[265] Tower Discussion

I'd like to discuss tower building. Nowadays, I see far too many tower that are simply five block wide stone reaching up to the sun. It's horrible to see such a waste of stone and wood. So, I hope others will pool their minds to come up with some great tower designs that include the following principles:

1.) Effectively stops enemy units for a reasonable amount of time.
2.) Easy access by all classes.
3.) Protection and good views for archers.



Here's what I've come up with. I designed this tower as a way for archers to effectively kill incoming units. They have easy access outside with doors to protect them. If an enemy unit somehow is able to make it inside the tower, the idea is that the archers will take out the survivor while he/she is stuck in the pit. This tower has easy access in mind as well. The idea that if you continuously press the direction you wish to go(diagonally up or diagonally down depending on which way you're going) you will make it out quickly and without impaling yourself. The main problem with this tower is that it is a bit costly (358 stone, 450 wood) thus limiting it to the beginning of the match.

 

I've got some complaints/constructive criticisms about that tower.

A. Rather than ladders on the left side, you could have trap doors. This way, enemies with your flag wouldn't get away so easily.
B. With careful jumping, I could waltz into the base of the tower and throw a bomb straight up to clear out any archers, and once they're clear, a builder can put a ladder up. Of course, any defense can be taken out by a builder, given enough time, buuuut...
C. Enemy archers can climb right up the side (in the moments when the top isn't manned by archers, at least). They should not be able to do this.
D. It's not tall enough to stop bomb-jumpers.

Eh, it's a neat archer spot, but not really a solid defensive piece.

I shall probably return to this thread to post a screenshot of a Good Defensive Tower to see if I'm accurate in my ideas here.

 

That is a nice looking tower Dallas, I like the mixture of traps in there making it difficult for knights to enter, but as Bracket said I think it may be a security risk.

After looking through the forums for a long time, and playing for awhile too I've found a few towers that really do pretty well.

The first thing I've messed with a lot is an effective Tent Tower:

I'm only putting the thumbnails here because they're pretty huge, just click on them if you want to see them full-size.

If given enough time, and if pubs leave my tower alone for long enough I'll end up with something like this, I like these because it offers 4 archer holes (+1 lobber on the roof so 5), all the shops are in relative safety, even if the enemy are coming from the back too, catapult roof (optional most of the time but whatever) and MURDER HOLES! You may notice the main doors have a hole in the center, this is perfect for killing pesky knights or builders that happen to get past the first door. Also the team bridge + door strategy talked about here is very useful. Usually I'll build the lower part, and part of the "neck" but not add the second archer perch and the roof.

Yeah so that is my first tower, we'll call it the pharaoh.

Second up would be my forward tower I've been messing with:

These only take 150-200 stone and 130-180 wood. So they can easily be built with "start up" materials

I love putting these up on flat maps. First you build the 5 stone walls to stop enemy knights if there are any, then you proceed to "jump build" your way up with stone, then when you get high enough, another 4-5 more or so, add three back wall in an L shape, then add a team door and stone and you're set, you've stopped the enemy! Now back wall it and as you get more wood add bridges instead of ladders and you're good to go! I usually don't put a roof on these to allow your archers to lob arrows easily but if you want to add a roof, you can add 2 team bridges and 3-4 stone past that to form a roof (or cata stand).

Thirdly, I only build these when I'm on an empty server and I've never been able to build one in an actual game . . .

This is basically an upgraded version of the Pharaoh, but engulfs your tent to create a very nice base.

 

Thanks for the input Bracket and Killatron. :)
I've upgraded my tower and it hopefully will fix some of the problems presented by Bracket.

The first problem was an easy fix. I was just being a miser at the time and didn't want to waste resources.

The second problem was somewhat more difficult. I fixed it by making teamdoors to block oncoming bombs(assuming the archer notices beforehand) but it is rather cumbersome.

Fixed the third problem with some simple spike and stone placements. Should stop enemy archers climbing the outside of the tower, and the teamdoors inside will do the same.

Bombjumpers are tricky. I'm not entirely certain what their max height is. Hopefully this will be tall enough to stop them.

As per your suggestion Killatron, I raised my tower 4 blocks higher and incorporated the teambridge/door strategy discuss by Kouji. You're designs themselves look very effective , if costly(number three looks like it would take half the match lol). Have you considered about making a bomb catch for your tower so as to avoid damage to the base? You could also consider trying an Avacado trap in the front of your base as seen here: [Link]
Considering that knights will probably attempt to climb up to your door using shields, it might be better to use a method where they are damaged from walking forward, rather than jumping.

 

Here's a tower I built during a lonely pregame. So of course it's very expensive and takes a while to build. But I didn't get to add everything I wanted to it.

Some notes:
Big, knight-proof front wall.
Trapdoors running down core of tower so archers can shoot undermining builders. Trapdoors are also a pit trap. And one way to get down to the siege workshop and quarters.
Arrow and bomb shops are mounted so enemies can't use them easily.
No spike trap or trick walls out front, but I was planning on adding some. D:<
A little stealth-archer spot up top, but I was going to add more doors in the front of it to make it a little better.

 

It's a nice defensive structure, sure. But it really slows down your teams advance wen they have to go through it every respawn.

 

I witnessed this tower in battle the other day and the advantage it gave enemy archers was frightening. they cant be seen if th team bridges are numerous and their is only a very small hole for the opposing sides archers to shoot through. the only down side is it takes prescious time away from knights wishing to get to the front lines.

the second one is a design i have made and havent tested yet. it basically gives archers some room to shoot. (i love designing for archers) and also a outpost could be placed in the centre of it maybe a sky roof so that knights could bomb jump into the fray could be added anyways tell me what you think.

thanks

 

Nice tower design bracket. :) The main problem I see with this is that its possible for a knight to fall down the trap pit while someone is down there or for said knight to wall slide down there and survive. Two well placed bombs can blast an opening right into your quarters leaving a fulling healed knight in your tower.

taco_frog: You're first tower is alright. It has some functionality problems however. The only way to the other side of your tower is through the spikes on the top which has potential to harm your own units. See my original post if you want to include a safe way to have spikes on top of your building or remove them completely.

BlueLuigi: I did what you said and increased the height of my tower and made the back wall 2 stone think. I thought of doing the same for the front, but from what I've seen catas work really well against 2 stone think walls simply because builders can't reach them. I also added workshops and a pit to the front for extra flavor. :)

 

thanks blue and Dallas for your support, Ill change the design abit and see if i can make it more "bunker like".

 

Earlier yesterday, I saw someone build this over our tent:


Something like what I built is actually faster to get in and out of than that.

 

haha wow that would take a while to exit from also knights and builders can dig in relitivly easily?
I saw a guy the other day whose intitial tower was a stack of ladders from ground level to the top of the map with a archer box on the top. he called it the death trap. god damn it was to0, about half way through the game we were fairing badly and held up in our fort and low on kill tickets. a knight bomb jumps in and takes out the bottom rung and BOOM. we were obliterated. im just saying that some people really dont think before they build wich is a skill essential to a builder

 

Yeah I think thats a good general flow. I too still suck at builder still. I read all of the builder threads you experts make and then I forget most of it when I get in game :(

 

Well Noburu, you have to practice! You can start out by coping some peoples' designs and after awhile you get a "feel" of what works good. Then it is just down to how fast and accurately you can build structures. Then again, building isn't for everyone. I personally can build all day and not get tired of it! (fills the map with awesome).

I liked how in build 228 you could build quarters/arrows/bombs for 240 stone/wood. Now it takes 380 stone/wood for just the same three, and if you want a cata or outpost you need 140 stone 30 gold and 240 wood! So pretty much, if you don't get all the shops up during building phase, you're screwed.


P.S. Dallas, your tower is looking better! =D

 

Just play all the classes and make notes of building designs that help you and building designs that hinder you. Every permanent tower should have a high up archer overhang, several holes (1 door slits and 2doors) to give archers alternative shooting spots, the bottom door 4-6 tiles up, and a 3x3 drawbridge forest inside the tower, so you can cook a bomb without most enemies realizing or charge a slash. Ladders should rarely be used inside towers or you put your archer nest at risk of bomb jumpers.

 

I can manage decent building, I just meant I have a hard time remembering the exact details of some of the builds posted in the builder subform. I can improvise plenty fine :P

 

Like pirate codes, the builder threads are just guidelines. You don't have to make buildings exactly the same as you seem them here. All you really need to remember is some basic elements. If you memorize how to build basic parts such as Acavado traps, archer slits, catapult lofts, etc. you'll have the most important pieces. Everything else should be built around these key concepts whether it be a tower or any other structure.

Got around to upgrading my tower yet again. I decided that archers shoot outside the tower were far too defenseless and needed some protection. Thus, at the cost of the archer's view, I build some protection and a catapult loft. The two lines of sight for an archer come from the catapult loft and right beneath it. Although they lessen the view of the archer, I believe longevity makes it worth it. I realize now that I should have added an entrance to the catapult loft from below so archers can switch locations easily. :(