Gunpowder in the free-to-download game C-evo is one of the key advances affecting military unit strength in the first half of the contest. It adds 3 to the strength of each attacking or defensive module in ground units designed after its discovery, while raising the price of each module to 8 (one more than does Monotheism, which also adds 3 to the strengths). It also adds to the strength and cost of naval units. Its other value is as a prerequisite to Metallurgy, which is needed for Ballistics and is one of the optional prerequisites for Science.