[Manuals] "War Machines"

Heroes of Might and Magic V (version 1.3)
Manual "War Machines" (edition 1.3)
Introduction
Each hero can have 4 war machines:
- ballista (Ballista) – shoots at enemies;
- first aid tent (First Aid Tent) – heals its own stacks. It can also remove curses and resurrect;
- ammo cart (Ammo Cart) – prevents friendly shooting stacks from running out of ammunition;
- catapult (Catapult) – destroys castle walls during a siege.

The first 3 types of war machines must be purchased (at the "Forge" in town or at a special building on the map – "War Machine Factory"), while the Catapult is always available to the hero.

The effectiveness of war machines depends on the hero's characteristics, their War Machines skill, and a set of abilities (mostly related to the War Machines skill).

Golems (Iron Golem/Steel Golem) are also considered "war machines," but in terms of properties, they are more like ordinary creatures. They will not be covered in this manual.

War Machine Characteristics
War machines have the following characteristics:
Ballista Catapult First Aid Tent Ammo Cart
Attack wm - - -
Defense wm 10 0 5
Damage hero, wm wm - -
BaseHP 250 1000 100 100
Initiative 10 10 10 -
Shots 50 unlim. 3 -
morale 0/hero 0/hero - -
Luck hero hero - -
Price 1500 - 500 750

Legend:
wm – characteristic depends on the War Machines skill level;
hero - characteristic depends on the hero's characteristics.

In the table, BaseHP denotes the base HP of the war machine – this is the HP if the hero does not have the War Machines skill.

For each level of the War Machines skill, 100 HP is added to the BaseHP of each machine (i.e., at Basic/Advanced/Expert levels, 100/200/300 HP is added).

If the hero has a War Machines ability corresponding to the machine, the amount of HP doubles. For the ballista, this is the Ballista ability; for the first aid tent – the First Aid ability; for the catapult and ammo cart – the Catapult ability.

The general formula for war machine HP looks as follows:
HP = (BaseHP + skill_level*100) * (1+is_ability)
, where skill_level is the War Machines skill level (from 0 – none to 3- Expert);
is_ability = 1 if the hero has the ability corresponding to the war machine and = 0 if they do not.

The "Luck" characteristic of war machines (applies only to Ballista and Catapult) is equal to the value of the hero's "Luck" characteristic.

The "morale" characteristic (applies only to Ballista and Catapult) is normally = 0. But if the hero has the Artificial Glory ability, then "morale" becomes equal to the value of the hero's "morale" characteristic (exception – if the hero's "morale" < 0, then war machine "morale" = 0).

The "Price" of war machines depends on the type of town in which they are sold. If the war machine type is "native" to the town, it is sold at a normal price (1x); if "non-native" - at triple price (3x).

List of "native" war machines for different town types:
Town War Machine
Haven, Inferno Ballista
Academy, Dungeon Ammo Cart
Sylvan, Necropolis First Aid Tent

There are town specializations that change the "native" war machine type for a faction's town. In this case, the "specialized" and "native" types cost 1x, while the remaining one costs 3x. Town specializations do not have official names, only names in resources (respectively - TOWN_BONUS_BALLISTA, TOWN_BONUS_FIRST_AID_TENT, TOWN_BONUS_AMMO_CART). A town's specialization can be determined by its description.

At the "War Machine Factory" building on the map, all war machines are sold at a normal price.

Version History:
In 1.0-1.2: War machine HP did not depend on the War Machines skill level or abilities - HP was always = BaseHP.
In towns with "war machine" specialization, the "native" type of machines cost 3x.
Ballista
The ballista's "Attack" and "Defense" characteristics depend only on the War Machines skill level.
War Machines Attack Defense
None 5 5
Basic 10 10
Advanced 12 12
Expert 15 15

The ballista's "Attack" characteristic is also increased by the Ammo Cart war machine (by +1/+2/+3 depending on the War Machines skill) and by the Siege Engineer hero specialization (by 1*hero_level).

The "Attack" and "Defense" characteristics of the ballista (and all other war machines) do NOT depend on the hero's "Attack" and "Defense" characteristics.

Ballista "Damage" depends on the War Machines skill and, additionally, on the hero's "Attack" and "Knowledge" characteristics:
"Damage" = base_damage*(hero_attack + hero_knowledge)
, where base_damage is the ballista's "base damage," depending on the War Machines skill level;
hero_attack, hero_knowledge are the hero's "Attack" and "Knowledge" characteristics.

"Base damage" is determined as follows:War Machines base_damage
None 2-3
Basic 2-4
Advanced 2-5
Expert 5-5

Example. A hero has the War Machines skill at Advanced level, hero "Attack" = 15, "Knowledge" = 10.
Ballista characteristics:
"Attack" = 12.
"Defense" = 12.
"Damage" = [2-5] * (15+10) = [2-5] * 25 = [50-125]

From the formula, it can be seen that the highest ballista damage will belong to Demon Lord class heroes ("Attack" and "Knowledge" characteristics are primary for this class). The weakest ballista damage will belong to the Necromancer class.

The ballista has 2 "hidden" abilities: No Range Penalty and No Melee Penalty. That is, it shoots without a distance penalty and shoots at enemies standing in close proximity.

"Luck" affects the ballista normally – damage can increase/decrease by 2 times.

Ballista HP depends on the War Machines skill level (+100 HP per skill level) and the presence of the Ballista ability (HP doubles).
Catapult
The catapult's "Damage" characteristic depends on the War Machines skill level:
War Machines Damage
None 150-200
Basic 200-300
Advanced 250-400
Expert 300-500

Damage can only be dealt to defensive structures.
Defensive structures have the following HP pools:
Fort Citadel Castle
Wall 200 200 300
Gate 200 300 400
Central Tower - 400 500
Side Tower - - 400

The hero's Catapult ability allows choosing a target for the catapult attack. The chance of hitting a specified target depends on the War Machines skill level and is 30%/40%/50% (for Basic/Advanced/Expert).

"Luck" affects the catapult normally – damage can increase/decrease by 2 times.

Catapult HP depends on the War Machines skill level (+100 HP per skill level) and the presence of the Catapult ability (HP doubles).
First Aid Tent
Heals its own stacks on the battlefield.
Heals only "living" creatures and Undead. Does NOT heal war machines (including golems), gargoyles, or elementals.

The amount of healed HP depends only on the War Machines skill level:
War Machines HP
None 10
Basic 20
Advanced 50
Expert 100

Normally, HP is restored only for the "top" creature in a stack. But if the hero has the First Aid ability, the Tent gains the ability to resurrect creatures.
Completely destroyed stacks cannot be resurrected – only those with at least one creature remaining.

The Tent can remove "curses" from its own stacks (spells from Dark Magic and effects from unit/hero abilities). The level of spells and effects removed depends on the War Machines skill level.

At Advanced War Machines, 1st-level Dark Magic spells and effects from hero/creature abilities are removed: effect from Master of Fire, Master of Ice, Banshee Howl, Poison (Assassin ability).

At Expert War Machines, 2nd-3rd level Dark Magic spells are additionally removed.

The Tent automatically performs the Wait command if there are no stacks to heal in the army.

The Tent can heal only 3 times per battle.

Tent HP depends on the War Machines skill level (+100 HP per skill level) and the presence of the First Aid ability (HP doubles).
Ammo Cart
As long as the Ammo Cart is on the battlefield, friendly shooters (and the ballista) do not run out of ammunition. In other words - 1 is not subtracted from the "Shots" characteristic during a shooting attack. If the Cart is destroyed, the number of "Shots" begins to decrease during attacks.

An additional effect of the Cart – it increases the "Attack" characteristic of all friendly shooting stacks on the battlefield.

The bonus to "Attack" depends on the War Machines skill level and is +1/+2/+3 for Basic/Advanced/Expert. The ballista's "Attack" characteristic also increases (by +1/+2/+3).

Cart HP depends on the War Machines skill level (+100 HP per skill level) and the presence of the Catapult ability (HP doubles).
Hero Abilities

Ballista
The player gains the ability to choose a target for the ballista.
The ballista makes 2 shots at once.
If the ballista is destroyed during battle, it is restored after the battle.
Ballista HP doubles.

Triple Ballista.
The ballista makes 3 shots at once.

Imbue Ballista.
The "Enchanted Arrow" ability of a Ranger class hero will also apply to the ballista.

Flaming Arrows.
The ballista ignores the target's "Defense" (i.e., "Defense" is considered = 0) and deals an additional 50 units of fire damage.

Catapult.
The player gains the ability to choose a target for the catapult. The chance of the catapult hitting a specified target = 30% / 40% / 50% depending on the War Machines skill level (Basic/Advanced/Expert).
The catapult makes 2 shots at once.
If the Ammo Cart was destroyed during battle, it is restored after the battle.
HP of the catapult and ammo cart doubles.

Brimstone Rain.
The catapult makes 3 shots at once.

First Aid.
The player gains the ability to choose a target for the First Aid Tent.
The Tent gains the ability to resurrect killed creatures.
If the First Aid Tent was destroyed during battle, it is restored after the battle.
Tent HP doubles.

Plague Tent.
The first aid tent can not only heal its own stacks but also deal damage to enemy stacks.
It cannot deal damage to enemy war machines (including golems) and elementals.
Damage is physical, not blocked by "Defense".
The Incorporeal ability does not "save" from damage dealt by the Plague Tent.
Spells on an enemy stack are not "dispelled".

Artificial Glory.
The effect of "positive" morale will apply to war machines: the catapult and ballista.

Remote Control.
At the start of battle, one of the enemy's war machines (except the catapult) comes under the hero's control.
War machine characteristics become what they would be under the hero's control. An exception is the amount of HP of the war machine – it remains as it was for the enemy hero.
Hero Specializations

Siege Engineer (Vittorio).
Ballista "Attack" increases by a value = (1*hero_level).
For example, at 20th level of a hero with Expert War Machines, ballista "Attack" will be = 15+20*1=35.

The catapult has a higher probability of hitting the target.
Chance = base%*(1+0.02*level).
Base% = 30%/40%/50% depending on the War Machines skill level.
For example, at 20th level of a hero with Expert War Machines, the catapult will hit the target with a probability = 50%*(1+0.02*20) = 70%.

Iron Maiden (Deleb)
The ballista, in addition to normal damage, casts a FireBall spell on the target at Expert Destructive Magic level with damage = 20+20*SP.
SP depends on the hero's level and = (hero_level-1)/5+1. Rounded down.
For example, at 20th level of a hero, damage = 20+20*[(20-1)/5+1]=100.

Embalmer (Kaspar)
The first aid tent heals an additional (5*hero_level) HP.
If the hero has the Plague Tent ability, damage also increases.
For example, at 20th level of a hero with Expert War Machines, 100+5*20=200 HP will be healed.
Influence of various game mechanics on war machines

Magic.
No "cast" spell can be applied to war machines: neither "buffing" - from Light Magic/Summoning Magic, nor "debuffing" - from Dark Magic.

But if a spell is "cast" on an enemy stack, the ballista deals damage "accounting" for the spell's effect. For example, ballista damage is reduced if Endurance or Deflect Missile are "cast" on the enemy stack.

All spells from Destructive Magic affect war machines normally – i.e., they deal damage just as they do to ordinary stacks.

Magic Resistance and Magic Protection effects apply to war machines.

Hero skills/abilities not directly related to war machines.
All "defensive" hero skills/abilities apply to war machines – Defense, Evasion, Protection, Magic Resistance, etc.

But skills/abilities that change "Attack", "Defense", "Damage", HP, "Initiative" characteristics do NOT apply: Battle Frenzy, Vitality, Wall of Fog, etc.

"Active" hero abilities (those for which a target must be chosen) CANNOT be applied to war machines: Retaliation Strike, Mark of the Damned, Spirit Link, Divine Guidance, etc.

"Attacking" skills/abilities do NOT affect the ballista: Archery, Hellfire, Fiery Wrath, etc.

In version 1.1 there are several exceptions to the general rules:
- Cold Steel - adds elemental damage to the ballista (+10% cold damage);
- Fire Resistance – does not give war machines 50% fire protection.

Other.
A hero CANNOT perform a "direct" attack against war machines (reason – war machines have no "creature level," which is required for the "direct" damage calculation formula).

War machines can perform the Wait and Defend commands. In the case of the Defend command, the "Defense" characteristic is NOT increased.

Master Gremlins can "repair" war machines once per battle. After each "repair," a war machine restores HP = 5*"number_of_gremlins". Even completely destroyed war machines are "repaired".

Version History:
In 1.0-1.1: Master Gremlins restored 2*"number_of_gremlins" HP and could "heal" as many times as they wanted per battle.