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This article is about the building featured in the campaign and available in the Scenario Editor. For the defensive building unique to the Maltese in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean, see Fixed Gun (Maltese). |
The Fixed Gun is a heavy artillery emplacement in Age of Empires III. It cannot be built, but is featured in the campaign and available in the Scenario Editor.
Overview[]
The Fixed Gun is a large gun turret and the most powerful weapon in Age of Empires III. It cannot be built by any means and is stationed in a certain area, but it can sometimes be repaired.
In the campaigns, Fixed Guns are weaker and can be captured or destroyed. There is also an older version of the Fixed Gun that is called Ruined Fixed Gun.
Campaign appearances[]
The Fixed Gun is featured in the original campaign, in Act I: Blood and Act III: Steel.
In Act I: Blood, in the last level (The Fountain of Youth?), Morgan Black discovers Alain Magnan has been a traitor to the Knights of St. John and is the leader of the Circle of Ossus. Soon Morgan, Elisabet Ramsey and Sahin attempt to destroy The Fountain of Youth. They soon discover that the Circle owns a large Fixed Gun on top of a cliff which they commandeer and use to effectively destroy the Fountain of Youth.
In the The Lost Spanish Gold scenario of Act III: Steel, Ká:nien is able to find a Ruined Fixed Gun in a forest by the southeast edge of the dried up Lake of the Moon. If kept under control, the cannon can be a great help in clearing the swamp from the Beaumont's forces, so Amelia Black dominates over the Wrecked Treasure Ships in that region.
In the The WarChiefs expansion, during the scenario Breed's Hill in Act I: Fire, there are two Fixed Guns that Nathaniel Black and the Colonial Army can use against the British. The Fixed Guns are also found in The Battle of Yorktown scenario, northwest along the coast, on an island. The player can capture them from the British to fire at the enemy Outpost and ships.
In The Asian Dynasties, the British base in a scenario of Act III: India is protected by two Fixed Guns, both of which can be captured to level the British fortifications. The scenario is Company Confrontation.
Note that they will do anything to regain them, should the player capture them.
Tips[]
Destroying the Fixed Gun[]
Usually Fixed Guns are near large bodies of water because of their effectiveness against enemy naval units.
The least effective way to destroy it is by attacking it using only units with short range. The most effective strategy is to advance to the Industrial Age and then build a couple of Monitors. These warships have a Mortar on them that has a special ability which is a powerful long ranged shot that has an even longer range than the Fixed Gun itself. If the Fixed Gun is constantly bombarded like this it will eventually be destroyed.
Protecting the Fixed Gun[]
To protect a Fixed Gun that belongs to the player or an ally, build a Dock or an Artillery Foundry (not possible during Act III: Steel) near the Fixed Gun. Train a few units that corresponds to each building, preferably the strongest unit such as a Frigate or a Falconet (not possible during Act I: Blood) to protect it from close range attacks, or any other attacks that the Fixed Gun is not able to handle. The player needs protection for three reasons:
- When the Fixed Gun is directed at a target, any changes are locked out until that target is destroyed or another target comes into range. The new target must be manually targeted by the player while having the gun selected.
- The Fixed Gun cannot attack at close range, because it has a minimum range of 20.
- If all of the player's land based defenders near the gun are killed when enemy land units are nearby, they will instantly recapture the gun turning it on the player's ships or approaching reinforcements.
- Note: The gun during Act I: Blood will never automatically target the fountain, it must be manually tasked to this job. If no enemies remain for you to kill (destroyed all enemy settlements), tasking the gun on the fountain will be an endgame timer as it can never switch targets. Leaving the gun idle after destroying all boneguard buildings and units will allow you to keep the map running, generating experience for Act II: Ice.
Trivia[]
- The Fixed Gun is the only defensive structure and building of the game with an in-game dialogue, speaking the same dialogue as the British Mortar.
History[]
| “ | Forts have been used in warfare for thousands of years. Some forts included cannon that could be used to keep the fort secure from enemies. Fixed guns didn't guarantee your fort would be secure, however. In 1775, Fort Ticonderoga in New York was captured from the British by a small band of Americans who snuck in the fort through an unlocked gate. The sleeping British were overcome by the American "Green Mountain Boys", and only one shot was fired. Many forts were abandoned as they became irrelevant; Fort Ticonderoga was abandoned in 1780. | ” |
Gallery[]
