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Lithobolos MassaliaMassalia Field Artillery

Lithobolos

(Stone-Thrower)

Only a slack-jawed barbarian would not use such an efficient engine of death!

At close targets, a ballista could be aimed effectively but accuracy came at a cost in range; it could fire around 500 metres. The machine used two torsion springs with levers inserted into twisted ropes made from animal sinew, giving incredible power for its size. Firing either solid shot or bolts, it was equally effective against infantry or cavalry, but could also be deployed to destroy light fortifications during sieges. Originally developed by the Greeks around 400BC, and based on the oversized Oxybeles composite bow, ballistae were widely used by many cultures of the period, including the Romans. Later Roman versions included adjustable caps that enabled crews to quickly alter the tension of each sinew bundle to provide balance and therefore improve accuracy.

Lithobolos

Unit Name

Lithobolos

Main Unit Key

Gre_Ballista

Land Unit Key

Gre_Ballista

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

40

Category

Siege Engine

Class

Field Artillery

Custom Battle Cost

2000

Recruitment Cost

2000

Upkeep Cost

400

Missile Damage

69

├ Engine

ballista_medium

├ Missile Weapon

rome_ballista_medium

├ Projectile

stone

├ Missile Damage

39

├ Missile Ap Damage

30

└ Base Reload Time

28

Accuracy

5

Range

435

Reload

8

Shots Per Minute

2

Ammunition

30

Melee Attack

28

Weapon Damage

13

├ Melee Weapon

falx1

├ Weapon Damage

13

├ Weapon Deadliness

0

├ Armour Piercing

Yes

├ Bonus vs. Cavalry

2

├ Bonus vs. Elephants

30

└ Bonus vs Infantry

1

Charge Bonus

20

Melee Defence

29

├ Base Defence

13

├ Shield

none

└ Shield Defence

16

Armour

8

├ Armour

arm4

├ Armour Defence

8

└ Shield Armour

0

Health

20

├ Man Entity

medium_light

├ Man Health

20

└ Bonus Hit Points

0

Base Morale

55

Abilities

Lithobolos
  • Stamina (average)
    Governs how fast the unit tires and restores fatigue, and is dependent on type of unit, weight and approach to combat.
  • Concentrate Fire
    The unit fires its missiles towards a spot causing damage to everyone in the area of effect

Attributes

  • Cannot Run
    This unit cannot run and will only move at walking pace.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Transport
  • Very poor hull strength
  • Very slow speed
  • Weak ramming
Lithobolos
  • Very accurate
  • Very long range
  • Fast rate of fire
  • Lower damage than other artillery
  • Easily destroyed
Requires Buildings
Lithobolos Lv. 0 Workshop
Workshop
(rom_HELLENIC_military_equipment_1)
Level 0
Shieldmaker
Shieldmaker
(rom_HELLENIC_military_equipment_armour_2)
Level 1
Armourer
Armourer
(rom_HELLENIC_military_equipment_armour_3)
Level 2
Field Engineer's Workshop
Field Engineer's Workshop
(rom_HELLENIC_military_equipment_siege_2)
Level 1
Siege Engineer's Workshop
Siege Engineer's Workshop
(rom_HELLENIC_military_equipment_siege_3)
Level 2
Blacksmith
Blacksmith
(rom_HELLENIC_military_equipment_weapon_2)
Level 1
Foundry
Foundry
(rom_HELLENIC_military_equipment_weapon_3)
Level 2
Faction Availability
Grand Campaign
Samnite Wars
Caesar in Gaul
Hannibal at the Gates
Imperator Augustus
Macedonian Wars