Fire Siphon

"Infantry. Good against cavalry."
In-game description

The Fire Siphon is an Atlantean Mythic Age siege unit featured in Age of Mythology: The Titans. When an enemy unit is seen within its range, the unit spews out a blast of fire at the enemy.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strong vs.
Hippeus • Prodromos • Spearman • Jarl • War Elephant • Berserk • Camel Rider • Huskarl • Hersir • Raiding Cavalry

Weak vs.
Toxotes • Hypaspist • Cheiroballista • Chariot Archer • Throwing Axeman • Axeman

Technologies

General Technologies

Offense
Image	Name	Description
	Copper Weapons	+10% damage
	Bronze Weapons	+10% damage
	Iron Weapons	+10% damage

Defense
Image	Name	Description
	Copper Armor	-15% Hack Vulnerability
	Bronze Armor	-15% Hack Vulnerability
	Iron Armor	-15% Hack Vulnerability
	Copper Shields	-15% Pierce Vulnerability
	Bronze Shields	-15% Pierce Vulnerability
	Iron Shields	-15% Pierce Vulnerability

Utility
Image	Name	Description
	Levy Infantry	-20% training time
	Conscript Infantry	-20% training time

Myth Technologies

Name	God	Description
Phobos' Spear of Panic	Ares	+1 divine damage
Sarissa	Athena	+10% hack damage, +1 attack range
Aegis Shield	Athena	-15% pierce vulnerability
Oracle	Apollo	+4 Line of Sight
Dionysia	Dionysus	+5% hit points

Upgrades

Age	Upgrade	Cost	Effect
Classical Age	Medium Infantry	150, 150, 20 seconds	Upgrades Hoplites to Medium: +10% hit points, +10% damage, +1 Line of Sight
Heroic Age	Heavy Infantry	300, 300, 30 seconds	Upgrades Hoplites to Medium: +15% hit points, +20% damage, +1 Line of Sight); requires Medium Infantry
Mythic Age	Champion Infantry	500, 400, 40 seconds	Upgrades Hoplites to Medium: +20% hit points, +30% damage, +1 Line of Sight); requires Heavy Infantry

Relic Bonuses

Image	Name	Description
	Armor of Achilles	-5% hack vulnerability
	Canopic Jar of Imsety	+25% training speed
	Gaia's Book of Knowledge	+3.0 attack multiplier vs. Titans
	Pelt of Argus	+6 Line of Sight
	Thundercloud Shawl	-5% pierce vulnerability
	Gungnir, Odin's Spear	+5% attack

Gameplay

The Fire Siphon is able to destroy buildings rather quickly and is highly resistant to pierce attacks. However, it has almost no hack armor leaving it very vulnerable to infantry and cavalry. It has a high rate of fire for a siege weapon but has a short range making it vulnerable to counterattack. As such attacking buildings is a risky prospect. To ensure destruction the Fire Siphon should be escorted, but due to its short range it leaves the escorting units vulnerable to building fire.

History

"The Atlantean fire siphon relied on the fabulous properties of the metal Orichalkos and a double-action piston to produce a constant stream of flame. the piston's alternate strokes pushed quantities of naptha and quicklime, later termed "Greek Fire," in a continuous stream. The Atlanteans used their fire siphon to great effect against tight formations of infantry used by the Greeks and Egyptians."
In-game compendium

Gallery

Trivia

The Fire Siphon is likely based on Byzantine flamethrowers which saw use since the 7th century AD, utilizing Greek fire. A similar unit called the Cheirosiphon is present in Age of Empires IV.
The record of the Fire Siphon in the game's proto file mentions that it can garrison workers, infantry, archers, and heroes, but it has no garrison capacity. This hints that the unit was previously intended to be able to garrison units like several other siege weapons in the game.