Making Generals Recruitable

[Thermal]

Difficulty: Beginner
Programs Required: Notepad
Approximate Duration with reading: 10 minutes

Welcome to my first tutorial (on a game that's already been covered many times for many years but oh well ) I am going to show you how to make general bodyguard units recruitable so you can train them like you would any other unit on the Grand campaign of medieval 2.

It takes at most 2 minutes to make the necessary changes to the game so you can actually recruit general units (not just the bodyguard, the character with the command, chivalry/dread, loyalty & pious). This method is also very easy, nothing complex here!


Go to C:/Program Files/SEGA/Medieval II Total War/Data


Make a folder and name it 'back up files' then find the export_descr_buildings.txt file and copy then paste it into the 'back up files' folder. This is so you have your normal game file & a spare one in-case you make a mistake & need to revert back to your original file.

Ok now your all backed up so you can't actually ruin your game now, which is good.

Make sure your in the Data folder, now open export_descr_buildings.txt in notepad. I emphasize edit the one in medieval II Total War/Data, not the one in the 'back up file' folder. Once you've opened the file find a suitable building that would be ideal for recruiting generals from, I suggest an advanced stables or advanced core building. You may want to follow my example here.

Find this in the file, it's close to the top:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

huge_stone_wall city requires factions { northern_european, mesoamerican, middle_eastern, eastern_european, greek, southern_european, }
{
capability
{
recruit_pool "Conquistadores" 1 0.5 4 1 requires factions { spain, portugal, } and hidden_resource america
recruit_pool "Swiss Guard" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { papal_states, }
recruit_pool "Hussars" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { poland, hungary, }
recruit_pool "Cossack Musketeers" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { russia, } and event_counter gunpowder_discovered 1
recruit_pool "Dismounted Conquistadores" 1 0.5 4 1 requires factions { spain, portugal, } and hidden_resource america
recruit_pool "Town Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { england, scotland, france, hre, denmark, spain, portugal, Normans, }
recruit_pool "Italian Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { milan, venice, papal_states, sicily, }
recruit_pool "EE Town Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { poland, hungary, }
recruit_pool "EE Archer Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { russia, }
recruit_pool "SE Town Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { byzantium, }
recruit_pool "ME Town Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { moors, turks, mongols, timurids, }
recruit_pool "ME Archer Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { egypt, }
recruit_pool "Peasant Spearmen" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { Saxons, }
recruit_pool "Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { england, scotland, france, hre, denmark, spain, portugal, Normans, }
recruit_pool "Italian Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { milan, venice, papal_states, sicily, }
recruit_pool "EE Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { poland, russia, hungary, }
recruit_pool "SE Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { byzantium, }
recruit_pool "ME Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { moors, egypt, turks, mongols, timurids, }
recruit_pool "Archer Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { england, }
recruit_pool "Scots Pike Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { scotland, }
recruit_pool "Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { france, hre, denmark, spain, portugal, }
recruit_pool "Genoese Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { milan, }
recruit_pool "Pavise Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { venice, papal_states, sicily, hungary, }
recruit_pool "EE Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { poland, russia, }
recruit_pool "S Archer Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { byzantium, }
recruit_pool "ME Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { moors, }
recruit_pool "Saracen Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { egypt, turks, }
recruit_pool "Sabadar Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { timurids, }
recruit_pool "Mongol Horse Archers" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { mongols, }
recruit_pool "Mounted Sergeants" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { Normans, }
recruit_pool "Theigns" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { Saxons, }
recruit_pool "Dismounted Broken Lances" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { milan, }
recruit_pool "Noble Pikemen" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { scotland, }
recruit_pool "Scots Guard" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { france, }
recruit_pool "Christian Guard" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { moors, }
recruit_pool "Broken Lances" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { milan, venice, papal_states, }
wall_level 4
tower_level 1
gate_strength 2
free_upkeep bonus 6
happiness_bonus bonus 3
recruitment_slots 3
}
material stone
construction 4
cost 9600
settlement_min large_city
upgrades
{
}
}
}

For my example I'll add the General unit to a huge stone wall, of course you can add it to any building you see fit. Now make the following changes to the file: (changes are bolded to show what you add)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

huge_stone_wall city requires factions { northern_european, mesoamerican, middle_eastern, eastern_european, greek, southern_european, }
{
capability
{
recruit_pool "Conquistadores" 1 0.5 4 1 requires factions { spain, portugal, } and hidden_resource america
recruit_pool "Swiss Guard" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { papal_states, }
recruit_pool "Hussars" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { poland, hungary, }
recruit_pool "Cossack Musketeers" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { russia, } and event_counter gunpowder_discovered 1
recruit_pool "Dismounted Conquistadores" 1 0.5 4 1 requires factions { spain, portugal, } and hidden_resource america
recruit_pool "Town Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { england, scotland, france, hre, denmark, spain, portugal, Normans, }
recruit_pool "Italian Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { milan, venice, papal_states, sicily, }
recruit_pool "EE Town Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { poland, hungary, }
recruit_pool "EE Archer Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { russia, }
recruit_pool "SE Town Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { byzantium, }
recruit_pool "ME Town Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { moors, turks, mongols, timurids, }
recruit_pool "ME Archer Militia" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { egypt, }
recruit_pool "Peasant Spearmen" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { Saxons, }
recruit_pool "Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { england, scotland, france, hre, denmark, spain, portugal, Normans, }
recruit_pool "Italian Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { milan, venice, papal_states, sicily, }
recruit_pool "EE Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { poland, russia, hungary, }
recruit_pool "SE Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { byzantium, }
recruit_pool "ME Spear Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { moors, egypt, turks, mongols, timurids, }
recruit_pool "Archer Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { england, }
recruit_pool "Scots Pike Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { scotland, }
recruit_pool "Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { france, hre, denmark, spain, portugal, }
recruit_pool "Genoese Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { milan, }
recruit_pool "Pavise Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { venice, papal_states, sicily, hungary, }
recruit_pool "EE Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { poland, russia, }
recruit_pool "S Archer Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { byzantium, }
recruit_pool "ME Crossbow Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { moors, }
recruit_pool "Saracen Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { egypt, turks, }
recruit_pool "Sabadar Militia" 0 0.000001 0.999 0 requires factions { timurids, }
recruit_pool "Mongol Horse Archers" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { mongols, }
recruit_pool "Mounted Sergeants" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { Normans, }
recruit_pool "Theigns" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { Saxons, }
recruit_pool "Dismounted Broken Lances" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { milan, }
recruit_pool "Noble Pikemen" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { scotland, }
recruit_pool "Scots Guard" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { france, }
recruit_pool "Christian Guard" 1 0.4 3 0 requires factions { moors, }
recruit_pool "Broken Lances" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { milan, venice, papal_states, }
recruit_pool "NE Bodyguard" 0.5 0.1 1 0 requires factions { england, scotland, france, hre, denmark, poland, hungary, normans, saxons, }
recruit_pool "SE Bodyguard" 0.5 0.1 1 0 requires factions { spain, portugal, milan, venice, papal_states, sicily, }
recruit_pool "EE Bodyguard" 0.5 0.1 1 0 requires factions { russia, }
recruit_pool "Greek Bodyguard" 0.5 0.1 1 0 requires factions { byzantium, }
recruit_pool "ME Bodyguard" 0.5 0.1 1 0 requires factions { moors, egypt, turks, }
wall_level 4
tower_level 1
gate_strength 2
free_upkeep bonus 6
happiness_bonus bonus 3
recruitment_slots 3
}
material stone
construction 4
cost 9600
settlement_min large_city
upgrades
{
}
}
}

This will allow you to build the general unit from any huge city, in my case, but at a slow rate (you could have them appear at a fast rate but that is too generous. ) Save then close the file.


Almost done!

All you have to do now is, if you haven't already, go to your medieval II total war shortcut, make sure its the shortcut you use to launch the game. (I assume it is on your desktop, or perhaps in the medieval II total war folder) right click on it & click properties.

Where the target line is something similar to this or like this should be present.

"C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\Launcher.exe"

change this to:

"C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\Launcher.exe" --io.file_first

And that's it! The io file first thing is so that your changes can be seen in game by the way, without it you won't notice any difference. If you feel you don't need this then that is fine, some will already know this, but still.