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Imperial Splendour version Two point Zero
This is going to be a complete rework of unit rosters, recruitment costs, unit stats, and recruitment times. I'm going to maintain a Lite Imperial Splendour which will remain 1.X, that includes only my general changes and the AI. Keep in mind that the below is entirely preliminary, and it's going to take me a good bit of time to implement. Also keep in mind that balance is up in the air, so please don't post a rant saying "Russia should be superior to everything else because of XXXXXX". This is a gameplay mod first and a realism mod second. It has to be balanced. I'm trying to both create unique playstyles for every faction and to make sure each faction has the feel that matches it's 18th century military doctrines.
Imperial Splendour v2.0 will also include a complete integration of Ahiga's Unit Irregularization minimod and the_vicar's Ultimate Artillery minimod.
Here's what I'm currently planning
1) Line infantry and Elite line infantry have their stats increased, and recruitment time increased. A "Levy" line infantry is created that has low or no recruiting time, and stats slightly worse than standard line infantry now. Only recruit able from military buildings.
2) Regiments Estrangers have very good line infantry stats, slightly lower than the regular line infantry, but they recruit as fast as levy units. They are hard capped.
3) I'm removing the technology requirement for Light Infantry, and instead I'm going to restrict their recruitment to barrackses equal or higher to the tier the technology comes available, for most factions.
Without further ado, here's a breakdown by faction -
New!
United Provinces - They are defensive in nature. They reload and shoot very well (at the turn of the century Platoon Fire was known as the "Dutch Way", and no, they will not start with platoon fire), and they prize professionalism and efficiency over glory. To that end, they have high melee defense, but poor melee charge and melee attack. Their status as a republic, with a relatively large middle class, also hampers their line infantry. It's harder to press gang a rich man to fight and die. They have access to levy line infantry and professional line infantry, but it's more expensive and slightly less effective than it's counterparts in other nations. To compensate, the Dutch have a superior number of elite regiments. They can recruit Highland Infantry (though not of the same caliber as the home grown variety) and superior Expatriate Infantry from displaced Scottish and German populations. They also can recruit a larger number of unique elites, like the Frisian Guard and the Swiss Guard, than other nations. Finally, given their status as a maritime nation, they are more efficient at building ships, resulting in lower costs and in some cases faster recruitment. Their cavalry is poor, and primarily armed with muskets. They do not have access to heavy cavalry. Their artillery is only average, as well.
Great Britain - Their line infantry has average melee stats, but has the second best reload. They have heavy cavalry, but it's more expensive pound for pound then factions who specialize in cavalry. They have standard artillery. They pay for the overall strength of their army with higher costs. Pound for pound can hold their own, but will not be as economically efficient, as other factions.
France - Their levy line infantry is cheaper, and slightly more effective in melee than other nations. It's more cost effective than their superior line infantry. They have superior mobile artillery and cavalry, though they pay a premium for their cavalry. Their doctrine revolves around expendable infantry used to give the artillery and cavalry a chance to do the real damage, with their infantry focused on the bayonet over the bullet, slightly.
Spain - They have standard costs for levy infantry, and their superior line infantry is more expensive than other nations, but not superior statistically. To compensate, they have early access to light infantry. They get "regular" light infantry one barracks earlier than the technology. Their heavy infantry is used to support the light infantry. They do not have access to heavy cavalry. Their artillery is standard. They focus on utilizing terrain and outshooting the enemy.
Poland - They do not have access to levy infantry, they get access to superior line infantry at tier 3 (one higher than the game starts the player at). We'll show in their description that they arn't really polish, but rather mercenary regiments that were popular at the time. Their superior line infantry is slightly worse statistically in every regard to other nations. They do not have access to elite line infantry. They also lack access to "regular" light infantry, instead they only have access to pandours. Instead, they have a 40% cost reduction in cavalry across the board, with access to some (if not the) best cavalry in the game. Their artillery follows the_vicars paradigm for them.
Russia - Their line infantry across the board (excepting cossacks) is inferior at shooting and superior at charging and melee. Their levy infantry has inferior morale. Strong artillery, easy access to cheap light cavalry, overly expensive heavy cavalry. Strong artillery, as the_vicar has it. Cossacks are the "regiment estranger" for Russia, with a cap, but fast recruiting and overall strong stats.
Sweden - Sweden has smaller unit sizes across the board for every unit. They also have slightly higher costs for every unit. To compensate, they have some of the highest stats across the board as well. They do not have access to Levy line infantry, only professionals. They have a balanced army of artillery, light infantry, heavy infantry, light cavalry, and heavy cavalry. Slightly favoring infantry and cavalry. Their artillery is quick shooting, but it has a poor range. Their cavalry is some of the best (It was historically, as I recall, at least in their tactical capabilities), but also slightly more expensive. Their line infantry shoot above average, but not as well as the British or Prussians, but their melee capabilities on a man for man basis are unmatched. On a unit for unit basis, they are slightly stronger than any other unit of line infantry, to compensate for their increased vulnerability to ranged fire (each man lost hurts them more than a regular sized unit).
Prussia - Strong heavy infantry, backed with average/slightly above average artillery. Their Levy infantry is superior to other nations, and their superior line infantry are the fastest reloaders. Their infantry has standard costs, despite their superior stats. They do not have access to heavy cavalry, and expensive access to medium cavalry. Their artillery is likewise more expensive. Their light infantry is equal in quality to the average, but more expensive than other nations.
Austria - Slightly above average levy infantry with a slightly large unit size, no access to superior line infantry (just to be clear, when I talk about superior infantry I don't mean the elites we have now, just the above average longer recruiting infantry). Easy and readily available irregular light infantry with slightly larger unit size, early access to regular light infantry with regular unit size. Superior light infantry available at later tiers. Access to heavy cavalry, with average costs, but they have access to superior and slightly cheaper medium cavalry through Hussars and Uhlans. Artillery is average, and according to the_vicar
Ottomans - Idiosyncratic infantry style, with an emphasis on light infantry (azzars, most Janissaries, Kurds) and Irregulars (bashi Bashouks, Desert warriors) with shoddy cavalry and heavy artillery. European reforms put them in line with other factions.
Marathas - Irregular infantry, with access to quality melee units. Based on what Ahiga said, I think Sikhs will be their superior light infantry, with Hindu musketeers as their strong irregulars, and Bargir as European style superior line infantry with slightly higher costs than their stats dictate. Strong but inflexible artillery and some of the best light cavalry in the game, with limited access to good lancers.
Mughals - Some of the weakest infantry, but powerful artillery and some of the best heavy lancers in the game.
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Originally Posted by Quixote07
