Trebuchet

[magicianking]

This would be another sort of ward kind of like the lightning ward but with some differences.

Trebuchet
This wooden contraption sends groups of rather large rocks at your enemies without them even knowing what has hit them. If this machine isn't dealt with properly it can land a heavy blow on the opposition

Statistics

Hit Points: 50
Power: 20
Armor: 18%
Recovery Time:5
Attack Range:4

Attack Pattern:
Hurls a group of rocks at any enemies in its range in a single spot and the 4 spots surrounding it.

Special Abilities:
100% blocking from all sides

Tactics

If you happen to find a group of enemies in range of your trebuchet you'll find using it will make things a lot easier on you to finish them off.

Retreat your units close to your trebuchet as protection. The enemy will have to rethink his strategy while you have time to reorganize yourself.

This contraption can be rather hard to kill, so anything that happens to attack it will be left vulnerable for you to finish off.


Tell me what you think. I tried to model the description after how they describe the units on the site.

[ABronsonM]

Kinda like the lightning ward but different. Seems cool but it may need to be tweaked a little bit...just a tiny tweak. :D

[Link182]

how 'bout make the attack like 30 or something, and take 2 straight turns to attack, first to prepare, second fire. You select where to attack first turn, and the opponent gets a turn to either try and kill it, or guess where you'll fire, and evacuate improtant guys?

[magicianking]

It might be a little weak for its recovery time. Maybe knock the recovery time down to 4 and it would be fair? Up to 20 damage in 5 squares is a pretty decent attack to me. It's especailly useful for getting a group of knight's life down to be able to kill them in one or two more hits or finishing off an annoying mage that you just can't quite reach.

Edit (to link182): Two straight turns to attack would seem sort of unfair for both people. For the attacker, using up two turns in a row without being able to change anything could be a very risky move if the opponent makes a good move with their archer or mage that could endanger your cleric. For the defender, they wouldn't be able to move all of their units in time and 5 sqaures of 30 damage would be a little much considering the lightning ward can only do 1 sqaure of 30.

[ABronsonM]

I like Link182's idea. After all, it takes a loooong time to load one of those things and this would add some good tactics not to mention definatly not wanting your units to clump up. One other thing though, this is not a magical attack so perhaps units get to use half of their blocking ability to avoid the strike.

*EXAMPLE*

For instance, the trebuchet fires at a knight and a scout. The knight is hit in the side while the scout is facing the trebuchet. Knight has 20% *instead of 40%* chance to block attack while scout has 30% *instead of 60%* chance. Not bad eh? :cool:

[magicianking]

I like the blocking idea now that you mention it. Maybe take the damage to 22 since it can be blocked then. Also, with a 4 or 5 turn recovery rate they could add something where you slowly see a pile of rocks build on the launcher part of the trebuchet instead of waiting 2 turns for it to fire. With the two-turn waiting period, it would be a total of 5-6 turns before you could fire the thing and that wouldn't seem fair enough if it didn't do more damage but at the same time you dont want an ultimate weapon sort of thing.

[ABronsonM]

One final note, the trebuchet does not lower other wards blocking.

[Drunken Dragon]

I like the idea of having to take one turn to load the rocks. I say make it a little less difficult to kill and have a recovery time of 3.
Also I think it should be able to move, but only like one or 2 squares at a time.

[ReNeGAdE]

hmmmm, not a bad idea, but seems too powerful too me. A range of 4 is just overpowering, and no attacking ward should have more than 3 range, so you cant pick off untis right at the start and be able to guard right to the side of the playing field. Maybe balance it by making the 4 surrounding squares only get dealt half the damge, or 3/4 of it or something. Good start though.

[ABronsonM]

Yeah i think Renegade is right, no ward should have more than 3 range.

[Shadows]

ive said that catupults and such shouldnt be in this game because it would just ruin it!.....however...this design id actually unique and thought out! (that puts you a step above most people on this board) I think it will make an excellent unit...you got my vote..

[ABronsonM]

OMG you've converted shadows well done MagicianKing :p

[Shadows]

i know...its insane is it not? this is one of the two ideas that ive actually enjoyed (the other was the banner/musician idea)

[icedragon]

doesn't anyone like my elite assassin?

[ABronsonM]

Ice dragon, no offense but those elite units are way to powerful to be liked.

[Cybren]

I'd think that a trebuchet should have a minimum range. While you could hit something far away, anything close should be able to kill it unimpeded (lest by other units)

[Clavat]

sounds good to me.

[Shadows]

yeah! its max range could be 3 and minimum could be 2...... leave it alone...you guys make things far to complex....make it simple...the only complex thing should be the tactics you and your opponet use!!

[respected55]

Sounds fairly good! It would look wierd though because a huge towering siege weapon is made to fit in the same size square as a person. Speaking of siege weapons, I know trebuchets are cool, but this is unrealistic! Instead it should be a catapult because a trebuchet is very long range, not 4 squares, and it is used to take down't walls, not infantry.;)

[Choi]

no bad. recovery time seems long for the effect.

[Stinky Monkey]

I like the idea of the trebuchet loading and firing on 2 seperate turns, but this could completely waste the trebuchet's effectiveness... How about it turns and fires on the second turn, so that the NME has to guess? And, on the second turn, how about you can move another unit? Ex: Tou tell your trebuchet to fire on a witch, the enemy has no idea what's doin' on, and doesn't get her out of the way, your knight goes in and hacks at her, she's nearly dead, then at the end of the turn, your trebuchet turns, and drops the witch... good idea? I agree about the trebuchet being too big for one square, though.. maybe it should be a different siege weapon? like a primitive high-arc mortar of some sort?

[Shadows]

just make it a small trebucht or like a ballista....no cannons.....and i thinka trebucht would like niffer than a catapult....

[Omega_Paladin]

Yeah, a gigantic siege weapon fitting into this tiny sqaure would look rather strange. Maybe it could take up two sqaures and count as two units? Also my idea for the two turn firing was that on one turn you fire the trebuchet, then depending on how far away it was the longer it took to get to the spot. So if the spot were you are firing is pretty close in it's range, it takes only one turn to hit the unit. If it is at like close to the middle range of it, you take one turn firing, next turn rocks come down at beginning of turn and you can still move. At like near or at max range it would take three turns. You fire, one turn, you can wait or move a unit, two turns, and then on the third turn it comes down at beggining of turn and then you can move again. I also think that it should have a massive reload time, like the lighting ward. And if you wanted to move it, you have to spend a turn packing it up for movement, then you can move it, and then when you reach the desired area, you have to spend another turn unpacking it. I took most of this from my experience with using trebuchets on Age of Empires. Well that is pretty lengthy but I beileve it will make the unit better in the long run.