Sieges:
The base units for the sieges are still the classic ones: "fort, citadel and castle". These things are not going to be worth a whole lot by themselves. However, they are the determinants of many of the other factors. For example, you buy the spell tower seperately, but a spell tower of a castle will be a lot stronger than the spell tower of a fort. Also, the different towns will have different extra's, which will make the attack on every town work in a different way.
The biggest problem when attacking a castle is simply trying to get in there. After that, you can start killing of the citizens. There are several ways to get into a castle. If you have flyers, then you can fly over the walls, but at heavy risk and vulnerability. You can try to break the walls, or you can try to climb over the walls. This heavily depends on the attacking army. If you don't have any help at all, then the only way that a non-flyer can get into a town is by breaking down the walls or the gates. The gate is usually weaker, but also the best defended part of the town, so you might want to consider attacking wall segments instead. Walls and gates have hitpoints. But the trick is, that when you attack them, the attack and defense modifiers are nullified. So to put it in HoMM4 terms: a peasant will always do 2-3 damage to a wall and a black dragon will always do 55-110 damage, regardless of attack skill. Catapults, mines and certain spells will also help to bring down the wall. Some creatures may have special abilities on this point. But as you can see, lower level creatures will proportionally do much more damage than high level creatures.
Base units of the defenses:
- Fort Gate has 100 HP. Walls have 250 HP. Maximum of 100 HP per strike. Attacking from wall gives a 20% attack and defense bonus.
- Citadel Gate has 250 HP. Walls have 400 HP. Maximum of 150 HP per strike. Attacking from wall gives a 40% attack and defense bonus.
- Castle Gate has 500 HP. Walls have 750 HP. Maximum of 200 HP per strike. Attacking from wall gives a 60% attack and defense bonus.
Ways to invade a castle:
- Ramming The simplest, but also the longest and the most wearing way. This option is always available. Units do their own damage to the wall segments, but they are subject to attacks from the walls. Attacking the gate is faster, but all enemy archer troops on the siege towers have a focus point on the gate, so they will do an additional 50% more damage when attacking a unit in front of the gate.
- Catapults A hero in the army needs the basic siege skill before this can be used. The catapult targets the wall, doing an amount of damage, determined by the level of the hero. The catapult will also damage any unit that is standing on the targeted wall. Regardless of the hero level, the catapult is still bound by the limited damage rule, but at higher skill levels, the hero can use more catapults.
- Ladders The army can use hooks and ladders to storm the walls. This can be done without specific hero skills, although you do have to purchase the equipment. The attack goes in the following stages: 1) Unit moves to the wall and throws hooks/ladders. 2) Unit climbs up ladders. 3) Unit arrives on top of the walls. At stage 2), the unit is the most vulnerable, since the castle defenders will have another 50% attack bonus, on top of the usual. It is also possible to block a unit from entering the walls, by using your own units, but keep in mind that this will take two defender units. Also note that a unit that is too big to stand on castle walls is not capable of using this feature. In other words, cavaliers and behemoths can't use ladders.
- Siege towers This requires mastery in the siege skill to use, but it is a whole lot more efficient than ladders. Before combat, you get the option to put any of your units in a siege tower, up to a maximum of three towers. If at any point, the unit needs to leave a siege tower, that will take one turn. The enemy cannot enter a siege tower. Siege towers move at half the speed of the normal unit's speed and they get stuck, once they enter a moat. But once the siege tower is in a moat, the unit that was in it can walk on the wall, without any penalty. And as long as they are in the siege tower, they negate all the castle bonusses from the other side.
- Mines Now, before anyone start bickering about modern warfare, I was thinking about those things that were used in the siege of Helm's Deep, from the Two Towers. The only difference is that the hero can magically place and detonate them from a distance. Of course, it requires grandmastery in the siege skill before you can use any of these, and mines have to be purchased seperately from the blacksmith. Their damage is based on the level of the hero, and they are not bound by the limited damage rule. So approximately: a level 7 hero can destroy a fort wall segment with one mine, a level 12 hero can destroy a citadel wall segment with one mine and a level 18 hero can destroy a castle wall segment with one mine.
With all of this, you may think that it will be impossible for a small army to take down a castle, and that is exactly my intention. It should not be possible that the great fortress of the realm will fall before a group of bandits, even if it is only held by a few peasants. Of course, it will take a lot of resources and a lot of building, before a town reaches the status of a great fortress of the realm. But the defenses are many and varied:
Defense structures common to all towns
- Moat Different effects per town.
- Spell Tower Different effects per town (turrets in might town)
- Self destruction mechanism If the enemy takes the spell tower, it will be destroyed, rather than turned against you.
- Left Siege Tower Puts a siege tower in the left corner of the castle, to be used by ranged or spellcaster unit.
- Right Siege Tower Puts of siege tower in the right corner of the castle, to be used by ranged or spellcaster units.
- Inner sanctum Puts a 2x2 hexes sanctum in the back of the fortress. Any unit in there can only be hurt by melee attacks and the spell tower (but they cannot do anything against a creature that is not inside the walls). While in there, they have a 50% increase in attack and defense.
So the whole thing would look more or less like this (forgive me the amateuristic look of the picture).
Unique defensive structures
Every town will have different defenses, such that you will have to use different tactics for attacking different towns. In my personal opinion, Archeon would be the toughest castle to invade (especially for Order and Alchemy). Nature and Life would be best on defenses. Chaos would create the most losses during short fights, Death would create most losses in longer fights. Alchemy would be hardest to invade for higher siege heroes. The moats and the spelltowers are the most important parts, next to the walls themselves. Take care with the interpretation, though, as they can be double-edged swords. The spelltower can be taken over and turned against you, unless you build a self-destruction mechanism. The moat can also hurt you just as much as it does the enemy. The only difference is that you don't have to cross the moat, while the enemy does.
Life
- Moat (clear sparkling water) Fort: Moat takes one turn to cross. Friendly troops regenerate some hitpoints while touching the moat. Citadel: Moat takes one turn to cross. More HP regenerated. Enemy troops have a 30% chance of having song of peace cast on them while in the moat. Castle: Moat takes two turns to cross. More HP regenerated than citadel. Song of peace chance is 50%. Acts as holy water towards undead.
- Spelltower Fort: Randomly casts at basic effect: bless, spiritual armour, defender or exorcism (if applicable) on a unit at the beginning of each round. Increases morale of all friendly units by 2. Citadel: Once per round, controlled casting of bless, spiritual armour, defended or exorcism and random casting of the ward of which most XP of the enemy consist of. Increases morale of all friendly units by 4. Castle: Cast any Life spell from level 1-3 (excluding mass spells) controlled at master effect. Increases morale of all friendly units by 6.
- General's quarters. This is an upgrade of the captain's quarters. The captain improves his or her combat abilities to the expert level (see: towns and economy section).
- Fortifications The walls gain a 20% increase in hitpoints. Doesn't apply to the gate.
- Fortified sanctum The inner sanctum now gives a 100% increase in defense, rather than a 50%.
Order
- Moat (light blue water with ice floating on top of it) Fort: Moat takes one turn to cross. Attack of any unit in the moat decreases by 25%. Citadel: Moat takes one turn to cross. Attack and defense of any unit in the moat decreases by 25%. 30% chance of having slow cast while in the moat. Castle: Moat takes two turns to cross. Attack and defense of any unit reduced by 25%. 30% chance of having freeze cast while in the moat.
- Spell tower Fort: Randomly casts blur, precision or dispell (if applicable). Allows owner to place two frost patches per turn. Decreases speed of all enemies by 1. Citadel: Randomly casts any first or second level order spell, applicable to combat. Allows owner to place four frost patches per turn. Decreases speed of all enemies by 2. Castle: Randomly casts two level 1-3 order spells applicable to combat per round. Allows owner to place 6 frost patches per turn. Decreases enemy speed by 3.
- Orb of levitation All friendly units gain the ability to fly during a siege.
- Mana well Friendly spellcasters regenerate the same amount of spellpoints per turn as there are levels in the mage guild.
- Spelltrap The first enemy to enter the walls will have three spells from level 1-3 of the mage guild and library cast on him. Spells can be chosen outside of combat (but cannot be changed in combat).
Alchemy
- Moat (sickly yellow-green flow of acids and poisons). Fort: Moat takes one turn to cross. Any unit in the moat suffers a minor poisoning. Citadel: Moat takes one turn to cross. Increased poisoning. Acid effect cast on units entering. Castle: Moat takes two turns to cross. Increased poisoning, acid effect and target unable to retaliate while inside the moat.
- Spell tower Fort: Randomly casts decay, poison weapon, shielding wall or blades. All enemy siege catapults suffer damage. Citadel: Randomly casts any first or second level spell of the school of Alchemy, applicable to combat. More damage to catapults and slows down siege towers. Castle: Randomly casts any second or third level spell of the school of Alchemy and allows a controlled level 1 spell per turn. More damage to catapults.
- Steel Gate Increases the hitpoints of the gate by 50%.
- Detector Walls take half damage from mines.
- Spikes Flying creatures take damage when trying to fly over the walls.
Death
- Moat (black shadowy substance flowing, with a few bones here and there). Fort: Moat takes one turn to cross. All beneficial spells cancelled. Cursed while inside the moat. Citadel: Moat takes one turn to cross. All beneficial spells cancelled. Curse, weakness and disrupting ray while inside the moat. Castle: Moat takes two turns to cross. Curse, weakness, disrupting ray and fatigue while inside the moat. Morale lowered by 5 per turn inside.
- Spell tower Fort: Randomly casts a level 1 death spell. Conjures one wraith of minor strength per turn. Lowers enemy morale by 2. Citadel: Randomly casts a level 1 or 2 death spell. Conjures one wraith of medium strength per turn. Lowers enemy morale by 4. Castle: Randomly casts a level 1-3 death spell. Conjures one wraith of major strength per turn. Lowers enemy morale by 6. *Note: The Wraith is a creature of variable strength. It can only be summoned and not kept permanently.
- Soultrap 5% of all damage done to the enemy is kept in a pool, which can be accessed at any time during combat to heal and ressurrect fallen allies.
- Glyph of terror Any enemy within 2 yards of the inner sanctum has a 30% chance of losing his turn to fear.
- Clouds of Death Cast the Dark Grasp spell once per combat (high prerequisits).
Chaos
- Moat (lava flow) Fort: Moat takes one turn to cross. Any creature inside the moat suffers damage (fire resistance for half damage, but not immunity). Citadel: Moat takes one turn to cross. More damage and suffer -5 luck while inside the moat. Castle: Moat takes two turns to cross. Major damage and -8 luck while inside the moat.
- Spelltower Fort: Randomly casts bloodlust on one of your own units and firebolt at an enemy unit. -2 luck for all enemies. Citadel: Randomly casts bloodlust or speed on one of your own units and a controlled firebolt at an enemy unit. -4 luck for all enemies. Castle: Randomly casts bloodlust, speed or first strike on one of your own units and a controlled fireball at the enemy. -6 luck for all enemies.
- Minefield Randomly places landmines on the outside battlefield, visible to you, but not to the enemy.
- Pinnacle of Fire A firestorm permanently rages over the battlefield.
- Berserker's Fury All friendly units have a 25% increase in attack during a siege.
Archeon
- Moat (Dark murky water with plant parts sticking out of it). Fort: Moat takes one turn to cross. 30% chance of being held by vines for one turn. Citadel: Moat takes two turns to cross. 30% chance of being held. 25% decrease in attack. Castle: Moat takes three turns to cross. 30% chance of being held. 25% decrease in attack and defense.
- Spelltower Fort: Randomly casts rock sling at an enemy troop. All friendly troops have basic constitution cast on them. Citadel: Controlled rock sling. All friendly troops have basic skill cast on them. Castle: Controlled ground shatter. All friendly troops have basic power cast on them.
- Great Barrier (expensive) No unit may fly over the castle walls.
- Mud flow Battlefield is always deep swamp and has random patches of quicksand cast.
- Guardian Hydra Places a hydra in the moat under the gate, who attacks any enemy troop that approaches. Strength varies with age and development stage of the town.
Nature
- Moat (clearer water with brighter plants and fish). Fort: Moat takes one turn to cross. 25% decrease in enemy defense. Citadel: Moat takes one turn to cross. 40% decrease in enemy defense. Any friendly troop entering has stoneskin cast. Castle: Moat takes two turns to cross. 40% decrease in enemy defense and 25% decrease in attack. Any friendly unit entering has giant strength cast.
- Spelltower Fort: Summons a number of grey wolves each turn. All friendly units have +2 luck. Citadel: Summons a number of dendroids each turn. All friendly units have +4 luck. Castle: Summons a number of unicorns each turn. All friendly units have +6 luck.
- Summoning pool Creates a pool of mana which can be accessed by any hero in the inner sanctum, but can only be used for summoning spells.
- Minor turrets Two silver arrows are cast on any hostile unit in front of the gate each turn.
- Escape tunnel Heroes can flee from the siege, as long as they are inside the inner sanctum.
Barbarian
- Palliser (it's too dry for moats; pallisers are spiked wooden structures to hinder movement) Fort: Palliser takes one turn to pass. -25% defense and attack. Citadel: Palliser takes two turns to pass. -25% defense and attack. Castle: Palliser takes two turns to pass. -25% defense and attack and no retaliation possible.
- Turret Fort: One shot (damage determined by age and development of town). Citadel: Two shots Castle: Three shots
- Barriers All enemy units have -2 speed and movement.
- Arsenal All ranged attackers have unlimited shots during the siege.
