Bombard Cannon
Siege WeaponBase values, before Blacksmith upgrades. The Blacksmith raises attack and armour for infantry, cavalry and archers — Blast Furnace, for instance, gives "+2 Attack for infantry & cavalry". Late in a game, the real numbers are higher.
Stop searching after the game
The coach calls out counters live, the moment the unit shows up.
Try it freeEvolution
Bombard Cannon
Imperial
Houfnice
ImperialThe coach's briefing
The Bombard Cannon is a versatile siege weapon. 12 range, 40 attack, and no minimum range make it effective against buildings, siege, and even units. It counters enemy siege and can snipe Trebuchets. Only 25 civilizations have access, making it a significant advantage.
STRONG AGAINST
You win these trades cost-effectively.
WEAK AGAINST
Avoid these fights or bring support.
Just lost against this unit?
Your coach names the counters during the match — not once the game is over.
Strategic Analysis
Tactical Identity
The Bombard Cannon is your **siege and anti-siege weapon**. It excels at destroying enemy siege units while also being effective against buildings.
Tactical Playbook
Siege Counter
BBC counters all other siege. Trebuchets, Onagers, Scorpions - BBC outranges and destroys them all. Essential for controlling the siege game.
No Minimum Range
Unlike Trebuchets and Mangonels, BBC has no minimum range. It can defend itself against units that get close.
Building Damage
+200 vs Buildings makes BBC effective at destroying structures. Faster than Trebs due to mobility.
Critical Point
**Fast cavalry** can still overwhelm you. While you have no minimum range, your reload time is slow. Multiple Hussars or Paladins will kill you before you can shoot them all.
Understanding The Stats
The Bombard Cannon is a mobile, versatile siege weapon that counters other siege and damages buildings effectively.
High Damage
+200 vs Buildings, +20 vs Siege. One-shots most siege units.
Good Range
Outranges Onagers and Scorpions. Only Trebuchets outrange you.
No Minimum Range
Can attack units at any range. Much more flexible than other siege.
Slow
Slow movement. Can't chase or escape effectively.
Coach's Tip
Your 80 HP is low for a 450-resource unit. Paladins kill you in 6 hits. Never leave BBC unprotected - losing one is a significant resource loss.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Building | +200 |
| Siege Weapon | +20 |
| Ship | +40 |
Armor Classes
Siege Weapon
Takes bonus from Mangonels and Bombard Cannons. Can be repaired.
Gunpowder Unit
Vulnerable to Condottieros.
Key Upgrades
Civilizations
* 25 civilizations have access to this unit.
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
Bombard Cannon is the slow Siege Gunpowder unit for long-range pressure against buildings and Siege Weapons. It costs 225 wood and 225 gold, has 80 HP, 40 attack, 2 melee/5 pierce armor, a 5-12 range, 0.7 speed and 14 line of sight, with a 56-second train time. The official help says it cannot attack at close range, is strong against buildings and Siege Weapons, and weak against units at close range. Its unit data adds +200 against buildings and +40 against Siege Weapons, so every shot is valuable while every unprotected approach is dangerous.
History & balance
Bombard Cannon is the Siege Workshop expression of gunpowder and University scaling. The official help points to University attack and range, the conversion to Houfnice at the Siege Workshop and increased Monk resistance. The line is intentionally expensive and slow: 225 wood, 225 gold and 0.7 speed buy a tool that can contest other siege and structures from 5-12 range. The design therefore keeps a clear exchange. It gains direct damage and building bonuses, but the inability to attack at close range leaves a window for Cavalry, Hussars and Eagles to cross.
In pro play
Deploy Bombard Cannons behind a screen and give each shot a high-value target: enemy siege, a tower or a building that blocks movement. The 5-12 range and +40 Siege Weapon bonus let them trade into expensive engines, while +200 against buildings makes a protected push credible. Eighty HP, 0.7 speed and 56 seconds of production mean that a dive is costly to replace. Keep the route clear, move only under protection and do not let the cannon become a stationary ornament; its value is the range that changes which target the opponent can safely keep.
How to counter it
The classic mistake is to leave Bombard Cannons behind while the army fights elsewhere, or to answer them with another slow siege line. In practice, the counters are Cavalry, Eagle Warriors and Hussars, and the help says the cannon cannot attack at close range. Those units exploit 0.7 speed and the contact blind spot; the answer is a direct dive with vision, not a longer ranged duel. Keep a screen around your siege and strike from the flank. If you keep losing to Bombard Cannons without knowing what to build or when, that is exactly what AoE Coach does: it reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.