PREVIEW: The Byzantine Empire

The release of the full early era campaign is drawing closer, and the dev team has decided to build up the hype a bit. And how else would we do it other than the good old faction preview, shamelessly plagiarised from EB.
Plagiarised? Well, the idea sure comes from EB, but you'll pretty soon realise (after the first couple of previews, that is) that the weekly previews that we release are in fact quite different from the EB ones. In fact, only the first few will be faction previews as we know and love them. You'll just have to wait and see what comes after that :P.

As you can probably tell from the title, the first "countdown to open beta" will be a preview of the Byzantine faction. Happy reading!

THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE
https://img262.imageshack.us/img262/...zantium8ga.jpg

INTRODUCTION

The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. The Byzantine Empire considered itself the only true inheritor both of the Roman Empire and of the Christian religion. This fact made the Empire something somewhere between an ally and an enemy to the West. The Greek Emperor regarded himself as the true inheritor of the Caesars and the true defender of the faith against the Muslims.

The Empire consisted of Asia Minor, the Balkans, and Greece. Over the 12th and 13th centuries, it lost most of its lands in all these areas, but its fortunes waxed and waned dramatically.

During the rule of the Comneni, the Empire was resqued from near-destruction by the Turks and returned it to a position of strength. Around 1200, though, their leadership failed and Byzantium was torn apart by internal strife. The Paleologoi emperors ruled a much-reduced empire for another two hundred years.

The center of the Byzantine Empire is the capital city of Constantinopolis, named after it's founder, the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Constantinopolis is located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara. The site has been strategically and commercially important from the earliest times, lying as it does astride both the land route from Europe to Asia and the seaway from the Black or Euxine Sea to the Mediterranean, and being possessed of an excellent and spacious harbour in the Golden Horn. Thus a city was first founded on the site in the early days of Greek colonial expansion, when in 667 BC the legendary Byzas established it with a group of citizens from the town of Megara. This city was named Byzantium.

https://img103.imageshack.us/img103/...nopolis3zw.jpg

By the 5th century, it was the largest and richest urban center in Europe, a position it would hold for nearly a thousand years. The city also provided a defence for the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire against the invasions of the 5th century, for Europe against the Arabs, and for European Christendom against Islam. As a result, it also came to play a major role during the Crusades.
Following the catastrophic defeat in 1071 by the Seljuk Turks at Manzikert in Armenia, the emperor Michael VII pleaded for assistance from the West. This led to the First Crusade, which assembled at Constantinople in 1096, and moved on towards Jerusalem. The Crusades were, however, to lead in time to the disastrous capture and sack of Constantinopolis by the Fourth Crusade on April 12, 1204. The city was retaken by Byzantine forces under Michael VIII Palaeologus in 1261.

In the middle of the city there is an awesome contruction: the Hagia Sofia. It is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Of great artistic value was its decorated interior with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings.

https://img55.imageshack.us/img55/3006/hagia23nd.jpg

Hagia Sophia is covered by a central dome with a diameter of 31 meters and 56 metres high, slightly smaller than the Pantheon's. The dome seems rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of arched windows under it, which help flood the colorful interior with light. The dome is carried on pendentives—four concave triangular sections of masonry which solve the problem of setting the circular base of a dome on a rectangular base.

https://img64.imageshack.us/img64/4572/hagia36pk.jpg

At the western (entrance) and eastern (liturgical) ends, the arched openings are extended by half domes carried on smaller semidomed exedras. Thus a hierarchy of dome-headed elements builds up to create a vast oblong interior crowned by the main dome, a sequence unexampled in antiquity.

The Hagia Sophia was the seat of the Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople and a principal setting for imperial ceremonies. When Constantinopolis and the Empire finally fell to the Ottoman Turks on Tuesday May 29, 1453, the Hagia Sofia was converted to a mosque.

THE ARMY

Trebizond archers
Trebizond archers are the strongest archers that the Byzantine army has to offer. Their long range and the devastating power of their arrows make them a useful asset to any Byzantine general. They are particularly strong against lightly armoured units (such as spearmen or levy crossbowmen) and, if used effectively, can force the whole enemy army to attack, thus bringing it out of a strong tactical position to avoid being shot to pieces. The only disadvantage of these archers is their low cost-effectiveness against other missile units and their relative weakness in hand-to-hand combat. Therefore, these men should normally be reinforced by levy archers and kept within safe distance of the main infantry line.

Historically, Trebizond Archers are a near elite archer unit that carry long composite bows. They can often stop a cavalry charge dead, as happened many times against kurdish and berber cavalry. They were often the first line of defense against mounted archery as well, because they could fire farther. Using them in the historical manner is probably wisest, because they are among the most useful Byzantine troops.
https://img351.imageshack.us/img351/...ebizond0oy.jpg


Themata Taxeis
The system of the Themata has kept the Roman Empire safe for four hundred years against the Arabs to the east. The new Turkish enemy has strained the system to the breaking point. The cost effective and competant soldiers it produces might be lost forever if the system is not reorganized and remade by an intelligent Emperor. These soldiers carry spears and shields and wear light armor. Despite this equipment, they are often steadfast and dependable soldiers, the product of their training and the ingenious system of the themes. They can be used as a medium infantry, even if their equipment is light.
https://img103.imageshack.us/img103/5817/taxeis2xq.jpg


Skutatoi
Skutatoi are the standard heavy infantry of the Byzantine army. Similarly to the the Catholic men-at-arms, these men are cost-effective and well-armoured, can hold a battleline for a long time unless flanked and are the normal unit that you'll use to engage the enemy. Their attack isn't very strong, so you'll probably need another unit to do the actual "breaking" of the enemy lines. But despite this, a Byzantine general shouldn't ever leave the house without these trusty men, as no other unit that he'll be able to recruit is as well-suited for simply "hanging in there" as these guys.
https://img179.imageshack.us/img179/...utatoi19fr.jpg


Menlaviatoi
When heavy cavalry was again coming to the fore, the wise Emperor Nikephoros II designed thematic soldiers to counter it. These soldiers were widly disbanded after Isaac II, but can be used and kindled by a wise leader. They carry long pikes and are trained in the ancient style of pike warfare.
https://img179.imageshack.us/img179/...viatoi13pd.jpg


Exkoubitoi Tagmata
The Excubitors are the heirs of the Praetorian Guard. They were founded in the 500s A.D., but did not become prominent until the 700s. They are all that remains of the proud and elite Roman heavy infantry that once dominated the known world. They are armored in chain and carry an ovular shield. They wear the standard spangenhelm of the Byzantine army and carry a spatha and javelins into battle. They are similar to the Skutaktoi, but equipped far better, being the infantry guard of the Emperor before the Varangians were formed. After this, the Excubitors still had their uses, being the major force of heavy infantry that could be called upon well into the 12th century.
https://img336.imageshack.us/img336/...ubitors9sm.jpg


Varangian Guard
In the 11th century, the Emperors of the new Rome decided to hire an elite unit of foreign bodyguards, since their own were often prone to court intrigue and assassination. These guards became known as the Varangians, and often included norsemen, germans, and even saxons from the island of Britain. They were armored with the finest mail, equipped with large axes and hurlbats, and were often the heavy infantry punch after an initial cavalry charge. They should be used as ultra-heavy infantry, as there aren't many enemies that can stand up to them properly.

Historically, the Varangian guard provided a new Tagmata to make up for the hemhorraging of manpower in the others. While some of these recovered from their losses, the Varangians were already established in their place. They were also frighteningly good at what they did, guard the Emperor and fight as his shock troops.
https://img166.imageshack.us/img166/...rangian1hi.jpg


Themata hippeis
The themes produced a reliable medium cavalry as well, exemplified by these men. They are armed with spears and shields and wear light armor. They are primarily a flanking cavalry and have a good aptitude for outfighting most equivalent cavalry. They are also cost effective and easy to keep in service, due to the nature of the thematic system.

Historically, thematic cavalry was often of this middle of the road sort. They produced a decent melee force that supported the heavy cavalry by charging in behind them, and providing a 'second shock' that often broke enemy armies after the initial charge. Being followed by waves of infantry, arrows, and small groups of heavy infantry, these cavalrymen can make quite a dent in the melee.
https://img79.imageshack.us/img79/1586/hippeis6za.jpg


Klibanophoroi
The heavy cavalry of the Byzantine Empire came from both the thematic and tagmatic soldiers and were often either nobility or 'sponsored' soldiers. Often, the interior themes of the Empire did not need to call up all their soldiers for war. So many would band together into groups of five and 'sponsor' the fifth soldier, effectively spending most of their income on this man's armor and equipment, effectively freeing them from duty and creating a class of heavy cavalry. They are armed with a suit of composite lamellar armor (layer of small scales, a layer of padding, and then a layer of chain) that allows them mobility and protection at the expense of weight. They are armed with a two handed lance (now called the kontos) and a large mace. Their primary function is to act as an exceedingly heavy shock cavalry. Their extensive training and heavy equipment suit them to this task quite well.

Historically, the Klibanophoroi were a heavy shock cavalry adopted in late antiquity by the Roman Empire to counter a similar unit in the employ of their Parthian (and later Sassanid) enemy. Though these nations are long gone, the superb cavalry that they inspired lives on in the Byzantine revision of its tactics. These cavalry were in use up until the middle of the twelfth century. They did not fall out of use because they were inferior to the soldiers of their enemies, or because they were somehow eclipsed by latin soldiers. If you were to take a soldier with a horse in full lamellar barding who was exceedingly heavily armored in composite armor and carries a mace and a 3.5 meter lance against someone with half that armor at best, a 2 meter lance, and a sword as a side arm, you can well imagine the outcome. No, the Klibanophoroi disappeared with the Empire's ability to pay for them.
https://img79.imageshack.us/img79/67...phoroi23om.jpg


Unit Cards
Here is the entire selection of the byzantine Early Era army. Note that this is not necessary a final list, and that the High and Late eras will add aditional units.
https://img361.imageshack.us/img361/...itcards7ao.jpg
from left to right: Peasants, Spearmen, Themata Taxeis, Skutatoi, Exkoubitoi Tagmata, Varangian Guard, Menlaviatoi, Levy Archers, Naptha Throwers, Trebizond Archers, Peltastai, Trapeziatoi, Themata Hippeis, Athanatai Tagmata, Latinikoi, Klibanophoroi, Kataphraktoi, Horse Archers, Catapult and Slavic Warriors


STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

Strategy Map
The Byzantine Empire starts with a good number of provinces, but it's armies are left in a weakened state after the defeat at Manzikert just a year earlier (1071). They lost control over a lot of former provinces, and Seljuk armies have already penetrated into byzantine territory. Driving back these Seljuk forces will be the first task in order to re-establish a strong byzantine empire. Once the Byzantine themes have been recovered the Emperor should choose wether to move deeper into Seljuk territory, dealing with them once and for all - or moving his attention to the northern baltic provinces. Hungary is close and might be tempted to stab the weakened byzantine empire in the back as soon as it has the chance. Once the empire has secured all it's borders, the coffins should be filling with gold again, allowing it to field the great armies of the glorious past once again.

Battlemap
The byzantines have a number of very powerfull units, but they are also very expensive. They can choose to rely on less expensive units, but these are less in quality then the equivalents of other factions. Therefor the best choice of a byzantine general is to make a carefull balance between elite and regular units.
The Klibanophoroi and Kataphraktoi are among the strongest cavalry in the world, but they are slow and expensive. Once they enter the battle they either win or die, as they are too cubersome to make a succesfull retreat. And losing these formidable but expensive units usualy results in imminent defeat. Therefor, these units need support from regular cavalry to protect their flanks, and good force of infantry to keep the bulk of the enemy infantry at bay. Skutatoi are the most reliable unit for the front line infantry, while the faster Taxeis can be used in reserve to fill gaps and quickly respond to changing situations. Then there is always the elite infantry, made up from the Varangian Guard or the Excubitors. These can be used as a last "all-or-nothing" reserve, or thrown into battle right away, in an attempt to break open the enemy infantry. Either way, these guys should be kept away from enemy cavalry, for they are not equiped to deal with such units.
And lets not forget the Trebizond archers, who can soften up the enemy before the infantry and cavalry finishes the job. Especially when fighting the Seljuk horse archer armies a byzantine army should prepare a large archer contigent, because the heavy cavalry is much too slow to catch these fast horse archers, and would be destroyed in detail. Byzantine's own horse archers and light cavalry can also be very usefull in this situation.


SIGNATURE BANNERS
Another idea shamelessly stolen from EB, but it seems to be a good way of publicity, which I think we deserve after all the hard work :)
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333x100x28.85kb
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500x90x9.23kb (Org specifications)
https://img95.imageshack.us/img95/84...eempire6pi.jpg

WEBMASTER
To conclude I'd like to ask if there is anyone among you who'd like to make a new official website for ChivalryTW. I took a course of webdesign myself but do not have the time for making a decent website and doing the majority of work on this mod. We have some strict requirements tho:
-You have to show us some sites you already made. These should show that you have a good knowledge about HTML, but also skills with Photoshop (or other GFX editing program).
-You have to be 16+. We just don't want to take the risk of dealing with an immature person, the website would be too important to leave in the hands of an unreliable person.

Adherbal ,
I am in total shock - AMAZING

Keep up your great job !!! :knight: :knight: :knight:

Awesome prewiev! Just can´t wait for another one. I especially like how you have edited the ships and the cities on the map!

~:cheers:

~:eek: ~:eek: ~:eek: ~:eek:


I can't believe... i'm seeing Hagia Sophia on RTW !!!



YOU'RE A HERO !!!!

I LOVE YOU !!!

~:eek: ~:eek: ~:eek:

I already commented at twc, but i think another praising is in order.

This preview is amazing, nice work. ~:cheers:

Wow! Looking great!

Thanks for this preview. Your mod looks awesome and I will look forward to more updates. :knight: :2thumbsup:

Excellent. Looking forward to this more than ever!

Got to say WOW~D The Skutatoi, Varangians and the Klibanophoroi are well done and kinda makes me want to go back and play BKB's SuperMod until this ready for play
~:cool:

the byzantine look great! cant wait to play this mod!

Good work :thumbsup: I'm really impressed. I would suggest renaming Byzantine Empire to Roman Empire though. For tradition's sake. And the colours seem a tiny bit too bright or is that just your comp settings?

True, but there was nothing "Roman" about them anymore. They spoke Greek, they adopted Greek dress, and the army had a strong Greek influence. I know they always called themselves Romans even up to 1453, but there is a massive difference between the classical Empire of Rome, and the medieval empire of Constantinople.

This is amazing! It looks like an entirely different and new game! I am very impressed with the buildings on the battle map. The campaign map is awesome!

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful indeed!! I've been waiting for this one! ~:eek: ~;)

Heh heh this preview confirms that Chivalry TW will be the mod I will be playing, even after the release of BI.
And now I already know that the Byzantine faction will once again become my absolutely favourite faction to play.
Keep up the good work, and hope to see another preview shortly again!

happy to hear that :)

OT: were in belgium are you from ?

't Stàd :wink: but originally from a small town near Turnhout.

ah een aantwaarpse ;) I'm from Hasselt myself - and no I don't speak slow :)

~:eek: Impressive, that´s all that comes to mind, even though I don´t care much for the eastern folks. But if the western Europe factions get as great, I´ll die a very happy man indeed.

very good , very good indeed !

like how you made the citys on the campaign map , looked reallly nice.

Also , the battlefield seem lusher than they were in vanilla- which I like, have you put additional grass on it or something ~:confused:

I'll definalty be playing tihs again once SP comes around ~:cheers:

:balloon2:

I changed the terrain textures, both in an attempt to make it easier to see what terrain your fighting on (short grass, long grass, scrub, ...) and to make it look more like MTW:
http://www.counterfrag.com/screensho...invasion/1.jpg

This mod is looking better and better - can't wait for the single player campaign!! ~:cheers:

Excellent work Adherbal.

How did you do the Hagia Sophia?! I'm really curious to know.

O.T.: How many ports does Constantinople have in CTW?!

Quote:

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How many ports does Constantinople have in CTW?!

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is having multiple ports possible ? I don't think it'll affect the gameplay in a possitive manner even if it is tho.

Slightly OT, but we're looking for someone to make an intro video/trailer for Chivalry. If you know about the RTW movie cam and how to make movies using a windows program, have a look at this thread at SCC:

http://www.stratcommandcenter.com/fo...howtopic=12213

Adherbal,

If you make a AoB in Constantinople, I guess it might be possible. Constantinople had 3 large ports, Prosforian, Langa and another one. They had a big impact on the income.

Let's hope than it can be made.

Wouldn't it suffice to simply have one port like any other province, and just give Constatninople large amounts of trade income? It would effectively be the same thing.

Yeah.

But at least for our mod, it's important because we focus on the Byzantines.

And, BTW, have you created a new settlement plan for Constantinople?!

Have to ask Adherbal about that one, but I doubt it because it's a huge amount of work. I think Constantinople will be more like a normal big Byzantine city. The Byzantines and the Arabs, unlike the Catholic factions, have normal RTW-style cities instead of castles.

I'm asking this because I want to find out how much I can expand the mod.

But, the big problem is the animated walls. Have to ask ZhanGuo for that.

Anyways, great stuff for the Byzantines. Excellent job.