ZX Mod Beta 2 Released

[Zarax]

Hello, after almost month since last update i'm proud to announce the second release of the controversial ZX Mod!

For those of you that never heard of it:

The ZX MiniMod takes a different approach from the popular big Mods like BKB, XL or Medmod.
ZX aim is to bring an AOE flavour into MTW by using the exisisting MTW+VI unit set in a more specialized way, increasing faction specialization and rebalancing the game.
http://microsoftusernetwork.com/hosted/ZxMod.exe

Some features:

- Increased faction specialization

Now each faction has more marked strenghts and weaknesses, focusing on the importance of developing customized strategies shaped on what you have and increasing the importance of mercenaries/strategic troop production territories in order to increase your army efficency.

Each faction (a bit like in AOK) has one or more defined attributes that rules out the unit set.
For example the Danish are an Heavy Infantry faction.
What does this mean?
Their unit roster is mostly focused on heavy inf (like Landsmenn or Huskarles), while they are weak in most other aspects, especially cavalry (so you'll have to get heavy cav from the steppes or hire mercenaries), meaning that you won't get knights but only the crappy raider cav or druzhina...

Another interesting faction to try are the Italians.
Being a Militia and Late Tech faction they'll have to make do with an overall low morale army and may need to bring numbers against an heavier foe, especially on early where they won't get anything better than MS and ILI...
Things improves a lot with time for them (halbs in high and other heavy units in late) but mercs and crusades will be a resource through the whole game since they don't get killer units.

On the opposite tactical side you'll find interesting the Hungarians, which are a low tech cavalry archer faction.
I found them great on early as with Szekely you can make a pincushion of most enemies and engage lighter foes, but their roster won't improve much in high and late.
Facing the Horde head-on with them is an unique challenge, as you'll have to use amored spears and get nothing heavier than feudal knights, but ranged cav dueling is very interesting.

BTW, more specialized factions doesn't mean 100% unique tool set, just that you'll have to focus more on certain units to get an hedge over the opponent.
Simply, while all factions got the same basic units (spears, archers, light cav and men at arms) some got more advanced units in a respect or the other.
For example with the hungarians you'll get FMAA but not CMAA as they aren't focused on infantry rather than cavalry, while the Italians gets MS which are a bit weaker but this is compensated by the ILI...


- Revisited crusading system

Instead of having crusading orders tied to each faction, now they work on their own "zones of influence", where you have to build your chapter house or walk with your crusade in order to acquire an order's services.
Crusading roster has also been increased, moving a few units (like Turcopoles) into this specialistic role and giving two units to the factions with less chances to get a chapter house into the right place (this is done because the AI cannot recognize them).
In order to balance it and avoid a crusader swarm to Byz and muslims now crusading price has been doubled.

Historically (BTW, this mod is more focused in gameplay than historical accuracy, let's say you can expect a few "compromises") the knightly orders were'nt tied to a kingdom, but rather they had their own bases of operation and land holdings.
Nearby countries this way could call their help (for a price of course) and acquire their services.

I'm trying to simulate this by changing the crusader units requisites from "FN_xxx" to specific territories (IE Teutonics in Prussia, Hospitallers in Malta etc).
This way all you need to get an order instead of the other is to build a chapter house in an order's lands (still working on this, look for the valour bonuses in the beta).
Personally i'd get Prussia or Malta as those two orders gets an extra unit (i've unlocked the foot knights as separate unit for the Hospitallers), but if you like the other ones try Leon or Tolouse.
BTW, any historical info on where the various orders got their lands would be welcome

In addition to this system English and Danish gets a surprise (as their AI has problems in conquering the right places) so you'll want to do plenty of crusading with them

- Improved strategic balance

Now underdog factions gets their chance, they've been given money/territory bonuses so that they won't cripple the economy with the heirs.
Overall AI is improved and now produces better unit mixes.

- Peasants role redefined

No more peasant armies, they now appear only in crusades (early only) and rebellions, where they belong.

- Refined dimounted units

Now all light and non-noble cav can dismount outside sieges, improved the dismounted version of many units so you'll always get something useful.

- Other minor changes

A few units have been slightly retouched so they won't be nearly useless anymore (like Abissinian Guards, Bulgarian Brigands, Gothic Sergeants etc).

Also, dismounted versions of many units has been improved, giving an increased tactical flexibility to cavalry commanders.

- High and Late Campaigns added (currently WIP)

- Now with automatic installer!

- Looking for feedback and suggestions!

- Novgorod GA should work now

- Overall AI is improved and now produces better unit mixes

- Added a "new" unit from VI

temp address: http://microsoftuse.temp.powweb.com/hosted/ZxMod.exe

Latest update: 17/07/2005.

[Pericles]

Zarax:

Glad to see that you are still working on this mod :)

I definitely like the ideas you have implemented here. It will make for a very interesting game to try to see how a player does with various factions.

You have most certainly filled a void with this mod. I am, still playing my current campaigns, but once done, I will give this puppy a workout :)

Cheers!

[Zarax]

Thank you very much, looking forward to see a post play evaluation :-)

[Pericles]

BTW, here is a website that provides a great deal of detail on the crusades and on the various orders:

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Crusade

[Pericles]

Here is another website that provides a great deal of info on the Knights orders:

http://www.orderofmaltacanada.org/page_e_history.htm

[Zarax]

Thanks!
They will surely serve me well to refine the crusading part...

[Pericles]

In addition to the Hospitalers and the Templars, both formed in PALESTINE during the CRUSADES, there were also the LIVONIAN ORDERS, the TEUTONIC KNIGHTS, and various orders devoted to fighting the MOSLEMS in Spain and Portugal had more strictly national interests and memberships. The Knights Of Malta, also an international body, was a later continuation of the Hospitalers.

More detail:

TEUTONIC KNIGHTS (too-tahn'-ik) or Teutonic Order, German religious-military order founded ab. 1190 at Jerusalem during the third CRUSADE. Patterned after the Templars and the Hospitalers, the new Order played only a small role in the affairs of the Frankish-Christian states which had been carved out in Palestine-Syria.

Around 1210 the Knights became involved in European affairs, and the Order reached the height of its influence and power during the 13th and l4th cent., when it conquered Prussia, converting the inhabitants to Christianity or replacing them with German colonists. By the end of this period, the Order, which after 1225 also included the LIVONIAN ORDER, with its cap. at Marienburg (Konigsberg after 1466), ruled a large domain along the coast of the Baltic as far as Russia. Following major defeats in the intermittent war with Poland (see TANNENBERG, BATTLES OF) in the l5th cent., the Order acknowledged Polish sovereignty. There followed a period of gradual but steady decline. In 1525, the Grand Master of the Order accepted PROTESTANTISM, and the former holdings of the Order in Prussia became a duchy under Polish protection. The Order's few remaining possessions in Germany proper were secularized in 1805. Biblio.: Krollmann, C., The Teutonic Order in Prussia (1938).


LIVONIAN ORDER (li-voh'-nee-un), Livonian Knights or Knights of the Swords, German KNGHTLY ORDER, founded in 1202 by the bishops of Riga to christianize the lands lying along the Baltic Coast, i.e., Livonia (N. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia). In 1236, following their defeat at Siauliai by the Lithuanians, the Order became a branch of the TEUTONIC KNIGHTS, although it retained its autonomy in the Livonian Region. An attack by the Order on Novgorod led to its massive defeat by Alexander NEVSKY at Lake Peipus (1242), and in the years afterward the Order was steadily weakened by Russian and local opposition and by the Protestant Reformation. It was disbanded in 1561.

[Zarax]

Update!

With this one I think Early is pretty much finished bar some minor tweaks or bug fixes.
As usual, your feedback is *very* appreciated!

- Overall AI is improved and now produces better unit mixes

- Added a "new" unit from VI

- Sicilian roster has been changed: no more unhistorical saxon units

temp address: http://microsoftuse.temp.powweb.com/hosted/ZxMod.exe