Zhangu War Drum

is a war machine unit introduced in Total War: Warhammer III with Shadows of Change.
== Recruitment ==
* Unlocked with: Powder Magazine
== Description ==
In the respected traditions of Grand Cathay, a great drum hangs above the gates of every city, a symbol of security to all who behold it. When danger looms and the enemies of the Dragon descend, a dozen men beat the drum to call their soldiers to war, each man guided by its thundering tempo. Should the call of battle lead them further afield, the drum is carried into combat on a great cart or chariot – every beat drives the army forward, filling the hearts of every warrior with strength of purpose and unity. Those who ride to war upon its raised platform see the whole battlefield unfurl before them; as combat rages on, there is no better place from which to direct one's troops to victory.
== Attributes ==
== Unit Abilities ==
=== Active ===
* Bastion of the Great Cities
* Disdain of the Dragon Emperor
=== Passive ===
* Battle Harmony: Yang
* Battle Harmony: Yin
* Icon of the Great Cities
* Wounds
== Strategy ==
A unique unit whose closest counterpart is probably the Grail Reliquae, the War Drum is a pure support unit that will die quickly if forced to defend itself for any length of time. However, it hands out some good passives to all units that are near it - and its AoE is generous, able to cover at least ten units front and back while giving universal harmony with good positioning, which has always been the key to winning as Cathay. Put between the lines of your infantry and ranged, you can buff the reload speed and melee attack when you want to press an advantage, or switch to buffing armor if the name of the game is holding, increasing leadership all the while.
A hefty cost and a two turn recruitment speed hurts it strategically. Cathay have a lot of these support-type units and a key concern is not overloading your army with them over the units that are actually going to be doing the fighting. The War Drum is nice, but its capabilities can for instance be more than mirrored by a Lord Magistrate-led army with a Gate Master in tow, leaving the slot open for something else.
== Gallery ==
Category:Shadows of Change units