Ballista

A specialized weapon only for the undead - invaluable against skeletons, dead weight anywhere else.

Quick overview

The Ballista is a purely undead-slaying device - its bolts tear apart skeletal warriors as if they were made of parchment. It works exclusively against the undead, so don't think of it as universal artillery, but rather as a specialized piece that you bring out at the right moment. When you encounter a wave of skeletons, it does exactly what you expect from it - it crushes them mercilessly.

How to use it

Place it in a position where the skeletal infantry will arrive and help break the enemy wave's defense - that's where it will do the dirty work. Don't even try to deploy it against regular castles, NPCs, or human opponents; it is locked strictly to undead targets. Keep it aside and only reach for it when skeletons are facing you.

What to combine it with

Build a setup around it that can hold and weaken the undead so that the bolts have something to bite into - the Ballista will then finish what your main units start. By itself, it won't carry the battle; it's an addition, not a replacement for regular artillery. It only makes sense in a setup specifically built for skeletons, where every piece pulls in the same direction.

Pro player tipHave it ready before the skeletons arrive, not in the middle of the battle - it's a narrowly focused piece, and improvising with it at the last moment is not advisable. A few pieces in reserve cost you nothing and will save you a lot of trouble at the right moment.

Common mistakeThe most common mistake is to shove the Ballista into a regular setup against humans or NPCs - it is completely useless there, as it simply won't hit any targets other than the undead. The second mistake is the opposite: jumping into battle against skeletons completely without it and unnecessarily complicating the entire encounter.

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