Posted by YLC
I would have to disagree with just making Cilicia Armenia rebel. Cilicia was not only an independent (but admittedly weak) state at the beginning of the game, it consistently grew in power as time when on until it's fall in 1375. It was also instrumental in helping the Crusader states to grow.

Your argument for saying that it would be fantasy to think of high and late units for Armenia is a bit false. Armenia's military structure was initially similar to the East Roman one, and was eventually "westernized" by the Crusaders, most notably the French principality of Antioch.

Also, not to bring in another game really, but have you ever played Broken Cresent? Yes, it is for M2tw, but it has a well researched Cilicia Armenia in it, and one could use the units and information from that.
Thanks for the info and the very interesting post. In fact i have dedicated very little time in M2 - its putting me greatly off. I have noticed that BC is a popular and well researched mod, together with SS as well as Retrofit , however i am very slow in getting on with M2 due to disliking what i perceive as its cartoonishness, lack of true strategy in the strategic portion and the despicable battle mechanics and general engine quirks that ruin gameplay for me.



This would be my list
Principality of Cilicia Armenia
Kingdom of Georgia
Duchy of Venice
Duchy of Pisa
Emirate of Damascus
Sultanate of Iconium
Khanate of Volga-Bulgaria
Duchy of Lithuania
Duchy of Aquitaine
Duchy of Portugal
Kingdom of Bohemia (Or Emirate of the Zirids)
Aquitaine certainly gets my vote. Something may be said about the Duchy of Brittany that could start with Brittany and Anjou as territories.

Aquitaine will provide the necessary wedge between England, France and the Spanish kingdoms in the south - instead of having the southern french provinces as a battle ground between the Spaniards and French/English. it would also provide a another competitor for the french area that is historical and good for gameplay. The same can be get out of introducing Brittany/Anjou as well as a powerful french Duchy.

I second Pisa and i would add Genoa to the mix for the Italians - it has been done by many other mods but its so imperative for the setting and period that if the Italians are split its hard to avoid.

Georgia and Armenia can be done and they would hardly brake the current balance in the area as they start with one Province. BC has a map that extents however deep in the east - unlike the MTW map that is sliced off even before the Caspian sea appears in view. In this respect a faction like georgia is unlikely to face the challenges and power balance that it may face in BC. The MTW map is simply not detailed enough in that are in my view.

Cilician Armenia is viable as you say - i wouldnt do it this way, but your arguments perfectly stand.

Volga-Bulgaria and Lithuania - they are obviuos candidates for the steppe area. Both existed and were influencial over time. In addition MTW/VI has certain units that can obviously be assigned to them and make up a roster in PoM style quickly and easily. I concur for both of them as hey will enhance gameplay and add in terms of historical plausibility and feel.

Duchy of portugal gets my vote, as Navarre yet as i wrote they are both secondary in regards to the kingdom of Leon.

I disagree with the kingdom of Bohemia - while semi-independent and independent at times its best left as a part of HRE - having a HRE replacement as in XL its not to my taste. Also if Bohemia is to be made a kingdom the area its set (Poland, Austria and Bohemia itself) needs splitting.

Sultanate of Iconium and Great Seljuks i fully concur.

Emirate of Damascus is good addition however - i understand caravels view that it can be left under the Arabic or Turkic empires of the area as it did little than being semi-independent and independent at most at times.

Emirate of the Zirids gets my vote - i am all for mahreb extra muslim factions rather than the Almoravids/hads being the only one. This was an area of fiefdoms and civil wars and the Almohads were a product of that local grinder.

The danger with going in a faction spree is to go in a corresponding unit spree - personalise all factions. This is bad for the gameplay the battle engine simply does not have the range for the 100 units of vanilla - they are already too many. i am all for more factions that are historical unique and warranted in terms of map and gameply - but i do not advocate to inflate the unit pool. My suggestion is to have a roster per culture/area and the factions there to share them. The unit pool should be drawn directly from vanilla and simply be modified as becesary to become reasonably accessible for the player and the AI factions - to make sure there are no redundancies and to add a hint of flavor and spice, in my opinion.



!it burnsus!