[Sub Mod] Close Pike Formation for DEI

[sobchack]

Hello everyone,

This mod makes HardcoreSalmon's Close Pike Formation Mod compatible with Divide Et Impera. To install simply, subscribe on steam with all 6 parts of DEI.

There are three versions due to peoples preferences

***Close pike formation for Divide et Impera:http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile...pike+formation
4 ranks use their pikes and pikemen fight in close formation.


***Version 2: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile...pike+formation
Does the same thing as version 1 except the 5th rank has high angled pike animation instead of lower angle (some people requested it like this)


***Version 3 http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile...pike+formation
This makes pikes in dei fight in close formation, but without 4 rank fighting. Again, some people requested it like this


Pike units will fight in tighter formation (akin to pre patch 7 formation) and allow the fourth rank to use their sarrisas (sources I've seen suggest that the first 5 ranks would engage). Let me know if there are any technical or gameplay issues. I have only tested this on a few units and from what I've seen its not making pikes noticeably more powerful (which is good). I would appreciate feedback to see if I need to nerf their stats to preserve game balance.



HardcoreSalmon's original mod for vanilla Rome 2: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=195738666


All credit should be given to HardcoreSalmon, how he figured out how to decipher the pike fragment animation I will never know.

Below are some screenshots of this mod in action in DEI.


**edit: This isn't really a submod, more of a small adjustment to pikes. I realize this after already posting the title and can't seem to change it. Sorry if this has mislead anyone.

*** another edit: I've made some slight variation mods that can be seen on post 18 of this thread. These variations are simply based on some users preferences. Personally, I prefer the first one but to each his/her own.

***** one last edit: Some users have been wondering why 5 ranks of pikemen are not used. I wish this could be done, but I don't know if there is a way to edit the animations of the 5th rank on its own due to hardcoding. Its actually kind of lucky that the 4th rank is editable but thats how it is. (Let me know if I'm wrong and there is a way to do this.)

[Black9]

A god among men! Thank you sir!

[Hoplite of Ilis]

Excellent! + rep for you too as bearer of good news.

[Hoplite of Ilis]

Ok, just tested it. Pike vs elephants. It was just freakin' amazing. Four rows of pikes attacking. The pike phalanx is back! - I can't find this HardcoreSalmon in TWC for rep!

[putzak]

Nice one! Looking forward to my campaign as the Antigonidai

[Maetharin]

Finally, I´ve tried countless times to get this to work with DeI, but to no avail!

[sobchack]

Finally, I´ve tried countless times to get this to work with DeI, but to no avail!

Its not working for you?

[k966]

a piece of fine work you got here mate!

just one humble request, would you mind to upload a non-steam version? I personally hate steam with a vengeance

[Dynamo11]

a piece of fine work you got here mate!

just one humble request, would you mind to upload a non-steam version? I personally hate steam with a vengeance

Just do what I do, subscribe to the mod, start the Rome II launcher, wait for the mod to download then quit the launcher. Move the .pack file somewhere else, unsubscribe from the mod and start the launcher again. Then quit the launcher move the .pack file back and enable it in your Mod Manager of choice.



Also great mod OP, shame HardcoreSalmon's not on TWC or I'd rep him too

[Denco]

a piece of fine work you got here mate!

just one humble request, would you mind to upload a non-steam version? I personally hate steam with a vengeance

This.

[Tenerife_Boy]

First of all, thanks for the effort. Rome 2 is getting better and better with mods and submods like yours

On the other hand, I would like to ask you some questions sobchack
1º) Why 4 and not 5 ?? just asking what were the impairments to not get the 5 rows pointing at the enemy.

2º) What happended with the back rows ???? they are not pointing in a progression to the sky...just in diagonal and that makes the formation odd, so... is there any way to fix that????? I would go with the Steam version

[sobchack]

First of all, thanks for the effort. Rome 2 is getting better and better with mods and submods like yours

On the other hand, I would like to ask you some questions sobchack
1º) Why 4 and not 5 ?? just asking what were the impairments to not get the 5 rows pointing at the enemy.

2º) What happended with the back rows ???? they are not pointing in a progression to the sky...just in diagonal and that makes the formation odd, so... is there any way to fix that????? I would go with the Steam version

1.
I believe that the pike phalanx formation is set up in 3 different groups called pike_deep, pike_high, and pike_front. pike_front is the first 3 lines of the formation, pike_high is the 4th rank, and pike deep is the remaining after this. So there is no possible way to get the 5th rank to use their pikes without getting the entire formation to up their pikes down (as far as I know).
2.
This also has to do with the way the pike animation is setup. This mod has pike_front and pike_high are set to pike_front's animations (to give the first 4 ranks the ability to attack with their pikes). The remaining group that can be controlled is comprised of the rest of the formation. So it is only possible to give ranks 5 and on either the sharply slanted formation or the gently slanted formation. It is not possible, as I understand it, to give this formation the two different slanted pike formations as seen in vanilla. It is my guess that HardcoreSalmon preferred the look of the remaining ranks using the sharply slanted pike animation.

There are 2 things you could try.
If you like the 4th rank using their pikes to attack than you could set pike_deep back to pike_deeps animations. This will show the first 4 ranks using their pikes to attack and then the rest of the formation will have the very high sloping pikes. The sharp sloping pikes will not be in the formation however.

If you don't care about the 4th rank formation you could just delete the pike animations completely in the mod file. THis will retain the close formation, and pikes will otherwise look like they did in vanilla (three ranks of pikes fighting, 4th rank with sharp slope, rest with high angle slope)..

So I would customize this to fit your own personal tastes.

Hope this helped, let me know if what I've written doesn't make any sense

[Tenerife_Boy]

The sharp sloping pikes will not be in the formation however.

What do you mean by this mate? :/ Would it be possible to see a pic ?? or a deeper explanation ??
I would go with the first option 4 ranks of pikes.

Thanks for customize for myself

+rep

[Black9]

What do you mean by this mate? :/ Would it be possible to see a pic ?? or a deeper explanation ??
I would go with the first option 4 ranks of pikes.

Thanks for customize for myself

+rep

You know how in a phalanx, the front few have pikes forward, then some have them at an angle, then some have them straight up? The angle ones are what he means when he says "sloping".

[sobchack]

You know how in a phalanx, the front few have pikes forward, then some have them at an angle, then some have them straight up? The angle ones are what he means when he says "sloping".

Exactly. There are three general animations within a Pike unit:

(1.) Pike_Front-attacking, pikes are down or parallel to the ground.
(2.) Pike_High- pikes are at about a 45 degree angle(what I meant by sharp sloping), what the 4th rank in vanilla uses.
(3.) Pike_deep- pikes are almost at 90 degrees,

With the 4 ranks engaging, it is only possible to tell the rear pike ranks (ranks 5 until the end) to have either the pike_high or pike_deep animation. It is impossible to split this up as far as I know.

Note: This is just what I think is going on. For a more informed opinion, I would ask HardcoreSalmon on steam workshop

[Tenerife_Boy]

Edit: Ok, ask first please

[sobchack]

I was wondering about not be in the formation hehehe

By this i mean there will be no rank holding pikes at 45 degrees. It will just be the first 4 ranks attacking with their pikes, and all ranks after this will be holding their pikes almost straight up.

[sobchack]

I made a couple of small iterations for some requests I've gotten.

Original Version: First 4 ranks use their pikes, remaining hold pikes at low angle (45 degrees). Formation spacing edited to make pike phalanx more tight.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=222984874

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

/

Version 2: First 4 ranks use their pikes, remaining ranks hold pikes at high angle (60ish degrees). Formation Spacing the same as original.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=226026853

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Version 3: Only first 3 ranks use their pikes, 4th rank holds pikes at 45ish degree angle, remaining ranks hold at 60ish degree angle. Formation spacing is the same as the original.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=226026888

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Note: I haven't really tested version 2 and 3 that much yet, so if you want to try it I would recommend running it on a custom battle and seeing if everything looks like it should.

[Tenerife_Boy]

Tested the second version, nice to see but unfortunately for me ( damn ) as I miss the 45º pikes, I remain with the vanilla DeI pikes (3 ranks but tighter than vanila game)
Anyways I'll keeping an eye on this just in case you find a way to improve it in a future

Good luck and thanks for the efforts

[gogopher]

does not work with dei 0.8...which makes me cry