
|
 Dravidians
|
 Ethiopians
|
 Khmer
|
 Romans
|
 Slavs
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hit Points | 77 | 55 | |||||
| Cost | 75 wood, 75 gold | 50 wood, 75 gold | 75 wood, 75 gold | 75 wood, 30 gold | 64 wood, 64 gold | ||
| Attack | 16+1 | 16+5 | 16+1 | ||||
| Fire Rate | 2.88 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 3.6 | |||
| Range | 7+1 | 7 | 7+1 | 7+2 | 7+1 | ||
| Extras | Produced 20% faster | Projectile width increase | Fire an extra projectile | Affected by Ballistics | |||
Tactics[]
Heavy Scorpions move slowly, have a slow fire rate and a minimum range of 2. Because of this, they 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 civilization bonus or unique technology that benefit the strength of both.
The Heavy Scorpion upgrade grants +15 hit points, +4 attack, and +1 pierce armor. The upgrade's economical cost and large effect makes it a mandatory pick-up when Scorpions are used in a significant number.
When used in substantially high numbers, 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.
Since fully upgraded Heavy Scorpions have the same range as a fully upgraded Arbalesters, it is usually prudent to go for the cheaper and easier-to-mass Archery Range unit. However, civilizations that lack Bracer or Arbalesters (like the Celts, Franks, Slavs, and Teutons) may get greater benefits from the Heavy Scorpion.
Further statistics[]
| Unit strengths and weaknesses | |
|---|---|
| Strong vs. | Massed Infantry and archers, Elephants, slow-moving units |
| Weak vs. | Cavalry, fast-moving melee units, Magyar Huszars, Mangudai, Onagers, Bombard Cannons, Eagle Warriors, Woad Raiders, Huskarls |
| Upgrades | |
| Hit points |  Furor Celtica (+40%, Celts only)
|
| Attack |  Siege Engineers (+20% attack against buildings) Chemistry (+1) Rocketry (+4, Chinese only) Torsion Engines (increases projectile width by 0.6 tiles, Ethiopians only) Double Crossbow (adds a half-strength projectile, Khmer only)
|
| Firing Rate |  Ballistas (+33%, Romans only)
|
| Range | Siege Engineers (+1)
|
| Accuracy |  Ballistics (hit moving targets, Romans only)
|
| Armor | Ironclad (+4/+0, Teutons only)
|
| Movement Speed | Drill (+50%, Mongols only)
|
| Conversion defense |  Devotion (+1 min, +1 max) Faith (+4 min, +4 max) Heresy (die upon getting converted) First Crusade (+4 min, +4 max, Sicilians only)
|
Civilization bonuses[]
Burmese: Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.- Celts: Heavy Scorpions fire 25% faster. Heavy Scorpions can convert herdable animals even if enemy units are next to them.
- Chinese: Technologies that benefit Heavy Scorpions are 15% cheaper.
- Dravidians: Heavy Scorpions cost -33% wood.
- Georgians: Heavy Scorpions receive -20% damage (-40% instead of -25%) when fighting from higher elevation.
- Romans: Heavy Scorpions cost -60% gold and benefit from Ballistics.
- Slavs: Heavy Scorpions are 15% cheaper.
- Tatars: Heavy Scorpions deal +20% damage (+50% instead of +25%) from cliffs and elevations.
Team bonuses[]
- Celts: Heavy Scorpions are created 20% faster.
- Khmer: Heavy Scorpions have +1 range.
- Lithuanians: Researching Heresy, Devotion, and Faith is 20% faster.
- Malians: Researching Chemistry and Siege Engineers is 80% faster.
- Portuguese: Technologies that benefit Heavy Scorpions are researched 25% faster.
- Romans: Heavy Scorpions minimum range is reduced to 1.
- Teutons: Heavy Scorpions are more resistant to conversion.
Changelog[]
The Age of Kings[]
- Heavy Scorpions have 5 range, a minimum range of 1, 7 pierce armor, and 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 have 7 range, a minimum range of 2, and a frame delay of 7.
- Heavy Scorpions deal 0 melee damage.
- Heavy Scorpions do not benefit from Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, or Bracer.
- Chemistry 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[]
- Britons: Heavy Scorpion added to the technology tree.
- Celts: Furor Celtica gives +40% HP to Heavy Scorpions.
- Teutons: Ironclad introduced.
The African Kingdoms[]
- Heavy Scorpion projectile size increased: 0.025 → 0.1 tile (fixes their lack of pass-through damage).
Definitive Edition[]
- 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.
Dynasties of India[]
- With update 61321, Heavy Scorpions have 8 pierce armor.
- With update 61321, Heavy Scorpions are now resistant to armor-ignoring attacks similarly to buildings.
Return of Rome[]
- With update 87863, Heavy Scorpion hit points increased from 50 to 55.
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.
- The Heavy Scorpion was said to be effective against massed cavalry and fortifications in the Age of Empires II manual, though during gameplay it performs in the exact opposite way, as Scorpions are too slow to deal significant damage to mounted troops, and buildings take very little damage from them, even when fielded in sizable groups.
- 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.
- 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.
- Despite it acting like a Scorpio, statistically and in-name, it is more of a Ballista.
- If the projectile hits after the Heavy Scorpion is destroyed, it may cut down trees due to a bug.
- The Byzantines, despite being the only civilization that actually used the Scorpio during the majority of the Middle Ages (until the Crusades where it had a comeback), do not have access to the Heavy Scorpion.
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 | ||
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