New Saxon Units

[big_feef]

I finally got my hands on a copy of 3dsmax5 while I'm waiting for an issue with my 3dsmax6 licence to be resolved; so I decided to do some units my new favourite faction was missing, the Saxons!

Anyway, without further ado... the screenshots.

Saxon Ceorls


Saxon Thegns


Saxon Mounted Thegns


Unit cards


Hopefully, I'll get back full usage of 3dsmax this week; then I plan to redo the Saxon Chosen Axemen (to Wodan's Axemen). I also plan to add an armoured archer unit to the Saxons as Saxon Hunters suck.

The mod file is attached for you downloading pleasure. Have fun!

[DarK_RTW]

They look like clones, and no real difference between their origins.
Great work all in all!

[Kinjo]

Good job I have been playing with the saxon skins a bit here is a general I made.


The wothan axemen will be great! can wait for that model. I think that this is a great idea and keep up the good work.


Reiks

[adamus]

Good looking skins. Do you think that you could change the Saxon colours on the shields and capes to make them something other than that ugly bright orange pls.

[Nobunuga oda]

these skins cause a cdt when loading, could you have an auto install because that would be more helpful

[Fuji]

Really good

[Lord-Sobieski]

AHHH yes! this is wher i have bin waitin' 4
Skins! Or actually new units! even better!
I like them espacialy the saxon coarls

[big_feef]

Thanks for the feedback people!

@Dark_RTW: I only got my hands on 3dsmax for less than 24 hours, so the amount of model changes I had in mind could not be implemented unfortunately. When I do get my licence back for it, I'll make some more changes; but it won't be anything major. Remember, these are the elite units of the Saxons; and as such, their equipment will be similar and they will end up looking like 'clones'.

@adamus: Sorry, I'm keeping the 'ugly orange'. The Saxons have one of the more muted colours anyway.

@Nobunuga oda: Are you sure you're doing everything correctly? I included very detailed instructions on how to install the skins and set up the units because I don't want to have others who have modded files to have them deleted by mine. I assumed, right or wrong, that the majority who visit these forums will have had modeed files and would want to keep the changes they already have.

@Reiksmarshal: I see you're using the banner officer also; I have a similar one I'm still working on but didn't release along with this small pack. I've tried to use the general model for the Saxons that is similar to the one that shows up on the campaign map, but I keep getting weird animation distortions. When I have max back full time, I'll see what I can do to fix that... they look much cooler than the ones CA had us using; I just love those masks!

What's up next? Well, I'd like to change the models used for the chosen axemen to something similar to that used by the axe heerbann: the same axe but with a shield. The only problem I encountered was that 3dsmax kept forcing backside culling on the axe blade (which just has a one-sided face) when I export the model. I also plan to add another ranged unit to the Saxons; preferably an armoured archer type using a modified steppe raider model; but without the shield (unless I can get it to stay on their back when they're shooting and be wielded in hand when they're in melee through scripting or other means). The currently released skins and models will also get any optimizations I think will make them look better when I can actually spend more time on the models.

I'm a decent modeller, not a skilled one; and my texturing skills are none-existent ; but I hope to at least fix the model and texture errors that some of the CA models have. Any changes to apperance will of course have new unit cards, as its something I'm actually really good at. This was done for my own personal use; but, like most modders, decided to share even if it sucks. :laughing:

Again, thanks for all the feedback.

[Kinjo]

big_feef,

You seem to to have knowlege on the Saxon backgound, did the Saxons use crossbows in this period? If so I have made a crossbow unit I just was not sure how acurate it was. For the chosen axemen are you going to use the wothen skin with the tear drop shields, that would be a nice change and maybe you could give them the throwing axe too if it is acurate. I know it was not used wide spread like the franks but I am sure it would be acceptable for one elite unit.

As far as some of the saxons fixes go there are two that are not skin problems the keels shield has a bar that runs along the bottom, and the sleeves of the warlord bodyguard model have black boxes around their arms. With your modeling skills surly you could fix these problems. If you need any help on your project as far as skinning or sprites go I could help you with that, I am a decent skinner but my 3dmax skills are limted. I like your project and hope to see more of your work soon. I can give you the skin and model I used for the general if you want.

Cheers

Reiks

[big_feef]

Sorry for not responding for a couple of days; I had some RL things I had to get resolved... blasted Wilma! At least I finally got the issue with my 3ds max licence taken care of, so I'll be working on this little project of mine with the few free days I sould have this week. Anyway...

big_feef,

You seem to to have knowlege on the Saxon backgound, did the Saxons use crossbows in this period? If so I have made a crossbow unit I just was not sure how acurate it was. For the chosen axemen are you going to use the wothen skin with the tear drop shields, that would be a nice change and maybe you could give them the throwing axe too if it is acurate. I know it was not used wide spread like the franks but I am sure it would be acceptable for one elite unit.

Well, as I mentioned earleir, the early history of Saxon military organization is pretty hazy. I'm sure they made use of crossbows, but not to a great extend until much later. The Saxons were a pretty adaptable bunch, they were always incorporating new techniques into their arsenal; so it's not inconceivable that they imployed crossbows after coming in contact with armies that did the same. As for the axemen, I'll have to see how easy it will be to make the shields (not too difficult I imagine) and how good they will look. But I think I'll stick to the round or square shields because of consistency.

As far as some of the saxons fixes go there are two that are not skin problems the keels shield has a bar that runs along the bottom, and the sleeves of the warlord bodyguard model have black boxes around their arms. With your modeling skills surly you could fix these problems. If you need any help on your project as far as skinning or sprites go I could help you with that, I am a decent skinner but my 3dmax skills are limted. I like your project and hope to see more of your work soon. I can give you the skin and model I used for the general if you want.

Cheers

Reiks

About the keel's shield, I haven't noticed it really; I'll have to check it out again. And the problem with the model for the warlord's cavalry is an error that I could not locate. Part of the problem is that when I exported it into 3dsmax, whatever the prolem was disappeared... the only error I could see after importing the model and then exporting it was a couple of missing faces. I just used another model, the similar saxon noble model with the cloak.

I expect to have the armoured archers (linked to the temples of Ull) and the axemen (linked to the temple of Wotan) up later this week. I just need to settle back in after being away from my computer for week.

[{H0sPiTalLeR}]

big_beef, i had trouble understanding how to put this in the export_descr_building.txt. The game crashed to desktop after loading the first screen.

Open the export_building_descr.txt file and add the following entries:

a. In the unit lists for the army_barracks and royal_barracks:
replace: recruit "saxon hearth troops" 0 requires factions { saxons, }
with: recruit "saxon ceorls" 0 requires factions { saxons, }
b. In the unit list for the royal_barracks:
insert: recruit "saxon thegns" 0 requires factions { saxons, }
c. In the unit lists for the hippodrome and circus_maximus:
replace: recruit "saxon mounted nobles" 0 requires factions { saxons, }
with: recruit "saxon mounted thegns" 0 requires factions { saxons, }

Thanks for the skins, cant wait to use them.

EDIT: Nope, I've got it dont worry. Me being an idiot!

regards.

[Agraes]

Your work is very fine

Just wondering you can help me with my mod 'Arthurian TW', there is a lot of saxon things to do... but also Britons, Gaels, Picts, Frankish and others...

http://s10.invisionfree.com/Imperium...p?showforum=44

[Benny_DK]

Hi all,

Has anyone gotten the new units by feef to work?

I've closely followed the readme file that was included in the zip. file, but something I've done or something in that readme must be wrong as the game CTDs after loading half of a custom battle

As far as I can remember all the units U added to RTW had some text for the export_descr_unit_enums.txt file and this mod/unitpack doesn't

Could someone please tell me (in details) how they got it to work


Thanks a bunch in advance

[saxonhero]

Sorry to bump an old thread.
How are the newer units going feef? Have you had a chance to work on them?