Hey hera and Elwe

[Galestrum]

Hey guys, Ive been working on a Early Era Mod for quite some time - ive tried to make it reflect history better. While I have tried to improve every faction to my historical knowledge - i focused most of my attention on those factions/areas that the byzantines were in close contact with.

I have been play testing this to my hearts content and it seems to be pretty fine tuned - balance wise and historical (at least to the extent I have been able to find stuff on).

Playing as the Byzantines is pretty tough, I think it really reflects the hard situation that Alexius was facing. I have used LK's unit expansion pack (mostly the byzantine area units and other region specific units) as well as made some major changes in unit production, building production and province development.

I probably wont tweak with it too much more until after the VI comes out - but if you would like to try it out sometime let me know, figured id ask you guys since you seem to be byz fans like myself http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

later

[Heraclius]

ooooooh, ooooooh screw tweaking gimme gimme gimme http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif But seriously whenever you're ready to release it to the masses do so. It sounds great but can you post some more specifics to quench my curiosity? And if you need any help with history ask Elwe or me and the two of us can help you, if we don't hijack this thread too http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Galestrum]

hehe sure thing Hera http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Major Changes have been made, but I will focus on the Byzantine area for you guys http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Lands

Byzantines start with : Constantinople, Trebizond, Greece, Crimea, Bulgaria, and the Med islands.

I have increased reblliousness greatly, added many trade goods after doing exhaustive research, removed all land bridges (although im adding back sicily/naples due to Sicily being hampered greatly by lack of the land bridge).

Trebizond is a military outpost (as in history at this time), Bulgaria is ravaged, but the rest of the Imperial lands are highly developed.

Lands in general are more highly developed, particularly in the East Med, Italy, Moorish Spain, and Faction Capitols.

Units

I have employed many of LK's new units for this mod and tweaked the stats of units to my own ideas of reality http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif Big thanks for LK et al, whom made the following units at my request: Menavatoi, Anatolian Highlanders, Byzantine Auxillery, Armenian Infantry (coming soon) and another i forgot hehe

I have also made Turcoman units, Alans, Turcopoles, Fsgts, Mtd sergeants, FMAA and several other units available for production to the Byzantines to reflect the fact that around this time forward, a large portion of the byzantine army was foriegn mercs, permanently employed and serving the empire, I feel that the normal mercs just dont really reflect the way mercs were used by byzantium.

Many units stats have been tweeked, and most eastern archers have been given longbow stats to reflect the superior bows and use of archery in the East.

The byzantine start with a good army, but are surrounded by many powerful enemies - a 2 front war is very dangerous, something Alexius understood all too well

All units are built in 100 man formations. I have also tweaked costs of units - Feudal units are comparatively cheaper, but have higher maint costs, whereas Imperial units cost more initially but have lower maint costs.

Unit Production is now tied to fortification size and other building - not spearmakers, etc. However siege weapons, ships, and gun units remain the same. This helps stoip the decimation of AI lands, and also is more realistic imo, and seems to work better.

Oh Yes the Pecenegs

In 1087 A turkic power known as the pecenegs was threatening Alexius. I have given them Wallachia - rather I have given the Turks Wallachia, as the pecenegs were allied with the turks, now you have a 2 front war with the turks - and they do exploit it quick http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif

IF you wanna Rp, i also made a large rebel army of Cumans in Moldavia, bribe them like Alexius did and smash the peceneg menace by 1091

The Turks

I have united all the turkic lands into the Turk faction, while they were all separate entities, the did all fight the crusaders and byzantines fiercely, as the rebels do not really do this well - i have made the turks more powerful to give both crusader and byzantine having a tougher time.

As alexius, you really do need to help the crusaders and take advantage of them to make permanent gains in Aisa Minor

Turks start with a large and powerful army - many horse archers

They own: Nicaea, Anatolia (utterly barren), rum, armenia, edessa, antioch, palestine, syria, wallachia.

Egypt, Hungary, Novgorod, Sicily, Italy & the Pope

All have been strengthened.

Egypt has a strong econmy and elite core of Cavalry.

Hungary more horse focused and stronger in general.

Novgorod has been Given 4 provinces, to reflect the Kievan Rus powerhouse of the time: Novgorod, Kiev and the 2 intermediate provinces linking them (forgot the names) - I will soon change the Novgorod name to Kievan Rus when i figure it out.

Sicily very powerful core of prefessional units - watch out

Italy - mostly urban units, larger navy, do not own corsica or sardinia.

Pope - he can crusade and has Order knights and soldiers as his army.

All catholics can crusade now, also crusade units can now be built, but req many buildings, and the church buildings are more expensive.

Byzantine Court

Alexius starts out with several emissaries, assassins and spies - be a true byzantine and use these when military might wont cut it http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

Also, it seems many of the intial units are set with the Comnenus name, which luckly reflects history - just as an Rp issue i use them alot as my governors and general, since this was key to Alexius's Dynasty

Byzantine Titles

I have modified the stats of some of the province titles as well as changed the name of the byzantine court titles.

Royal Palace - Protostrator
Constable - Megas Konostaulus
Marshal - Megas Domestikos
Chancelery - Megas Logothetis
Admiralty - Megas Doux
Cathedral - The same http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

Lesser Armenia & Georgia

Are rebels, with byzantine units, as well as certain indiginous units - use deplomacy to regain these lands for the empire.

Also, many of the old lands of the empire are set to orthodox culture, even though they are no longer under the empire, this reflects the lingering loyaltys in lands lost only 15 years prior to the start of the game, use this against your enemies, regain the loyalists http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

The Tagmata and Imperial Navy

You have a core of elite units in the starting Tagmata, as well as turks and latins. Also you have a strong navy capable of operations throughout the eastern med, but beware, all your nearby enemies have ships too, and your fleet can disappear quickly http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif

Thats it off the top of my head, but im sure there is more http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

Later guys http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[Heraclius]

*drools with awe* hurry Galestrum hurry. If you remeber anything else post it please

[Elwe]

Sounds great... gimme gimme gimme

Now, will using this mod override the ability to play the official campaign, or will it remain separate? I'm assuming it will obliterate the original files?

Regardless, it sounds very interesting. I'd definitely like to give it a go.

Cheers. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif

[Rosacrux]

Galestrum

This mod looks great Many changes I've done in my in-house mods (never released those) as incorporating the units of the Lords and changing the balance of power in the era...

But your approach seems quite more adequate than mine... so, what are waiting for? Upload the bloody thing at once http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

edited to add

Just noticed this: It's kontostavlos and menavlatoi. Other than that, it looks awesome.

[kataphraktoi]

Galestrum please advertise my Klibanophori mod unit,
its uploaded on MTW already but nobody's given it a go.

I also have made a Skutatoi mod of heavy spearmen.

All are successful and are a hoot.

The Klibanophori disappeared after Manizkert but since the Byzantines survived it is possible to retrain them again.

The Skutatoi are first rank infanrty men who can halt and take on heavy cavalry.

Other lesser known units of mine are my Balkan range units.

We should atart a Byzantine club, all members are required to pay membership fees in nomismatas, privileges include a stunning icon of the virgin mary plus your own kataphraktos starter kit with real kill action lance and bow.
Join now and recieve a free lamellar suit.

Every member gets a coupon, cash this in our club and you can get an mortal enemy assassinate or tortured byzantine style:

options include:
mutilation
senseless slaughter
beheading
castration

hurry seats in the byzantine club is limited.

But seriously we should start making Byzantine campaign mods to share sround.

I made an Alexius Comnenus mod too and its real fun to play as victim, I'm sure Galestrum's one would rck, can't wait to see it.

[kataphraktoi]

Tagmata is a great idea Galestrum but you will be my hero if you add new units to the brothel.

you have an spy to produce if u build a brothel but dude and I stress DUDE we need more units for the brothel.

this is my wishlist:
Bellydancer assassin: she teases you with her hips then she stabs you in the head with her deadly cones...c'mon what muslim would leave home to fight the ROmans without one????

Jiglo Johannes: he can change sexes to disguise as a royal prostitute. nuff said........

Yusuf the pimp: he trains prostitutes to spy in other brothels and stir rebelliions.

Can it be done Galestrum, can it be achieved by Roman hands?

I think it can be done but its gotta do with BIF files and the appearance I will see what I can't do and explore the potential.

[Heraclius]

kataphraktoi you are very weird sometimes. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif Yusuf the Pimp? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif anyway sounds good. I will download your unit mods right now and Galestrum's Comnenus mod as soon as he releases it.

[Galestrum]

Hehe http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Well let me answer some questions and add some of my own.


Quote[/b] ]Just noticed this: It's kontostavlos and menavlatoi. Other than that, it looks awesome.

Hey Rosa - yeah i told LK that they were called Menavlatoi, but he decided to name them menavatoi for some reason? either way he did them for which im eternally thankful even if its misspelled hehe.

Kontostavlos? is that a reference to Megas Konostaulus? I grabbed the court titles from Bartusis, thats how he spelled it, im not greek, Im just a fan, so i dont know hehe http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/tongue.gif

Basically The court titles changed over the years and seemed to change in purpose and power and function, so i used them in their original forms, function and importance as best as i could decipher


Quote[/b] ]Galestrum please advertise my Klibanophori mod unit,
its uploaded on MTW already but nobody's given it a go.

I havent seen this Kata, ill look for it in .org d/l, if not there link me and ill check it out - if its part of LKs expansion pack, i have already added them into my mod, and they are the unit that the royal family gets as oppossed to kataphraktoi. I did slightly tweak that untis stats i think.


Quote[/b] ]The Klibanophori disappeared after Manizkert but since the Byzantines survived it is possible to retrain them again

Yes i came upon that in research as well, however i let them in, and all units potentially available to the Byz in, each ruler/dynasty/general in Byz History seemed to alter their armies according to politics, ability, enemies, and cost, so if you want to recreate a theme army you can, if you want auxillery armies, you have access to armenians, anatolians, turcomen, syrians, bulgarians etc. Want latins or a greek only army have at it http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif


Quote[/b] ]Tagmata is a great idea Galestrum but you will be my hero if you add new units to the brothel.

Sadly im not a great modder - in the unit creation sense, i am lost when creating new units/maps etc. My abilities stop at changing unit and building costs and stats, and changing the initial set ups of factions (lands, resources, units etc).

Creating completely new units is out of my league http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif

[Galestrum]

one question - im not an internet guru and have never modded before MTW. What exactly do i need in order to uplaod my mod somewhere? anyone know, cuz im an idiot in that regard - im sure i could email the crusader 11 and startpos and bldg 13 text files - but i dont know how to zip and uplaod and make available for d/l http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

[Galestrum]

Quote[/b] ]I'm assuming it will obliterate the original files?


well elwe, it would ovverwrite your orig crus 11 and bldg 13 files, but if you copy those to another folder outside of mtw, you can just move them back into MTW folder and everything will be ok.

as far as the startpos, it will just be another option available in the campaign selection process

[Heraclius]

Quote[/b] (Galestrum @ Mar. 19 2003,14:04)]
Quote[/b] ]I'm assuming it will obliterate the original files?


well elwe, it would ovverwrite your orig crus 11 and bldg 13 files, but if you copy those to another folder outside of mtw, you can just move them back into MTW folder and everything will be ok.
I have never modded and will probably never try. I am just naturally bad with computers. If I try to mod I will probably end up fighting Gulam with spearmen in the Aegean Sea So my point is how do you do what you just described?

[Heraclius]

Quote[/b] (Galestrum @ Mar. 19 2003,14:04)]
Quote[/b] ]I'm assuming it will obliterate the original files?


well elwe, it would ovverwrite your orig crus 11 and bldg 13 files, but if you copy those to another folder outside of mtw, you can just move them back into MTW folder and everything will be ok.
I have never modded and will probably never try. I am just naturally bad with computers. If I try to mod I will probably end up fighting Gulam with spearmen in the Aegean Sea So my point is how do you do what you just described?

[Galestrum]

when I am ready to give it to you guys i will describe the process throughly, but its not complex my friend - i figured iut out afterall, so it cant be too terribly difficult hehe http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[kataphraktoi]

Galestrum i will help, i will only agree if you name me commander of the Scholae Tagmata unit, plus I want to get the title of Curopalates and ooh ohh I want the office of Strategos of the Hellas theme, i hear some Athenian women are quite nice and vicious.....maybe we an Athenian femme fatale unit in the game.

Well Galestrum i have uploaded it to MTW but a fireproof way is to get ur own geocities domain and upload the files there, make sure though that the folder you upload is a zip file.

I will also make these mods on demands, they will not effect MTW files much so dont worry. by the way of u add a new unit u can't play your old savegames without deleting the added unit.

mods made already:
Klibanophori
Skutatoi

Mods will be made if people want it(already made but not uploaded)
Serbian Brigands (fast cross country unit, bow and axe as weapons)
Croatian Brigands( fast, hide in open, bow and axe, attacks cavalry well&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Khwarazmian cavalry with bow, if u want a challenge add bows to these guys.
Byzantine sabotage unit, orthodox agent who falsely accuses catholic generals of heresy yay

By the way Galestrum you know u can add more titles to the early.txt file.
eg. cathedral = patriarch of constantinople
you can make the cathredal give u multiple titles if you copy and paste it and replace the title so that means you can get "patriarch of constantinople" and "idiot of antioch" when u build a cathedral, since titles meant a lot to Romans I tyhough it wise to make more titles, I am also thinking about adding titles that don't do anything, they are nice titles for adding loyalty but thats about it, it is a custom of Emperors to give titles practcal and useless.

links that u can't behind;




skutatoi (http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynextdoor/Skutatoiv.1heavyinfentryspearmen.zip)

Klibanophori heavy cavalry (http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynextdoor/Klibanophoriv1.0.zip)

Eventually u'll find the leaders using Klibs instead of Kats, the Klibs were equipped in such that they were able to confront spearmen with long spears, their maces were used to break spears, so I gave the Klibanophori two weapons a lance for charging and a mace for melee.
Klibs weaknesses are deserts and really heavy infantry but can take on most anti-cav infantry cos they are nothing but peasant levy.

2 years to train a unit of 30 Klibs, I think they cost 1300 florins or something, they are slower than Kats because they waer more armour than the Kats but when they reach their targets watch them tear a hole in them.

results from tests:
Klibs vs Ghazi infantry and 2 Saracen infantry
Ghazis destroyed my Klibs after they took out two Saracen infatry units, I have modded the Ghazis to be more fanatical and aggressive.

Klibs vs Gothic knights
Goths were cleaned up in a head on charge

Serbian and Croatian brigands cleaned up my heavy cavalry in hilly terrain, note use brigands in mountainous terrain always, they kick butt in those regions.

Fellas u can have both modded and original early campaigns in MTW

that means u can have:
early period
high period
late period
early period modded

WOW

MORE CATAPHRACTS U CAN SHAKE A STICK AT.

I recommend severely that people add armenian heavy cavalry and turcoman horsemen, if u don;t know how to jus ask me and I will tweak it for you, its a small change that it doens;t change anything at all, just what factions can and cannot have. g

Dobra Dan everyone.

[kataphraktoi]

kataphraktoi I hate you and your bias and favouritism to the Byzantines, first of all they are not Romans and second of all they are crap.

I beg to differ Kataphraktoi, I hate you first so there, here have a chill pill, heres a pic of a Klibanophori.

Shut up and like it Kataphraktoi.

http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynextdoor/romanclibanarii.jpg

[Rosacrux]

My goodness Kata, that stuff you are on must be reeeally cool. Give me some, now http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif


btw I'll try your units next time I play with Byzantines. I have added some other units to the byzantine roster, those in Lord's pack and the Trapezitoi. But the Lord's Klivanophoroi leave much to be desired, and the Skutatoi (besides being named "Skutaktoi" http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif ) suck big time, so I am looking forward to test your version.

[Heraclius]

me as well.

[kataphraktoi]

can anyone send me the original action pages txt file for "Ehorse txt"

its in MTW/textures/men/actionpages

send it to care of fuzzwuzznuzz@hotmail.com

I did some tweaking and my riders on Ehorses look pretty whacked out.

I will post some screenies of my units

I have two versions of the Klibs will post pics later
Klibanophori on Armhorse(same as gothic knights mount)

Klibanophori on Ehorse(same mount as the kats)

Anyone want a mod made I am your man, within reasonable parameters of course.

By the way Demonarchangel has made a suicide bomber from the Naptha throwers, can hide in open and is fast and explodes on contact with enemy. way cool.

I tried to make byzantine cavlry fire grenades wit bows. no chance they were wusses all of them so i stuck to arrows and gave them armoured horses hehehe. Sipahi of the Porte aren't the only horse archers with Armoured horses.

What do you guys think of a native Russian spearman, i despise the Halberdiers, thats too Western Europe, I was thinking of a Russian Guardsmen with eastern style halberds, cost cheap to train but are terrible to confront.

nah better not or else I can't play my old savegames.

Whats Lord Krazy's Klib like, any screenies????

Rosacrux, power is the best drug there is, I am ruling the Roman EMpire in the map that I can cause a civil war if I want to, build and destroy, build and destroy.
My Emperor has a fear of success lest his reign witnesses the decline of the ROman EMpire. Took me from AD 713 to AD 1015 to complete it.

[kataphraktoi]

screenies spaghettio

http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynextdoor/skutandklibadventures.jpg

klibscreenie (http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynextdoor/skutandklibadventures.jpg)

http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynextdoor/klibkillgothics.jpg

goth bad day (http://www.geocities.com/weirdguynextdoor/klibkillgothics.jpg)


the official kataphraktoi screeenies

[Galestrum]

Kata i dont know if itsme, but i cannot see any of your screenies http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[kataphraktoi]

try the links beneath each pic, its a contingency plan incase they don't show

[Galestrum]

I did it says the page is temporarily unavailable for viewing, but every link ou post says that - all the time for me http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[kataphraktoi]

gimme ur e-mail add and anyone who wants exclusive pics of bare naked steel. featuring the centrefold of the week in PlayKat

[Galestrum]

galestrum@cfl.rr.com

[Lord Krazy]

Galestrum,
well done, about time people started using
the new units option to enhance the game.





Quote[/b] ]btw I'll try your units next time I play with Byzantines. I have added some other units to the byzantine roster, those in Lord's pack and the Trapezitoi. But the Lord's Klivanophoroi leave much to be desired, and the Skutatoi (besides being named "Skutaktoi" ) suck big time, so I am looking forward to test your version.

The units in the Community Mod are
a template with all the files in place
for you to create new units all you have to do is change the names and stats if you don't like them.
All I can promise is that when you play the game it won't
crash.If I were to spell every name right and doo all the stats perfect people would still find fault and instead of
69 units you would have something like 29 units.

Some of the units in the mod I had never heard of, before
they were requested so how I can give them realistic stats
is still a bit of a puzzle to me http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
So if you know tell us and we will change them.

When Galestrum is ready and any others
that have units they can contact me
if I don't contact them and
we'll compile their stuff too.

But that's all we aim to do at the end of the day.
Get all the units from the community and compile
them in some order.I'v just been waiting for
people like Galestrum and kata to
get stuff out.


Skutatoi , I tought it meant "sucks big time"
in Greek.
You see what happens when I try to be historical

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif


Looking forward to your stuff Galestrum.

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[kataphraktoi]

yo Lord Krazy
I have churned out the Klibanopori and Skutatoi, its even on the MTW downlaods but some reason doesn;t appear at all.

if u want it the link is somwhere one in this topic posdt of the other ones by Galestrum and me.