- Noble Fates defense now includes player-built catapults, the strongest static siege weapon available.
- Builder level 10 is required to construct catapults, found under Build > Tactical, costing 96 wood.
- Only characters with the Guarding job can operate catapults, so assign guards before a raid.
- Catapult shots scatter randomly inside the aim circle and can damage your own buildings and people.
- Position a catapult battery at the center of your base to cover a very large area from one spot.
Noble Fates Defense: Why Catapults Change Everything
Raiders have fielded catapults against your kingdom for a long time, but now you can return the favor. The catapult update gives defenders their first true long-range answer to sieges, and it reshapes how a Noble Fates defense should be laid out. With an enormous firing range displayed as a white circle when selected, a single well-placed catapult can cover most approaches to your base.
Video Highlights:
- Catapults are built under Build > Tactical with Builder level 10 and 96 wood
- Shots land randomly inside the aiming circle regardless of operator skill
- Operators must have the Guarding job enabled to fire
- Catapults shred wood instantly, stone quickly, and even fine stone with sustained fire
- Friendly fire is fully enabled — careless aiming kills your own people
The key insight is centralization. Because the range circle is so large, you do not need catapults on every wall. A small battery near the heart of your settlement covers distant approaches while your guards stay safely behind fortifications.
Catapult rocks can destroy your own walls and kill your own villagers in a single hit. Never fire blindly into a melee where your fighters are engaging raiders, and reposition the aim circle before each volley.
Building Your Defense Battery
Setting up a working Noble Fates defense battery is a straightforward process, but each step matters. Miss the Guarding job assignment and your crew will stand idle; skip the aim repositioning and you will crater your own courtyard.
Train a Builder to Level 10
Building level 10 is an early-late-game milestone. Protect this character — they are one of your most valuable assets, and only they can place catapults.
Gather Materials
Each catapult costs 96 wood. Stockpile extra so you can rebuild after a raid damages or destroys your battery.
Place Under Build > Tactical
Position the catapult near the center of your base to maximize coverage of the white range circle across likely approach routes.
Assign Guards
Give at least one character the Guarding job. Catapult shooting is a guarding task — anyone without it cannot fire, rushed or not.
Enable Fire and Aim
Click the catapult, allow the fire command, then right-click to move the aiming circle onto the target area before each engagement.
Placing your battery centrally means one catapult covers many angles. Add strong walls between the battery and the outside so raiders must chew through stone while rocks rain down on them.
Catapult Combat Performance
How does the catapult actually perform against the materials you and the raiders build with? Testing shows a clear damage hierarchy across construction tiers.
| Material | Catapult Effectiveness | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ramshackle wood | ★★★★★ | Wrecked almost instantly |
| Standard wood | ★★★★★ | Destroyed very easily |
| Stone | ★★★★ | Goes down quickly under sustained fire |
| Fine stone | ★★★☆ | Breaks fast with a crew actively firing |
| Terrain | ★★★★ | Shots gouge craters into the battlefield |
Is this overpowered? Not really. The Builder level 10 requirement keeps catapults out of the early game, and the random scatter inside the aim circle means you cannot snipe individual targets. It is an area-denial weapon, not a precision tool.
Repeated fire on the same ground turns your battlefield into something resembling a minefield, pocked with holes. Expect your killing field to look rough after a heavy defense — this is cosmetic but worth knowing before you build your showcase courtyard in the line of fire.
Defense Layers Compared
A catapult battery is one layer of a Noble Fates defense, not the whole plan. Compare the main defensive options to decide where to invest.
Catapult Battery
- Very long range, huge coverage circle
- Needs Builder level 10 and 96 wood
- Random scatter, friendly fire risk
Stone Walls
- Slows raiders, absorbs catapult shots
- Cheap and stackable defense layer
- Passive — needs no operator
Guard Crew
- Melee and ranged response force
- Must include Guarding job to fire catapults
- Flexible, works with any layout
| Defense Layer | Cost | Upkeep | Best Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catapult | 96 wood, Builder lvl 10 | Guard assignments | Large raids, siege camps |
| Walls | Stone/wood per tile | Repairs | Slowing approach, funneling |
| Guard crew | Weapons, armor | Food, morale | Breaches, scattered raiders |
| Shields | Metal, crafting | Equipment wear | Ranged raider fire |
Pair a central catapult battery with thick stone walls and a dedicated guard crew. Raiders stall at the walls while the battery breaks their siege equipment and groups from outside melee range.
Adventures, Claims, and Rumors
Catapults are not only for home defense. When quests send you to attack distant locations — some with actual castles waiting — you can build catapults on-site to crack fortifications instead of throwing bodies at walls.
| Scenario | Requirement | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| Home defense | Battery + guards at base | Low |
| Adventure siege | Send Builder lvl 10 with the party | High — losing your builder hurts |
| On-site construction | Fell local trees for wood, or carry wood with you | Medium |
| Claiming raider catapults | Claim crewless catapults during raids | High reward |
Claimable props arrive during the beta, ahead of official launch. When raiders build catapults during their attack and you take out the crew, you can claim and relocate that catapult into your base — a free catapult far earlier than you could build one.
Another community idea: allowing parties to carry catapults to destinations, one character per corner. It would keep your valuable builder safe at home, though losing a carrier mid-mission would strand the catapult. For now, catapults cannot travel — you build them where you need them.
Sending your only level 10 builder on an adventure to construct siege equipment is a serious gamble. If they fall, your catapult capability falls with them.
Pre-Raid Checklist
Before the Next Raid:
- Confirm a Builder at level 10 or higher
- Stockpile at least 96 wood per planned catapult
- Assign Guarding jobs to catapult operators
- Centralize the battery for maximum coverage
- Reposition the aim circle away from friendly structures and troops
Catapults are fully color-customizable. Build a matching battery inside your castle walls for a cohesive look — strength and style in one emplacement.
FAQ
Q: What do I need to build a catapult for my Noble Fates defense?
You need a character with Builder level 10 or higher and 96 wood. Catapults are found under the Build menu in the Tactical category.
Q: Why won't my characters fire the catapult?
Catapult operation is tied to the Guarding job. Make sure your operator has Guarding enabled, then click the catapult and allow the fire command. You can even rush the task once Guarding is assigned.
Q: Can catapult shots hurt my own kingdom?
Yes. Shots land randomly inside the aiming circle and will damage your buildings and kill your own people in a single hit. Always reposition the aim circle with a right-click before firing.
Q: Can I bring a catapult on adventures?
Not currently. Catapults cannot travel with your party. Instead, bring your level 10 builder and either carry wood or harvest trees at the destination to construct a catapult on-site — keeping in mind the risk of losing that builder.