Minotaurs

Titan - Skull of Sartek

Click on the Skull Of Sartek to hear it speak

Late in the 4th age of recorded history, as the terrible Banewars drew to a close, Lord Sartek broke his alliance with Lord Bane, leaving the Lord of the Undead open to a final decisive strike from the Sirian Knights. Almost a century later, when Lord Bane's power had grown once more, he launched a devastating war against the treacherous Sartek. Not only did he defeat Sartek, the Lord of War, but he carved up his body and scattered it across the realms. Since that day, it has been the task of every Minotaur Shaman to find the pieces of Sartek in hope of reassembling them into their former master. Even the smallest sliver of bone is regarded as a holy relic, so it is no surprise that Sartek's Skull is not only revered with awe but is also a token of great power, able to be carried into battle, destroying enemies by shooting lightning from its empty sockets.

Race

And why not? Who could resist the lure of the Minotaur lifestyle? The bestial rituals, the mindless violence, the massive engines of destruction and the enormous horns, all fueled by heroic over consumption of alcohol. The only surprise is that there’s enough young male humans left to make a football team for next year.

Each recruit to the Minotaur ranks undergoes a painful pagan ritual of conversion, whose secrecy is ensured by the fact that the initiates will naturally have no recollection of the rite on the morning after.

Subtlety is not a hallmark of the Taurean approach to life, and they have few units to make. Violence is the defining essence of Taurean life, so most of their units have researchable upgrades, which make them even more fearsome as opponents.

Pros: No production dilemmas, good upgrades, Minotaur Kings are exceptionally tough units.

Cons: Lack of unit variety, limited air defenses early in the game.

To taunt a Minotaur: Ask him if his horns are real or mail order.

To make friends with a Minotaur: Belt him senseless in a sporting encounter then have a drink with him afterwards.

Motto: Up the mighty Bulls!

Minotaurs:

Your basic Minotaur is a pretty tough unit, with lots of hits, a reasonable attack and damage, though with no armor (apart from the horns). However, the attack, the damage, the speed and the armor all have researchable upgrades, as well as a special ranged attack. Once you’ve done all that, these Minos are virtually unstoppable. Fired up with Dwarven Ale or made Berserk (achieved by putting vodka in the Ale) they are a truly awesome unit. They do take a fair bit of Metal to produce, so do try to stop the lads from burning down too many Ore Mines.

Basilisks:

Think of Basilisks as (slightly) animated garden statues. They’ve got lots of HPs, excellent armor and do damage against both ground and air units, but they’re very slow. They do add 100 Stone to your stockpile for every unit they kill, so they are best used as a more or less mobile base defense unit.

Minotaur Shamans:

Definitely the intellectuals of the Minotaur side, these are the boys who can read the ‘This Way Up’ sign on a keg of beer. Tougher all round than a basic Mino, the Shamans have some wicked Fire spells, plus a spell to send nearby Minotaur units Berserk. (You can also do this by telling them that the beer’s run out, but it’s an incredibly dangerous thing to do). Shamans also get damage and other upgrades, making them even more dangerous.

Catapults:

In the Minotaur mindset (such as it is), the only thing better than mindless violence is mindless violence conducted at long range with big toys. The catapult fits the bill perfectly. Although very vulnerable to fire, it does a lot of splash damage at long range. As an added bonus, it doesn’t just have a cow, it throws them, to the endless amusement of drunken Minotaurs.

Battering Ram:

Battering Rams do quadruple damage against all buildings, which is even more than a post match party. They are very slow, so they’re a weapon that requires some planning and time to use properly. However, there’s nothing better for winkling out the cowardly types who sit behind walls and towers.

Minotaur Kings:

A single Minotaur King represents an extremely offensive weapon. A group of them can flatten an entire town without even leaving the bar. Minotaur Kings cause fear (no kidding) and ignore armor when hitting (ouch!). They can heal themselves by eating animals (another thing they have in common with footballers). They’re not cheap to make, but you’ll happily pay the purchase price for this unit, especially as they’re also the Minotaur General.

Griffons:

Griffons combine the head of an Eagle with the body of a Lion. The first Griffon was the result of post-match shenanigans between opposing team mascots, an affair so sordid that it has never been repeated. All subsequent Griffons are the result of sorcerous cloning of that first Griffon. Do not be fooled by the fake Griffon eggs on display in eyries, they are only there to fool the credulous.

Perhaps as a result of being continuously cloned and then violently killed in meaningless wars, Griffons are very ill tempered beasts. They have a lot of HPs for a flying army, and deal out a fair amount of slashing damage, which seems only fair.

Bats and Dragons:

Yes, Minotaurs can build Bats and Dragons, but they have no especial aptitude for doing either, and no research to upgrade them. Dragons are greatly admired for the devastation that they cause, although there is a high casualty rate amongst those Minotaurs who try to emulate the Dragon’s fire breathing ability.

Sheep:

A famous general once said that an army marches upon its stomach. Minotaurs tried this, but found that their movement rate dropped to almost zero. Instead, a Minotaur army literally marches upon its Sheep, as sheepskin boots are considered the height of Mino fashion. Consumption of Sheep will also restore Hit Points, remove Poison and even cure hangovers, making the Pen an essential fixture in any Minotaur Base.

Skull of Sartek:

Beer is the basis of Minotaur life, fulfilling as it does all their physical, spiritual and emotional needs. Better than beer is a beverage that can actually reach out and hurt someone. This is provided by the Skull of Sartek, a giant cauldron containing a noxious brew that delivers large dollops of magical damage at long range to all except the Minotaur race, who are nourished and sustained by the foul concoction. As the Minotaur Titan, the Skull is exceptionally hard to kill, and will in any case be fanatically defended by the Minotaur armies. You’ll need something stronger than the local Temperance Union if the Skull of Sartek rolls into town.