Buck: knocks some or all adjacent ships out of the water, causing 100 hack and 30 crush damage. Recharge time: 15 seconds.
Strategy[]
War Turtles are a powerful asset to an Egyptian navy. They have a massive amount of hit points, a large attack that deals both crush and hack damage, and are well armored. As such they can easily handle opposing fleets single-handedly. Their armor can soak up a lot of damage and when coupled with their large amount of health they can survive pitched battles. Their special attack sends ships flying, damaging them and leaving them vulnerable to damage for a few seconds. They are vulnerable to heroes but as a naval unit this isn't much of an issue. Unless the opposing side is playing as Poseidon, no naval heroes exist so the only real tactics are to overwhelm the War Turtle with sheer numbers (especially with hammer ships), try to lure it into the range of ranged heroes, or engage it with other powerful myth units like the Nereid, Azure Dragon, Dragon Turtle, and Vermilion Bird. These units can easily slay a War Turtle, as the latter does no bonus damage to other myth units.
Scientific name -- Sternotherus gigas Size -- 30'+ long Diet -- omnivore, prefers green algae and slow fish
The Egyptians considered the turtle a creature of night and dark water, and therefore became associated with Set and an enemy of the sun god, Ra. They were not to be eaten or used in medicine.
"May Ra live and the turtle die." -- ancient Egyptian epithet
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Trivia[]
The War Turtle was originally meant to be a myth unit for the Greeks but ended up being given to the Egyptians.
The genus War Turtles are part of, Sternotherus, or Musk Turtles (found only in North American wetlands and fresh water), the appearance of the War Turtle being part of this genus, and its sea-like nature, is inaccurate. A better genus for the War Turtle would be Caretta, not only a Sea Turtle, but also found in the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
Gallery[]
War Turtle in-game.
War Turtle concept art.
War Turtle bucking a Chinese Junk out of water.
Concept art in an issue of Computer Gaming World magazine.