Hoop Thrower
Hoop Thrower is a Knights of St. John Heavy infantry unit produced at the Artillery Foundry. It uses grenades for area siege damage rather than relying on a conventional cannon.
Recorded values
- Available
- Commerce Age · Artillery Foundry
- Training
- 30 sec · 2 population · 15 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 200 hit points · 20% hand resistance · 4.0 speed · 15 line of sight
- Grenade attack
- 25 base damage · range 12 · attack interval 5.0 · area of effect 2 · bonus damage: 4.0x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.25x vs. Hand infantry
- Siege attack
- 20 base damage · range 12 · attack interval 5.0
- Hand attack
- 16 base damage · attack interval 1.5
- Burning damage
- 1 base damage · attack interval 1.0 · bonus damage: 1.75x vs. Heavy infantry; 1.25x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 0.5x vs. Artillery; 0.4x vs. Heavy cavalry; 0.4x vs. Hand shock trooper
Role, availability & values
The unit’s grenade and siege attacks reach 12 and affect an area. It also has a hand attack, so it can contribute when enemies approach, but it remains infantry with two population rather than a long-range artillery piece.
Matchup & timing
Use Hoop Throwers to add siege pressure when the army can move close to a target safely. Keep them behind a frontline and do not expose them to cavalry while they are preparing a grenade attack.
Area siege is not cannon range
The Knights of St. John infantry unit is produced at the Artillery Foundry and uses grenades for area siege damage at range 12. It can also attack by hand if enemies close, but its two-population infantry profile does not make it a long-range cannon. Protect it as it moves into throwing distance of the target.
Protect the thrower during the approach
Its grenade attacks deal area siege damage at range 12, but the unit must still move within throwing distance and can be threatened on the way. Keep it with units that can screen melee attackers and avoid treating the grenade as a substitute for protected long-range artillery. Its Artillery Foundry production is tied to the Knights of St. John roster.