[Dev-Report] Chivalry I : Previews & Progress

[icydawgfish]

Well, I like it and think that it makes for a more unique Russian faction. And a new Islamic power in the East may drastically affect the game and make it more fun if you play the Byzantines or the Seljuks.

[DaVinci]

Well, Novgorod (unique units, characters, Novgorod settlement) is still in the game just under the KievRus who were indeed the main russian power in our timeframe, they got Smolensk, and have now a quite historical trade route between Nowgorod and Kiev. It is still a challenge due to the powerful Steppe people all around.
The addition of the Rum Seljuks renders the game much more historically correct, as the Grand Seljuk empire was in a heavy crisis/civil war right after the death of Malik Shah, but also before this event, the Seljuks weren't at all united.

[Hound of Ulster]

Played this one in test drive with the Byzantines...

I like what I see.

[DaVinci]

Mini-Sneakpeak Romans:


(Edit: not viewable link source, removed, see post #78)

It's one draft done by Basileios, of the new Numerioi (Skoutatoi of Contantinople only) in the front-display, attacked by Saracens of the Grand Seljuk Empire (it's all wip btw.).

[AnthoniusII]

Too bad we can not see them!:hmmm:

[icydawgfish]

The link says that we don't have permission to view the page, but I would love to see the preview of my favorite faction.

[Basileios]

I hope that's better:

DaVinci's previous picture(pic 5) shows the Numerioi carrying the sarrissa or kontaria makron but as a garrison unit pikes are most unlikely. So we decided to use short pikes (kontaria mikron) instead.

[icydawgfish]

Looks nice, but shouldn't the phalanx formation be a bit denser in order to make it effective?

[AnthoniusII]

I hope that's better:

DaVinci's previous picture(pic 5) shows the Numerioi carrying the sarrissa or kontaria makron but as a garrison unit pikes are most unlikely. So we decided to use short pikes (kontaria mikron) instead.

Nice but ...what is the starting day of the mod?:hmmm:

[Pompeius Magnus]

good things need time.
some unit UIs need an overhaul and the beta-test is not finished.
Anyway. In the next days we will offer a new Preview.

[Basileios]

Nice but ...what is the starting day of the mod?:hmmm:

1072. But I suppose that wasn't your point... Do you consider the Numerioi out of the timescale? Or just their design?

[AnthoniusII]

The name numerioi as the infantry version of Scholarii is fine becouse "arithmos"-numeron was one of the scholae!
My abjection is the shield type...Large round and oval shields begin to be abondoned after 1025(Death of Basileios II)and even earlier!
A kite shiled with the Crist's insignia kould be more accurate (if you have not an imperial guard unit in your roster)!!!:hmmm:

[Pompeius Magnus]

good suggestion and really sensefull. we will check that. thanx

[AnthoniusII]

The following description of the battle of Matziquert will help you to see ranks(traits in 1071)and some usefull info for the battle it self...

Battle of Matziquert

With little words like a telegram

Persons related to battle :
Romanus IV Diogenes Emperor of the Roman Empire.
Manuel Komnenos Kouropalates
Ioannes Dukas Kaisar
Andronikus Dukas (Megas?) Dux
Joseph Tarchaneiates Magistrus
Nikephorus Vasilakius Majistrus Katepano
Nikephorus Vryennius Domestikus ton scholon tes Dyseos
Theodorus Alleates General-Dux of Kappadokia
Russelius de Bayell Etairiarches ton Latinikon
Michael Attaleiates Historian (describer of the hole campaign).

Arp Aslan Sultan (leader of the seljuk/turkoman confederacy)...
Nizam al Mulk General

Pre battle events:
1:Kouropalates Manuel Komnenos signs a non aggression pact with the Arp Aslan with very good terms for the empire...
2:Manuel Komnenos dies early 1071(or late 1070)...
3:Arp Aslan begins hostilities with Fatimids and Khwresmians at the same time...
4: Turkomanic tribal forces raid the empire east territories and capture the city of Matziquert (maybe) without orders of Arp Aslan.
5:Imperial council insists that is the right time to expand (Arp Aslan already fights in two fronts).
6: Emperor orders the troops to be gathered in Ellenopollis at the army's Aplicton(camp)...
7:Army's numbers 200000-400000 according to Turkish historians of that time 60000 according to Cheynet …(estimated 60000-90000).
8:Army has Greek/romans,Iberians(Georgians),Armenians, Francs(latinicon),Rus(varangs)and skythicon(Allans and Pejenegs).
9:Emperor marches to Theodosioupollis to gather more "thematic"troops.
10:Emperor sieges Matziquert(estimated dates 15-20 of August).
11:Arp Aslan sieges Edessa
12:Sultan orders Nizam al Mulk to gather troops and help shield the paths to his
rear.
13:Emperor sends Russelius to Hliat to conquer the city…
14:Emperor has no news from Russelius and decides to send Tarchaneiates with
20000 heavy cavalry to find him and then to return to assist him as soon as
possible.
15:Arp Aslan arrives at 17th or 24th of August…
16:Arp Aslan holds highlands and a water spring…


Battle events:
-1 day: 1:Turkish recon force provokes Byzantines..
2:Nikephorus Vryennius responds to the trap and counter attack .He
is in the middle of the trap and asks help…
3:Emperor orders Nikephorus Vasilacius to help the trapped general!
4:N. Vryennius is safe but N.Vasilakius captured by the turks.
5:Army withdraws for the night.
6:Turkish forces doing night attack…



Day of the battle: (19 or 26 of August)..
1:Emperor orders the army to take position..but still has no clear view for
the Seljuk army.
2:Emmisaries from Arp Aslan arrive to the imperial camp with peace
proposals.
3:Emperor’s council convince that the sultan’s offering is an act of
weakness.
4:Allans start to fight with out orders.
5:Emperor still waits the Hliat forces to return .
6:It is already midday and Emperor orders the army to march.
7:Emperor leads the center and his is slightly ahead from the rest of
the army. And turks commit fake retreat..
8:Turks surrounds emperor .
9:Nikephorus Vryennius tries to help emperor but falls in a trap and
Gets surrounded him self also…
10: Pejenegs go to Turkish side.
11: Emperor orders reform but the second line (under the orders of
Andronicus Dukas ) sees it as a retreat…
12:Emperor gets wounded and captured by the Seljuks!!!

After battle events:
1:Arp Aslan treats emperor with honor. He gives emperor a bodyguard
force .
2:Ioannes Dukas claim the throne for his nephew Michael Dukas.
3: Diogenes finds refuge to Antioch and an ally the catepano of the
city Hatatorius (an Armenian).
4: Diogenes marches to the castle of Addana and waits the winder to pass.
5: Ioannes and Andronikus Dukas siege the castle…
6: Hatatorius tries to brake the siege but gets captured…
7: Diogenes surrenders (his is wearing the monks cloth!
Conspiracy theories:
1:We found both Russelius and Tarchaneiates 150 kms away from the battle
at Meletene .They had almost half or one third of the army with them…
2: Andronikus Dukas had better position to help the emperor ,instead he
orders retreat…
3:Ioannes Dukas claim his nephew as the new emperor to fast .No one
knows if the emperor is dead or alive and when it is clear that he is
alive the claim him a traitor not a returning emperor.


Notice: Nikephorus Vryennius soldiers were known as ‘Loricati” ….

[Pompeius Magnus]

oha, so much informations in our preview thread.

gents, if somebody has infos about our mod-time-frame then please post it into one of the hist. discussion-threads or just open a new thread.

All informations are highly welcome, and we like such an input, however, it should be located on the right place.
This preview-thread is reserved for Chivalry items and the coming version(s).

Thanx and best regards

[DaVinci]

I think you should create then a fresh 'preview 2' thread, which i'll stick then again.

[Basileios]

The name numerioi as the infantry version of Scholarii is fine becouse "arithmos"-numeron was one of the scholae!

Well, as a matter of facts we had the design of the (our) Numerioi first (similar to the former Excubitai) and provided it with a place in the unit roster later...

The Viglia/Biglia/Arithmos was one of the Scholae - as you put it. The 'Numerioi', though the term itself seems to be synonym to 'Arithmos' - was apparently an other unit.
Both the Numerioi and Teiche are said to be closely related to the Tagmata but were normally not counted among them.

My abjection is the shield type...Large round and oval shields begin to be abondoned after 1025(Death of Basileios II)and even earlier!

For the oval shield you're certainly right! About 1000 AD the kite-shield is suggested to have replaced the oval ones but the round shields seemed to have remained in use for the Riptaristai (=Akontistai) and Menavlatoi. In the cavalry the dates for the kite-shield becoming predominant vary between 1000 AD (like the infantry) to the adoption of wester heavy cavalry tactics although for native cavalry under Manuel Komnenios around 1150 AD. Personly I prefer the first date!

A kite shiled with the Crist's insignia kould be more accurate (if you have not an imperial guard unit in your roster)!!!:hmmm:

Sounds most interesting! Though imho the Hetaireia (bodyguards) might be an even better choice for that!


Btw great work about Manzikert! The informations are generally known, but you put them in a superbly compact form!

Just one thing: the defection of some Turkish mercenaries is said to take place before the battle (probably the day before). The remaining Turkish mercenaries were after that put on an holy oath and are claimed to have fought to the end!

[Nelduin]

What about the new custom battlemap buildings ?
Will you include other in this new version ?

[DaVinci]

The as yet included Chivalry 3d buildings/settlement plans (battle mode) are present since version 0.50 (released October 2006 ... new?).

And else, we haven't an active 3d building modeler, as Drak isn't present since January 2008. So it is high probable there won't be new 3d buildings, unless Drak comes back and has the time to work on this, or another new 3d building modder suceeds.

[Nelduin]

The as yet included Chivalry 3d buildings/settlement plans (battle mode) are present since version 0.50 (released October 2006 ... new?).

And else, we haven't an active 3d building modeler, as Drak isn't present since January 2008. So it is high probable there won't be new 3d buildings, unless Drak comes back and has the time to work on this, or another new 3d building modder suceeds.

Great. Anyway it is true that new buildings aren't necessary because there is already new buildings since v0.50.
Ok, thanks for the answer, and be sure that I will play this new version.