Siege Combat
Siege combat in Age of Wonders 4 is a multi-faceted challenge, requiring careful planning and execution to overcome fortified defenses. Unlike open-field battles, sieges introduce unique mechanics and tactical considerations. Mastering these will turn seemingly impenetrable fortresses into mere speedbumps on your path to dominion.
Pre-Siege Preparation
Before you even initiate a siege, strategic preparation on the world map can significantly influence the outcome. Neglecting these steps often leads to prolonged, costly assaults.
- Scouting the City: Always send a scout unit, such as a Shadow Walker or a Glimmerweave Spider, to gather intelligence on the city's defenses. This reveals the number and type of defensive structures, the garrison composition, and any unique city traits.
- Siege Projectiles: Constructing siege projectiles on the world map is crucial. These are built over several turns and automatically damage city walls and towers before the battle begins. Prioritize Catapults for general wall damage and Trebuchets for their superior range and damage against fortified positions.
- Reinforcements: Ensure your attacking army is at full strength and consider bringing additional stacks as reinforcements. These will enter the battle from designated entry points on later turns, providing much-needed support or flanking opportunities.
- Hero Skills: Invest in hero skills that benefit siege warfare. Skills like Siege Master (reduces siege project construction time) or Demolisher (grants bonus damage to structures) are invaluable.
- Spellcasting: Prepare offensive combat spells that can target structures or large groups of units. Stone Shatter (Earth affinity) is excellent for wall destruction, while Fireball (Chaos affinity) can clear defenders from battlements.
Initiating the Siege Battle
Once your siege projectiles are ready and your army is positioned, initiate the attack. The battle map for a siege is distinct, featuring city walls, gates, and defensive towers.
- Deployment: Your units will deploy outside the city walls. Pay attention to the terrain and potential chokepoints. Ranged units should be positioned to target walls or defenders on the battlements.
- Wall Breaching: Your primary objective in the early turns is to breach the city walls. Focus your siege units and any units with the Demolisher trait on a single section of the wall. Once a section is destroyed, it creates a breach that your melee units can exploit.
- Gate Assault: Alternatively, you can attempt to break down the city gate. Gates are often heavily defended but can provide a more direct path into the city center. Units with high physical damage and the Sunder Defense ability are effective here.
- Tower Neutralization: Defensive towers will continuously fire at your units, dealing significant damage. Prioritize destroying them with ranged attacks or siege weapons once a breach is made.
Inside the City Walls
Once you've breached the defenses, the battle shifts to close-quarters combat within the city streets.
- Chokepoints: City layouts often feature narrow streets and plazas, creating chokepoints. Use these to your advantage by funneling enemy units into areas where your AoE spells or powerful melee units can inflict maximum damage.
- Flanking Maneuvers: If you've created multiple breaches or have units with high mobility, consider flanking the remaining defenders. This can disorient the enemy and allow you to target their weaker ranged or support units.
- Capturing the City Center: The ultimate objective is to capture the city center. This is usually a specific hex within the city. Once your units occupy this hex for a certain number of turns without being contested, the city falls.
- Dealing with Reinforcements: The defending army may have additional units that spawn from the city center or specific buildings. Be prepared to counter these reinforcements and maintain control of the breaches.
Advanced Siege Tactics
- Magic and Summons: Utilize powerful combat spells like Meteor Shower or Blizzard to clear large groups of defenders. Summoned units, such as Elemental Spirits or Golems, can act as excellent meat shields to absorb damage while your main force pushes forward.
- Heroic Units: Your heroes are often your most powerful units. Equip them with artifacts like the Siegebreaker Gauntlets (bonus damage to structures) or the Amulet of Fortitude (increased defense) to make them more resilient during the assault.
- Racial Strengths: Leverage your chosen race's strengths. For example, Dwarves excel at siege warfare due to their inherent resilience and access to powerful siege units, while Elves might focus on ranged superiority to pick off defenders from afar.
- Patience: Don't rush. A well-executed siege often takes several turns. Conserve your unit's health and abilities, and only commit to aggressive pushes when you have a clear advantage.