Britannia Divided: Units, Buildings, and Unit Stats

[Heidrek]

Will there be a stat list available?

Also, will this be playable on top of regular VI or will it replace the existing VI game?

[naut]

Stat list, don't know if I'll do that. But a basic rule of thumb, skill, gear and costs decrease down the lists of cavalry and infantry. Most of the stats are similar between units of various capacities between the factions, other than the Pictish ones.

At the moment the Units and Building will complement the original VI campaign. If I can get my head round map making it'll replace the VI campaign.

I'm still unsure of a semi-accurate while still playable list for the Vikings and Dál Riatans. Dál Riata would still have been heavily influenced by Gaelic warfare, and also have had Pictish, Celtic, Brythonic and Strathclydian influence as well.

For the Vikings it is the fact that there were no distinct "units" that makes it hard to regiment them

Dál Riatans Units: - Working

Guirranmor
These are the Dál Riatan equivalent of Knights and are well trained and equipped. The Dál Riatans did not often use heavy cavalry, but they provide an excellent and powerful reserve. Their patron Lord would provide them with the best arms and armour in the land.

Guirran
These men stick to the normal Gaelic way of war, acting as mobile skirmishers harassing enemies with their javelins. They are decently trained and can flank or run down routing enemies.

Ceirrana
These men are not trained cavalry in anyway. They are simply the cavalry of local militias armed with only a club and used for scouting and messenger duties. At best they can flank enemies to provide some use, but cannot be expected to stay in the fight long.

Deaisbard
Deaisbard are the private bodyguard of chieftains, with excellent equipment and training. On top of this they were well-educated to act as aides in peacetime and expected to assist in ceremonies.

Arras
Arras are nobles, but may also be wealthy independent landowners, merchants or traders. They have the money to supply themselves and their followers with good arms and armour. They fought in tight formations, with a longish sword, targe, javelins, mail armour and an iron helmet.

Aumabellu
The men of Alba, who would become the Scots, were famed for their longspears. They took influence from the Schiltrons of their northern neighbours, and applied them to their own professional warriors, combining tight formations, long spears and good armour. They were often the bane of any opposition forced to meet them head on in the foothills of their homeland.

Audheran-Laecha
The Gaels of old would often fight naked, but, this is no longer the case since their conversion to Christianity. However, warrior guilds such as the Audheran-Laecha would continue the old traditions by fighting in nothing but cloaks to allow better mobility and agility in battle.

Clansmen Warband
The Gaelic axe, tua, is a very old weapon with a particularly heavy head designed to smash helmets and shields. Men armed with a axe also carried a targe and a few javelins to throw before charging.

Clansmen Warband
Most Dál Riatan soldiers were armed with a slea (spear), a targe and a few throwing spears, and men armed in this manner often formed the backbone of the army. These men are semi-professional soldiers or mercenaries who either bought their equipment or had it supplied by a Lord, and in return they provided service. These men are apt and can hold the line against all but the best of opponents.

Ranasiarda
Unlike other Irish Kingdoms the Dál Riatans came to value the bow as a weapon of war, as the Picts, Celts and Britons would often use it in battle against them. In response, Dál Riata needed semi-professional soldiery to meet and match the agile bowmen of their rivals, however, these are no infantry and should be kept out of harms way.

Sleaceitherne
In early Dál Riatan Feudal society Ciorns (later kerns) tended to be near the bottom of society. And without much money or fighting ability they would not have had very good equipment and most of the time they were just men called up to serve in a levy. Armed with what little they could afford, usually a spear and a few small javelins or darts.

Ceitherne
In early Dál Riatan Feudal society Ciorns (later kerns) tended to be near the bottom of society. And without much money or fighting ability they would not have had very good equipment and most of the time they were just men called up to serve in a levy. Armed with what little they could afford, usually a club and a few small javelins or darts.

NOTE: For gameplay purposes I have left in Highland Clansmen.

[naut]

Vikings Units: - Working

Ríðamenn
The Vikings are not known for their cavalry, and for good reason. Scandinavian horses are smaller than those elsewhere, but they do provide a measure of mobility to a Viking army.

Hirðmenn
Heerthmenn are literally the men of the Kings Hall. They follow him, acting as both a bodyguard and personal staff in peacetime and fighting by his side in times of war. Being professional warriors, they are superior infantry, able to perform acts of great bravery and decisiveness upon the fields of battle.

Merkismaðr
The position of Merkismathr was an honoured position as Viking standards were believed to have magical properties, and would bring an army the favour of the gods. The Merkismathr would have been a skilled fighter, as well as a rich nobleman who had shown his skill in battle numerous times.

Úlfhéðnar
The wise men say that berserksgangr, the battle-madness of the Berserkers, is a gift from Odin himself. Despising armour, Berserkers spread slaughter across the battlefield, feeding the crows with the blood of their enemies. A wise commander does not try to control them, but simply lets them go.

Liðsmenn
Lithsmenn were the professional soldiers of a Viking longboats’ crew, equipped with a suit of chain mail as well as a shield, iron helm and spear or sword. They would usually have fought with their longboat crew

Hersir
A Hersir was a local military commander of a hundred, owing allegiance to a King or Jarl. They were middle class landowners, who would support their superiors in times of war. They were usually armed quite well, as befit their status, with a conical helm, short mail coat, and a sword or axe and a wooden shield. They would have fought in the shield wall formations.

Lendmenn
The Lendmenn are the free men of Scandinavian society, enlisted in their Jarl’s Hafna to serve on his longboat crews. They would have been semi-professional, able to afford decent equipment and reliable in a fight, especially if plunder was involved.

Bøye Hafna
The bow would have been a useful weapon on both land and at sea, able to fire on enemy formations or ships while staying out of harms way. Also it would not have been difficult for a levied man to be useful with a bow, as a formation of bowmen would be bound to reek havoc among tightly packed or unarmoured enemies.

Geirr Hafna
Men were often drawn from Scandinavia's carls, who were simple farmers and fishermen, to serve in the armies and crews of Norse kings. They would be provided a spear and a small shield, sometimes an iron helmet, and would have made up the bulk of the shield wall and oarsmen on the longboats.

Bœndr
The average Viking warrior would have been little more than a levied man on the crew of a longboat. He would have been armed with a shield, spear and a few javelins, relying on speed to keep out of harms way.

At the moment all Viking Units (bar Cavalry, 'serkers and the Merkismathr) are set at 60 due to a ships crew being on average 60 men, dunno if it will balance well though.

Last description I'll have to write (hopefully ever ).

[naut]

Regional: - Working

Galwyddel Emalla
The richer you were the better equipment you could afford, and with weapons this often meant the size of the weapon. In Strathclyde the richest men could afford the best Celtic or Gaelic weapons available, such as a two-handed version of the tua, more deadly and powerful than a single handed version.

Rherel Manau
The Isle of Man was often the target of raiders from Scandinavia, Ireland and Strathclyde. This caused the wealthy Manx to fund the defence of their land, by providing their retainers with training and good quality spears and chain mail. They make a disciplined, armoured and agile defence force.

Galwyddel Ymill
Gaelic weapons often found their way into the hands of Celts, especially in areas where Gaelic incursions were frequent. This was especially true in Galloway, Strathclyde and Cumbria, were the tua was a favoured weapon of war, being both cheap and effective.

Kledlwta
The men of Strathclyde favoured a longer version of the typical broadswords of the era, the "grey sword", much like a bastard sword or claymore of the Middle Ages. This would mean they could either fight with a shield or use it in a two-handed manner to increase their formidability in close combat, thus acting as fearsome shock infantry.

Galwyddel Cartreflu
The Celts and Brythons of Strathclyde were often influenced by the Gaels who often raided and settled their lands. Thus, the Strathclyders often carried light javelins, “darts”, into battle to throw at advancing foes, before closing in to fight in mêlée.

Champions

[naut]

How will you implement slings?

I'm using the NinjaStar projectile at the moment, I'm sure I'll be able to get sprites to look like slings with a bit of effort.

[naut]

97 units in total now. Possibly more later, but I'm happy with the current lot.

I better make some acknowledgements for the units (before I forget), because most of the Celtic/Irish/Pictish units would have been impossible without the work of Authurian Total War (Agraes, Ranika, Trashaholic, Ian, Spongly). Also thanks to everyone who has been interested in the mod.

[Raz]

Viking unit roster seems a bit lacking, especially when there are three of the same unit - Bondir. If you ever need help to fill in some descriptions I could do that...