Are war machines of any significant use?

[Cyrox]

With the exception of ammo cart, do u guys ever find any significant use for ballistas and healing tents?

It seems to me that the only war machine worth buying is the ammo cart, which provides unlimited ammo for ranged units.

Ballistas seems like worthless because they only kill a few units in weaker stacks or perhaps even none at all.

Healing tents seem to only heal a small amount of hp every round that its so insignificant compared to the damage taken.

Is there any way to increase the damage dealt by the ballista or the amount of hp healed by the healing tent every round?

I know there's the war machines skill but is it of any use? I've seen posts in the forums commenting on how useful it can be..so..is it worth it?

[LordErtz]

War machines are generally weak unless you have the skills to go with them. Yes, I usually buy an ammo cart for the ammo, and even with the max skill on the healing tent, it still sucks. The ballista is good only if your hero is at a high enough level or you have a skill that helps it like triple or flaming arrows.

[King Imp]

I'll just say what I say in every other War Machines thread.

Deleb + Expert War Machines + Ballista = Destruction.
"Nuff said.

[stijn]

imbue ballista is fun if you can get it

[Alamar]

For what it's worth:

Having the catapult skill is nice esp. if you don't know the Earthquake spell. It still isn't high on my list to take but it's a possibility.

The ballista is OK if you have expert war machines, on a high powered hero, with the ballista skill against the AI. Against humans if the ballisa looks too powerful I'm sure a Fireball or something will be sent its way ...

The Ammo cart is a must have in my book.

I'm not a huge fan of War Machines but if your hero's specialty is improving some war machine it's worth putting the points into it.

[DaemianLucifer]

Ballista is very powerfull with war machines.Especially if you get imbue ballista and/or tripple ballista.As for the first aid,it is only good for curing poison.

[Bonzer]

I alwaya find balliata useful in a campaign. A well buffed hero can clear mines with a minimal army and ballista with a spell or two. This allows them to transfer starting army to the main hero who can go a bit further in the first week or two.

The ammo cart - obvious as all others have stated.

First aid tent - better than nothing, and it will draw the occasional attack from dumb enemies, saving your troops from a bit of damage. Think about how frustrating it is when the enemy has a tent, and you see the damage you have just done halved or negated by it. So it does have some use, depends if you think it's worth it.

I have always been doubtful about the undead having a first aif tent as their main item (i.e. cheapest in blacksmith). Surelt they woudn't be intersted in keeping creatures "alive"? Wouldn't ballista be more in line with their character?

[Ari]

I have yet to play multiplayer, but I suspect that against a human sieges are way more favorable to the attacker with the catapult skill than without. Depending on the moat, your only feasible entry into the castle is though the gate or by flying. Taking down the gate takes *forever* without control of the catapult. Against the AI, this isn't so bad, but against a human, I suspect you're at a huge disadvantage. Moreover, even for late game armies, the turrets and tower of a fully built up castle are nothing to sneer at, when multiplied by their effects over the huge number of rounds it would take a non-war-machined hero to take them down.

[asandir]

ammo cart is cool, the ballista is super useful for some heroes, handy for the others - triple ballista, flaming bolts can create some pretty awesome devastation

someone else already mentioned Deleb, haven't used her - try it!!

[DaemianLucifer]

I have always been doubtful about the undead having a first aif tent as their main item (i.e. cheapest in blacksmith). Surelt they woudn't be intersted in keeping creatures "alive"? Wouldn't ballista be more in line with their character?

Embalming fluid is very important for the undead,and it sure wont be stacked on a balista

[asandir]

unless it's highly combustible

[Cyrox]

Ahaha I went to try Deleb and she's really powerful in wiping out neutral stacks!

Ballista + Expert War Machines + Double Ballistic shot + Fireball spell really work wonders.

With Sylvan it could be a deadly combo of Ballista + Expert War Machines + Triple Ballistic shots + Imbue Ballista with Expert Destructive Magic right?

Tat means it can be used to slow down or decrease the armor of the enemy stack with lightning, ice bolt, or fireball if I took up the corresponding improvements in destructive magic skill right?

Anyone tried that before?

[Campaigner]

Ahaha I went to try Deleb and she's really powerful in wiping out neutral stacks!

Ballista + Expert War Machines + Double Ballistic shot + Fireball spell really work wonders.

With Sylvan it could be a deadly combo of Ballista + Expert War Machines + Triple Ballistic shots + Imbue Ballista with Expert Destructive Magic right?

Tat means it can be used to slow down or decrease the armor of the enemy stack with lightning, ice bolt, or fireball if I took up the corresponding improvements in destructive magic skill right?

Anyone tried that before?

You get Warmachines with the Ranger so extremly seldom that's it's not worth it. Only way to get it except for witchhuts is to not choose any new skills until you're offered Warmachines.

[Bonzer]

Embalming fluid is very important for the undead,and it sure wont be stacked on a balista

And looking at the graphic of Zombies when attacked, I would say they've drunk one or two pints too many!

Very good point DL, not only logical but humourous as well.

[asandir]

my findan makes excellent use of warmachines campaigner ... but i may just have been lucky

[MrSteamTank]

I find ballistas fairly useful the only problem being their pitiful hp that would allow players to kill them in 1-2 casts thus nullifying their use against anything other than the AI. Ballistas(and all the other war machines for that matter) should have purchaseable hp upgrades at a significant cost to prevent these kind of problems later on.

I'm talking about significant hp boosts so that players that pay for them don't simply lose their ballista in a single strike. Something like paying 5000 gold, 5 wood, and ore to give the ballista an extra 1000 hp. Most players that don't rely on war machines wouldn't get something like this but ballista experts definitely might splurge on that later on.

[DaemianLucifer]

Your ballista will be repaired if you have ballistics,so Im not sure about this.But maybe they should get an HP bonus along with damage bonus with your heros strenght.

[Caradoc]

My opinions:

First Aid Tent is valuable at the beginning of the game in that it can keep a weakened creature from dying. For example, when Sylvan has only 3 Unicorns and they are doing most of the damage, it's important to keep them all alive. The Resurrection ability comes in handy for replacing creatures killed by the towers in castle seiges.

Catapults are pretty worthless. If you have to take a castle with your walkers, you're looking at heavy losses.

Ammo cart only helps in a long battle. That means heavy losses, so its not a priority.

Ballista can be a liability vs Succubus, so it's important to get control of it. The enhancements are fun -- in addition to the ones mentioned, it takes part in Findan's initial volley.

[MrSteamTank]

Your ballista will be repaired if you have ballistics,so Im not sure about this.But maybe they should get an HP bonus along with damage bonus with your heros strenght.

The point is why get all the skills that improve ballistas when a single fireball or creature attack will kill it.

Same also applies in late game battles with catapults. If you have 5-10 titans you can gib the catapult before it can pierce your walls. If you don't have earthquake ALL your walkers are screwed and unable to enter the castle. If you retreat you lose everything so it really needs to be fixed.

If players had the option to put lots of money to increase the hp of the war machines so they can actually take a few hits then it would be a little better. The hp boosting effects don't have to stay and could be eliminated if the war machine ever gets destroyed.

I just personally think its a flaw with the war machines skill(especially late game with big unit stacks)

[Ari]

Well, if your opponent is busy nullifying your ballista, it's one less turn that he's casting mass haste, or meteor shower, or phantom forces, etc. My knowledge of the meta game is almost nonexistant, but that sounds a lot like you gaining the initiative and forcing your opponent to react to your moves, rather than vice versa.