New unit - Culverin.

[phoenixffyrnig]

Bespoke anti-building artillery, the evolution of the cannon, designed to break the strongest of defences.

Culverin : Category - Siege machine
Cost 8 (Siege workshop only)
HP 30
Att 25
Range 9
Miss chance 30%
Armour 1/3
Speed 2
Sight 6
Mental Resistance 50%
Action 1

Special ability - Grape shot. 1 x hwacha like action but lower range, 4.

Boni
Siege machines 15%
Siege machine armoured 60%
Structures 100%
Fortified buildings 250%
Megabuildings 1500%

Cannot be transported by wagons, only naval transport.

Well @Endru1241 , it has been a while since I troubled you with some ridiculous stats...so I have actually thought properly about this one. The purpose of this unit is to shift the balance of play slightly back towards the attacker, I feel it is too much in favour of the defender during late game.

The stats were picked so it could survive a direct hit from a cannon tower, and also one shot an unupgraded cannon tower. (Cannon tower spam is a pet peeve of mine, makes for a very dull game). Also intended to do a bit more damage to forts, which seem slightly tanky. I accept that is their purpose as a defensive structure, but even so I feel they are a bit too tanky.

This units immense power is offset by a ridiculously high miss chance ( ie almost useless except for Vs buildings) , the lack of rapid transport on land, and the fact that it is siege workshop only. I am, as always, open to your feedback on my over powerful suggestions

In order to simulate this as an evolution of gunpowder warfare rather than an improvement on the basic cannon, is it possible to make it necessary to research a short Culverin tech (maybe 4 turns) that is only available AFTER the elite cannon upgrade, in the same way that Gunpowder requires Ballistics?

[Endru1241]

Doesn't seem to me like that much of a anti-building machine, because of additional ability.
Although I am not saying that it's bad with that, only I don't think it's any answer to make attacking side any better.

Speaking purely about siege balance - I already planned a tech increasing siege machine ranges, there is also still possibility of another cannon upgrade.

Btw. Selected name is really unfortunate as from my knowledge coulverine were just french name for long handgonne version (sort of musket ancestor) used in 15th century France.
Only it's evolution in size in second half of 16th century made the same name being used for cannons.

[phoenixffyrnig]

OK we'll forget about the name Culverin, I'm not too clued up on Medieval warfare except for what AoE2 and TW Med 2 taught me, something else could be used if there is any mileage in this idea.

The grape-shot was just an afterthought, I'm open to negotiation on that, as with stats too, but I think there is a niche for a high powered, high cost anti-building artillery (possibly made useless against other units by miss chance) - especially in larger maps where defences can be formidable. I suppose it comes down to how advanced field-guns were by the end of AoS time frame.

[Endru1241]

I was thinking of generic bombard.
So actually - just very big cannon.
Something similar like makazuwr32 russian onager cannon, but with a little lesser range and attacking more often. Still requiring setting up for shots though.
Field cannon with some sort of possibility to attack on aoe would replace current hwacha, leaving it as culture specific.

[Inbreak]

About grapeshot.
Maybe it should be a tech for cannoneers for close combat against infantry.
Currently there is range restriction for them so there could be an ability of shooting some sort of shrapnel which is effective against foot melee units. Of course it costs action but could be used on short distance (1 to 4 as a discussion).

[L4cus]

about grape shot, it was used only on naval battles, the bullets of the grapeshot were pretty big, and the cartridge had about 7-8 of them.
the correct ammunition would be the cannister shot, with about 100 musket bullets (each musket had different calibers) in the cartridge. btw this is about 17th century, idk if the game period would support this type of spell/ammunition.