Aeronaut
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| Unit Type | |
 Immensely mobile units, useful for crossing enemy lines. Critical hit when above a mountain. | |
| Information | |
| Recruited at Tower | |
| Cost: |  600
|
| Movement: | 5 
|
| Range: | 1 |
| Sight: | 3 |
| Effective: |        |
| Vulnerable: |     |
| Capture: | No |
Aeronauts are an air unit type. They're available to recruit from a Tower for 600 gold.
They cannot capture structures, but have a long range and can attack ground units.
Aeronaut Units[edit]
| Unit Name | Faction | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Harpy | Cherrystone Kingdom | Harpies originally came to Cherrystone from across the West Sea, attracted by the scent of the Cinnamon Mines on the west coast. They now make their homes amongst the peaks and slopes above the mines, occasionally aiding hapless miners unfortunate enough to be caught in rockfalls. The Harpies volunteered to join the Cherrystone army to defend the land they have grown to love.[1] |
 |
Vampire | Felheim Legion | Historically, Felheim's Vampires have been a scattered and isolated race, unconcerned with the sway of power across Aurania. However, when High Vampire Sigrid joined the legion, the Lesser Vampires flocked to her side, supplying Felheim with a powerful air presence. The Vampires now make their nests in the Crimson Isle, west of the Frozen Forest, united for the first time in centuries.[1] |
 |
Tengu | Heavensong Empire | The men and women of the Tengu clan make their homes on the Pollen Puff Cliffs, just outside Heavensong's southernmost border. Here, where the winds are strong, the Tengu take flight, soaring over Dragon's Cradle on wings of bamboo. They are loyal to Heavensong, relying on the empire for much of their food and trade. Clan members wear the 'mask of the Tengu' as a mark of their spiritual connection to the heavens.[1] |
 |
Leafwing | Floran Tribes | Leafwings live in the upper canopy of the Gloomwood. There, they fashion wings from leaves and talons from bone. Their light bodies and natural dexterity make them masters of the air, hunting prey far below, and descending on it with frightening speed. When tracking prey, the Leafwing roam further afield than their grounded kin, and it's not uncommon to spot one as far afield as Cherrystone or Felheim.[1] |
Critical Hit[edit]
When it is positioned on a mountain tile, an Aeronaut's attack will be a critical hit.
Whereas most units deal ×1.5 damage on a critical hit, an Aeronaut will only deal ×1.25 damage. This smaller increase makes critical hits a lower priority for them, but it can still make the difference when it comes to defeating a unit outright.
Strategy[edit]
| “ | “The Aeronaut is a mobile all-rounder capable of attacking air, ground and water units. It has good damage, and is great at harassing otherwise difficult to reach foes.” |
| — Codex |
Aeronauts are remarkable for being able to attack any other unit in the game. This is a feat only matched by Archers and Ballistas, both of which are far less agile than the flying, high-movement Aeronaut. This combined with the Aeronaut's respectable damage output and moderate cost help them excel in a specific role: a unit who can quickly scour any battlefield to pick off any unit your stronger forces have already damaged. It is often advantageous to finish off an expensive Dragon or Giant using a relatively inexpensive Aeronaut, sometimes even at the risk of losing the Aeronaut by the start of your next turn.
Like all air units, Aeronauts are devastated by attacks from Mages, Ballistas, Sky Riders, and Harpoon Ships. Any of these can defeat an Aeronaut in one hit, often even with less than full health.
However, the only other units even capable of hitting an Aeronaut are Archers and other Aeronauts. This gives the unit inherent defensive strengths in many situations. Since so many units can't even attack them, Aeronauts can be used to block the approach of many units like Knights or Giants entirely, even while still making safe and effective attacks.
Offensively, Aeronauts deal an abnormally large amount of damage to Knights, but their attacks otherwise deal moderate damage. Their offensive value often lies in the fact they are some of the only units capable of attacking fearsome Dragons, and can freely attack any forces not protected by anti-air units.
Despite the fact they can easily reach Strongholds, Aeronauts are not particularly good at attacking them. A Stronghold's counterattack will usually deal more damage to the Aeronaut than the Aeronaut dealt to the building, even with the boost from a critical hit.
Damage Matrix[edit]
- See also: Damage Matrix
| Villager | Soldier | Spearman | Dog | Mage | Archer | Giant | Cavalry | Wagon | Ballista | Trebuchet | Balloon | Aeronaut | Sky Rider | Dragon | Barge | Turtle | Harpoon | Warship | Amphibian | Commander | Building | Stronghold | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attacks | 70 87 |
70 87 |
50 62 |
60 75 |
30 38 |
80 100 |
15 19 |
80 100 |
40 50 |
40 50 |
60 75 |
60 75 |
60 75 |
35 44 |
40 50 |
40 50 |
30 38 |
30 38 |
50 62 |
70 87 |
20 25 |
55 68 |
27 34 |
| Defends | -- | -- | -- | -- | 145 217 |
35 47 |
-- | -- | -- | 135 202 |
-- | -- | 60 75 |
65 130 |
-- | -- | -- | 135 202 |
-- | -- | -- | ? | ? |
Trivia[edit]
- Aeronaut is the only unit type with a critical hit multiplier of ×1.25, which is the lowest in the game.
- Vampires are the only variety of Aeronaut to have both arms and wings as separate limbs.
