Missile Units & Scutarii

[Spartan198]

Can you give a specific unit missile capability? I only ask because I'm thinking of altering Poeni Infantry to fight like legionaries instead of hoplites,i.e. making them into swordsmen who throw spears then charge in.

Seems a logical concept,considering Carthage's history with Rome,that they'd copy the Legionary fighting style and use it against their enemy.

If not,then is it possible to make "Legionary-style" scutarii a recruitable unit? I tried to give archers to Carthage,but they only appeared as dark peasants (which seems ironic as Numidian archers are described in the files as "carthaginian archers" )

[Horseman]

Yes all that is possible.

To make Poeni into legion style troops you will need to edit export_descr_unit (edu) and descr_model_battle (dmb)

In edu - you need to remove the phalanx ability and change the stat primary line. Use a Roman Legion unit as a guide. You may also want to beef up their secondary attack a little as this is now what they will always use in close combat. Bits in red are where to make changes.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

type carthaginian heavy infantry
dictionary carthaginian_heavy_infantry ; Poeni Infantry
category infantry
class spearmen
voice_type Heavy_1
soldier carthaginian_heavy_infantry, 40, 0, 1.3
officer carthaginian_standard
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest, can_sap, hardy
formation 1, 1, 2, 2, 5, square, phalanx (delete and dont miss the coma!)
stat_health 1, 0
stat_pri 11, 2, pilum, 35, 2, thrown, blade, piercing, spear, 25 ,1 (the pilum could equally be javelin - check the top of edu to see what the numbers correspond to)
stat_pri_attr prec, thrown ap (prec=use missile weapon before a charge, you dont have to have it ap if you think the carthiginans would use ligher throwing weapons)
stat_sec 5, 3, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, piercing, sword, 25 ,1 (Thats base attack and charge bonus (same as stat_pri) charge bonus has to bethe same as in stat_pri)
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 7, 6, 5, metal
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 2
stat_ground 2, 1, 0, -1
stat_mental 8, normal, highly_trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 540, 210, 60, 90, 540
ownership carthage

Now in dmb find the Poeni infantry entry and alter the 1st skeleton from fs_slow_spearman to fs_javelinman. If you look at the Poeni infanty entry in EDU you can see the model you're loking for is the carthaginian_heavy_infantry


When you say that adding the numidian archers you ended up with dark peasants, I assume you meant the unit card?

The dark peasant is the default unit card if there is not one in place.

If you look through the Sciptorium you'll find a tutorial on how to use the x-pac extracter and on how to "make" a unit card. In this case it would be a simple matter to copy the numidian archer unit card and add it to the Carthaginian faction

[Spartan198]

Thanks.
Side question: Could this method theoretically give hoplites the ability to throw "spears" in addition to phalanx?

[Horseman]

I dont think so as you'd need a 3rd weapon, give it a go and see what happens!

It wold be historically correct as many early hoplites also carried light spears for throwing

[Spartan198]

I know hoplites work with the fs_javelin animation,because I have my phalanxes modified for overhand use as opposed to underarm (the thread in the Scriptorium said I had to download new animations for them to thrust their spears,but mine do so without it).

Not that that's necessarily relevant,I just felt like mentioning it...

[Charge]

It should work as spear-throwing non-phalanx spear-infantry..

[Quirinus]

I dont think so as you'd need a 3rd weapon, give it a go and see what happens!

It wold be historically correct as many early hoplites also carried light spears for throwing

What about units like the German spear phalanx then, which does not have a short sword as a secondary weapon? Would it be possible to give them the javelin, for instance?

[Spartan198]

What about units like the German spear phalanx then, which does not have a short sword as a secondary weapon? Would it be possible to give them the javelin, for instance?

Do you mean make them fight as legionaries,then?
If so,since I did it with Poeni Infantry,I'm sure it's possible with the German warband. I would assume that you'd make the same changes to them as I did to Poeni,which are outlined in previous posts.

When I want to make changes,I come here to the .Org to find out what exactly to do.