This is a little mod I have made which adds Mali as a faction to M2TW. It was made on vanilla M2TW, with Patch 1.2, and the Beta version is ready for download. The full version will be released shortly after, once I have fixed a couple of minor issues such as character accents, and hopefully gained some gameplay tips from those who have been playing the Beta version.
First of all, I would like to thank the whole modding community here at the Guild and also over at the TW Center for helping me get through my modding problems, from running the unpacker (yes I had trouble with that) , to tackling the evil modeldb file. In particular, Alpaca has been a huge help, both through his modding tools and the advice he has given me. Also a massive thanks to Socal_infidel of the TWC for making the dowloading of this mod such a simple process and making the mod accessible to more people. And last but by no means least a huge thanks to Sher Khan of the TWC for spending hours patiently helping me get the mod ready for public download, and preparing all the new victory condition and faction selection maps.
Note: The aim of this mod is not historical accuracy, but to add a sub-Saharan faction in the style of the other factions already in the game.
MALI
With the collapse of the Ghana Empire to the Moors in 1076, Mali was left a nation of petty city states, either in a state of war or in a loose confederation. While the Soninke peoples of the Ghana Empire still remain in the deeper regions of their old empire, the road for conquest for Mali lies ahead.
Mali is a sub-saharan realm, with a vast range of exotic goods at its doorstep. If such resources can be taken advantage of, a great campaign could be funded to lead Mali's armies through the Sahara and into the fertile lands to the north.
Mali posseses somewhat unique armies, combining tribal warriors with more Arab-influenced heavy troops, with much of Mali's military system having been inspired by the Egyptians. While they may seem poorly equipped, Mali's warriors are highly skilled, and trained in hunting and warfare from a young age. Combined with a strong economy, Mali could rise from the mystical lands of paganism and king-worship to the south to forge a great African empire in Europe.
Unit Previews:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
General's Bodyguard:
These warriors are dedicated to protecting the general on the battlefield. Hand-picked for loyalty and valour and benefiting from quality armour and weapons, the general's bodyguard are elite heavy cavalry capable of devastating charges and dealing plenty of carnage in hand to hand, as well as taking on odds that would send lesser units running.
Town Militia:
Armed with a short spear but little armour, these troops are city dwellers usually called up to defend their homes in time of need, but sometimes pressed into action on foreign campaigns. Although useful for city defence, they should not be relied on in the field.
Ghanian Tribesmen:
These sub-Saharan soldiers are recuited from the various tribes which had once fueled the armies of the Ghana Empire. Armed with only a sword and a shield and lacking any armour, these are still disciplined troops from a society based on warfare, and form the backbone of early Mali armies. While they are lightly armed, they are ideal soldiers for the climates in their homelands.
Ghanian Bow Hunters:
These are basic bowmen, adapted to fight in the varying climates of Mali, from the tropical rainforests to the harsh Sahara. These troops historically made up a fifth of Ghana's forces, which were over 200,000 strong at their peak. Although they lack protection, they are effective ambushers well suited to the hotter climates, and rely on speed rather than strength to survive.
Ghanian Tribal Cavalry:
Although cavalry had been almost non-existent in the sub-Sahara prior to the Berber invasion of the Murabitun, the fragmented states left in the region were quick to realise the advantages of horsemen, made clear by their conquerors success. These horsemen still retain their African traditions of light equipment and in particular the use of javelins, allowing them to harass enemies in the harsh desert climates.
Mali's first 'Mansa' or 'Emperor' in his capital city of Timbuktu:
Mali's 'Dendi' or 'Prince' marches north for revenge against the Moors:
The Custom Battle Selection Screen:
Mali's battlemap banners:
The Royal Standard of Mali:
Still to do for Final Release:
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Change accents to Middle_Eastern.
Empty Settlement Flags.
The circular faction icon in bottom right of battle screens.
Tweak the positioning of the little symbols so they appear more neatly.
Add a unit_info pic for Ghanian Gunners.
Give generals and captains a unique battlemap skin.
Give Ghanian Tribal Gunners a skin and model for their armour upgrade .
Sort the poles on the battlemap banners, they have a blue texture. Add Mali to the maps in the campaign selection screen, give Mali its own map.
+ any tweaks according to gameplay experiences.
Last edited by Rhyfelwyr; 12-29-2007 at 13:51.
At the end of the day politics is just trash compared to the Gospel.
I'm just sitting back and playing a bit of M2TW right now, but if anyone's having problems let me know, there's a much more active thread for this at the TWC.
At the end of the day politics is just trash compared to the Gospel.
This looks like a very good mini mod, well done you. I especially like the units. Also the thought of an African Empire in Europe appeals to me. Has any African Army ever launched an attack on Europe? Somehow I can not recall that ever happening, I presume that they have the man power but not the wealth or technology required.
This looks very interesting and I plan on playing it.
I have M2TW and Kingdoms with patch 1.5
Do I need to do a dual install and install this on a fresh vanilla M2TW? Or can I just install it on my current game that has Kingdoms? How would it work with other mods? Does it mess anything up? I plan on eventually trying SS 4, SS6, and BC and I want to know if there are any compatitbility issues. Would I have to have 4 or 5 different copies of M2TW? I have the HD space but that might get confusing...
Mali Faction Preview
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Re: Mali Faction Preview
Originally Posted by DefenderofFuture
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