This is my personal take on the excellent SSHIP mod version 0.98. Thanks to the original modders for their amazing work!
It includes the following features, which can be picked and chosen from according to preference:
English Faction names:
A modded text file that changes the faction names back into English format, instead of the mixture of latin and native titles, as this seemed to turn some of the more casual players off from the mod.
Installation: Replace the expanded.txt file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Medieval II Total War\mods\SSHIP_098\data\text with the file from the google drive.
4 turns per year script:
Exactly what it says on the tin. Converted from Lin117's mod for the original SS 6.4. Unlike the other submods listed here, this one only works if you start a new campaign, although it doesn't seem to break old campaign saves, it just won't apply the changes to them.
Installation: Replace the campaign_script and descr_strat files in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Medieval II Total War\mods\SSHIP_098\data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign with the file from the google drive.
More ammo for archers:
I've given more ammunition to archers across the board (minimum 40 arrows per archer, even more for some elite units) as SSHIP still uses the fast volley fire reload animation from SS 6.4 for most of it's archers, hasn't increased their ammunition, but has the increased armour and morale across the board for the units they're shooting at, making archers of limited use in a lot of instances. This tries to balance that out. Some archers have seen a slight upkeep increase as a result of the logistical implications of keeping archers supplied with this increased number of arrows. There are currently three instances of the export_descr_unit file in the SSHIP 98 mod folder, and I don't know which file the mod uses for what, so I've replaced all three with this new file and the game runs smoothly
Installation: Replace the export_descr_unit file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Medieval II Total War\mods\SSHIP_098\data\ and in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Medieval II Total War\mods\SSHIP_098\data XII\data and finally in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Medieval II Total War\mods\SSHIP_098\data XIII\data with the file from the google drive.
Early longbows:
Although the historicity of this change can obviously be debated, I have decided to give England an early longbow unit from the heavy mail event and onwards, to simulate the sources describing Welsh elm longbows from as early as 1188. These units have no stakes and have slightly less range and damage than their high and late era counterparts. Use them if you like. The rebels still get them if you don't which annoyed me, so there you go.
On a similar note England in SSHIP 98 doesn't get the later longbows until the transitional armour event, which likewise annoyed me, so I changed it back to the English archers event, which only happens a decade or so earlier so hardly gamebreaking, just a preference thing if I say so myself.
Installation: Replace the descr_events file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Medieval II Total War\mods\SSHIP_098\data\ with the file from the google drive.
Note: The stakes change is made in the export_descr_unit file in the more ammo for archers header, so if you want both changes get both, otherwise the early longbows will still have stakes and only 30 arrows, although you could play around with this yourself I suppose.
Download link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...7J?usp=sharing
Stuff I'd like to do, but don't know how yet (please help, oh mighty modding hivemind!):
Add the Yeoman Archers animation to the rest of the archers in SSHIP:
If you haven't seen it yet go load up a custom battle and check it out right this instance! the english yeoman archers actually pull the strings and have an arrow in the knock during aiming! It's amazing! I don't know who did this, but you're the man! +1 rep my dude! I don't myself know how to mod animations, but if someone wants to show me a quick rundown of how to replicate it once, I will make it so for every single archer in SSHIP! Even find a way to vary it so it still works with the faster volley fire animation some archers have retained from SS 6.4.
Replace textures and models in general:
I'd like to be able to switch to the OG SS 6.4 general and captain models once a given campaign reaches a certain year, and maybe even the vanilla ones if the campaign REALLY drags on. The current general and captain models are excellent for anno 1100-1200, but once you reach the high and late middle ages a saxon swordsman with a kite-shield leading your landsknechts or longbowmen or musketeers gets a bit weird. since changing many of the other files in SSHIP doesn't seem to break ongoing campaigns and most changes seem to be applied to ongoing campaigns as well as new ones, I'd like to find out how to change these safely so I can experiment with if it is also possible to change this stuff mid-campaign for ultimate immersion If anyone knows how to do this and has the time to explain, I would very much appreciate it!
Replace Faction Banners:
Similarly, I'd like to be able to replace faction banners as the campaign develops. I now know how to for example rename the county of portugal to the kingdom of portugal mid-campaign, but i'd like to be able to also replace their flags, and down the line maybe even write a script that does this automatically given certain conditions of expansion are met.
If you can help me do either, you da man!
Needless to say if you simply know of a thread where any of these things have already been discussed then pointing me in that direction is equally appreciated.
Feedback is of course welcome, and if I made a typo or forgot a line somewhere you're very welcome to let me know as well, cheers folks!