War Barge

Template:Infobox units The War Barge is the Egyptian siege ship in Age of Mythology, and is available at the Dock in the Heroic Age.

Attack Bonuses

• Buildings: -25%

Upgrades

Specific

• Naval Oxybeles increases hit points by 10%, range by 12, LOS by 9 and attack vs buildings by 50%.
• Stones of Red Linen (Sekhmet) increases attack by 20%.

General

• Copper Weapons, Bronze Weapons and Iron Weapons increase attack by 10%.
• Copper Mail, Bronze Mail and Iron Mail decrease hack and crush vulnerability by 10%.
• Copper Shields, Bronze Shields and Iron Shields decrease pierce vulnerability by 10%.
• Conscript Sailors decreases training time by 20%.
• Heroic Fleet (Titans Expansion) increases attack vs myth units by 50%.

Strategy

War Barges are Siege Ships so are strong against Arrow Ships and Buildings but weak against Hammer Ships. Defensive buildings such as towers can outrange them so they are vulnerable to counterattack in the Heroic Age. However when upgraded in the Mythic Age, they outrange defensive buildings instead, enabling them to scour the coast for shore defenses. This will allow transports to land safely to enemy territory. Since they deal crush damage, War Barges do some harm to myth units.

History

As warships became longer, navies began to mount larger weapons on them, such as catapults and ballistae. Dionysius of Syracuse constructed extra-large triremes capable of supporting artillery, and Alexander mounted siege towers on a pair of ship hulls during his unsuccessful siege of Tyre. Later Roman imperial galleys could bristle with all sorts of towers and artillery.