can I edit directly the original patch.pack file?

[Spartan 666]

surely this has already been asked before, but I am a lot confused with all these modding tools, scripts, strange files formats, extract/unpack......

I downloaded PackFileManager, but it crashes more often than it works...sometimes it crashes, other times it says it wasn't able to download db definitions (but I have downloaded a DBFileTypes.txt file), then everytime I start it I have to reset the ETW folder...

when it works, I can edit patch.pack file...I opened the unit land stats file, and increased the number of soldiers in a unit. Then I started the game. The campaign mode worked perfectly, but I got a CTD as soon as I tried to play a battle.

I read somewhere I have to make a script if I want my mod to run...but I have modified an original file, not added anything...

To be precise, I wanted to bring the number of American natives musketters from 80 to 160, I edited only that...

Also, I read in some threads about Steam...but I don't have it!! And some mods require their files to be put in some .../steam/...folder, and in my pc Steam does not exist!

Sorry to ask this again but my mind is left behind at good simple Rome Total War modding (.txt files), and I can't understand a thing of all this mess!

[MrThib]

You should not moddified your original files.
If the only change you made was this one it's highly improbable that it's the cause of CTD.
Check the tread for the Pack File Manager and search for post about making mods.