Cost: 900 300 Hit Points: 110 Damage: 25-80 + 30 Armor: 0 Sight: 9 Speed: 5 Range: 8

Ballista
Ballista launch steel-tipped bolts to impale all in their path. As they require an awesome amount of force to be placed upon their tremendous bowstrings, these machines of war are reinforced with lumber from precious Ironwood trees. The Ballista, a product of Human design and Elven craftsmanship, is a symbol of unity between all those who have allied themselves against the Horde. The Dwarves prove to be another valuable ally, in that they may be employed to design improved missiles which make the Ballista the most devastating weapon of the Alliance.

Catapult
Sharpened horns, crimson with blood of those unfortunate enough to be caught in their path, herald the advance of the Orcish Catapult. Approaching on the battlefield, its grim visage is enough to make the weak Human troops flee in stark terror. These cumbersome, wheeled machines launch deadly incendiary shot which explodes upon impact. the sheer destructive force of these great engines of war make them feared and respected throughout the land.

Jobs
Kill Towers and Battleships, sieging a wallin, destroying walled in Towers. Occasionally kill troops attacking a wallin.

Orc vs Human
No difference.

Details
Although Catapults are the most powerful attack of any land unit, unprotected they are weak, and easily destroyed by any unit including Peasants. Catapults take a long time to construct and have a very slow movement speed.

While some would say these weaknesses would warrant not building them, Catapults because of their incredible damage and range are great at defending a town and assaulting enemy fortifications. Units that try to break into a wallin will be turned back by a properly walled in Catapult. Catapults are also great for taking out Towers. While you can use Dwarven Demolition Squads, Catapults can be reused on multiple Towers. Catapults are great for sieges and hit and run attacks on water maps. Place them in a Transport, pop out, fire, then get back into the Transport and run.

Catapults can be used to damage tightly packed groups of idle units since they have a blast radius.

Select a group of about 8 Knights and right click on the Catapult. The Knights will automatically fully surround the Catapult. If the enemy wants to destroy the Catapult they will have to work their way through the Knights.

Catapults attack an area the size of a Barracks. The middle of the attack, where you aim receives the most damage while everything around that center, 1 space all the way around, receive splash damage which is much less then the damage done to the center.

Catapult upgrades are generally not worth it. Only research these upgrades if you have a lot of Gold, and a lot of Catapults and nothing more important to spend your resources on such as Footmen, Knights, Mages, Ships.

Use Peasants to kill Catapults. Most people forget Peasants can attack and move their Catapults too close to them.

Although Transports can be repaired by Peasants, Catapults cannot.

[ Click to Enlarge - 65 KB ] A Walled in Catapult is very effective on land maps as seen by the bodies piling up around it.	[ Click to Enlarge - 78 KB ] A Catapult fires over the trees to hit an enemy Guard Tower.

[ Click to Enlarge - 74 KB ] A Catapult bombards a Human Town from the shore.	[ Click to Enlarge - 70 KB ] The Catapult sits by the Transport ready to quickly retreat, protected by a Juggernaught, Axe Throwers, and Grunts.

[ Click to Enlarge - 58 KB ] A Catapult is brought in to destroy an enemy walled in Tower. A Peon tries to attack the Catapult but two Ogres are there to defend it. A Goblin Zeppelin is there for recon, a Transport for a fast escape, and Juggernaughts to provide supporting fire.