War Machine

From Heroes 3 wiki
(Redirected from War Machines)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

War machine is a common term used for referring to either an Ammo Cart, Ballista, Cannon Horn of the Abyss, First Aid Tent or Catapult. Basically they are all special combat units which are available in most of the battles. The only exceptions are creature banks and shipwrecks, where none of the war machines are used. Furthermore, Catapults are only used in siege combats. All war machines have a special slot reserved just for that particular war machine.

Typically, war machines except the Catapult are bought from Blacksmiths, which sell different war machine depending on the town. Additionally, war machines can be bought from an Adventure Map location called the War Machine Factory, which sell all war machines (except Catapults and Cannons Horn of the Abyss). Cannons Horn of the Abyss can be purchased from a Cannon Yard Horn of the Abyss. Stronghold has the special building Ballista Yard, where a visiting hero can buy a Ballista. All heroes have the Catapult with them, and if one is destroyed in the combat, a new one is automatically added to hero's catapult slot.

All war machines are immobile and unaffected by morale (Ballista and Cannon Horn of the Abyss can have a lucky strike, and in the Horn of the Abyss, they both can have bad luck). Additionally, war machines do not affect the hero's movement. On the battlefield AI considers Catapult, Ballista and Cannon Horn of the Abyss as ranged units, ignoring the moment they can not be blocked.

War machines can be traded between heroes, but can not be dismissed or put in the hero's backpack. In Horn of the Abyss Horn of the Abyss, war machines (except the catapult) can be dismissed.

War machines are immune to:

Spells Abilities

War machines are affected by these spells:
Note that damage dealing related buffs are effective for Ballista and Cannon Horn of the Abyss only:

Ammo Cart[edit | hide | hide all]

Ammo Cart
Level 1
0
5
0
100
0
Move
Size
1
Growth
5
400
Cost Per Troop

1000
War Machine. Provides unlimited shots to creatures and War Machines.

Ammo Сart provides unlimited shots for creatures and War Machines with ranged attacks. The shots start to decrease right after the Ammo Cart is destroyed. Despite the fact that the Ammo Cart is not used during a creature bank or shipwreck battle, it still provides unlimited ammo. In damage calculations, Ammo Cart goes as level 1 unit, its AI Value is 400. For the Map-Editor, it is an artifact equipped in the War Machine 2 slot.

Ammo Cart can be purchased at:

First Aid Tent[edit | hide]

First Aid Tent
Level 1
0
0
0
75
0
Move
Size
2
Growth
10
300
Cost Per Troop

750
War Machine. Heals Health.

First Aid Tent heals 1-25 Restoration of Erathia (20-25 Horn of the Abyss) hit points of the top creature in target allied stack. The amount of health restored is affected by First Aid secondary skill, which also gives the player control over the tent rather than being chosen by computer. First Aid Tents act last at the combat round. In damage calculations, First Aid Tent goes as level 1 unit, its AI Value is 300. For the Map-Editor, it is an artifact equipped in the War Machine 3 slot. Oddly enough, Necropolis' heroes cannot learn First Aid, even though their blacksmith produces First Aid Tents.

First Aid Tent can be purchased at:    Heroes with First Aid specialty(88% (100% Horn of the Abyss) chance to start with a First Aid Tent):

Catapult[edit | hide]

Catapult
Level 1
10
10
Shots
24
0
1000
0
Move
Size
2
Growth
10
500
Cost Per Troop

N/A
War Machine. Attacks siege walls.

The Catapult only appears on the battlefield when siege attacking enemy towns with walls, which requires the town to have a fort, citadel, or castle. Its main use is to attack and destroy the walls in order to enable ground troops to attack the defenders. The Catapult can also attack and destroy the arrow towers of citadels and castles. The ballistics secondary skill enhances the performance of the Catapult. Basic ballistics gives the player control over the Catapult making it possible to aim at particular parts of the siege structures. During a siege, the Catapult shoots after the arrow towers, but before any other troop. In damage calculations, Catapult goes as level 1 unit, its AI Value is 500.

Ballista[edit | hide]

Ballista
Level 5
10
10
Shots
24
2–3*
250
0
Move
Size
2
Growth
650
600
Cost Per Troop

1500 Horn of the Abyss
War Machine. Shoots.

A ballista is a missile weapon that, like ranged units, shoots projectiles toward enemy troops, but is unable to retaliate against attacks. It can shoot even if one or several enemy stacks are adjacent to it. The ballista acts at the end of every combat round, followed only by the First Aid Tent, and can be controlled when a hero has learned any level of Artillery. Contrary to what its in-game statistics indicate, a ballista has unlimited shots (fixed in Horn of the Abyss Horn of the Abyss). In damage calculations, Ballista goes as level 5 unit, its AI Value is 600. For the Map-Editor, it is an artifact equipped in the War Machine 1 slot.

*Ballista Damage: Although the Ballista has a basic damage range (of 2–3) like creatures, its damage range scales with the controlling hero's attack value according to the formula: (2–3)*(hero's attack + 5) Horn of the Abyss. This modified damage range is then used in the damage calculation as normal. Both the Artillery and Archery secondary skills increase the damage of the Ballista.

Ballista can be purchased at:    Heroes with Ballista specialty(88% (100% Horn of the Abyss) chance to start with a Ballista):

Horn of the Abyss[edit | hide]

Cannon[edit | hide]

Cannon
Level 6
20
10
Shots
8
4–7*
250
0
Move
Size
2
Growth
825
900
Cost Per Troop

3000
War Machine. Shoots. Attacks siege walls.

A cannon is a missile weapon that, like ranged units, shoots projectiles toward enemy troops, but is unable to retaliate against attacks. It can shoot even if one or several enemy stacks are adjacent to it. The cannon acts at the end of every combat round (at the same time as the ballista), followed only by the First Aid Tent, and can be controlled when a hero has learned any level of Artillery.

  • Is put in the Ballista (War Machine 1) slot of a hero. It cannot be put in a backpack.
  • Can attack enemy troops and fortifications. One does not need to destroy the cannon to win the battle. No experience is given for its destruction.
  • Is put in place of Ballista during battle. Does not participate in the battle on the side of the defender during the siege, as well as the battles in vaults and banks.
  • In damage calculations, Cannon goes as level 6 unit, its AI Value is 825.

*Cannon Damage: Although the Cannon has a basic damage range (of 4-7) like creatures, its damage range scales with the controlling hero's attack value according to the formula: (4–7)*(hero's attack + 1). This modified damage range is then used in the damage calculation as normal. Both the Artillery and Archery secondary skills increase the damage of the Cannon.

Cannon can be purchased at:    Heroes with Cannon specialty(always starts with a Cannon):

Ballista vs. Cannon[edit | hide]

Here a table showing the average damage of a Ballista and Cannon with and without Artillery skill. Note that the Cannon has 20 Attack and 8 shots while the Ballista has only 10 Attack but 24 shots:

Hero Attack Average damage Average damage against creature with 10 defense (including bonus from attack)
Ballista (10 Attack) Cannon (20 Attack) Ballista (10 Attack) Cannon (20 Attack)
Base Artillery Base Artillery Base Artillery Base Artillery
Basic Advanced Expert Basic Advanced Expert Basic Advanced Expert Basic Advanced Expert
0 2.5 3.75 8.75 10 5.5 5.5 11 16.5 2.5 3.75 8.75 10 8.25 8.25 13.75 19.25
1 5 7.5 17.5 20 11 11 22 33 5.25 7.75 18 20.5 17.05 17.05 28.05 39.05
2 7.5 11.25 26.25 30 16.5 16.5 33 49.5 8.25 12 27.75 31.5 26.4 26.4 42.9 59.4
3 10 15 35 40 22 22 44 66 11.5 16.5 38 43 36.3 36.3 58.3 80.3
4 12.5 18.75 43.75 50 27.5 27.5 55 82.5 15 21.25 48.75 55 46.75 46.75 74.25 101.75
5 15 22.5 52.5 60 33 33 66 99 18.75 26.25 60 67.5 57.75 57.75 90.75 123.75
10 27.5 41.25 96.25 110 60.5 60.5 121 181.5 41.25 55 123.75 137.5 121 121 181.5 242
15 40 60 140 160 88 88 176 264 70 90 200 220 198 198 286 374
20 52.5 78.75 183.75 210 115.5 115.5 231 346.5 105 131.25 288.75 315 288.75 288.75 404.25 519.75
25 65 97.5 227.5 260 143 143 286 429 146.25 178.75 390 422.5 393.25 393.25 536.25 679.25
30 77.5 116.25 271.25 310 170.5 170.5 341 511.5 193.75 232.5 503.75 542.5 511.5 511.5 682 852.5
35 90 135 315 360 198 198 396 594 247.5 292.5 630 675 643.5 643.5 841.5 1039.5
40 102.5 153.75 358.75 410 225.5 225.5 451 676.5 307.5 358.75 768.75 820 789.25 789.25 1014.75 1240.25
50 127.5 191.25 446.25 510 280.5 280.5 561 841.5 446.25 510 1083.75 1147.5 1122 1122 1402.5 1683
60 152.5 228.75 533.75 610 335.5 335.5 671 1006.5 610 686.25 1448.75 1525 1342 1342 1677.5 2013
70 177.5 266.25 621.25 710 390.5 390.5 781 1171.5 710 798.75 1686.25 1775 1562 1562 1952.5 2343
80 202.5 303.75 708.75 810 445.5 445.5 891 1336.5 810 911.25 1923.75 2025 1782 1782 2227.5 2673
90 227.5 341.25 796.25 910 500.5 500.5 1001 1501.5 910 1023.75 2161.25 2275 2002 2002 2502.5 3003
99 250 375 875 1000 550 550 1100 1650 1000 1125 2375 2500 2200 2200 2750 3300

Official Renders[edit | hide]

User commentary

[Show user commentary]