Urnamma
04-15-2005, 17:29
EB news - Friday, April 15th
Greetings, Europa Barbarorum fans!
I'm giving you this news post because Khelvan is taking a well deserved vacation for the weekend. Everyone wish him a good time!
This week has been a momentous one for EB. We've begun (and nearly finished) compiling what we hope to be our last internal version! The latest version includes most of our concepts and nearly 95 new units. We hope to bring that number up to 200+ (nearly half our units) before we send it off as an open beta!
Since we've come very close to completing this, I've a present for all of you. More screenshots!
http://img126.exs.cx/img126/2605/malagaeroasgaulcopy8bu.jpg
Aymar du Bois Mauri is busy integrating units and making some info pics as part of this proces. Here is the Mala Gaeroas! Prometheus did a wonderful job on the unit as well.
http://img54.exs.cx/img54/3381/hammer6kl.jpg
Spartan_Warrior has been taking a bit of time off to do some celts, like the Goidilic hammer troops, shown here. Ranika has been working overtime researching these wonderful units!
http://img70.exs.cx/img70/5518/gaul2ki.jpg
Another unit of the Goidils, the spearmen! Also by Spartan_Warrior!
http://img228.echo.cx/my.php?image=gorganscreen21zk.jpg
As you can see, the Britons have been getting a lot of attention as of late. Our new unique buildings are really taking off, thanks to the man who has been doing all the work on them, Teleklos Archelaou!
Here is the new Briton faction symbol, done by Parmenio!
http://img149.exs.cx/img149/388/britons6aw.jpg
I'll showcase some of my own work next, in the unit descriptions for some Hellenic units:
Ekdromoi Hoplitai:
Descriptions => Ekdromoi (Outrunner) Hoplites are a special version of the Hoplite soldier. They fight without armor and heavy equipment in order to be fast enough to catch and kill skirmishers and especially peltasts, who were the bane of the heavily armored Hoplite. Their short spears carry a nasty punch for the usually lightly armed skirmisher and are able to outrange the better armored Peltast. They carry large shields in order to make up for some of this disparity, but they are not a type of soldier meant to do prolonged melee combat with standard Hoplites. Their light weight leather armor is soft and layered with bronze plates and cloth in order to retard the missiles of the troops that they would likely be fighting. (Greek ‘brigandine’ armor) Their purpose is to serve as a professional light infantry that can neutralize the effect of missiles on the heavy infantry. The combination of light armor and speed makes this infantry a great counter to pesky missile troops. They are not particularly useful against heavier infantry or even equivalent light infantry, due to their specialized nature.
Historically, these hoplites evolved almost overnight in response to large scale use of Peltasts by Thebes and Athens after the reforms of Iphikrates. Their armor evolved as well over the years. They were originally armored with linen, but this was changed due to the fact that the linothorax was vulnerable to missile fire. The layered leather was developed after a period of trial and error and functions much like modern tank armor does against projectiles. It intersperses hard and soft layers to dissipate the effect of missile weapons. This armor, while exceedingly useful against missiles, is only marginally effective against most melee weapons, due to its lightness and the concentrated force of the arm behind the melee weapon. Once the initial force of a missile weapon is dissipated it falls away harmlessly, once the initial force of a melee weapon is dissipated its user pushes harder!
Thureophoroi:
Description => Theurophoroi were a new class of Hellenic infantry that was designed to both augment the phalanx and provide a type of soldier in between the Phalangite and the Peltast that was able to skirmish and fight in melee. They are an extremely mobile force that can hit hard with their heavy javelins then rush in to flank pike units. They are well armed and armored for the task, having stout bronze helms, linen armor, an almond shaped theuros shield, heavy javelins, and a stout spear. They are highly versatile infantry, akin in spirit to the legionaries of Rome. They are usually Pezhetairoi, middle class property owners with voting rights. As such, they are well able to devote time to training and practice. They have good morale and are highly disciplined. They were often described by Latin writers as copies of the legion. It is debatable whether they were developed with knowledge of warfare in Italy or not, they are a highly effective force of heavy infantry that is in the forefront of Hellenic military know-how.
Historically, Theurophoroi were used as harassing and flanking troops by the successor states. There seemed to be a lot of confusion as to how to utilize these new soldiers, since they were deadly in the extreme to the less mobile phalanx units. Most of the successor states used them conservatively, except for the Seleucids, who took to these new soldiers quite well. The city-states of Greece used them even more frequently against the armies of Macedon, and were often able to hold the more powerful kingdom at bay. Still, their uses were limited in scope and not as widespread as their versatile and deadly role would have indicated. This is the fault of period commanders, however, and any more astute or innovative commander might have realized their potential in conjunction with the more static Phalanx.
And a pic of the Ekdromoi, just for shits and giggles:
http://i137.exs.cx/img137/9394/12rf.jpg
Brought to you by Spartan_Warrior!
Hope you enjoyed the post!
Next week we'll begin our 'Countdown to the Open Beta', where we will begin showing off our factions with full sets of units and descriptions. The Ptolemies are up first!
As always, if you have questions or comments, the best place to post them would be here:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=70
Or here:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/index.php?showforum=60
We give special thanks to http://www.imageshack.us who provide us with a simple, foolproof, and free way to show you all these pictures each week.
Have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-the EB team
Greetings, Europa Barbarorum fans!
I'm giving you this news post because Khelvan is taking a well deserved vacation for the weekend. Everyone wish him a good time!
This week has been a momentous one for EB. We've begun (and nearly finished) compiling what we hope to be our last internal version! The latest version includes most of our concepts and nearly 95 new units. We hope to bring that number up to 200+ (nearly half our units) before we send it off as an open beta!
Since we've come very close to completing this, I've a present for all of you. More screenshots!
http://img126.exs.cx/img126/2605/malagaeroasgaulcopy8bu.jpg
Aymar du Bois Mauri is busy integrating units and making some info pics as part of this proces. Here is the Mala Gaeroas! Prometheus did a wonderful job on the unit as well.
http://img54.exs.cx/img54/3381/hammer6kl.jpg
Spartan_Warrior has been taking a bit of time off to do some celts, like the Goidilic hammer troops, shown here. Ranika has been working overtime researching these wonderful units!
http://img70.exs.cx/img70/5518/gaul2ki.jpg
Another unit of the Goidils, the spearmen! Also by Spartan_Warrior!
http://img228.echo.cx/my.php?image=gorganscreen21zk.jpg
As you can see, the Britons have been getting a lot of attention as of late. Our new unique buildings are really taking off, thanks to the man who has been doing all the work on them, Teleklos Archelaou!
Here is the new Briton faction symbol, done by Parmenio!
http://img149.exs.cx/img149/388/britons6aw.jpg
I'll showcase some of my own work next, in the unit descriptions for some Hellenic units:
Ekdromoi Hoplitai:
Descriptions => Ekdromoi (Outrunner) Hoplites are a special version of the Hoplite soldier. They fight without armor and heavy equipment in order to be fast enough to catch and kill skirmishers and especially peltasts, who were the bane of the heavily armored Hoplite. Their short spears carry a nasty punch for the usually lightly armed skirmisher and are able to outrange the better armored Peltast. They carry large shields in order to make up for some of this disparity, but they are not a type of soldier meant to do prolonged melee combat with standard Hoplites. Their light weight leather armor is soft and layered with bronze plates and cloth in order to retard the missiles of the troops that they would likely be fighting. (Greek ‘brigandine’ armor) Their purpose is to serve as a professional light infantry that can neutralize the effect of missiles on the heavy infantry. The combination of light armor and speed makes this infantry a great counter to pesky missile troops. They are not particularly useful against heavier infantry or even equivalent light infantry, due to their specialized nature.
Historically, these hoplites evolved almost overnight in response to large scale use of Peltasts by Thebes and Athens after the reforms of Iphikrates. Their armor evolved as well over the years. They were originally armored with linen, but this was changed due to the fact that the linothorax was vulnerable to missile fire. The layered leather was developed after a period of trial and error and functions much like modern tank armor does against projectiles. It intersperses hard and soft layers to dissipate the effect of missile weapons. This armor, while exceedingly useful against missiles, is only marginally effective against most melee weapons, due to its lightness and the concentrated force of the arm behind the melee weapon. Once the initial force of a missile weapon is dissipated it falls away harmlessly, once the initial force of a melee weapon is dissipated its user pushes harder!
Thureophoroi:
Description => Theurophoroi were a new class of Hellenic infantry that was designed to both augment the phalanx and provide a type of soldier in between the Phalangite and the Peltast that was able to skirmish and fight in melee. They are an extremely mobile force that can hit hard with their heavy javelins then rush in to flank pike units. They are well armed and armored for the task, having stout bronze helms, linen armor, an almond shaped theuros shield, heavy javelins, and a stout spear. They are highly versatile infantry, akin in spirit to the legionaries of Rome. They are usually Pezhetairoi, middle class property owners with voting rights. As such, they are well able to devote time to training and practice. They have good morale and are highly disciplined. They were often described by Latin writers as copies of the legion. It is debatable whether they were developed with knowledge of warfare in Italy or not, they are a highly effective force of heavy infantry that is in the forefront of Hellenic military know-how.
Historically, Theurophoroi were used as harassing and flanking troops by the successor states. There seemed to be a lot of confusion as to how to utilize these new soldiers, since they were deadly in the extreme to the less mobile phalanx units. Most of the successor states used them conservatively, except for the Seleucids, who took to these new soldiers quite well. The city-states of Greece used them even more frequently against the armies of Macedon, and were often able to hold the more powerful kingdom at bay. Still, their uses were limited in scope and not as widespread as their versatile and deadly role would have indicated. This is the fault of period commanders, however, and any more astute or innovative commander might have realized their potential in conjunction with the more static Phalanx.
And a pic of the Ekdromoi, just for shits and giggles:
http://i137.exs.cx/img137/9394/12rf.jpg
Brought to you by Spartan_Warrior!
Hope you enjoyed the post!
Next week we'll begin our 'Countdown to the Open Beta', where we will begin showing off our factions with full sets of units and descriptions. The Ptolemies are up first!
As always, if you have questions or comments, the best place to post them would be here:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=70
Or here:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/index.php?showforum=60
We give special thanks to http://www.imageshack.us who provide us with a simple, foolproof, and free way to show you all these pictures each week.
Have a wonderful day!
Sincerely,
-the EB team