Rocket
The Rocket is the British Factory’s heavy artillery option. It delivers long-range area damage and can break formations or structures, but its production takes time and the unit is exposed to artillery counters and cavalry.
Recorded values
- Available
- Industrial Age · Factory; Artillery Foundry (United States only)
- Training
- 90 sec · 6 population · 60 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 350 hit points · 75% ranged resistance · 4.0 / 1.6 speed · 32 line of sight
- Bombard attack
- 300 base damage · range 28 · attack interval 5.0 · area of effect 4 · bonus damage: 3.0x vs. Ship; 2.0x vs. Fixed Gun, 16; 1.5x vs. Infantry; 0.75x vs. Artillery; 0.5x vs. Arrow Knight, 16
Role & counters
Factories set to Heavy Artillery produce Rockets over time, giving Britain a continuing source of siege without a standard Artillery Foundry queue. Production depends on the Factory remaining active; losing it interrupts the stream. Rockets need a screen because fast units can reach them.
When to field it
Protect the Factory and escort each Rocket with anti-cavalry troops. Use its range against a position the opponent must defend, and scout for Culverins or Cavalry before moving it forward. Avoid leaving a Rocket isolated where enemy units can destroy it before it fires.
Current statistics and British production
The Rocket is Industrial Age Artillery associated with the British and several later civilization or campaign routes. It costs 100 Wood and 500 Coin, takes 90 seconds to train, and uses six population. It has 350 hit points, 75% ranged resistance, line of sight 32, and moves at speed 4.0 while limbered or 1.6 while deployed. Its Bombard attack deals 300 siege damage every five seconds at range 28 in an area of four. The British produce it at a Factory or receive it from the Home City, where it replaces the Heavy Cannon. The United States campaign version can use the Artillery Foundry. These costs and access rules make it a late-game commitment.
Damage profile and target selection
The Rocket's attack deals three times damage against Ships, twice against Fixed Guns, 1.5 times against Infantry, 0.75 against Artillery, and 0.5 against Arrow Knights. Its base damage and area make it effective against Infantry and buildings, while the high ship multiplier gives it value on coastal maps. Unlike some artillery, the current profile does not list a severe Cavalry damage penalty, but the Rocket remains vulnerable if mounted units reach it. Use its range and area against a dense formation or an important structure, and keep a screen between the gun and enemy Cavalry or Culverins.
Rate of fire compared with Heavy Cannon
The British Rocket fires faster than the Heavy Cannon and Great Bombard, trading their heavier individual shots for more frequent area attacks. That rhythm helps it pressure moving Infantry and lets it contribute against several targets over time. It is still a six-population Artillery unit with a long training time, so a missed or poorly protected Rocket is costly. Keep it behind the army, deploy only when there is a clear target, and use the faster firing cycle to focus volleys rather than scattering shots.
Factory opportunity cost
A British Factory can produce a Rocket over 90 seconds, using its resource generation while the unit is built. The unit may appear free in the queue, but the Factory could have gathered resources instead; the Rocket therefore has an opportunity cost. Decide whether an artillery piece or steady resource income will help the current match more. Home City shipments provide another route, but they compete with other late-game cards. Protect the Factory and shipment timing if the army depends on Rocket support.
Support and counters
Rockets are strongest when a frontline keeps enemy units from reaching them. Use Infantry or Cavalry to intercept threats and add Culverins or other units to fight enemy Artillery. If the opponent has a strong Cavalry force, do not deploy Rockets in an isolated position. On land, focus their area damage on Infantry or buildings; on water maps, protect them from ships and use the ship multiplier when a safe firing lane exists. The British army's Longbowmen and Musketeers can screen the gun while Dragoons handle mobile counters.
Civilization and version access
The Rocket is the British unique Factory Artillery that replaces the Heavy Cannon. Danes and the Duchy of Warsaw also have access through their later Definitive Edition content, while the United States campaign force uses an Artillery Foundry route. The British can also receive Rockets through Home City shipments, and the Hausa British Army technology can provide three Rockets upgraded to Imperial under its rules. These are not a universal Artillery Foundry unit for every civilization. Check the selected civilization and scenario before building a deck around Rocket production.
Using Rockets in a late-game push
A Rocket push should begin after scouting the enemy's anti-Artillery units and selecting a target. Bring the gun behind a frontline, focus the Bombard on one high-value building or Infantry group, and reposition once the opponent's Cavalry turns toward it. The area radius of four rewards attacks against dense formations, while the six-population cost rewards preserving the unit for repeated volleys. Use conventional Artillery or siege units if the Rocket's specialized access is unavailable. The Rocket is a powerful part of a British late-game army, but its Factory timing, cost, and vulnerability make it a support weapon rather than an independent force.
A British artillery decision
The Rocket's 300-point Bombard shot, range 28, and area of four suit it to a protected push against Infantry or structures. Its damage modifiers matter when choosing the target: it is particularly dangerous to Ships and Fixed Guns, while its reduced damage against Artillery makes it a poor answer to enemy guns. The British can produce it from a Factory, which means the decision competes with the Factory's resource generation, or use a Home City shipment. Build or ship Rockets when the army can defend them and a high-value target is available. If the opponent fields Culverins, use the British army to locate and remove that counter before moving the Rocket into range.
British Factory artillery and long-range pressure
The Rocket is the British Factory’s heavy-artillery option, dealing long-range area damage against formations and structures. It can be produced by a Factory set to Heavy Artillery; the United States also has the listed Artillery Foundry access. At six population and a 90-second train time, it is a major investment rather than a rapid counter. Its 32 line of sight and long attack range support a protected siege, but artillery counters and fast Cavalry can destroy it if left alone.
Factory output and escort planning
Rocket production depends on the Factory remaining active, so losing the building interrupts the stream. Protect the Factory and the Rocket during movement, and bring anti-cavalry troops that can screen its slow setup. Use its range against a position the opponent must defend, then reposition when Culverins or other artillery hunters appear. Reserve population for both the Rocket and its escort. If the enemy can reach the Factory easily, invest in defenses or move the army before setting the building to artillery output.