Stone Thrower

Template:AoEUnits The Stone Thrower is the first siege unit available in Age of Empires. The Stone Thrower is also the only siege unit that can be built at the Siege Workshop during the Bronze Age. It has a lower attack than the Catapult. In the Iron Age it can be upgraded into the Catapult then the Heavy Catapult.

Upgrades

Iron Age

• Alchemy increases attack by one point.
• Ballistics increases the accuracy.
• Engineering increases the range by 2 points.
• The Stone Thrower can be upgraded into a Catapult.

Civilization Bonuses

• Hittites: The Hit points of Stone Throwers increase from 75 to 150 HP.
• Sumerians: The Stone Throwers rate of fire is doubled (same rate of fire as a Ballista).
• Macedonians: Stone Throwers cost 50% less and are four times more resistant to enemy conversion.

History

The stone thrower was an artillery weapon based on the principle of the lever. The stone thrower fired a heavy missile, usually a large stone or stone wrapped in burning oily rags. The missile was placed in a large basket at the end of the throwing arm. Tension was built up on the other end of the arm while the throwing basket was held taut against a fulcrum. When released, the throwing arm swung up and forward until checked, throwing the missile. Stone throwers were used primarily against fixed positions, especially cities and fortifications. Stones were used to knock down walls to open the way for an infantry assault. Fireballs set wood rubble on fire, burning out the defenders. Small stone throwers were also used on the battlefield to disrupt massed enemy formations, although the enemy rarely offered easy targets within range. The stone thrower was invented around 400 BC by Greeks seeking to capture an island fortress off the coast of Sicily.

See also

• Units (Age of Empires)
• Catapult (Age of Empires)
• Heavy Catapult
• Siege Workshop (Age of Empires)