EB2 Dev Blog discussion

[Gaius Sempronius Gracchus]

Yep, like others, the more I see the more wowed I am, and the more I want it NOW. However, there is something to be said for having little snippets like this to help build the antici pation.

Reading through some of the previews again, I'm looking forward to seeing how the outlying authority buildings will work with the central authority buildings. I like that the central authority buildings between the Romans and the Carthaginians offer different political structures to each other and trust that other factions will likewise be very different. As someone else asked, are there any plans for the 'tribal' system to be incorporated into more 'civilised' factions?

[JMRC]

(1) Reading the preview about the system somehow gave me the idea that it may well be possible for a defensive/peaceful player (that, for example, doesn't expand much after initial consolidation) to not have/get any chieftains. Did I misunderstood something there or will it indeed be possible to extinct your own faction just because you don't fight enough battles and therefore get no chieftains at all anymore?

The engine will not let you get "extinct". Even if the player doesn't have conditions to raise Chieftains, when the faction leader dies the engine will choose one general at random (not sure exactly what's the criteria if all generals have no Authority) to become the new faction leader. This happens because the Chieftain is a feature of the mod and not of the engine. Even with little expansion and with just 2 tribes it's possible to roleplay and have a competition between them to get a Chieftain and then getting the FL place. The generals can become Chieftains by winning difficult battles, even if they are not sieges (no expansion), since they gain points with that.

(2) Am I right to assume that the three factions you mentioned were only examples and that the system is used for Arverni, Pritanoi, Boii, Getai etc as well? And what about Massylia? The preview for them had plenty of tribes/ethnicities as well, will they get a similar system?

As you said, I've cleared this issue in another thread: all celtic, germanic and even some nomadic factions will have this system, each with its own specific variant.

(3) Is it safe to assume that the tribal buildings will affect the availability/replenishment rates for certain units as well? Not in the initial release (since there may just not be enough units) but perhaps in a later version?

Yes, but only for those which are specific to that tribe. In the 1st release we have a few tribe-specific units.

(4) I remember reading that the initial release will feature "only" a basic trait/ancillaries system, does this mean that the tribal system will be implemented in a later release only or will it work with the "basic" trait/ancillary system too?

The system gets into the 1st release and it requires extensive changes in the ethnicity traits. The "basic" is always a very abstract concept. :)

May I ask for a selected few building icons (not the stratmap models but the actual icons you see when you either check a settlement or choose a building option) for one of the next sneak peeks please? Would love to see that.

We are going to start posting screens of the campaign map, specially since we're almost finishing the non-character models.

Will there be a chance to unsatisfied tribes to rebel? I'm realy looking foward to see mechanics that will make large empires to become less stable, specialy when made from factions that are more like tribal confederacies. More internal struggle and less stack spaming, I hope :)

This is a very interesting question. Surely it can be done easily: the tribal building produces unrest when an "unsatisfaction" event is active AND the generals with that tribe's ethnicity acquire an "unsatisfaction" temporary trait which reduces their loyalty. The thing is what leads a tribe to become "unsatisfied"? Being in the lower rank of the Achievements, perhaps?
The idea is interesting, I'll think more about it. Thanks. :)

As someone else asked, are there any plans for the 'tribal' system to be incorporated into more 'civilised' factions?

The non-tribal factions have other mechanisms at their disposal: trading/settler colonies, cultural reforms, etc. There is still a lot of room for improvements, so we will get very cool features for the non-tribals.

[Shadowwalker]

Thank you for that detailed answer. Much appreciated.

[LusitanianWolf]

This is a very interesting question. Surely it can be done easily: the tribal building produces unrest when an "unsatisfaction" event is active AND the generals with that tribe's ethnicity acquire an "unsatisfaction" temporary trait which reduces their loyalty. The thing is what leads a tribe to become "unsatisfied"? Being in the lower rank of the Achievements, perhaps?
The idea is interesting, I'll think more about it. Thanks. :)

Nice =)
More reasons that could lead to tribes to rebel: Rivalry between tribes and chiftains (a new faction leader being from a hated tribe), the player ignoring that tribe and tribal leaders goals (ex: a very warlike chieftain being kept doing housekeeping instead if headchoping)), historicaly disloyal factions growing too much on power, not being politicaly represented by any general, allying with traditional enemies etc.

[Gaius Sempronius Gracchus]

Thanks JMRC for your very detailed response.

This is a very interesting question. Surely it can be done easily: the tribal building produces unrest when an "unsatisfaction" event is active AND the generals with that tribe's ethnicity acquire an "unsatisfaction" temporary trait which reduces their loyalty. The thing is what leads a tribe to become "unsatisfied"? Being in the lower rank of the Achievements, perhaps?
The idea is interesting, I'll think more about it. Thanks. :)

Yes, I would have thought that never entering into any position of authority, always being the junior partner, might make a tribe a little ....resentful.

Looking forward to hearing more about the various game mechanics that are being implemented.

[moonburn]

on a new note i had assumed warhounds where out so ... what are the sauromtae doing riding them ?

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

111 man horse archer units...(shudders...)

[ziegenpeter]

This is a very interesting question. Surely it can be done easily: the tribal building produces unrest when an "unsatisfaction" event is active AND the generals with that tribe's ethnicity acquire an "unsatisfaction" temporary trait which reduces their loyalty. The thing is what leads a tribe to become "unsatisfied"? Being in the lower rank of the Achievements, perhaps?
The idea is interesting, I'll think more about it. Thanks. :)


The non-tribal factions have other mechanisms at their disposal: trading/settler colonies, cultural reforms, etc. There is still a lot of room for improvements, so we will get very cool features for the non-tribals.

Couldnt the same system be used to represent different families for the romans, cities for the greek, ethnicities like in EBI for the successors, etc...?

[Arjos]

Hello, my most awesome new wallpaper :P
The officer shouting orders is so epic!

[Famine0]

I love the colorfulness of the Aedui :) The graphics look amazing

[moonburn]

is it just me or did the elite spearman that we could only get in the east finally made it all across the celtic world ?

also the romans seems humbled in terms of armour the romans seem to be using the celtiberian breastplates only the triarii seem their old self except they have a more peacockish glare to them (the celtics always where peacocks so no need to state the obvious)

[LusitanianWolf]

Romans fighting against Aedui:

Marvelous!