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HomeHome / Total War: Attila / Italia / Units / Ballistarii
Ballistarii ItaliaItalia Missile Infantry

Ballistarii

Although slower than a bow, a crossbow bolt can fell most living things.

The Notitia Dignitatum lists many Legions under the title of 'ballistarii'. Whilst this translates simply as 'artillery', the existence of crossbow (then known as manuballistae) units in such large numbers, as recorded in the Notitia, indicates that balistarii referred to crossbow-armed foot soldiers, rather than full-size ballistae and their crews. Whilst many types were developed in ancient times, Roman crossbows bore similarities to later Medieval weapons, rather than being modelled on the Greek gastraphete. Operated by inserting the bolt and pulling it into place using a lever or crank, more torsion was created than a human could achieve without aid. The bolt, when released, fired with much more power than an arrow, and was therefore able to penetrate much thicker armour.

Ballistarii

Unit Name

Ballistarii

Main Unit Key

att_rom_ballistarii

Land Unit Key

att_rom_ballistarii

Naval Unit Key

att_cor_heavy_rom

Soldiers

160

Category

Missile Infantry

Class

Missile Infantry

Custom Battle Cost

325

Recruitment Cost

325

Upkeep Cost

165

Missile Damage

65

├ Missile Weapon

att_crossbow

├ Projectile

att_arrow_crossbow_normal

├ Missile Damage

15

├ Missile Ap Damage

50

└ Base Reload Time

43

Accuracy

0

Range

125

Reload

45

Rate of Fire

3

Ammunition

15

Melee Attack

10

Melee Damage

6

├ Melee Weapon

att_dagger

├ Melee Base Damage

5

├ Armour-piercing Damage

1

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Attack Against Cavalry

0

├ Attack Against Elephants

0

└ Attack Against Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

5

Melee Defence

5

├ Base Defence

5

├ Shield

att_none

└ Shield Defence

0

Armour

3

├ Armour

att_cloth

├ Armour Defence

3

└ Shield Armour

0

Health

82

├ Man Entity

att_infantry_very_light

├ Man Health

75

└ Bonus Hit Points

7

Morale

34

Abilities

Ballistarii
  • Barrage
    Loose projectiles more frequently for an extended period of time.

Attributes

  • Resistant to Fatigue
    Fatigue has less of an effect on this unit.
  • Hide (forest)
    This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.

Strengths & Weaknesses

No Strengths and Weaknesses
Upgrade
Required Technology New Conscription System Cost 169 Upgrade To Elite Ballistarii
Requires Buildings
Ballistarii Lv. 0 Skirmisher Barracks
Skirmisher Barracks
(att_bld_roman_west_military_skirmisher_3)
Level 2
Skirmisher Compound
Skirmisher Compound
(att_bld_roman_west_military_skirmisher_4)
Level 3