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Mercenary Ballista Mercenaries Field Artillery

Mercenary Ballista

Ballistae can shoot with deadly accuracy over surprising distances.

According to Diodorus, the 'katapeltikon' or catapult was invented under the patronage of Dionysius I, tyrant of Syracuse, in 399BC. The weapon was not the result of a stroke of inventive genius, instead being inspired by an earlier mechanical weapon called the 'gastraphetes'. In its original form, the gastraphetes consisted of a powerful composite bow mounted transversely on a stock and resembling the later crossbow. Its stock had two crucial parts: the syrinx, to which the bow of the weapon was fixed, and the diostra, a shorter board that could slide back and forth. The end of the diostra was in turn attached to a claw for pulling back the bowstring, with a trigger to release it again. Machines such as this were known to the Greeks before the invention of the katapeltikon, but didn't replace the composite bow with a pair of torsion springs, considered to be a major design improvement. Dionysius is said to have fielded "catapults of all kinds", using them to great effect in his siege of Motya in 397BC. By the time of Alexander, in the latter part of the 4th century BC, catapults were a regular feature of Hellenistic armies.

Mercenary Ballista

Unit Name

Mercenary Ballista

Main Unit Key

inv_mercenary_ballista

Land Unit Key

inv_mercenary_ballista

Naval Unit Key

pel_transport

Soldiers

40

Category

Siege Engine

Class

Field Artillery

Custom Battle Cost

1000

Recruitment Cost

1000

Upkeep Cost

750

Missile Damage

180

├ Engine

ballista_medium

├ Missile Weapon

rome_ballista_medium

├ Projectile

stone

├ Missile Damage

90

├ Missile Ap Damage

90

└ Base Reload Time

23

Accuracy

5

Range

420

Reload

4

Shots Per Minute

3

Ammunition

15

Melee Attack

9

Weapon Damage

24

├ Melee Weapon

rome_shortsword

├ Melee Damage Base

20

├ Melee Damage Ap

4

├ Armour Piercing

No

├ Bonus vs. Large

0

├ Bonus vs Elephants

0

└ Bonus vs Infantry

0

Charge Bonus

6

Melee Defence

14

├ Base Defence

14

├ Shield

none

└ Shield Defence

0

Armour

10

├ Armour

cloth

├ Armour Defence

10

└ Shield Armour

0

Health

45

├ Man Entity

rome_infantry_medium

├ Man Health

40

└ Bonus Hit Points

5

Base Morale

40

Abilities

No Ability

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
Mercenary Ballista
  • Very accurate
  • Very long range
  • Average rate of fire
  • Lower damage than other artillery
  • Easily destroyed

Rise of the Republic Mercenaries Pool

Mercenaries Pool
No. Pool Province Region Initial Unit Count Chance To Replenish Max Replenish Per Turn Max Count
1 inv_province_pool_sicania Sicania Agyrion
Katane
Kephaloidion
Messini
0 0.2 1 2
2 inv_province_pool_sicania Sikelia Gela
Hybla Heraea
Leontini
Syrakousai
0 0.2 1 2
Barion
Herdonia
Sipious
Sylbion
Algarium
Nùgoro
Terranòa
Thathari
Consentia
Croton
Terina
Thurii
Brentesion
Hydros
Manduria
Taras
Capua
Neapolis
Pithekousai
Poseidonia
Carthago
Kerkouane
Utica
Aethalia
Aleria
Mantinon
Pallas
Akragas
Entella
Motya
Panormos
Luna
Pisa
Sarsina
Viesul
Aesernia
Histonium
Teate
Felsina
Parmni
Placentia
Ravenna
Brixia
Eporedia
Mediolanon
Vercelum
Cornus
Karalis
Nuraxi
Sulci
Hipponion
Locri
Rhegion
Skyllition
Anagni
Antium
Casinum
Fregellae
Clavenna
Comum
Oscela
Albingaunum
Asta
Retovium
Stalia
Aceruntia
Elea
Herakleia
Potentia
Ausculum
Firmum
Hadria
Bergamum
Feltria
Sebatum
Tridentum
Ostia
Roma
Alba Fucens
Cures
Nursia
Reate
Bovianum
Compsa
Corfinium
Terventum
Ariminum
Caesena
Sena
Agyrion
Katane
Kephaloidion
Messini
Gela
Hybla Heraea
Leontini
Syrakousai
Fufluna
Tarchuna
Vatluna
Velusna
Terra Incognita
Aritim
Clevsin
Felathri
Siena
Iguvium
Perusia
Sestinum
Spolettium
Cisra
Veii
Patavium
Tarvisium
Tegeste
Vedinum