MTW: Building Hero Generals

[patlv23]

I'm using Ky Kiske's MTW Heroes list and am playing as the Spanish. I've been successfully building Hero Bishops and Inquisitors on their appearance dates. I even was able to build a hero Cardinal who had an appearance date listed before the early period's 1st year (Diego Gelmirez, listed as 1059, but I got him as my first Cardinal at around 1190).

Now. my next hero is a general named Ramon de Bonifaz, listed as appearing in 1196. However I can't get him to appear. I've tried Royal Knights, Fuedal Knights, Peasants. I've tried building in 1195, 1196, 1197, etc. I have no other province building new units(Though I think I may have troop upgrades going on). I've read something about building on the 16th birthday but my Bishops/Inquisitors appear when I build on the listed year(ex. Rodrigo Jimenez de Rada, Bishop, 1169 - I entered the build command in 1169).

Can someone explain what's going on? Are heroes guaranteed to appear on the listed year? Do I have to add the 16 years for generals?

Thanks

[macsen rufus]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that agents and units behave differently with regard to date of birth, but I can't remember where I saw the info.... maybe in the modding subforums.... maybe in the "Adding new factions" thread.

Well, either check that thread or play another 16 years, whichever is quicker/more fun

[patlv23]

I tried the 16 year route and you're right, hero generals will be available 16 years after the indicated year in DEFAULT_HEROES.TXT.

Thanks for your help!

[Vladimir]

Interesting. So they act like heirs "maturing" when they're 16. I wonder, do they die of old age like heirs?

[danfda]

Yes, they do. At least they do for me.

Most recently I've been playing VH's XL mod, and my Irish heroes are dying of old age. Which is sad, since I have to marry their replacements to yet another of my daughters...

But if I recall correctly, the heroes die in vanilla also.

[macsen rufus]

Irish heroes never die - they just go to Tir Na Nog!

But seriously, all generals have a mortal span, then they are replaced - you will notice generals' names change every fifty years or so, as a new guy takes over. If you're worried about using up all your princesses, just be thankful that the "green generals" option isn't the default, else you'd be marrying them off to lesser men than their forebears.

[danfda]

No kidding.

Although my most recent hero death was a guy with the Seige Specialist trait--a cool one, one that I'd never before seen. So he dies, and the replacement is exactly the same. It's kinda...unrealistic? The new commander SHOULD have less stats...or at least DIFFERENT ones. You know what I mean? It is a different guy, after all.

I've not tried the green generals trick, but I might give it a go. I've heard, though, that it's implemented poorly. Is this the case?

OTOH, I don't remember if this is different in RTW and BI (since I haven't played them in so long!). Even if I was introduced to Total War by RTW.

[macsen rufus]

I haven't tried the "green generals" myself, which is probably bit of a cop-out on my part It would be more realistic. But I'd hate to lose those hard-won virtues....

[Mpl01ya]

[danfda]

Yeah, macsen, that's why I haven't tried it either. I like seeing all of the naughty things my generals do in their spare time...