Gunpowder Stores
Gunpowder Stores are explosive scenario objects used in selected Age of Empires III missions. They cannot be trained or constructed in a standard economy. Their blast behavior is controlled by scenario setup, so destruction does not always cause ordinary area damage.
Recorded values
- Structure
- 125 (AM) ; 250 (YP) hit points · 14 line of sight · 2x2 footprint
Function & construction
The Asian Dynasties data records variants with 125 and 250 hit points. The explosion animation itself does not apply damage; a mission may separately use scripted triggers to harm nearby units. The practical effect therefore depends on which scenario placed the object.
Placement & timing
In Historical Battles: The Burning of USS Philadelphia, mission scripting can make destroyed stores dangerous to nearby enemies. Check the objective and move friendly troops away from any triggered blast area before attacking. Do not assume other scenarios use the same trigger.
Scenario scripting determines damage
The visual explosion and damage event are separate. A designer may connect destruction to a trigger that harms nearby units, while another placement may be only a destructible prop. Use mission information rather than assuming a universal explosive-building rule.
A destructible object whose danger is scenario-specific
Gunpowder Stores are not a standard demolition weapon with one universal blast radius. Their stored hit points describe how much damage the object can take; the explosion animation and any damage to nearby units are separate scenario behaviors. A designer may attach a trigger to the object being destroyed, or may use the stores only as a destructible prop. The two recorded variants have 125 and 250 hit points, so the version shown on a map can also affect how quickly an attack destroys it. These object values do not establish a player construction cost, repair rule or reusable explosive ability.
Reading the USS Philadelphia encounter
In The Burning of USS Philadelphia, the mission can connect the stores to scripted danger around the target. Read the objective sequence and observe the scenario's response before sending friendly units close to the stores. If destruction activates a trigger, attacking from range and keeping the main force outside the affected area can avoid trading friendly losses for progress. Other Historical Battles or campaigns may use the same object with different scripting, so apply this caution only where the mission makes the stores relevant.