In the interest of sharing and hearing what other people have done, here's a thread for the personal tweaks I've done, and I'm interested in what other people have come up with too...
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1. Shield WallWhile fooling around in the unpacked 'data/export_descr_unit.txt' file, I noticed that the formations from Rome were left over in name at least (shield wall & testudo). No units in vanilla have these formations, but the potential seems to still be there. I haven't tested testudo, because I didn't see any units which I thought should have it, but shield wall did appear to function.
Granted that this style of warfare was becoming outdated, I wound up finding three units which I thought rightly deserved it. Viking Raiders, Dismounted Huscarls & Dismounted Druzhina. All three are described as being remnants of the previous age, still fighting on in the old style.
If you want this tweak: Add "shield_wall" in the formation line, after "square", to the unit you wish.
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2. Tourney The Tourney building currently says it provides "1 free upkeep slot", but no unit can use this bonus because Tourneys are built in castles and militia units aren't. It seemed to me that the thought behind the bonus was that knights would be drawn to the tourney, and thus they'd come of their own free accord and you wouldn't have to pay to billet them.
If you want this tweak: Add "free_upkeep_unit" in the attributes line to the knight units you wish.
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3. Scots Guards & Scots It made little sense to me that the French can get Scots Guards, and the Scots can't. And thus the 'Scots Longbowmen' was born. Now, I didn't want to simply copy the unit over - I wanted it to be an elite type unit, that wouldn't threaten the English rightful monopoly, and wouldn't be easy to obtain. The other problem with creating new units is, I wanted it to match Scotlands color scheme. Red and yellow archers in the midst of the blue, white and green horde would've stuck out.
The perfect solution? French Dismounted Archers. The French don't get this unit in campaign anyway - but essentially they're a longbowman with chainmail on. Exactly what I wanted. Best yet, the French colors are blue and white also.
If you want this tweak: Now this will take a little more than some tweaking, I'd call this some twinging too... So don't bother if you get confused by modding...
1st, the data/export_descr_units.txt file
2nd, the data/export_descr_buildings.txt fileCode:type Scots Longbowmen
dictionary Scots_Longbowmen ; Scots Longbowmen
category infantry
class missile
voice_type Heavy
banner faction main_missile
banner holy crusade
soldier Noble_Highland_Archers, 36, 0, 1
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest, hardy, can_withdraw
formation 1.2, 1.2, 2.4, 2.4, 4, square
stat_health 1, 0
stat_pri 9, 3, arrow, 160, 45, missile, missile_mechanical, piercing, none, 25, 1
;stat_pri_ex 0, 0, 0
stat_pri_attr ap
stat_sec 2, 3, no, 0, 0, melee, melee_blade, piercing, sword, 25, 1.2
;stat_sec_ex 0, 0, 0
stat_sec_attr ap
stat_pri_armour 6, 6, 0, metal
;stat_armour_ex 6, 8, 0, 0, 6, 0, 0, metal
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 4
stat_ground 1, -2, 3, 2
stat_mental 9, normal, trained
stat_charge_dist 15
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 700, 125, 75, 55, 700, 4, 150
armour_ug_levels 3, 4
armour_ug_models Scots_Longbowmen, Scots_Longbowmen_ug1
ownership scotland
era 1 scotland
era 2 scotland
;unit_info 9, 9, 12
3rd, the data/text/export_units.txt file (if you still have strings.bin files - run a search on these forums for a string bin converter, you will soon have purty txt files) (you may notice that I have described their secondary weapon as a "falchion", which is a heavy, curved blade and explains why I left the "ap" ability on in the unit file)Code:building professional_military
{
levels military_academy officers_academy
{
military_academy city requires factions { france , england, scotland, spain, portugal, turks, }
{
capability
{
recruit_pool "Scots Longbowmen" 1 0.2 2 0 requires factions { scotland, }
recruit_pool "Demi Lancers" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { england, }
recruit_pool "French Mounted Archers" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { france, }
recruit_pool "Tercio Pikemen" 1 0.5 4 0 requires factions { spain, }
}
material wooden
construction 4
cost 4800
settlement_min huge_city
upgrades
{
officers_academy
}
}
officers_academy city requires factions { france , england, scotland, spain, portugal, turks, }
{
capability
{
recruit_pool "Gendarmes" 1 0.7 6 0 requires factions { france, spain, }
recruit_pool "Scots Longbowmen" 1 0.3 3 0 requires factions { scotland, }
recruit_pool "Demi Lancers" 1 0.7 4 0 requires factions { england, }
recruit_pool "French Mounted Archers" 1 0.7 6 0 requires factions { france, }
recruit_pool "Tercio Pikemen" 1 0.7 6 0 requires factions { spain, }
}
material wooden
construction 6
cost 9600
settlement_min huge_city
upgrades
{
}
}
}
plugins
{
}
}
4th, the data/ui/unit info folder and the data/ui/units folderCode:{Scots_Longbowmen}Scots Longbowmen
{Scots_Longbowmen_descr}While the Scots have never gained their southern neighbors love for the bow, they still recognize the potential power in a stave of yew. Thus, a few Scots have taken the time to master the war bow, and combined with their own fierce natures, have become dangerous warriors indeed.
{Scots_Longbowmen_descr_short}These Scottish troops, while difficult to obtain, are powerful with both bow and falchion.
This is where you add the unit card picture and unit info card picture. Simply go into the "france" folders, copy the "dismounted_french_archers" files and paste them into the "scotland" folders. Then rename the unit info file "scots_longbowmen_info.tga" and the units file "scots_longbowmen.tga"
5th, almost done - and now the last step. Right now, there is nothing for the game to reference on how to render your Scots Longbowmen - so they will be invisible on the battle map, even after all your hard work... so here's how to fix that...
Go to your data/unit_models/battle_models.modeldb file. Open it with Notepad. Now stare in confusion and shock for a few moments. Then thank Musashi for making a wonderful tutorial which even a doofus like me can understand... eventually.
Press Ctrl+F, then tell Notepad to find "dismounted_french_archers". You will see the number "29" in front of this. If you want to know what these things mean, do a search for Mushashi's guide. In front of that "29" insert a number of returns so you won't lose your place in the confusing maze of numbers and letters. Now, it's difficult - but follow the text from where it begins talking about the Dismounted French Archers on to where it stops talking about them. It will take up something like 4 lines of text. You will know you have reached the end when you come to this, "dismounted_lithuanian_cavalry". To make it easy, press Ctrl+F again, tell Notepad to find "dismounted lithuanian_cavalry" and then insert a number of returns BEFORE the 29 which preceeds that name, and AFTER this string of numbers, "-0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002".
I promise you, this really isn't hard, it's just confusing. Ok, you've got the piece of text you want to fiddle with isolated, now copy/paste it to a blank notepad document for ease of fiddling. Press Ctrl+H, tell Notepad to replace all "29 dismounted_french_archers" with "16 scots_longbowmen". Press Ctrl+H again and tell Notepad to replace all "33 dismounted_french_archers_ug1" with "20 scots_longbowmen_ug1". Now press Ctrl+H one last time and replace all "6 france" with "8 scotland". Now copy/paste your new altered block of text back into the original modeldb file. Don't overwrite anything, paste it into one of the empty spaces you made earlier. Now delete those returns until there is ONE single character space between your first "29" and whatever preceeds it, and ONE single character space after your last character and whatever was normally in the modeldb file. Delete the other space you made in the same way, there should be only ONE single space left between.
You're done. Enjoy your Scots Longbowmen, they're a good long range, smaller than normal, decent armor and backup weapon, but expensive and hard to get unit. The Yeoman and Retinue's will still tromp them and at lower cost and the French can afford to outfit their version in better armor. But you've got a long range, armor piercing scotsman, so you can shoot up regular archers and infantry - then close to melee and guard your pikemen's flank. Have fun.
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4. Patriarchs The game already has a tga picture created for these mythical creatures, but the poor neglected orthodox don't get them. The whole point of being orthodox is about having a pocket pope (patriarch) right? Right. So I fixed that.
If you want this tweak:
1st, data/text/export_ancillaries.txt file
2nd, data/export_descr_ancillaries.txt fileCode:{patriarch_of_constantinople}Patriarch of Constantinople
{patriarch_of_constantinople_desc}Unlike the weak western rulers, the Byzantine Emperor understands that the church should support the state, and not the state the church. Having the nations supreme spiritual leader on your payroll has its uses.
{patriarch_of_constantinople_effects_desc}Emperors do not worry about excommunication... Patriarchs worry about being replaced.
{patriarch_of_moscow}Patriarch of Moscow
{patriarch_of_moscow_desc}Unlike the weak western rulers, the Russian Czar understands that the church should support the state, and not the state the church. Having the nations supreme spiritual leader on your payroll has its uses.
{patriarch_of_moscow_effects_desc}Czars do not worry about excommunication... Patriarchs worry about being replaced.
andCode:;------------------------------------------
Ancillary patriarch_of_constantinople
Type Religion
Transferable 0
Image orthodox_patriarch.tga
Description patriarch_of_constantinople_desc
EffectsDescription patriarch_of_constantinople_effects_desc
Effect Piety 3
;------------------------------------------
Ancillary patriarch_of_moscow
Type Religion
Transferable 0
Image orthodox_patriarch.tga
Description patriarch_of_moscow_desc
EffectsDescription patriarch_of_moscow_effects_desc
Effect Piety 3
3rd, data/export_descr_ancillaries_enums.txt fileCode:;------------------------------------------
Trigger patriarch_of_constantinople_vnv_trigger
WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd
Condition IsFactionLeader
and FactionBuildingExists = huge_cathedral_o
and FactionType byzantium
AcquireAncillary patriarch_of_constantinople chance 100
;------------------------------------------
Trigger patriarch_of_moscow_vnv_trigger
WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd
Condition IsFactionLeader
and FactionBuildingExists = huge_cathedral_o
and FactionType russia
AcquireAncillary patriarch_of_moscow chance 100
That's it. Easy nuff.Code:patriarch_of_constantinople
patriarch_of_constantinople_desc
patriarch_of_constantinople_effects_desc
patriarch_of_moscow
patriarch_of_moscow_desc
patriarch_of_moscow_effects_desc
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5. Danish War Clerics I figured since they're clergy, they should inspire the troops.
If you want this tweak: Add "standard" to the unit attributes line in the data/export_descr_unit.txt file. It gives them the same effect as a Great Cross or Carroccio Standard.
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6. Faction Specific Buildings I'm getting tired, so I'll go into details on how to do this one later... basically though it annoyed me that some factions get as many as 3 special buildings, and others only get 1. I guess the Hungarians aren't special? =P Anyway, I fiddled around until everybody gets 3, a few of them needed description alterations, but most slid in smoothly. Here's the changes I made and rationale I used... (I'll explain how to do it yourself later)
Venice and Milan: the Print buildings. Progressive as they were, they picked up on the new tech quickly.
Sicily: the Hospital buildings and the Tourney buildings. The Sicilians have a couple of Muslim units, so I didn't see any point in denying them the Hospital, and the Normans are described as being the greatest knights alive... so I figure they surely liked a good helmet-thumping tourney or two.
Denmark: the Bank buildings. Maybe a bit premature, but they became known as merchants sooner or later.
Egypt: the Caravan buildings, and the ability to get Bedouin Camel Riders from them. (I changed it so the Beduoin are only Egyptian units now, and not mercenaries for everybody in the area.) Should be self-explanatory as to why.
Turks: the Military Academy buildings, and switched their Jannisaries to be produced from these. The Military Academy seems a perfect fit for the Turks anyway, they're the ones who came up with the idea if I remember correctly.
Byzantines: the Admiralty buildings, seemed a good fit. They had a strong naval tradition and liked having an official for everything.
Russians: the Castle Academia buildings and the Music buildings. All the other eastern european nations get the Academy, and call it a whim but the Music building seemed to fit them - I can't explain exactly why, but it's the impression I have.
Polish: the Tourney buildings. It says they have some of the best knights in Europe... they might be backwards, but I'm pretty sure they could figure out how to clear some bushes and have fun wacking each other with blunted weapons.
Hungarians: the Tourney buildings and the Race Track building. Same reason as above for the Tourney. The Race Track... well they're Huns, I mean, horses are like their life. I let them recruit Magyar from the first level and Hungarian Nobles from the second.
Scots: the Military Academy buildings and the Admiralty buildings. The Military Academy was for my Scots Longbowmen tweak above. The Admiralty... well, I figured since this is alternate history - if we suppose that the Scots ever took back the British Isles... well, they would've had to get some sailing experience if they wanted to go anywhere else. Tournies and Banks didn't seem to fit to me, and I toyed with Music and Sanitation briefly as a joke =P but in the end, I didn't want the much maligned Scotish to be the only 2 star faction, so I went with Admiralty.
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7. Missile Weapons I'll explain this one too later, but I redid a number of the missile unit numbers to fit more what I think history was like.
Self Bow: 120, Longbow: 170, Horse Crossbow: 140, Crossbow: 160, Steel Crossbow: 210, Horse Composite Bow: 150, Composite Bow: 170
Nahptha: 40, Javilin: 55, Pistol: 50, Hand Gun: 100, Arquebus: 140, Musket: 190
Ballista: 225, Catapult: 240, Trebuchet: 290/225
Bombard: 355, Rocket Launcher: 275, Grand Bombard: 410, Mortar: 305, Ribault: 165
Culverin: 460, Cannon: 425, Serpentine: 500, Basilisk: 500, Monster Ribault: 165, Monster Bombard: 500
Elephant Artillery: 380, Elephant Rocketeer: 250
The crossbows have been slowed down, (and I'd speed up the bows if I could), and the xbows have had their damage increased slightly too. (1/2 again rounded down for the small xbows, and 1/4 again rounded down for the steel xbows)
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ok, that's all I've got to share for the moment... what've you done?
