AqD's BC submod for begineers

[AqD]

Version 2.0 has been released

The submod is a combination of several features, designed for begineers like me. It's for BC 2.3.2 only.

Installation: copy files from my zip to BC mods directory, it should override a lot of files and add some building pics under data\ui.


Major features:


Recruitment: Wider AOR, Higher Cost and Slower Recruitment, ...

Spoiler for Details: 

1. Factional units are available after regional religion reaches 90%; levy units excluded
2. Foreign and native units may be available after religion reaches 100% (high-level ones such as Kshatriya Warriors)
3. Unit cost and upkeep are increased by more than double.
4. Unit recruitment time is changed to 1-4 turns.
5. Generals and siege engines have free upkeep when garrisoned.
6. Siege engines are made very expensive, but also more effective.
7. Crossbowmen are recruitable in cities but not castles.
8. KOJ: Military orders may be estabilished outside of homeland, with certain requirements.
9. KOJ: Knights are more difficult to recruit compared to heavy cavalry of other factions.

Battle: Longer Battles, Stronger Infantry

Spoiler for Details: 

1. All units have at least 2HP.
2. Unit numbers are rebalanced, based solely on their quality.
3. Cavalry: smaller number, weaker charge, vulnerable against missiles.
4. Infantry: slower movement, depending on how much equipments they carry.
5. Spearmen: armour-piercing capability = very useful against cavalry, whose shields don't count anymore.
6. Archers: arrow ammo are tripled or quadrupled. Longbows have higher attack but shorter range.
7. Elephants: powerful charge, lower morale, may run amok
8. 2-Handed Axemen: smaller number, lower attack and weaker defense against other infantry (They can actually get killed now)
9. Recovery rate on battle is set much higher - winners-only.

Campaign: Zero tax in castle, 4 road levels,

Spoiler for Details: 

1. 4 turns a year
2. Tax: higher tax income in cities, zero in castles, raising tax could cause a lot more penalty
3. Trade: lower average income but greater development (ex: fleet numbers are doubled).
4. Farms: farm income is doubled.
5. Mines: mines income are increased 4-5 times.
6. Roads: divided into 4 levels now, also increase land trading level (greatly benefits some cities).
7. Forts: buildable by players now, provide free upkeep for ONE unit, cost much more money.
8. Agents: spies and diplomats have limited numbers (similar to merchants and priests)
9. AI bonus: scripted money - about 20,000 each turn
10. AI bonus: command +9 against rebels, to help them expand faster.
11. Rebels can be easily bribed off if you have the money.

Spoiler for Old features:: 

Major features:

• Unified castles and cities (= no castle).
• Expanded troops recruitment (faction's troops are available after religion conversion).
• Slower battles and archers carry a lot more ammo.
• Higher tax income and also huge penalty for raising tax.

Details on battle changes:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

• Double HP for everyone, slower battles.
• Archers adjustment: higher attack => longer range => faster arrows. Longbows have higher penetration power but shorter maximum range.
• Missile ammunition has been increased by several times. Basically horse archers cannot run out of arrows, however bows are no longer as effective due to increased HP and armour upgrade in late game.
• Lower defense and attacks for two-handed axemen. They remain effective killing machines, but not unbeatable.
• Unit size adjustment: new adjustment is based completely on quality/cost of soldiers. Ex: Dismounted Caliphs Guard get 35 men instead of 30 because they're weaker than other elite units
• Spearmen have their attack increased by 50% (still weaker than swordsmen), and attack bonus against cavalry.
• Siege engines: more effective, more numbers, but cost is more than triple.
• Elephants have more powerful charge, but much lower morale and they'd run amok if any is killed. Use with care.
• Unit sprites are disabled.

Details on campaign changes:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

• Castle buildings are merged into cities. There are now two barrack types: the urban one (city barracks) and the rural one (castle barracks)
• Faction troops are available outside of your homeland, once religion conversion is completed (80% or 90%). But levies and cheap units are excluded.
• All recruitment pools are enlarged, but replenishment rate is slower. AI gets double rate.
• 50% increase in tax income. Huge penalty for raising tax levels.
• General bodyguards have more numbers; Units with the same names are no longer recruitable (ex: Sipahi lancers), so a few factions such as Oman suffer from lack of high-end cavalry.
• Makuria has the Abyssinian Champions as general bodyguard - the only infantry bodyguard in game.
• Hidden units are unlocked: Jerusalem longbowmen, Italian mercenaries and Mamluk horse archers etc.
• Highways are unlocked - very expensive to build.
• Crossbowmen are trainable in city barracks instead of archery buildings.
• Silk road (regions marked with "(sr)") bring immense trade income.
• Large armies are very likely to rebel if you ignore them for some time. AI suffers from this too.
• Rebels can now be easily bribed off as long as you have the money. The fourth crusade army costs only like $60,000-$90,000.
• +3 hitpoints and +20% battle recovery for all generals.
• Garrison scripts: bigger and stronger armies for emergency garrisons.
• Distance to capital and corruption have been disabled.

* A few changes such as silk-road mark was added before I merged cities and castles. They may no longer have any practical purpose.

Players' tips:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

• Easy factions: Abbasid, Makuria, ERE, and KOJ.
• Difficult factions: Turks. I haven't tried any else...
• Always bring siege engines when you're going to storm the homeland cities of your enemies. DO NOT wait for turns to build ladders or rams, you have been warned!
• Always move your large armies from cities to cities or forts, unless they're lead by loyal generals.
• Don't let cavalry or elephants be dragged into melee battles. Cavalry are much easier to die in the hands of enemy spearmen, and elephants are very likely to get mad when wounded.
• The silkroads are around Abbasid, Seljuk, and Khwarezm. Regions with silk or silkroad => a lot of money.

[AqD]

Version 2.0:

The most important features are:
1) castles are added back, with high public order but little income
2) armies cost more than double, to avoid huge stacks spamming
3) cavalry have smaller numbers and their shields no longer count (transfer to defense value)



Version 2.5:

1) Though non-Muslim factions cannot build slave buildings, they may recruit Senior Ghulams in existing slave barracks/palace (= conquered territory) after their religion level reaches 100%.
2) More balanced AI armies by recruit_priority_offset. AI should recruit more cavalry when possible.
3) Levy archers have fewer arrows, between 40-45. All archers have attack -1.
4) Archers who wear their shields in the back now have shield value halved.
5) Makurian longbowmen and Omani Noble Javelineers have spears as secondary weapon.

[Julio85]

I want to try that, sounds good!

by the way, should I paste and cut both file, for reach Version 2.5?
any new factions?

[AqD]

I want to try that, sounds good!

by the way, should I paste and cut both file, for reach Version 2.5?
any new factions?

Um no, I just keep old version in archive. Get 2.5 and that's all.

[denk87]

is this dead?