Unlikely Empires - play from small beginnings

**Nigedo** · 09-03-2005, 04:54

Unlikely Empires is a small scale faction replacement mod for vanilla Rome:TW.

The mod will allow you to play as one of two new factions, Hibernia and Crete. Both of these factions will begin a campaign with only their domestic island province and a low income. This mod aims to provide the challenge of forging an empire from such humble beginnings.

I am creating this mod because I would really like to play a campaign in, more or less, vanilla RTW as a small island faction. If anyone else enjoys the mod too, when it's finished, that will be a bonus.

So far, I have spent some weeks researching the histories of these "factions" and compiling notes to base them upon. This has been quite a lot of fun in itself as I have learned a great deal about the backgrounds of these islands.

I have also layed the groundwork for the mod. There's not much for me to show at the moment, but I hope to be able to update this post with more information as I progress.

Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions.

**King of Atlantis** · 09-03-2005, 04:57

Sounds very intresting, but what factions are you replacing?

**Nigedo** · 09-03-2005, 05:08

Hi King of Atlantis. I am replacing Thrace and Scythia.

Thrace is greek and Scythia is barbarian, so these are excellent candidates for replacement by Crete and Hibernia for cultural reasons.

The gap left by Thrace is easily filled by a single Thraco-Dacian faction, while Scythia is far enough away from the two new factions for its absence to make little difference to them directly. Scythia will become a strong rebel sub-faction with all of its vanilla units and provinces, to prevent rapid AI expansion in the North-East.

**Atheist_Peace** · 09-03-2005, 05:17

So, you're using the vanilla map? Id recommend using a different one..that map just...sucks. Maybe mundus magnus or something.

**Epistolary Richard** · 09-03-2005, 09:06

Given that Mundus Magnus stretches the map to the east and the south, even further from the lands of Hibernia and Crete, strikes me that all the land added would be wasted.You might want a map that would round out Scotland, that's about it.

Interesting idea, Nigedo. Best of luck with it. I'd be interested to hear of what you're doing with the different units for these nations. Would their entire unit list be available from the start or would their unit list grow as they expand?
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**Nigedo** · 09-03-2005, 17:23

Originally Posted by Epistolary Richard

Given that Mundus Magnus stretches the map to the east and the south, even further from the lands of Hibernia and Crete, strikes me that all the land added would be wasted.You might want a map that would round out Scotland, that's about it.

Yes, I agree. A more appropriate map might be one that increases the number of provinces without extending the geographical area by much. I may consider it more later.

Originally Posted by Epistolary Richard

Interesting idea, Nigedo. Best of luck with it. I'd be interested to hear of what you're doing with the different units for these nations. Would their entire unit list be available from the start or would their unit list grow as they expand?

Thank you.

I am planning on having their unit lists behave the same way as in vanilla, with progression upon construction of the requisite recruitment buildings. Is there another way?

**Helgi** · 09-04-2005, 01:56

Originally Posted by Nigedo

Hi King of Atlantis. I am replacing Thrace and Scythia.

Thrace is greek and Scythia is barbarian, so these are excellent candidates for replacement by Crete and Hibernia for cultural reasons.

The gap left by Thrace is easily filled by a single Thraco-Dacian faction, while Scythia is far enough away from the two new factions for its absence to make little difference to them directly. Scythia will become a strong rebel sub-faction with all of its vanilla units and provinces, to prevent rapid AI expansion in the North-East.

I like playing the Scythians/Samatians(RTR 6.0),

Can understand the whole thing with Thrace, but you have the same dynamic with the Numidians with Cathage which could be filled by a single Carthagian-Numidian faction, I could be wrong, just putting it out there.

Last question, when should it be ready

**Nigedo** · 09-04-2005, 02:06

Originally Posted by Helgi

I like playing the Scythians/Samatians(RTR 6.0),

Can understand the whole thing with Thrace, but you have the same dynamic with the Numidians with Cathage which could be filled by a single Carthagian-Numidian faction

Hi Helgi. Numidia share the carthaginian culture so they wouldn't be suitable to convert into a barbarian faction.

The mod is mainly to allow you to play as Hibernia or Crete. You will be able to switch quickly back to vanilla (or RTR 6) using the Mod Switcher utility when you want to play Scythia.

When will it be ready? Not for some time. Watch here for updates and I'll let you know about my progress. Thanks for showing interest.

**Alexander the Pretty Good** · 09-04-2005, 02:14

Mod-Switcher compatibility? Good on you, Nigedo.

I will certainly give this a try when it comes out. Best of luck - I can't help much.

**Helgi** · 09-04-2005, 04:52

Originally Posted by Nigedo

Hi Helgi. Numidia share the carthaginian culture so they wouldn't be suitable to convert into a barbarian faction.

The mod is mainly to allow you to play as Hibernia or Crete. You will be able to switch quickly back to vanilla (or RTR 6) using the Mod Switcher utility when you want to play Scythia.

When will it be ready? Not for some time. Watch here for updates and I'll let you know about my progress. Thanks for showing interest.

Hi Nigedo, Noted and understood Nigedo, looking forward to seeing the progress of the Mod. As for the mod switcher, I really have no need of it, since I've been copy and pasting my vanilla. I have the XGM mod, RTR 6.0 and TFT 1.7 as well as vanilla.