DCI: Last Alliance - Open Beta released, NEW: 10 October 2020 new patch released, contains Ents - Wolves - Spiders crashes fix! (and more)

[IBSXYPNTS]

Awesome ! It made me rewatch the preview for the Hill-men of the North.

And something that I noticed : a lot of factions are limited in cavalry.

Well I think this makes sense, in regular TATW cavalry are a bit to prevelant for my taste. I have recently been playing SS with SHIP and the limited cavalry actually makes it alot more "real" feeling. I think thats more what the DCI team is working for, that way the few factions that have tons of cavalry (by comparison) feel more unique.

[Ngugi]

Awesome ! It made me rewatch the preview for the Hill-men of the North.

Will make misteed and Araval happy yo hear; also a new preview video, of the Hill-men, is close at hand.

And something that I noticed : a lot of factions are limited in cavalry.

Well I think this makes sense, in regular TATW cavalry are a bit to prevelant for my taste. I have recently been playing SS with SHIP and the limited cavalry actually makes it alot more "real" feeling. I think thats more what the DCI team is working for, that way the few factions that have tons of cavalry (by comparison) feel more unique.

A correct reflection Deathshade, and quite so IBSXYPNTS

Horses are by their nature demanding animals, who are not easily held and equally costly. So unless the lands been open grass plains of old, like Rhovanion, and/or the cultures prominently held themselves with horses, like nations in near Harad or in Rhûn, cavalry is sparse.
The Númenóreans anyhow found the native horses small and frail, the Elves fair horses are few and far between, while among some indigenous northern peoples fighting from horseback is a little integrated part of their traditional warfare in hill- and woodland: noblemen might ride to battle, often only to dismount and form a sturdy shieldwall on the battlefield.

This do has consequences for the battles of DCI: Last Alliance, naturally.
Cavalry are rarer and often less heavy than is experienced in other mods and is less able to overrun hostile numbers, while missile weapons' role is to decimate the enemy before melee (not eliminate them), so the battlefields are more dependant on the heavy clash of infantry lines. A cavalry shock is still utterly devastating, but I dare say the trial is great and I find most victories won only with blood and sacrifice.

[Deathshade]

That's great news ! I did not complain when I noted that, it just didn't occur to me until now.
It's good that Rhovanion can make a difference like that. And it also good that infantry will be the queen of the battles (because a lot of my favourite factions are poor in cavalry ^^).

[Ngugi]

Not taken as a complaint, no worry
Aye, though I expect many Elven fans who are only accustomed to cavalry bulldozers, the vision of Super Mario-Legolas and Orcs with armour made of paper will be forced to adapt or will give us the boot, haha

[Deathshade]

Speaking of cavalry : the dwarves are not able to train cavalry, except by the use of mercenaries. What type of mercenaries are we speaking of (Rhovanion one for exemple) ?
And are there going to be a lot of different mercenaries ?

[Pyres Δt Varanasi]

Unit cards for Hill-men of the North faction

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

From top to down, left to right.

Infantry: Hill-men Skirmishers, Hill-men, Angmar Axemen, Rhudaur Reavers, Rhudaur Nobles,
Angmar Housecarls, Hill-men Hirdmen [BG], Sorcerers

Archers: Hill-men Hunters, Rhudaur Bowmen

Cavalry: Hill-men Scouts, Hill-men Bodyguard

Auxiliary: Goblin Band, Orc Trackers, White Wolves, Snow Trolls

Northern rebels: Forodwaith Seal Hunters, Forodwaith Deer Hunters

Created by: White Wolves - Araval, rest - misteed

Beautiful work! <3.

[Ngugi]

Not a lot, no; as with the rosters in general, they've been set first after careful consideration, hehe.
Threw this map together to display the presence of those mercenaries that are of significance to the Khazâd.

- In and around the Iron Hills we find "Marh Archer Mercenaries" (Northmen light archer cavalry) and "Freiswair Hirelings" (Northmen light infantry with javelins and axes).
- Freiswair Hirelings are also avilable to the south, south-west.
- To the south-east and in Rhovanion's open plains there are also "Marh Scout Mercenaries" (Northmen light lance cavalry).
- In the north-west corner of Rhovanion, at the feets of the Misty Mountains there are "Marh Archer Mercenaries" and "Woodmen" (Northmen light infantry with axes).
- Lastly, on the fields north of the White Mountains are "Calenardhon Brigands" (native* medium lance cavalry).

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

*there's no proper term for the kindred that made up the native folks of Cardolan (Breelanders), Enedwaith (incl. Dunlendings), White Mountains (Men of the Mountains) and Gondor


@Pyres'
Glad you like it

[paleologos]

Let me give you my wishes to always find the energy, resourcefulness and time to make this as you hope to see it.

[Ngugi]

Thanks paleologos, we forge ahead in good pace hehe

[El Monstero29]

Horses are by their nature demanding animals, who are not easily held and equally costly. So unless the lands been open grass plains of old, like Rhovanion, and/or the cultures prominently held themselves with horses, like nations in near Harad or in Rhûn, cavalry is sparse.
The Númenóreans anyhow found the native horses small and frail, the Elves fair horses are few and far between, while among some indigenous northern peoples fighting from horseback is a little integrated part of their traditional warfare in hill- and woodland: noblemen might ride to battle, often only to dismount and form a sturdy shieldwall on the battlefield.

I love that you guys are taking this kind of stuff into consideration. Your mod is going to be very unique in this regard, I believe.

This do has consequences for the battles of DCI: Last Alliance, naturally.
Cavalry are rarer and often less heavy than is experienced in other mods and is less able to overrun hostile numbers, while missile weapons' role is to decimate the enemy before melee (not eliminate them), so the battlefields are more dependant on the heavy clash of infantry lines.

Did you just correctly use the word decimate to mean killing 1 in 10?!

won only with blood and sacrifice.

I didn't realize you were writing the new Game of Thrones book Ngugi! When did GRRM hand the reigns over to you?

[Ngugi]

I love that you guys are taking this kind of stuff into consideration. Your mod is going to be very unique in this regard, I believe.

For the better, one hopes ^^
But its equally rooted in the design perception that equality isn't favourable for a good gaming experience, but that equity provides entertainment by diversity of options and challenges.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Like to refer to this as visual

Weakness in one aspect is compensated with strength in another, in order to make factions different to both play and fight.

Did you just correctly use the word decimate to mean killing 1 in 10?!

Not quite litteral, haha, but missiles are not as OP as they're often elsewhere, and accuracy is as a rule the significant factor (an arrow in the ground next to the enemy soldier do no harm, after all).
Players used to annihilate enemies at a leasure ought to find they must be ready for melee.
Elven archers for example have great accuracy and often good range, but this will usually be deployed to trim down the enemy numbers, in order to let the skilled but 'small' sized infantry to secure the day, than the decisive factor on its own.
Then there are nasty hitters like Númenórean King's Archers with steel bows, who have AP and high accuracy, but who are balanced by their range being of normal bows [based on historical steel bows they can not compair to longbow range] and they have fewer of their heavy arrows than common archers have.
One should not underestimate the slingers either, should be stressed

I didn't realize you were writing the new Game of Thrones book Ngugi! When did GRRM hand the reigns over to you?

Haha, he's doing a swell job with that on his own ^^
Though one actually do not have switch fiction to bathe in blood. Silmarillion is a read where more or less every character we get to know experience a violent end. Also, the War this mod is set in was the scene of great losses for all sides involved.

When therefore Sauron saw his time he came with great force against the new realm of Gondor, and he took Minas Ithil, and he destroyed the White Tree of Isildur that grew there. But Isildur escaped, and taking with him a seedling of the Tree he went with his wife and his sons by ship down the River, and they sailed from the mouths of Anduin seeking Elendil. Meanwhile Anárion held Osgiliath against the Enemy, and for that time drove him back to the mountains; but Sauron gathered his strength again, and Anárion knew that unless help should come his kingdom would not long stand.

... Now Elendil and Gil-galad took counsel together, for they perceived that Sauron would grow too strong and would overcome all his enemies one by one, if they did not unite against him.

... From Imladris they crossed the Misty Mountains by many passes and marched down the River Anduin, and so came at last upon the host of Sauron on Dagorlad, the Battle Plain, which lies before the gate of the Black Land. All living things were divided in that day...

... [Gollum said] 'It was a great battle. Tall Men with long swords, and terrible Elves, and Orcses shrieking. They fought on the plain for days and months at the Black Gates.'

... The Silvan Elves were hardy and valiant, but ill-equipped with armour or weapons in comparison with the Eldar of the West; also they were independent, and not disposed to place themselves under the supreme command of Gil-galad. Their losses were thus more grievous than they need have been, even in that terrible war. Malgalad and more than half his following [of Lothlórien] perished in the great battle of the Dagorlad, being cut off from the main host and driven into the Dead Marshes. Oropher [of ErynGalen/"Mirkwood"] was slain in the first assault upon Mordor, rushing forward at the head of his most doughty warriors before Gil-galad had given the signal for the advance. Thranduil his son survived, but when the war ended and Sauron was slain (as it seemed) he led back home barely a third of the army that had marched to war.

... Then Gil-galad and Elendil passed into Mordor and encompassed the stronghold of Sauron; and they laid siege to it for seven years, and suffered grievous loss by fire and by the darts and bolts of the Enemy, and Sauron sent many sorties against them. [...] But at the last the siege was so strait that Sauron himself came forth; and he wrestled with Gil-galad and Elendil, and they both were slain, and the sword of Elendil broke under him as he fell.

... The servants of Sauron were routed and dispersed, yet they were not wholly destroyed;

... Many of the Elves and many of the Númenóreans and of Men who were their allies had perished in the Battle and the Siege;

... [Elrond said] 'Many Elves and many mighty Men, and many of their friends, had perished in the war.'

... Valandil took up his abode in Annúminas, but his folk were diminished, and of the Númenóreans and of the Men of Eriador there remained now too few to people the land or to maintain all the places that Elendil had built; in Dagorlad, and in Mordor, and upon the Gladden Fields many had fallen.

... [Elrond said] 'In the North after the war and the slaughter of the Gladden Fields the Men of Westernesse were diminished, and their city of Annúminas beside Lake Evendim fell into ruin;

With knowledge like this, we simply have to do our best to provide a game where even the mighty must suffer, in order to achive victory in a total war.

[Pyres Δt Varanasi]

I was wondering what is the timeline this will take place? I know the setting will be the Last Alliance, but will the game start a couple of years before the Alliance is formed or right at the start of the of it?.

Also how far will it extent? (Until the Disaster of the Gladden Fields or beyond?)

[Ngugi]

The game begins in 3429, just after the event that sparked the War:

3429 Sauron attacks Gondor, takes Minas Ithil and burns the White Tree. Isildur escapes down Anduin and goes to Elendil in the North. Anárion defends Minas Anor and Osgiliath.
- Appendix B

Minas Ithil starts held by Mordor, and the Númenórean Kingdoms must rally forces to survive.
The campaign goals are set to 100 years, while I'm looking foreward to hear about the first Alliance faction player who manage to take out Mordor in the lore's 11 years (or 44 turns) on VH, haha.


It's a matter of preference to my mind, whether it is most desired to start the game where the war started and let it take its "what if"-course, or to begin much earlier in order to offer a "what if"-war start in order for a likely end to the campaign that match the actual end.
Guess it can be compaired to a 2nd World War setting: is it preferable the war begin in 1939 and ends when the player manages to win, or begin earlier in order to make it likely the war ends in 1945? DCI chosen the former, in this case.

Ofc, we could maxed out turns per year in order to keep the whole experience within 3429-3441 or till year 2 of the Third Age, but we did not as we much like the dynastic aspect, where you can get children and see them mature, and won't have to be restricted to adoptions in order to have generals and family members enough.

[Earl of Memory]

So you guys want a small tease?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[IMG][/IMG]

The Eye is watching you!

Lol this is all that you'll get in a few years or decades,
Regards!

[Ngugi]

Hill-men of the North Preview

Here's a rambling endeavor about fierce Hill-men, beastly allies and more.




Correction: at 30.03 I credit Araval for the human units, the artisan is Earl of Memory. Araval made the white wolves and snow trolls.

Time stamps:
Hill-men history 00:33
Starting settlements 03:40
Recruitment & terrain 04:50
Cultures 07:40
Settlement targets 08:45
Diplomat quest, Boldogs & beasts 10:18
Orc & Troll Camps (battle map) 17:05
Generals & BGs 19:18
Army roster 22:50


Source: https://youtu.be/Yhc5t_D2ZIw

[Araval]

In case anyone would like to have a DCI:LA desktop wallpaper, here is one I made as a submission to the Fan Art graphics competition hosted by the Graphics Workshop:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[♔atthias♔]

well done again guys especially the wall papers araval have some rep for that

[Grauman]

So you guys want a small tease?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[IMG][/IMG]

The Eye is watching you!

Lol this is all that you'll get in a few years or decades,
Regards!

Finally something from Mordor!


But that's not enough, I need more!

[El Monstero29]

Lookin' great guys! Everything from the unit models and ui's to the gameplay in the campaign looks like a comfy and familiar sweater made by grandma; infused with love in each and every stitch.

We can only bear this wait for so much longer!

[Ngugi]

well done again guys

We aim to please

Finally something from Mordor!


But that's not enough, I need more!

Earl shall satisfy your urge ere the end. And Louis Lux and Araval add spice. All is going according to plan...

Lookin' great guys! Everything from the unit models and ui's to the gameplay in the campaign looks like a comfy and familiar sweater made by grandma; infused with love in each and every stitch.

We can only bear this wait for so much longer!

Haha, well that's good ^^

The videos are in themselves proof of how close we now are...