Catapult record kills

[Ars Moriendi]

When outgunned by enemy archers, one lucky artillery crew can save the day.
On the bridge north of Antioch, two stacks of mongols try to displace my army. Almost everybody on the other side has a bow that shoots farther and harder than my own, relatively inept, highland archers, so they proceed raining death at leisure towards my army. What saved me ? One catapult crew, leftover from the siege of Antioch. They killed an impressive 715 mongols. I'm sure I've never seen such a high score with any other unit ; never mind catapults, which make poor anti-personnel weapons...

Screenshot :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

If you have seen similar "m-m-m-monster kill !" situations, feel free to post some, I'm curious how far Lady Luck can bend the outcome of a battle...

[Askthepizzaguy]

If you're interested in artillery kills, check out my battle replays thread and read about my "death to stampy" series of replays.

Of course, those were mostly all-artillery battles, and may not be what you are looking for, but artillery does come in handy during bridge battles and seiges where the enemy is forced into crowded, cramped, poorly-maneuverable situations.


I'll post a link.
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=89637

[RemusAvenged]

I think catapults get a bum rap and it seems like most people stop using them once they get trebuchets.

I keep one handy pretty much all the time and they average out to be one of the best killing units, almost always better then any other artillery.

Sure dead cows look cool, but no one throws flaming rocks better.

[Zarky]

get into same situation with couple fast cannons... <3
Only good thing with Mongol armies is that if you aim in the middle of moving army, you just can´t miss.

[joe4iz]

I think catapults get a bum rap and it seems like most people stop using them once they get trebuchets.

I keep one handy pretty much all the time and they average out to be one of the best killing units, almost always better then any other artillery.

Sure dead cows look cool, but no one throws flaming rocks better.

I guess the same can be said for ballistas. I use them in city garrisons a lot and place spear units in schitom? (sp) formation. Placing the ballista parrellel to the line and allow them to barbecue units that come through the gate.

[Shahed]

WOW ! Excellent kills !

[RemusAvenged]

Ha, Joe4iz,

I try that tactic all the time and your right that Ballista's get knocked a lot too. I never used to use them until I read a few posts about how to use them for max advantage. That Sieging Schiltrom Artillery Shield tactic works well with Ribaults too, but the Ballista has a faster firing rate and less chance of shooting your men.

[TinCow]

I think catapults get a bum rap and it seems like most people stop using them once they get trebuchets.

I agree. I have found that catapults are the best anti-personnel artillery in the game, even better than Monster Ribaults and the like.

[alpaca]

I remember a similarly interesting incident with a Timurid rocket launcher that shot their own units to shambles because it didn't stop firing when they stormed the bridge. It must have killed about 150-200 of their units in one barrage because they were all close-packed on the bridge and the rocket launcher was shooting straight towards my own units on the other side.

On topic though: I think that in normal situations ballistae are better than catapults because they're extremely accurate, have an almost flat trajectory and can still kill up to 20 or so units in one shot in such situations as bridge battles. On top of that, they're more mobile.
In effect, I usually use them to pummel bodyguards, elephants and other high-hp or high-defense units.

[Philbert]

I find it hard to train up my catapults and ballistae. Usually the enemies run towards me when I fire at them, or they fire back with their own artillery so I have to run towards them. I only have 1 pair of ballistae with 2 chevrons, from a battle where I had the enemy, all infantry, surreounded so they didn't dare move and I could shoot them to pieces.

[Ars Moriendi]

If you're interested in artillery kills, check out my battle replays thread and read about my "death to stampy" series of replays.

Fun stuff, those replays, especially when played back at high speed Quite sadistic though, using massed artillery fire at close range against closely packed, frightened, sensitive pachyderms ...

What was really amusing was the following scene (from DTS 5 I think) :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

EDIT : however funny, killcounts aren't that high in those battles. I think I'll try one against peasants...