ancient wars mod

[King James I]

Hey guys thanks for the advice and encouragement. My original idea for the mod has gone through a bit of a transformation. My original intention was to have a mod split into three periods set during the early and middle Iron Age between 1000 B.C to around 500 B.C with a over 30 playable factions, but after corresponding with a person far more knowledgeable than I, I realized I was being rather too ambitious at least for a start.

I have confined the timeline to between I'd like to between 939 B.C and 840 B.C. The playable and non-playable factions will also be restricted down to just 18 the and relengating rest to rebel provinces depending on their importance. Since a few of the factions especially those in the Levant became independent from Isreael. They can be modelled through having them emerge at the historical date which can be done in the game.

I would like the map to stretch from Egypt through Arabia, up the Levant and Syria, Anatolia, up to the Eurasian Steppes, down through Mesopotamia, and across to Eastern Iran.

Main factions could consist of
Aramaems
Assyria
Babylon
Israel
Elam
Libyan Egypt
Cilicia
Phillistines
Syro-Hittite states
Phoenicians

Minor unplayable factions
Aeolian, Ionian and Dorian city-states on western coast of Anatolia.
Mysians
Lydians
Carians
Lycians
Phrygians
Kaskans
emerging Levantine states

Some of the minor kingdoms might consist of very minor Syrian kingdoms or city states which could be rebel provinces though complete with national borders. Rebels can have a national identity such as the case of the Cumans in Medieval Total War for example, but do not have a national emblem, faction colour, and their conquests aren't recognized as such. The Lithuanians weren't considered important enough to deserve their own faction status, but they had their own unique unit, so this could be the same for certain factions in my TC such as the Quarrean Hittite city-states of Syria
whose special unit could be the Quarrean Spearmen who I have read was the main auxillary unit in the Assyrian army.

I have asked a fellow member of the all-empires.com forums to design a map for the mod and he kindly agreed to.

[Eastside Character]

About all those factions that are supposed to emerge during the game (Golden Horde type invasion as you say). I don't really think you can make a faction emerge the same way GH emerges, GH invasion is hardcoded.

1250 B.C. to 500 A.D. - this is a very long time, I wonder how will it work (I personally wouldn't propably handle such a long campaign).

You have some interesting ideas so I'm looking forward to see how this mod develops. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[TheSilverKnight]

you can't go in B.C. in MTW. Only in RTW will you be able to go both B.C. and A.D. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[BobTheTerrible]

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

I don't mean to discourage you, but making factions is a real time-consuming affair. Even if you were to just re-name existing ones you would still have to make 8 (?) factions to get 32.

I have a minimal modding experience (as in making the Swiss playable) so I'm afraid I can't help you with the mod, but I would be interested in seeing this mod come to life. Good luck

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

[Sun Tzui]

Quite interesting mod http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

Do post your progress about it.

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

[Antalis::]

This mod sounds interresting, good luck http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif


Antalis

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

When you get in your stride the factions will be done quicker than you could imagine. If you have any problems with it, everyone will help in the Alchemist Lab. Keep your patience though because it can be annoying but really enjoyable http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[dunnichen]

That would be a great Mod, I hope you carry on. My "modding-experience" is restricted to minor changes in the existing files http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif , so unfortunately I can't help you.

Its a very long time for a Mod. The art of war changed considerably during your choosen time. The problem is that unlike in the medieval, between 1250 and 500 BC there was not a steady progress but also a decline. So early armies could be stronger or better than later ones, what would be a bit difficult for gameplaying. On the other hand you can solve the problem by having separated periods as in MTW (where Huscarles are stronger than Chivalric men at arms, aren't they?).

I own several hundreds of MAA, Elite and similar books. Every Osprey book is profitable. You get an image of the warriors because of the pictures and mostly there is some kind of scientific approach to the theme.

MAA 109 "Ancient Armies of the Middle East" is a very good one. But as it contains only 40 pages its information potential is naturally limited. Its a good starter but many of the factions you want to create are not dealt with.

In the booklet some sources are given for further studies. Additionally you can have a look to "Fighting of the Ancient World" by Anglim/Jestice/Rice et al.. For weapons of old Europe (not that of Mr. Rumsfeld) a good book is "Helme und Waffen Alteuropas" by Born/Hansen, which I don't own but have read. However, it is in German and quite expensive.

Good luck for your Mod http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[dunnichen]

Something I've forgotten:

You should also have a look to the following Osprey books:

Elite 39 Ancient Assyrians
Elite 40 New Kingdom Egypt
Campaign 22 Quadesh 1300 BC

Helpful may also be "Warriors of the Old Testament" by Healy, which I have not read myself.

[King James I]

I have compiled a list of unit types I will need in the mod that I have made from the research I have been doing from several books and websites, the primary resource I have been using is The First Armies by Doyne Dawson. There are a few other books I hope to purchase which include

Battles of the Bible by Chaim Herzog and Mordechai Gichon
The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands by Yigal Yadin
The First Armies by Doyne Dawson
ANCIENT ARMIES OF THE MIDDLE EAST
FIGHTING TECHNIQUES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD by Simon Anglim
Armies of the Ancient Near East
The Great Armies of Antiquity:
by Richard A. Gabriel
Ancient Armies (Fighting Men Series)
by Tim Newark, Angus McBride

Assyrian Army

Assyrian Heavy Infantry (Sah Sharri)-
These units were composed of native Assyrians who constituted the whole army until after the expansion of the empire by Tiglasth-Pileser. They were armored with a corslet of iron scales and a conical iron helmet, and armed with a large shield and long spear and were the core of the Assyrian army.

Assyrian Heavy Infantry (Kisir Sharruti or Royal Cohort)
These were an elite Assyrian force which were created by Tiglath-Pileser they were a sort of Praetorian guard under the direct command of the king. The were equipped basically the same as the Sah Sharri, except in some cases when equipped with a man high pavise type shield.

Assyrian Heavy Infantry (Sha Qurbuti)
These were even more elite than the Kisir Sharruti. These men composed of men of the Royal Bodyguard. They were equipped in a similar fashion to the Kisir Sharruti.

Assyrian Armoured Archers
These men weres were of native Assyrian origin. They were fully armoured like the Assyrian Infantrymen, but were armed with the powerful composite bow. They were formed in close formation whence they showered with murderous vollies of arrows.

Quarrean Spearmen
These men formed the spearmen element of the Assyrian auxillaries. There equipment suggests they came from the Hittite cities of syria. They were more lighly armoured than the Assyrians though. They were identified by their distinctive crested helmets and crossed chest straps. It is possible that Quarreans donate Quarreans and auxillary spearmen and others simarly armed.

Ituaeans
These men were the light infantry component of the Assyrian auxilliaries. They were archers distinguished by their cross straps and headbands. They were called Ituaens because they were from the Aramaen tribe of the same name. It is possible that Ituaens donate Ituaens and auxillary archers and others simarly armed.

Assyrian cavalry
Cavalry was a great innovation of the Assyrians at least for a sedatory society. In the ninth century the art of managing a horse in battle had not been completely mastered. Cavalrymen rode in pairs, one holding the reins and the other firing his composite bow. The cavalry of Tiglath-Pileser consisted of a single horseman armed with a bow or spear or both.

Assyrian chariots
Chariots were used as platforms from which archers could shoot from. Assyrian chariots were lightweigt and maneuverable with a leather platform that acted as a shock absorber.

In the seventh century the chariot was a much heavier vehicle, pulled by four horses and carrying four men-two archers, a shield-bearer, and a driver. Their clumsiness and vulnerability makes it improbable that these vehicles were used in the charge. It is more likely that chariots had reverted to their original form and became once again a mobile command center and a vehicle for transporting important people.

Assyrian Armoured
These men were were of native Assyrian origin. They were fully armoured like the Assyrian Infantrymen, but were armed with a iron headed mace and carried no shield.

Egyptian Army

Nubian archers
Nubia was known to the Egyptians as "Ta Sety," the "Land of the Bow," because of the fame of Nubian archers. The legendary skill of Nubian bowmen, although dating back thousands of years. In fact, that a large portion of the army of ancient Egypt was composed of recruits from the Land of the Bow, not of native-born Egyptians. The Nubians served Egypt well for centuries, except for those occasional restless periods, when they decided to just conquer Egypt and rule it themselves.
Egyptian Chariots
The light, fast, maneuverable chariots that differentiated the New Kingdom armies from those that came before. The role of the chariotry was to support the infantry in battle. They were crewed by a driver (kedjen) who would also act as a shield bearer, and an archer (seneny).
Royal Guards
These soldiers carrying a large axe which would be swung two-handed while the shield is slung over his back. After 1279 BC they might depict Shardana Royal Guard, Sherden warriors with their distinctive horned helmets and long swords.

Menfat
The "menfat", the backbone of the Egyptian army armed with spear, shield and a side arm; usually an axe or khopesh. The Bd option would apply only to armies before 1279 BC and represent infantry depicted in art carrying spear in their left hand and khopesh or axe in their right with their shield slung behind their shoulder. After that date Egyptian close fighters are more likely to have advanced in a phalanx type of a formation, thrusting their spears from behind an overlapping shield wall.

Egyptian archers
As half an Egyptian army would have been made up of archers, many of them formed in close order. Their role was to shower the enemy with a large volume of arrows in support of the close fighters.

Egyptian Light Infantry
These can be elements of light javelinmen or archers. They might be Egyptians or recruits from vassal or allied states, or mercenaries, such as Syrians, Nubians or Libyans.

I have asked DukeJohn if he could make the units for me, but as of yet have not heard from him.

[King James I]

Currency-Shekel

Egyptian titles
Government
Tjaty (Royal Vizier)
Sepat (Provinical Governor)
Supervisor of the granaries
Imi-ra per hedj (supervisor of the White House)
Imi-ra per desher (supervisor of the Red House)
Tjeji (the Seal-bearer)
Overseer of the Double House of Silver (treasurer of all Egypt)
Military Titles
imi-ra-sesemut (marshal of the chariotry)
General, or overseer of the army
Lieutenant commander, serving as senior officer
Overseer of garrison troops
Troop commander, in charge of several regiments, a brigade or a fortress
Chief of Recruits

Assyrian titles
Turtan (Field Marshal)
shupar-shaku (Provinical Governor)
Shaknu (General)