KINGDOM of JERUSALEM

[officialdeo]

I notice there is a trait called "Considered a Poulain" that references the increased Middle Eastern influence on Frankish nobility in Outremer, but there isn't a corresponding unit, I think that Poulain Lancers should be implemented as a light cavalry unit with Arab influence on their arms and armor (stats similar to Tawashi Light Cavalry). It helps to fill a gap where Men at Arms would be in a European roster and gives Jerusalem some much-needed non-Templar flavor (I doubt if the kingdom survived and expanded into the 14th century it would continue to rely so heavily on military orders). Additionally, rather than French Foot Archers, Jerusalem should have Turkopole Archers (which could probably be represented with the Heavy Archers unit to save a unit slot).

[Jurand of Cracow]

Interesting youtube video on cooperation between KoJ and the Mongols.

To be fixed at some point:

Marinae units seem overly expensive @ 587 per turn for what they are. Aside from costs maybe consider making them only available in cities with ports, with larger port = larger recruitment pool. Another option would be to make them a mercenary unit for faction only in provinces with a port.
Once Ascalon, Halab and Damascus are captured pressure of crusaders is dramatically reduced in my case by turn 25.
Canonons of the Holy Sepulchre are underwhelming for a unique unit. Several of the other heavy units are far more durable as the attack is just to slow and they get killed before landing a blow. Raising their HP and or attack could work but I appreciate that makes them more fantasy. Perhaps better as a shield and mace unit? Replace with a unit based around Ritterbrider from Teutonic campaign but with less defense or perhaps just remove. A double strength Constable on Jerusalem or some good defensive type unique as substitute.
Mounted Sergeants, are these supposed to be slightly faster than regular Knights or have better stamina due to lower Armour. If heaver Knights are available there seems little point in recruiting them. Maybe dial down stamina on some of the heavier knights?

[Stivanderen]

So I noticed 2 visual things when playing around as Jerusalem in custom battles.
1: the icon for the constables at no point matches what the unit looks like. Which i think is a shame as based on the icon it would be really cool to be able to upgrade the constables to that look.
And 2:the cheval de roi or what ever they are called use surcoats and brigandines with the english red and yellow colors and the english lion. Which i dont think fits with them being frenchmen.

[kostic]

Yes. There is still a lot of work to be done with this faction. The later units have not been revised at all and those from the start of the campaign are still to be worked on.

[Stivanderen]

Thats good to hear. Is there a FAQ or questions not to ask so i dont make the same blunder again?

[kostic]

Difficult to answer all the questions ! There are so many factions and we are just a few history buffs and modding ...
In my case, my ambitions are summed up in the beginning of my discussion thread, back when my unit improvement work was "a submod of SSHIP."
Any remark or suggestion is in any case good to take if it is constructive and respectful.

[Jurand of Cracow]

Hm, I've created a FAQ only for the PTs...

[j.a.luna]

@kostic crusades states need a big revision in their unit roster and units models... For example Knights of Jerusalem (dismounted and mounted) have old models and dont have upgrade armours, so you can see knights with armours of s.XII in 1300 for example... Same for condestable of Jerusalem unit and other knigths of this faction.
I also think that for this faction should rely a lot on their AOR units and Muslim/Turcopoles recruits since the knights that came from Europe were limited... even from time to time they could receive European reinforcements if they keep certain cities like Jerusalem, Tripoli, Acre, Antioch... port cities where they would receive supplies and troops...
Also its ranks of knights and elite troops should be nurtured above all by religious orders as it was to make it more realistic.
The Turcopoles troops (horse archers and infantry) should increase as more Christians are in the settlements and be together with the urban militias their army base.

[kostic]

@j.a.luna : I completely agree with you. There is a lot to review on the side of Jerusalem.

[Jurand of Cracow]

One of the recent fixes was adding a princess for KoJ. One way of using her is to marry off to a good general, even a Muslim one. I've manged to get an excellent warrior:



Furthermore, the recruitment of unit Marinae will be modified: until now it was only for KoJ from all barracks in the Holy Land, from now on: recruitable from ports, for KoJ all around Mediterranean, and for the Christian factions in the Holy Land.

;----- Marinae - for KoJ and Christian factions ----------------------------
; this unit is called "Marinae"
recruit_pool "Pisan and Geonese sailors" 1 0.07 2 0 requires factions { jerusalem, } and not hidden_resource abbasid and not hidden_resource turks and not event_counter new_era_begins 1
recruit_pool "Pisan and Geonese sailors" 1 0.04 2 0 requires factions { jerusalem, } and not hidden_resource abbasid and not hidden_resource turks and event_counter new_era_begins 1


recruit_pool "Pisan and Geonese sailors" 1 0.07 2 0 requires factions { hre, france, scotland, england, southern_european, hungary, poland, greek, russia, kievan_rus, } and hidden_resource crusader and not event_counter new_era_begins 1

recruit_pool "Pisan and Geonese sailors" 1 0.04 2 0 requires factions { hre, france, scotland, england, southern_european, hungary, poland, greek, russia, kievan_rus, } and hidden_resource crusader and event_counter new_era_begins 1

[j.a.luna]

Good decision about Marinae units Jurand! although I thought that being "Italian units" you could include them, when you review it, in the Italian trade quarters along with crossbowmen to simulate Italian support in these colonies...


It's good news to see you modding in sship again!!!

[Macaras]

I played 200 turns with KoJ, here are some observations:


1. I think merchants are optimal as they are right now:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

My settings in desc_db are like this (I didn't change them after last update):

<merchants>
<base_income_modifier float="1.5"/> <!-- multiplier of the base price of a resource, SSHIP098: 1.8 was too much, 1.0 too little -->
<trade_bonus_offset float="4.5"/>  <!-- distance effect: 1.0 makes a far-away resource the same value as a resource next to capital: SSHIP098: 6.0 too much, 3.0 too little -->
    </merchants>

2. No agents at all after the initial ones died out.. (college of cardinals -100% made of KoJ cardinals) But when the agents were present AI knows how to use them:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

3. I tried some tercio pikemen tactics:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

What I mean is that there was a line of heavy spearmen spread out (to stop the charge with minimal loses), then another line of heavy spearmen to kill the cavalry and behind them the crossbowmen to make maximal damage. It was a tactic vs Byzantines with their Pronoiarii..

The result was this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

But maybe the hill was not steep enough and the Emperor aways give some additional boost as the army leader.

4. Because of well developed huge cities with cathedrals and universities and because sending my generals to crusades, most of them were very chivalrous, loyal and pious. That helps in succession.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

5. I think the conquered provinces are too easily converted to a different religion, it should be much more difficult to keep the conquered huge cities. The initial conversion from like 10% catholics to 50% goes too fast, it allows almost snowballing through middle east. And I didn't have to buy even one autonomy building, just landowners everywhere. The turmoil after conquering should also go down much slower then now, so after conquering the big city the player should need like 20 turns for it to calm down. I think if there is some factor - 50% of the speed that is now should be ok.. The warmonger script I think doesn't work properly, unfortunately - I didn't see any info through the whole game.

Now the game is over, because I have around 50k income every turn and a lot of heavy army, I play the biggest and richest faction, I don't think even mongols are a threat at this point. I think the best (only?) strategy for KoJ is to destroy first Fatimids (no ceasefires, relentless war since the beginning) even losing other cities in the north. I lost Jerusalem for Jihad, I had to move capital to Ascalon, because of constant Jihad threat, but it was worth it.

Here is the sav.

[sklvboris]

Does it mean that I need to build higher level of the sepulchre church, btw first level seems to be giving more bonuses than higher levels? Also do I need to own all of the regions in the faction overview?

[Jurand of Cracow]

Does it mean that I need to build higher level of the sepulchre church, btw first level seems to be giving more bonuses than higher levels? Also do I need to own all of the regions in the faction overview?

Yes, the Church. Yes, regions in the faction overview (or great father, or achieve great deeds).
I hope the benefits are not higher for the chapel than for the church, but I'll check

[sklvboris]

I hope the benefits are not higher for the chapel than for the church, but I'll check

With the chapel you get +2000 gold or something ridiculous, I started building the Church but then I saw my Jerusalem income would decrease by a couple of thousands

[Jurand of Cracow]

With the chapel you get +2000 gold or something ridiculous, I started building the Church but then I saw my Jerusalem income would decrease by a couple of thousands

yeah, you're right. It lingered from the past version, I'll fix it.

income_bonus bonus 2000 requires factions { jerusalem, } and not event_counter battle_hattin 1 ; stop gap solution for the income of KoJ

[sklvboris]

Kingdom of Jerusalem campaign turn 132
Ruled by King Thierry Grand master of the Hospitallers

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

And his heir the 84 year old Prince Raymond the Cruel, who is actually Thierry father

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The crown jewel of the kingdom is Alexandria, netting around 23,5k gold per turn. Actually most of it seems to be coming from the traits of Baudouin, as without him it would have around 8k income

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Jerusalem has recently taken Constanople and is now conquering the rest of the coastal part of Byzantium

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Here are the richest cities in the realm

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

At the start of the campaign, I first took the neutral settlements around me like Damascus, Sission and Malatya. Then fought the Fatimids, conquering First Cairo and Damietta then Alexandria, afterwards I made peace with them, but they attacked me a couple of times from Qus, so I've taken it from them. Meanwhile I've managed to take Aleppo while it was not heavily guarded and I managed to push bad the Zenghids. Calling a crusade on Mosul so a friendly catholic nation would hold it and be a buffer between me and them. At the same time the Sultanate of Rum semi-regularly attacked me in Sission. And at some time a jihad was called on me. I managed to defeat one or two of the armies, but the Moors managed to conquer the city, only to be recaptured by me a couple of turns afterwards. This led me to war with all muslim factions around me, and Baghdad and the Zengids attacked a couple of times in Al-Raqqa and Aleppo. But I managed to peace them out. I've managed to marry a Seljuq princess making a lasting alliance with them. Then I slowly defeated the Sultanate of Rum, when Byzantium attacked me, so I started slowly pushing them out from Anatolia as well. The Zenghids recaptured Mosul from the Germans so I called another crusade on it and the French took it. I've left the fatimids in Mekka and their other region in Arabia, and surprisingly for me they managed to take out some settlements from Bahdad, including the city itself and regaining some power. Then the pope called a crusade on their settlement above Mekka and thats why Sicily has it. Afterwards I've captured Constantinople and now I'm slowly pushing the Byzantines from their Balkan settlements. Georgia are their allies and from time to time attack me, but I try to peace out with them as I want them as Christian ally in the ME.
I also try not to conquer settlements which are deep inside land territory as ships help me with mobilty a lot.


EDIT: done, but upload also a save

[kostic]

Was this campaign played on VH/VH ?

[Khevsur]

in broken crescent There are many religious orders and beautiful crusader units. It would be good if it was done like that here


In the past, Georgians and Crusaders always had positive relations. The crusaders helped the Georgians several times in the war, and the Georgians also helped the crusaders. King Lasha-George was going to go on a great crusade, but the Mongols appeared... I want this to be reflected in the game - For example, Georgian cavalry in the Kingdom of Jerusalem - Frankish cavalry in the Kingdom of Georgia, but in limited numbers

[Khevsur]

In foreign sources, Georgians are referred to as Eastern Crusaders