Look here regarding problems getting VanillaMod to work or to verify installation

[FactionHeir]

This is a step by step tutorial on how to get VanillaMod to run. This is as simple as I can imagine it to be, but if you think this is not so, let me know!
Thanks to gardibolt for helping me put all the scattered info together

A. Download VanillaMod (currently 0.93)
B. Download the hotfix (0.93b, which also includes 0.93a so you don't need to download that)
C. In the directory where your MIITW is located, create a new folder called VanillaMod
D. Unzip the download of VanillaMod, sending the files to that new folder you just created rather than whatever default your unzipping program uses.
E. Unzip the download of the hotfix into that new folder, saying "Yes" to overwrite existing files.


1. Find your medieval2.preferences.cfg, which should be in the main MIITW file
2. Make a copy of the file in another folder, such as the VanillaMod folder you just made
3. Rename the copy VanillaMod.cfg
4. Open VanillaMod.cfg in NotePad
5. Add the following to the top of the file:
[features]
mod=VanillaMod
6. Save the file and close it
7. Move the file back to where you copied it out from
8. Run the mod using VanillaMod.bat (has to be in the same folder as VanillaMod.cfg) that is included in the archive
9. Alternatively you can make a shortcut to VanillaMod.bat (which should be in the same folder as VanillaMod.cfg) and then place the shortcut (not the bat file) on your desktop for easy access


Have you ever unpacked your game? If you did (or are not sure) check for whether you have
data\descr_geography_new.txt
data\descr_geography_new.db
and delete them, or your game will crash

Are you running a non-English version of M2TW?
If so, and you experience a CTD whenever you click on certain units, copy events.dat and events.idx from the original M2:TW/data/sounds folder to the M2:TW/VanillaMod/data/sounds folder to fix it! (Thanks Empirate for the solution!)