Ask the Walrus.

[Walrusjones]

The purpose of this thread is simple, to create a simple casual questions/feedback thread where you guys may ask me a question, and where I am highly likely to answer (I won't always answer if I feel I may be giving unwarranted spoilers, answering begging, or talking about personal things.)

A few examples of what this thread is about.

"Hey Walrus, what would you think of mechanic X?"

"Hey Walrus, what is your opinion on controversy X?"

"Hey Walrus, do you have any advise for making a mod?"

(Note: I have an infuriating habit of responding to questions with questions.)

What it isn't about:

"Walrus, will you make this mod submod for?" - I will have a seperate submod request thread.

"Walrus, when is the next update going to come out?" - As someone who generally is very focused on testing his content well, the answer is generally "When I am happy with my creations."

[zombieflanders]

Hey, Walrus, are you the walrus?

[Walrusjones]

The Space Walrus Jones, yes. This consciousness started in a recurring loop of time, on a spaceship filled with feces and dieing men. Repeatedly, the walrus tried to release the crew of this spaceship from their misery once and for all, but every time, at the end of the hour, the time flow would revert itself, and some horrible monstrosity would attack them from nowhere, or from among their own crew.

Eventually, the Walrus abandoned ship, no longer able to watch the hapless crew die repeatedly over and over in a loop of time.

[Indus_Valley]

Walrus what's your take on pikes? Some say they have no place in 5th century Europe. There are mods that take them right out. Any thoughts ?

[Walrusjones]

In general, the modern chunk of the Total War series been a home of alternate history of "Yes, you start in this era, but you can grow beyond it." Vikings 400 years before the age of vikings, Moramer before there were Scotts, ETC ETC.

Of course many spearwall tactics of the barbarians also blurred the line between spearwalls and pikewalls.

Now, on the way CA has chosen to represent pikes in TW? Less then satisfactory. There are very few recorded instances of pikes that were uses solely for defensive purposes, as their ability to slowly march into, and kill enough of the enemy to break them was a major asset of theirs.

Of course, with Menaulatoi, they actually may be better represented as a two handed spear unit, instead of a pike unit.

[Shtuka]

Dear, Warlus

1. Can I use unit mod packs oriented on vanilla unit stats with your Tusk Mod? As I can see your unit stats = vanila, so I though it will be balanced and works properly with any unit mods, am I right?

2. And what about re-texture mods?

3. Whats happens when units in garrisons more than 20?

[Walrusjones]

1. Does the unit mod pack have accuracy scores? If so, it might work with tuskmod, otherwise, you will see some ranged units that have stormtrooper accuracy.

2. Texture mods will almost certainly work.

3. Currently, the cap on garrisons is 20, but I may have found a way to raise this cap.

[Shtuka]

1. Does the unit mod pack have accuracy scores? If so, it might work with tuskmod, otherwise, you will see some ranged units that have stormtrooper accuracy.

What about close combat units? Did they have accuracy scores in throwing pilas\axes?

[Walrusjones]

To a more minor degree, yes. In their case, it should have WAAAY less of an effect to their actual effectiveness.

[Ghostlead3000]

is tusk mod compatible with Better aggressive CAI? or any other CAI mod?

[Walrusjones]

I have played it with Better Aggressive CAI.

In fact, I am customizing a version of BACAI

[Yuko]

How compatible is the mod with Startpos altering mods?

[Walrusjones]

I haven't made a component that modifies Startpos. Tough war is likely to be the first once I am finished tweaking it (It will modify army sizes.)

[asdasf1234]

Hey Walrus, should i use the mod with Unit Packs? Will your battle mechanics apply to them? Thanks for the great mod.

[Walrusjones]

The only issue with outside unit packs is accuracy, most of them won't use accuracy because accuracy isn't used at ALL in vanilla, meaning that few new units will have accuracy scores.

[Searry]

How do I make Eastern missile units less deadly? Battles with the Sassanids and their allies usually end very quickly because of their very high lethality.
Great job with the mod otherwise!

EDIT: I lowered the accuracy number of each ranged unit but still my troops just melt away against the Sassanids. Was the defensive testudo nerfed in your mod as it doesn't seem to do much? Or are the changes save game compatible?

If I use the slower battle speed mod does their lethality go down? I don't seem to have time to do anything against missile units in this mod.

[Walrusjones]

Slower battle speed should give you more time to react.

As for missile lethality: How are your troops stamina when you actually enter skirmisher range?

[Searry]

Stamina is usually bad because reinforcements take a long time to reach the troops so they have to run. Maybe I should retreat myself towards to reinforcements but this opens the back of the troops to enemy missiles which would kill them anyway.
How are you supposed to fight against the Sassanid horse archers as East Rome? They don't have any cavalry recruiting capability at the start so all they can do is wait for the enemy to fire their missiles and then charge. This strategy doesn't seem very feasible as the missiles are very lethal. Too bad I can't snipe Ctesiphon for example and give it back to them for a peace treaty for example, but that's just a limitation of the game.

[Walrusjones]

Try to get close to your reinforcement point before the enemy gets into missile range of you.

[Searry]

I still wish there was a submod to tone down missile lethality as the mod is excellent otherwise.