Age of Strategy Forums

Caltrops were a midaevil trap that looked like jacks, except that they had sharp spikes. Basically it should have 1hp (so you can build it in 1 turn) and have a stealth ability plus if you step on it by accident your unit gets hurt (5-10 HP).

Cool, but it should only affect mounted units I think.

Hmmm... It should affect mounted units more, but infantry units should still be affected.

Some basic caltrops

Glad to see this and the trench idea revived, I think both would be very cool to add to the game

So these caltrops could hurt your units too? Then there is no need to put player colour in the image. Or is there? They will still be of your faction so that visibility can be calculated properly.
If it is needed, I guess some small sign in the corner, like a "Warning, mines" one, could work.

Some enemy units should be able to spot caltrops and maybe even travel without activating them. Say, a ranger.

One can also imagine a stronger version in the form of, say, a pit with sharpened poles in it. Details about would ask for a new thread, though.

I like this idea!

I Think This Trap Can Hurt All Units Even Not Enemies or Teams. No Team Color because all will affect. Invisible the trap to Enemies Except the owner player. Yes, Should Have Show A Warning Sign except the Enemies

While this image may be used for selection in list of building and building placement

there may be a different one for caltrops warning once placed (heh, there may be even a cheap tech "Caltrop warning signs" that makes those caltrops you place more visible with proper signage so you stop stepping at them with your own units ). In case those three caltrops are too small for such warning sign, here is also a version with one big caltrop. I would not use this big one in a list of buildings, though, it is starting to look like tank barrier (Czech hedgehog).

I don't know how I feel about the warning signs, but the caltrops themselves seem decent enough

So this all is probably already clear:

Building: Caltrops
- 1 hp = 1 turn to build, any damage could clear it
- can be build on any non-mountainous land tiles
- stealthy = usually visible only to owner
- when any unit (even of owner faction) ends their movement on Caltrops tile, they get damaged
- doesn't affect flying units, should have no way to affect water units

Left for discussion, with some proposed options:

- Longevity: when somebody steps on it it causes the damage/effect and is then cleared (one-use building)
- Damage: I think it should rather have one set value of damage, not some random value in 5-10 area. Let's say 8 damage.
- Bonuses: Bonus damage against Cavalry was proposed.

• What about it give -3 malus to speed of affected unit instead, if the basic speed of given unit is 4 or more. Effect would last just 1 turn. Thus cavalry units would be crippled for one turn.
• Or it can make any units that _pass through_ given tile to stop their movement there, damage them and disappear. Cavalry would be affected less because on average you lose move movepoints.
• Or just have like 75 % damage against cavalry.

- Visibility:

• it should be visible to Allies who have Writing, to other factions who have any unit on neighbouring tile or a flying unit just above it, as per usual
• but it should not be visible to other factions via their scouts and watchtowers located further

- Immune against: Caltrops are immune both to fire and poison effects and any ranged attack (even catapult?)
- Immune: Ranger-y units and Scouts are immune to Caltrops, them stepping on this trap does nothing, trap stays there
- Armor of affected unit should be pierced, not used in this fight at all: boots from below are usually not the most protected part of combat outfit

With that slow-effect group of ~5 workers can potentially kill a knight, by constantly building and replacing Caltrops around him.
With ranged attacks out of equation the strategy against caltrops seems to be leapfrogging of rear units so that you can check for any traps around. If it can't be seen by near units of other factions then use of Scouts may be raised.

Btw, later I envision a tech "Horseshoes" that lowers the damage taken from Caltrops by cavalry, say, for 45 %. So while infantry would take, say, that, 8 HP and unprotected cavalry 14 HP, cavalry protected with this tech would take also only 8 HP damage.

I Agree, Good Idea Detros

Good idea, would make AoS more "strategic".

Revive topic?

So
HP 1
Atk 5

100% bonus against mounted dealing 10 dmg

Builder worker and any other units?

1.Maybe 1 turn is too cheap .cous is .stealth
alas has low dmg
Idk.

2 turn and 5 hp....
Than may add too laborers too.

2.can be built on forests?

3?ignores armor?

Don't forget it can b detected by scouts and spy, destroyed with single hit if u place Ur unit next to the trap, and trap occupies useful space wen Ur town is crawling with workers and laborers so u don't to waste space making useless traps


But trap can have a leaving effect of 3 turns

3 turns i think a bit too little. Maybe 5-6 turns.

OK, then only build able by workers, no mass laborer spamming caltrop/other trap walls