Catapult

Catapult
	7
	2
	75
Ranged Strength	8
Attack Range	2
Unlocked at	Mathematics
Upgrades To	Trebuchet
Abilities	+200% Combat bonus vs cities.
Notes	Must set up to attack.

The Catapult is a Siege unit available in the Classical Era.

Overview

The exact date of the invention of the catapult is uncertain, butGreek armies were known to have employed them as far back as the third century BC. Catapults use energy stored in twisted rope or bent wood to hurl missiles a great distance. They are quite inaccurate, but can be deadly against big or slow targets - forts, for instance (which are fairly large and don't move at all). Generally catapults were transported in pieces, then assembled at the field of battle. Occasionally they were constructed on the spot by engineers. The last catapults to see battle appeared in World War I, used by the French to hurl grenades at the enemy trenches.

Strategy

The Catapult is the first siege weapon available, extremely useful when assaulting early enemy cities. It fires large projectiles (usually stones) which shatter upon impact and lay waste to enemy stationary defenses, although they're not that effective against moving smaller targets.

Like all but the most advanced siege machines, the Catapult is slow to set up and fire, losing 1 Movement Point in the process. Also, it is extremely vulnerable to enemy melee attack and too bulky to use natural terrain defenses, so it always should be supported by other units when it's in the field. Use it exclusively for sieges, and never move it into range of the enemy city by itself. One city ranged attack, plus one shot from a garrisoned Archer unit may destroy it.  

Unique Unit Replacements

Icon	Unit	Civilization	Abilities
	Ballista	Rome (Augustus Caesar)	+14% Combat Strength (8 vs 7)
	Battering Ram	The Huns (Attila)(with Grant's The Huns (Attila) Rework installed)	Generates Golden Age Points from attacking cities consecutively. Requires 1 Iron.
	Birlinn	The Isles (Somerled)	Is a Naval Unit, but with the stats and promotions of the Catapult. +2 Movement points. Must set up to fire Adjacent units receive no combat penalty while disembarking. Upgrades to Galleass, retaining the Catapult's promotions.
	Demon's Head	The Beothuk (Nonosbawsut)	Does not need to be set up Unlocked at Masonry Has up to 3 ammunition that regenerates over time When out of ammunition, becomes a Spearman
	Siege Tower	Assyria (Ashurbanipal) Assyria (Tiglath-Pileser III)	Grants a 50% combat bonus vs cities to units within 2 tiles Starts with the Cover I promotion +70% Combat Strength (12 vs 7) +1 Sight May only melee attack cities
	Tarkhan	The Kipchaks (Togortak)	Melee Mounted Unit, good at Pillaging and highly effective against Cities. Capturing Cities grants  Golden Age Points.