Single Model Units in Campaign

[Moneybags14]

Hello all and welcome to my quick and easy tutorial on how to create single model units in the campaign! Even on Huge settings!! With 3 easy steps!

Lets get started with some restrictions to the method and things that aren't possible(yet).

*The unit HAS TO BE an elephant
*The unit cannot be a single model in custom battles using this method but I will tell you how to make this happen.

Here is the process that is needed to achieve single model units!

1.) Creating the Mount

Create an elephant mount inside the mount file.
Ex:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

type 				moneybags
class 				elephant
model 				mount_moneybags
radius 				1
x_radius 			3
y_offset 			0
height 				2
mass 				120
banner_height 			1
bouyancy_offset 		3
water_trail_effect 		elephant_water_trail
root_node_height 		2.84
attack_delay 			0
dead_radius 			3.7
tusk_z 				3.7
tusk_radius 			3.7
riders 				2
rider_offset 			0.05, -1.52, 1.37
rider_offset 			-0.3, -1.52, 0.4

2.) Writing the EDU Entry

Create the unit that you want to be a single unit inside the EDU using something similar to this.
*Note: You need to make sure that the two things in bold and red are exactly the way I have mine in the example. Which means you need the unit size to be "100" and make sure you are referring to the correct mount.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

type             Moneybags Elephant
dictionary       Moneybags_Elephant
category         cavalry
class            heavy
voice_type       Heavy
banner faction   main_cavalry
banner holy      crusade_cavalry
soldier          Elephant_Crew, 100, 1, 1
mount            moneybags
attributes	 very_hardy, frighten_foot, frighten_mounted, no_custom
formation	 3, 3, 6, 6, 1, square
stat_health	 1, 12
stat_pri	 0, 0, no, 0, 0, no, no, no, none, 0, 1
stat_pri_attr	 no
stat_sec	 50, 25, no, 0, 0, melee, melee_simple, piercing, sword, 0, 1
stat_sec_attr	 launching, bp, ap, area
stat_pri_armour	 15, 15, 5, metal
stat_sec_armour	 35, 25, metal
stat_heat	 0
stat_ground	 0, 0, -1, -1
stat_mental	 30, impetuous, highly_trained, lock_morale
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay	 0
stat_food	 60, 300
stat_cost	 1, 1000, 1000, 500, 500, 1000, 2, 500
armour_ug_levels 1
armour_ug_models Elephant_Crew
ownership        england

3.) The script needed to spawn the unit.

* Now this is something that many people may not know. You can spawn a unit with a certain amount of models with the "soldiers" parameter for spawn_army.
* Separate the soldiers parameter like you would the exp parameter. With a tab.
*The only thing that is 100% necessary for this technique to work will be red and bold. It is setting the soldiers parameter to 1.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

monitor_event FactionTurnStart FactionType england
if I_TurnNumber = 1

	spawn_army
	faction england
	character	random_name, named character, age 18, x 262, y 126
	traits LoyaltyStarter 1 , GoodCommander 1 
		unit		Moneybags Elephant	soldiers 1	exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
	end
end_if
end_monitor

And that is what you need to do to make single model units in the campaign!

If you have any problems, just shoot me a PM or post here.

Cheers,
Moneybags

[Ishan]

Good work.

[Spitfire -WONDERBOLT!]

Question, does your single unit trick for custom battle work on non-elephant troops?

[Moneybags14]

No, because you cannot script the size of units in a custom battle. And you cannot get non-elephant troops lower then 4 i think. I tried.

[Úlfhéðinn]

WOW, finally thanks!!! Rep comes your way

[Withwnar]

This method is being used in TATW for Sauron and occasionally there are three of him in his unit instead of just one.

After some investigation it seems to happen in this scenario:

1) save game
2) attack Sauron to go into battle --> 1 Sauron
3) exit the battle
4) load that saved game
5) attack Sauron to go into battle --> 3 Saurons

What is really strange is that if you quit to desktop between step 3 & 4 then there are still 3 Saurons.

At first I thought it was due to an increase in bodyguard size, be it from the auto-grow nature of bodyguards or the Sauron character having high Authority. But no, I am fairly certain that the above steps are the cause.

Why it happens I have no idea. And why it remembers that there are now three of him even though you have not saved the game in that state is utterly beyond me.

I don't know what happens if you fight Sauron, lose (or win but he escapes) and then fight him again. i.e. Is it the exiting battle that does it or is it the enter-battle-twice that does it?

Anyway, just thought I'd repeat it here in case others try this out and come across the same thing.

[BM309K58SMERCH]

This works for named general units too?
And also, is there any other tutorial like this but for custom battle?

[Withwnar]

Any "named character" type, so long as they are spawned with a "soldiers 1" bodyguard unit as the OP describes.

Does it also work via descr_strat.txt?

Custom battle: not sure.

[BM309K58SMERCH]

I don't know, I didn't try any of this yet because I didn't reach that stage in development. But what I need to know before I reach there is if these 2 situations are possible:

-In custom battle, there can be a unit called "Bruce Lee". In the unit, there is only 1 person alone. Also, when chosen as a general (which it is supposed to be), he still remains alone, without any armored knight to his side. And he can use rally or whatever ability you like (Rally is enough and appropriate).
-In campaign, all of the above can occur (that's what the tutorial is explaining)...Aaaand, the 1 person general unit can respawn after sometime, and still remain as 1 person. (I know how to respawn generals from another thread). All I'm afraid here is the "3x Sauron" error you mentioned earlier. I'm afraid if "Bruce Lee" will respawn, and have another clone.

[Withwnar]

Does it also work via descr_strat.txt?

Sorry, I wasn't asking you. It was question to the world at large.

I don't think that respawning will cause the 3 Sauron problem.