RTM BI Mod proposal

I am about to start a "add-some-units" mod, but i thought maybe i should hear people's thoughts about the content first. If you guys will appreciate this mod proposal, then perhaps i'll start right away; if i hear opinions like "nobody plays RTM BI anymore, we have Attilla for that" then most likely i won’t spent my time for it. :-)

As the title say, this mod is intended for RTW BI vanilla, and it will add just 4 more units for the Western Roman Empire (and 2 for Eastern Roman Empire), as well as one minor feature (i might need help on that).

In my opinion, Western Roman Empire (as well as partially Eastern) suffers from a lack of good infantry variety, but i don’t want to break the balance by adding super-natural effective unit, on the contrary - i want to make them more realistic based on the history. As well, as to to let the player have more options as it was in original RTW.

1. Spear Infantry. Equiped and looked exactly like "Comitatenses", but carrying one long Triarii-style spear/pike

Although WRE possess "Foederati Infantry" as well as "Auxilia Palatina" (Eastern Roman Empire doesnt have any anti-cavalry infantry at all), none of them are considered as a reliable daily solution. Foederati were barbarians, used in temporary term and as an emergency, not to mention their in-game low-morale and poor armour; on the contrary "Auxilia Palatina" are "too elite" to be used in the daily-basis field battles throughout the Empire.

So both of the Roman Empire parts needs a simply, yet efficient anti-cavalry unit. Besides, this type of units was most widespread in the real history, according to the history and archaelogy.

guy on the right

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...d80e9cc9e3.jpg

2. Christian Roman Infantry.

Purely cosmetic thing, although maybe complicated to accomplish. The idea is very simple. If, main religion (or religion in the settlement - which is better) is Christianity, then "XiPo" insignia is indicated on the legionnaire’s shields, instead of anything else.

3. Late Roman Legionary (w/chainmail)

Those units should appear in the later part of the game, and replace "Comitatenses". The difference would be in the absence of the throwing/ranged weapons (we still have "Plumbatarii" for that), different big round shield and a longsword like Spatha.

Those guys must have better attack parameters, to compensate absence of pilums.

Perfect example of a shield and a helmet i am talking about >>>

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._-_cropped.jpg

4. Late Roman Legionary (w/scalemail)

Exactly same as above (obviously with different torso-skin), but having better defense and higher price parameters.

5. Dismounted Imperial German Bodyguard.

This one is purely fun-thing. I always wanted to have these german dudes as an infantry unit.

- The minor feature i mentioned before is a retirement for unpleasant generals. I wish i could easily dispose of an unpleasant character. Have no idea though how to implement this one.

***

So, what do you think? I am open for discussion and advices.

Lack of good anti-cavalry infantry is something that contributed to making playing with Rome a challenging experience.

Sounds good to me.Of course it will need a little balancing first and some patchers.But the religion part sounds a little complicated.I'm not sure if you can mod the game so when christianity is dominant or when a city is christian you can recruit a christian unit.But someone else might have the solution to the problem and i might be wrong :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BHL 20

Lack of good anti-cavalry infantry is something that contributed to making playing with Rome a challenging experience.

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I agree. As well as the lack of good archers. But unlike the archers, spearmen thing is historicaly incorrect.

Thread moved from Rome: Total War General Discussion.

Greetings,

:-)

It's been a while. Some time after I have returned to the idea of this mod, and had already done something. Well, i've started to do it (See below for details).

I require assistance. I want to implement into BI thing like "Marian Reforms". Unfortunately I haven’t found a proper tutorial, which covers this aspect of modding. I have some more questions too, but this one is the major issue, so i'll ask other qustions later.

DETAILS:

I know, the game is quite old, and I doubt if anybody will try it, so I am making it mostly for myself. But I am ready and open for discussion in case if you disagree with something... And of course I will gladly share my mod with you, if you happen to be interested!

Mod will include these units & changes:

1. Veterans Comitatenses (availible only for WRE & ERE; has different skin for each). [Done]

The texture skin is used from vanilla’s “merc_veterans”, although i recolored their tunic (WRE - green with red stripes, ERE - blue; and took some real history stories, i.e. Green and Red stripes tunics were worn by Legion of Flavious Julius in his Alemmani campaign of 361 - belive me - it really does look cool!). Roman rebels does not posses these units. They have both armor and attack higher than regular units, as well as the moral and price. Although they do not provide psyhological support like 1st Cohort.


2. Comitatenses Archers (only for WRE and WRE_Rebels). [Done]

These are the hybrids of basic archers and roman eastern archers. They do have the armour of ERE archers, but range and damage like regular archers. Cant do much with these bows in that climate :-) Though they can wear better armour...


3. Light Eastern Archers (only for ERE and ERE_Rebels). [Done]

Same thing, but vice versa. These units looks like a regular basic archer, but they have extended range and damage, just like Eastern Archers of ERE. Why anyone would use shortbow in Eastern Region at all, if composite bows are everywhere?!? :-)

4. Comitatenses Auxilary Infantry (for all romans). [Done]

These are regular comitatenses soldiers, but armed with spears. Actually, the absence of these soldiers made me to start working on this mod. I never understood why Romans never possessed reliable spear-infantry in vanilla. Auxilia Palatinae are too elite for regular tasks. Foederaty Infatry on the other hand, are too poor (in all terms), not to mention that they are barbarians...

So, I took the WRE_Rebels' Auxilia Palatinae unit's texture, copied it, slightly altered it, made 4 different colour patterns, decresed attack (i made it one point above than Foederaty) and armour (exactly like comitatenses) - we got new perfect spear-infantry anti-cav unit!!!

5. Imperial German Bodyguard, dismounted [Partially done]

I always wanted to have these guys deployed on the battlefield as infantry. I did it. It's actually done, and works fine, expect for one thing... I used (again) the Auxilia Palatinae unit as a donor. The problem is - the unit's model does posses a helmet. I dont want these guys to wear helmets, and that's why now they look quite silly... Their neck looks like a helmet, over another neck :-)

If anybody can instruct me on this one (how to get rid of model’s helmet) I'd be happy. I know 3d's Max well enough (i am an Architect in my real life's job), but i kinda afraid to go into that level of modding. Texting is already hard :-) If you are on your own. Besides, i dont know, how texture file dds/tga will react, if I will alter the model...

6. Deserters [Done]

Some of the barbarians will now receive their comitatenses-traitors units.

The idea of creation this unit happened actually accidently - when I've found a "needless" texture in the texture folder. It was known as "Pseudo-Comitatenses). I have no idea what was original intention of this texture, but i quickly decided how i can use this quite good texture.

I have altered the texture - i've added beards, rusty points on chainmail, transformed their tunics slightly into rags. They look pretty cool. I've decresed their moral at one point, and they will cost very high for barbarians...

***

As for this part - it's done for 100% and already successfully integrated into Campaign.

I've done something more, but they are available for now only in Custom Battles mode. Because i don’t want simply to add them in Barracks as new units, I think, I should figure out how to implement the new reform thing. I'd be very happy if somebody will instruct me on how to do this, or simply give me the link to the tutorial...

But for now, let's imagine, that the "Reforms of Theodosius" (preferably, make them happen in specific year and if you posses at least one city in Italy (for WRE); or at least in specific year only!) are DONE!

Then, will happen these changes:

1. Following units will disappear: Limitanei, Comitatenses (with 1st Cohort too), Comitatenses Auxilia (my unit), Infantry and Cavalry of Foederates, Cavalry of Sarmates, Auxilary Cavalry (the one, which is in vanilla unit of ERE and ERE_Rebels only).

2. Instead, new units will appear: New Limitanei, Two new types of Comitatenses (different for ERE and WRE - protected with Lorica Squamata and Lorica Hamata respectively, and their 1st cohorts too), new type of Comitatenses auxilary, barbarian infantry, barbarian garrison, barbarian cavalry, barbarian missle cavalry, light and heavy comitatenses cavalry.

A. New Limitanei [Never started yet]

they do cost more, wear almost no armour. In general and in particular – they are a copy of the original Limitanei. I will alter their texture only, reduce their armour, making them historicaly correct. Spear, hemlet, shield and tunic!

B. New Comitatenses. [Partially done]

I have copied Franks "Sword_Heerbahn" as the donor unit and made redesign of it. Now they armed with Spatha the sword and Parma the shield. Units of WRE wear layered armor: linen tunic of slavs, padded armour, leather armour (just like hunns), and a chainmail on top of it. Unit of ERE ones are more like traditional-roman-soldier: they will not wear layered armor, just fur tunic nd a scalemail over it. Both of them - will be 100% historically correct unit!
Scalemail protects better than Chainmail, and will receive a bonus +1 armour, and cost slighltly higher.

Romans were always analyzing their enemies and improving themselves. So when they first encountered Slavs, they have adopted their textile - linen, and refuse to use leather sandals, in favor for textile shoes. The combination of Padded and leather armour (which they saw at first used by Hunns), made them realise that this is a better way to protect their soldiers. Leather protects good against piercing attacks, while chainmail good for hack and slash attacks, and the padded amor is good for overall softing the damage, preventing bone damage. Bone fracture at that time was nearly condemnation...

Both of them will cost higher. Pushing the player to look for other alternatives… Barbarians :-)

C. New Comitatenses Auxilia - armed with longer spears. They will appear with the same amour as comitatenses of respectively factions. The donor-unit is Steppe Spearmen.

I dont think that i really need explain my units further, instead i'd like to talk about the Reforms.

The idea of Reforms is simple: somewhere around slavs appearance, the barbarians (not the armed horde, but their people) pushed by nomads will settle down in Roman territory. At that time, Barbarians have already integrated themselves into Roman Society, and therefore are not indicated as the ethno-group within Roman Army. Instead, they are already IN the Army. I am talking about german (because Gauls are already in the Army at the start of the game, otherwise we would have Gaellic infantry of some kind) tribes of Franks and Alemanns. Now the Nomads (vandals, hunns, etc) are considered as the new "Barbarians" (cause they look more barbarians than franks for instance), and are availible for hire as the NEW Foederaty. They are present as Infantry, Cavalry, Missle Cavalry, and finally as the Garrison (which will be cheaper and better version than new limitanei).

Ideally, is to make their hiring - to cost us only money, not people too. To encourage player to prefer barbarians over the standard roman troops, saving the population of the cities before drafting them into army. The other aspect is - price. Barbarians will cost cheap both for hire and upkeep.

It would be super nice to make Armies consiting only of barbarian units (or at least 2/3) frequently go rebel! But i feel, that wouldnt be easy :-)

Also, I would like to decrease populations grow by turn. I'd like to make a cities population as the resource. As the main resource! This will help us to concentrate on the game and battles, rather than making these stupid revolts (which happens once ~ in 3-5 turns) subdued. I dont want to get rid of Rebel Faction, I find it cool. But still - NOT THAT OFTEN! [that's my second issue, after the reforms]

Also, I have already altered the timing of hiring. I really dislike the idea of possibility of hiring but one unit per turn... No, really - this is super silly. Just think of it! Settlement can form a unit within a turn! I diminished the time for hire by 1 turn. So now, those units which were previously hired in 2 turns - now require 1.
Except for ships. They require time to be built.

That’s all for now. I hope to hear your comments (with tips and advices on Reforms) soon! Or a simple feedback would do good too.

To whom it may interest,

https://www.moddb.com/mods/tardo-romano-impero

the current version will soon be updated!

Only in russian though.

I can't wait!