[FOTS] Shogun 2 Victorian Era (Alternate History Mod)

Salutations all! I am proud to announce you my work in progress mod, the Victorian Era mod! Originally called the Victorian Warfare mod(name is still tentative) when I posted on reddit. But I have decided to move the discussion over here now that I am starting to pick up the pace of my work. Well to begin with...

https://laststandonzombieisland.file...ruary-1904.jpg

As the title and picture implied, his mod is designed for FOTS and inspired by Victorian era warfare. I have removed all traditional and bow units. So the campaign ai will recruit only modern units. I have also incorporated unit mods that fit the context (such as vanilla-style icons and non fantasy units). All credit will be given to original creator.

This was at first a submod project of Darthmod but since then I have expanded more values and changes that fits the context of modern units-only campaign. This means I won't have to make any sacrifices to the ai and balance changes now that I don't have to worry about traditional and bow units!
Before I start with the list of changes, I want to acknowledge that these are not my works and is a combination of many great mods including my own personal edits to the core game. All credit will be given to those I borrowed from. This mod is also inspired by the popular FotS Unequal Treaties mod. That mod has inspired me to realize how awesome gun warfare is in Shogun 2. But I want to take on a different direction in the story of Japan. This will be a story of the Japanese unification to deal with perceived Western threats.

The main setting puts the game in an alternate timeline where Japan had disposed their traditional military culture very early and already adopted western-style warfare, ever since 1853 forceful opening up of Japan by the Americans. Though trade was lucrative, the Western powers' main focus was the East Indies and Qing China. But having witnessed the devastating destruction of the China armies at the hands of a few colonial powers, the Japanese Shogun has issued a mandate for all Daimyos to rapid modernization and mobilization of a new army. The Samurai class has since been incorporated into the new army as officers in charge of new modern units. Unity and direction as a people was strong up until 1864 when the final decision to consolidate the government met with heavy disagreements. it was those who support the Shogun and those who support the Emperor. While clans are rallying behind their allegiances, you have a choice to renew Japan and consolidate the power under your own new government. The Westerners saw this as a lucrative chance for them to sell their weapons to any clan who can afford them. :hmm:



https://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sam...es/hist-08.jpg
Samurai retainers reading the Shogunate decree of 1854 to disband and be sent to mandatory military academies ~ colorized:laughter:



Game is set to start with the civil war of Japan happening very very very soon to plunge everyone into war. May change depending on whether you guys like realm divide or not.

Here are the current changes so far*

• Base reloading rates of all weapons are tremendously adjusted to fit reality. Breach-loading rifles now fires very very fast compared to muzzled-loading rifles. For every shot a muzzle-loader fires, the breach-loader has already shot 3-4 times. I've also lowered the accuracy by a whole lot to simulate realistic combat settings. Rifled muskets and breach-loaders are semi-accurate but when your in a combat scenario everything can change. I've watched videos of breach-loading rifles shooting at a target while rested on sandbag. The shot-group results were pretty large, meaning the bullet flew everywhere even at no more than 50 meters. I would imagine things to be much more extreme when troops are fighting in a dense bog of battle with smoke everywhere and you arm shaking from the fear of getting hit. What is translated in the game is that a volley fire will result in about 5-11 dead at maximum effective range. But as units get closer, they start taking more hits, and can result in whole front two ranks being decimated when at 40 feet away from each other. What it also means is that muzzle-loaders will extremely handicapped compared to breach-loaders in ranged combat.
• This mod is based off of Darthmod and is expanded to fit the modern-setting. This mod also incorporates the unit-packs of other darthmod submod that has tons of modern units. The unit packs I've chosen all have vanilla-style icons so as to not break immersion.
• I made breech-loaders more expensive than muzzle-loaders, and made muzzle-loaders cheaper and easier to get. Elite units that use muzzle-loaders will also have to suffer the consequences of not having breech-loaders, however they will be cheaper. What this means is that a normal line infantry that uses breech-loaders will be much better than elite units that don't use it. Sucks for them. But these elite units are cheaper, and can do better in melee, which I have changed to fit the settings of bayonet charges.
• Using your terrain now is very important because you can still easily kill breech-loading units by using hills as cover and engaging them in melee. It becomes much more important now to maneuver your troops to get the maximum output of their effectiveness. If you have a muzzle loader but your enemy has breach-loaders, you will lose to them unless you avoid engaging them in ranged combat. Best way to fight them is bayonet charge to negate their rate of fire advantage.
• Made Spencer repeating rifle units deadlier as well, so a well placed unit can actually tear up both muzzle-loading units and breach-loading units. But due to their rarity, their cost is also higher. Now, dragoons are going to be a very powerful unit and can act as a proper infantry unit once dismounted. They are also given the ability to use light infantry behaviors to reflect their unconventional tactics.
• Breach-loaders and repeating rifle units will now take two turns to recruit. Muzzle-loaders will take 1 turn only. This is tentative and may change.
• European units and ship limits have also been increased. Working to incorporate some normal European line infantries as well instead of just Marines.
• Changed all campaign AI behavior to be pro-modern so they will very mostly construct modern buildings and hire mostly foreign veteran agents.
• Adjusted slight variation in reload and accuracy between Snider and Chassepot rifles. In reality, the Chassepot's bolt mechanism gives a slightly faster reload rate. Spencer rifles have also been re calibrated so they can actually stand up to breach-loaders, with much faster reload rate but more bullet spread.
• A muzzle-loader with high reload skill will still lose to a breach-loader with low reload skill. This is to emphasize the fact that no matter how trained a musketeer is, he can only reload as fast as the gun allows. Firing 3 shots per minute was already considered top on the line.
• Might give the ability to use light infantry tactics(similar to ww1 mod formation) to all breach-loaders as part of the last technology research to simulate the advancing unconventional tactics used in late-Franco-Prussian battles in the 1870s. Will test to see if ai will utilize this. One of the biggest benefits of the breach-loaders was the ability to reload while prone or crouched.
• Adjusted morale and experience system to match gunpowder warfare. Adjusted unit formation to have a more natural look. Unit spacing of line infantry is also closer.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------Battle results---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• -Muzzle-loaders loaders suffer three times as much casualty to breach-loaders in a battle between two generic units with similar stats.
  -Battles between non-breach loading infantries are longer than usual. Deciding factors tend to be mass bayonet charges + lancer charges at weak points.
  -Units will rout when they start to fear they can stand up to the enemy. Line infantry can run away temporarily when they think they are lsoing decisively and see no point in staying to fight.
  
  
  
• *Unit expectations*
  --Generic inexperience non-breach loader rate of fire: 2-3 rounds per minute
  --Generic inexperienced breach-loader rate of fire: 6-7 rounds per minute
  --Dragoon and line infantry Spencer rifle units rate of fire: 8-9 rounds per minute
  --Modern Lancer units: Wins by morale shock, but loses to generic line infantry in prolonged fight
  --Dragoons: Increased unit size to be similar to line infantries. A bit more expensive too.
  
  Campaign so-far changes
  
  -Able to have ministers at any branch without clan fame level.
  -Ministers have different bonuses now to match modern setting
  -New Republican adjustments and new units to make going Republic WORTH IT.
  -General's stars affects unit moral more greatly. They now act as 'credibility' and changes a lot depending on whether you lose or win battles. A credibile general inspire troops a lot.
  -Battle more dynamic and realistic. Units will break off contact and retreat if they feel like they are losing. So if one line infantry fights another line infantry, and its clear that they are losing more men, they will rout but will regroup shortly. Happens even if units only lost a few dozen men. This means no more stationary line battles. But when units are locked into melee combat, troops are less likely to rout because if they run they can be slaughtered by turning their backs. Basic Sun Tzu principle. When line units are shooting at each other from afar and has a chance to run away, they will take that chance.
  
  -Certain elite units can scare a single unit into running away before battle even start. Taking inspiration from Guard units during the Napoleonic era when normal units would try to avoid engaging them knowing they would surely lose. This ability can only be activated once and affects only one unit. May remove. Need to do more testings.
  -Dynamic honor and loyalty system.
  
  Working On currently
  
  - Different technology bonuses to match modern setting.
  
  - Building effects
  
  - Unit abilities
  
  - Unit experience effects
  
  - Faction colors changed to have more European-style vibrant looks.

- Working on full list of european and japanese music makeover

• 
  Here are some sources I found for weapons
  
  
  Video source for Snider: https://youtu.be/DJ-f11hM4Sk?t=475
  For Chassepot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncb7-9IgrpU
  for muzzle-loader: https://youtu.be/iMyZQD23ky0?t=31
  
  
  
  Will post screenshots next~
  
  Please offer any suggestions! :thumbsup2

Great. Nice project.

Thanks! Appreciate the first comment! :thumbsup2

Also, saw some youtube videos and your unit models for you mod is one hell of a break through in shogun 2! The Qing, Prussian and British models strikingly well made especially!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thymilitary

Also, saw some youtube videos and your unit models for you mod is one hell of a break through in shogun 2! The Qing, Prussian and British models strikingly well made especially!

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Thanks, but i could use a lot of assets from some other creators. So this made my work a bit easier.

I looked everywhere but cudnt find tutorial on how to add music tune to marching soldiers. Im trying to add a taiko style marching tune to the Japanese units and I noticed there was the musician table in the PFM but Im sure thats not the right one?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thymilitary

I looked everywhere but cudnt find tutorial on how to add music tune to marching soldiers. Im trying to add a taiko style marching tune to the Japanese units and I noticed there was the musician table in the PFM but Im sure thats not the right one?

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Do you want to change the marching tunes? You can change the sound files in the sound.pack (music => fieldmusicians => marching (some are in the fieldmusicians file also, like drum and cornet).

Yep thats exactly what I wanted to do. Im surprised no one has answered this question before. Thanks a whole lot!

any additions to the units? like whats the new unit listing?