Road to Hajj Concept

The ritual of muslim pilgramage also known as "Hajj" played a significant role in influencing the cultural and poltical process in the near east for many centuries. mainly because of the infinite flow of caravans travelling to Mecca all year round from every possible direction carrying pilgrams, the news that they bring and the wealth they carry. thus turning the empty desert roads to Hajj into a busy frontline of desert camps scouting for threat against the flow of baggage trains traveling towards Mecca.

https://i.ibb.co/MC63kPJ/hajj-routes1.jpg
https://www.arabnews.com/sites/defau...jj-routes1.png
https://www.arabnews.com/sites/defau...jj-routes1.png

Apllying the Concept in SSHIP:
"Securing the Road to Hajj" can resemble a interesting goal for middle eastern factions as they have to conquer specfic regions where the Road to Hajj passes through and build a specific building to activate the bonus from the flow of Pilgrames travelling to Mecca and passing through the region you conquered. in addition their could be outcomes to claiming to secure the Road to Hajj. for example their can be "Ghazw\Bedouin Raids\Rebel Armies Spawn" in regions where you generate bonus from securing the road to hajj. in addition, a character trait can be given to the ruler of a city setting on the Road to Hajj, something like "Protector of Road to Hajj" or "Securing the Road to Hajj". the same could be given to a faction leader who successfully conquered the entire road leading to Mecca.

Road to Hajj on the Campaign Map:
in SSHIP campaign map. 3 routes to Hajj can be resembled:
1. Levantine Hajj Road: Antioch > Damascus > Jerusalem > Aqaba > Tayma > Mecca
2. African Hajj Road: Tunis > Mahdiya > Tripoli > Alexandria > Cairo > Aqaba > Tayma > Mecca
3. Asian Hajj Road: Shiraz > Basra > Al Ahsa > Mecca

the above mentioned regions on the campaign map can be the playground for the Road to Hajj concept where Hajj related buildings\events could exist thus influencing the factions experience and performance to the better or worse depending on the players reaction to the challenge.


https://i.ibb.co/0jCy0fk/weqweqw.jpg

I understand how general this concept may sound, yet I believe it provies a wide range of development directions for muslim factions in future releases, especially for it's requirement of buildings-chain\character traits as bonuses, and rebel armies spawning as an outcome the bonus (maybe tweak the AI to see more value in conquering "Route to Hajj" cities for muslim factions??????) these are my shallow yet sweet thoughts regarding applying such concept. your opinion will be appreciated gentlemen.

Honestly, if one of us could mod this historical aspect, I would be delighted ! :thumbsup2

this is a great concept for a mechanic. even if the routes are not held by one faction, if the roads are held by muslim factions, it should grant a boon for all them who hold the routes. stability in the muslim world. i wonder if islamic factions can have their AI written so that they all desire the same cities, yet will not covet the city if its held by a muslim cousin, to make them all desire this road be whole. honestly, jihads have always felt kind of pointless and don't have that same elan as crusades. this mechanic would give another purpose to middle east factions besides expand and kill jerusalem

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sllhouette

this is a great concept for a mechanic. even if the routes are not held by one faction, if the roads are held by muslim factions, it should grant a boon for all them who hold the routes. stability in the muslim world. i wonder if islamic factions can have their AI written so that they all desire the same cities, yet will not covet the city if its held by a muslim cousin, to make them all desire this road be whole. honestly, jihads have always felt kind of pointless and don't have that same elan as crusades. this mechanic would give another purpose to middle east factions besides expand and kill jerusalem

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Indeed, I see it as a multi-level building mechanic available only in specific settlements setting on the Road to Mecca, such building-chain will be available to all factions muslim and non-muslim yet with different boons based on the faith of the ruling faction.

In case the settlement is owned by a muslim faction, "Hajj Camps/L1" building will provide: money bonus, religion conversion bonus, Spawns "Rebel\Raider", Spawns Heritics? armies every few turns. Level 2 & Level 3 buildings of the "Hajj Camps" will be highly more expensive to build yet would boost the mentioned impact of L1 building.

In case the settlement is owned by a non-muslim faction, "Hajj Camps/Level 1" building will provide: money bonus, religious conversion penalty, Spawns "Rebel\Raider" armies, Spawns Heritics?

that's my thought process of this concept so far. I will be attempting to code this building chain and integrate it in the specfic settlements in the coming weekend and if lucky will look into causing a "personality trait trigger\ancillary grant trigger" for characters ruling the specific settlement gaining them a positive or unique bonus?

https://i.imgur.com/BAQXn.gif

I find the concept of "Road to Hajj" in SSHIP to be quite intriguing. It adds a unique layer of strategy and depth to the game, particularly for middle eastern factions. Securing the road to Mecca could become a significant goal, with tangible benefits for factions that succeed in doing so.