What is Tuskmod? (And download links.)

The core of Tuskmod is simple: Fix as many of the core game issues as many, inspire as much battle diversity, and create the best balance within the games existing content that I possibly can. This is all that I feel that everyone can agree on.
However, Tuskmod does not stop at this point. Knowing that many features are potentially community dividing, Tuskmod goes out of its way to make many submods as it can these go from fairly simple and small mods, to the ambitious Dynamic garrisons mod, the idea that all city development should contribute something to the cities defense, which took over 40 hours to develop.
As for content additions, I do wish to keep them to a minimum, as I prefer better tested content to mountains of content, and I feel there isn't a shortage of content in the game. Only when I feel that I need to add content to distinguish between two factions will I generally add content.

Now lets focus on the individual components.

Quality of Life:

- Tuskmod has a UI which lies to you less, showing range, missile block chance, and the units bonuses whenever they become relevant.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://images.akamai.steamuserconten...363CB0A430824/

http://images.akamai.steamuserconten...646CC3DC3F9C7/

Lastly, A video by Total War zone highlighting the standalone version of this UI.

- Tuskmod has a battle camera that zooms out a bit more then you could ever possibly need to see the whole map, and zooms in to be a bit lower then many units waist level (Actual man height will vary by culture and gender. Not all Waists are certified for this statement.)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://images.akamai.steamuserconten...BE2ED8701DB2E/

http://images.akamai.steamuserconten...0F3AD2178721F/

Battle Mechanics:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

- Fatigue is fairly unchanged outside of combat, but in combat your units energy will last longer. This is to reward a patient approach to the battle.

- Units have an accuracy score, and the weapons/ammo types they fire come with an accuracy+fatigue penalty. Units which are fatigued fire with significantly less accuracy.
-- Units do get accuracy from being promoted now.

- Units block missiles with greater frequency when they are rested.

- The typical 400 talent 150 range archer is accurate enough to inflict casualties on the first volley against many unit types.

- Missile trajectories vary, utility rounds tend to have more arc to them, making them better at supporting combat with their skirmishing power.

- Charge time is reduced, but all shock units have been given mechanics to compensate for this, typically, a method of escaping, or surviving until help arrives.
-- Shock unit reach their optimal speed and charge bonus in the active state.
-- Shock infantry have gotten a melee defense buff, at the cost of melee attack.
-- Shock cavalry have gotten an appreciable bonus versus cavalry score.

- Cavalry movement has been revamped:
-- Light cavalry is fast, has good turning speeds, can start charging at a long distance, and doesn't penetrate enemy formations very far, but they do little impact damage. Hard to intercept, hard to catch, and hard to keep still. It will take patience and micromanagement to do serious damage with light cavalry, but it is seriously rewarding.

-- Medium cavalry balances speed, impact, and maneuverability. It is all around very well optimized for fighting other cavalry, as it won't take much impact damage from heavy, and it is very much capable of catching light if it manages to start charging.

-- Heavy cavalry is slow, it doesn't start charging early, and it isn't too maneuverable, but it penetrates enemy formations extremely well while doing heavy impact damage. In general, heavy cavalry is very lethal, but it has a harder time choosing its battles, and it commits to every engagement it finds itself in.

-- Camels sacrifice all maneuverability for a surprisingly fast, and heavy charge.

- Cavalry has lost a few hidden bonuses that made them impossible to balance.

- Axe units have been made mechanically viable. Celtic axes are currently undergoing this process in the beta.
-- Weapons AP damage should work in a more mechanically intuitive way, for both axes and spears.

- Units in formation move in a more brisk pace, allowing the formations to be used semi-actively. This goes especially for pikes.

- Many weapon types have been rendered no longer equivalent to one another, or split into several weapon entities.

- Bladed weapons have for the most part lost their bonus versus infantry.

- Initiative has been added, spears and lances having the best initiative, and daggers having the worst initiative. Initiative helps a unit land more hits in the early part of combat, where charge bonus is relevant.

- The key goal being this: Nearly every unit should have something to them that makes you consider using them.

My thoughts on the current battle mechanics:

Cavalry: Getting there.

Missiles: Almost complete.

Shock units: (Beta) Getting there. I have found the mechanics set I want them to work under, now I just need to get the hard tweaking done.

Shield/One handed units: Getting there. They are slowly, but surely finding their purpose.

On foot spear Units: Getting there.

Campaign Changes:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

- While the majority of campaign changes are going to be in submods, a few will be in the core mod.

- Horde unit recruitment has been changed to be more fair. Light, axe, and spear units should be more readily abundant as a horde.
- Naval maintenance costs are greatly reduced in port.
- Settlements have had an additional unit added to them, typically one that adds to the garrisons toughness/uniqueness.
- Military ports only cause squalor when damaged, and instead cost a small amount of money to maintain.
- Romans have slightly easier access to Levis, and exploratores.
- Eastern Romans can build the buildings they need to win the game.
- The Burgundians are becoming more Nordic.

Where can I find it?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1. Steam workshop (Easy to update, and thus, updates frequently:) Tuskmod 1.5.-2
You can find the changelog here.

2. Mega Download: Tuskmod 1.4
This will be obsolete for a while, while I update the submods.

Submods:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Dynamic Garrisons: Adds units to the garrisons for most military developments. Over 1000 lines of mod here.
Slower Battles: Makes battles slower, without changing the unit cards.
Scavenging: Allows many archers and slingers to pick up ammo in the later phases of the battle.
Imperial AOR: Adds AOR units to the Roman Empires, to grant them more potential to make interesting and diverse armies in the early game.

Upcoming:

The Tough War: Based on Better Aggressive CAI, it will focus around making Siege Escalation more relevant to the game, and making the AI use it. In addition to the AI making better armies, being more reasonable in diplomacy, and a few other minor campaign improvements.

i love this mod.. been using it since first release .. GJ walrus :thumbsup2

waiting for this mod to pair with Better Agressive CAI ..

Conggrats for the hosted mod forum, wish your luck for this current project :thumbsup2

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ziodaddy888

i love this mod.. been using it since first release .. GJ walrus :thumbsup2

waiting for this mod to pair with Better Agressive CAI ..

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In a way, we are helping each other a bit.

Wait, is Tuskmod not compatible with Better CAI? I've been using it, and the only thing that seems off to me is that diplomacy requires much higher approval levels. I thought that was either a vanilla or CAI thing...isn't it?

It is compatible, but I am making a custom version of BACAI for tuskmod.

Good job for the mod again mate, you seem to be concentrating more on Battle stuff, but not lacking Campaign map changes too
Mine is becoming the reverse, but yours is bigger and more detailed :)

And congratz for your own Sub-forum (I'm a bit late to say tho, sorry for that)

Thank you.

Well, right now, I am working very hard to pin the battle mechanics to be as refined, and as "Easy to learn, difficult" to master as I can possibly make them. Once that is done, there is nothing to stop me from focusing on content, and campaign changes.
Of course, I am finding that I am going to really have a hard time letting go of the battle mechanics side once it is fixed.

Tuskmod 1.4 is out, I have added many of its changes to the OP, amidst the existing list.

I will read through my notes, and add anything that I have missed if I find it.

Roughly, shock units are more specialized, shield bearing infantry are better at taking missile damage when well rested, and a large number of units have been revamped.

The UI should also be more relevantly informative, as an added bonus.

Is it possible for the 'toned down dynamic garrisons submod' to be available in a mega download?
Such a great mod by the way, makes the campaigns and battles have such a better flow. Thank you!!

I will add it to the pack for 1.4.1.

legend :)

Will look at this- Cheers.

Do you have a non-Steam version of just the Slower Battles?

For now I`ll try the first main Mod.

Edit: Oh wait- I`ve found it thanks. Rep!

Slower battles is about 10% obsolete at the moment, but it should still be good.

Edit: Its almost finished with its update.

Just chiming in my support for this mod, been playing for a little while now and having great time. Thanks Walrus! Looking forward to what else you've got in store.

Hi walrus, where can i find standalone version for "Don't lie to me game: Relevent Attribute displays." mod which i can use in vanila mp as well. I searched for it in tuskmod files but i cant find it there.

Cheers!

EDIT: nvm got it here http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ays&p=14439351

Brace yourselves, the repaired version of the previous version is complete. Now I just need to make it feature complete for a 1.5 version...... :thumbsup3

Yeah!!

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=537642087 - Relevant screenshot. (HINT: I hate Athars Chosen with a passion, how dare they keep their bonus versus mods for a full month!)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Walrusjones

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=537642087 - Relevant screenshot. (HINT: I hate Athars Chosen with a passion, how dare they keep their bonus versus mods for a full month!)

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Because they are the only counter against the deathspell that is a war with the sassanids.