Cannon Towers

**Tora** · 02-13-2007, 06:40

Is it possible to command cannon towers when to fire or not to fire? I've recently lost many top notch HRE cavalry in front of the walls while breaking and routing a besieging army.

Also is it possible to get them to fire flaming ammo? I'm convinced I saw a fireball land amongst a besieging French army - even though I had no "flaming ammo - capable" units in the citadel - but it appears to have been a one off.

**Foz** · 02-13-2007, 06:52

Originally Posted by Tora

Is it possible to command cannon towers when to fire or not to fire? I've recently lost many top notch HRE cavalry in front of the walls while breaking and routing a besieging army.

Well, assuming they function in the same way as the towers do normally, it's sorta possible. Not directly via orders though. If you keep all friendly troops away from your walls, your towers should become disabled - they require nearby friendly units to be operational. You'll be able to tell if they're far enough away, as the towers will display your faction flag on their tops when they are active, and not do so when they are inactive. Thus if you intend to rush troops out to fight, it is in your interest to get them out the door as quickly as possible in the hopes of getting far enough away from your own walls to keep them from firing.

Also is it possible to get them to fire flaming ammo? I'm convinced I saw a fireball land amongst a besieging French army - even though I had no "flaming ammo - capable" units in the citadel - but it appears to have been a one off.

Hmm... they may do this automatically if there is enemy siege equipment (rams, towers, etc) that they can target (hoping to burn it presumably). This would make sense since the arrows fired from towers have flame switched on automatically when appropriate, though I can't say I know one way or the other with the cannon towers.

**Tora** · 02-13-2007, 08:51

Originally Posted by Foz

Well, assuming they function in the same way as the towers do normally, it's sorta possible. Not directly via orders though. If you keep all friendly troops away from your walls, your towers should become disabled - they require nearby friendly units to be operational. You'll be able to tell if they're far enough away, as the towers will display your faction flag on their tops when they are active, and not do so when they are inactive. Thus if you intend to rush troops out to fight, it is in your interest to get them out the door as quickly as possible in the hopes of getting far enough away from your own walls to keep them from firing.

Yes, understand that, though using the "cheesy" tactic of bombarding besiegers into submission can be long and tedious so a rout is sometimes needed before time. AFAIK cannon towers fire without necessarily having a flag on them ie unmanned

Hmm... they may do this automatically if there is enemy siege equipment (rams, towers, etc) that they can target (hoping to burn it presumably). This would make sense since the arrows fired from towers have flame switched on automatically when appropriate, though I can't say I know one way or the other with the cannon towers.

Possibly, the one flaming shot just missed a catapult. A trebuchet and all 3 catapults were destroyed by exploding shot though.

**Tora** · 02-14-2007, 09:56

Cannon towers definitely DO fire flaming ammo, seemingly at enemy artillery. In the pictured battle the cannon towers fired 3 or 4 flaming shots at the catapult but it was destroyed by exploding shot