By the Sword is a mod that seeks to make the basic vanilla game a more enjoyable experience by implementing several new features but without making any dramatic changes overall. It is primarily intended for the gamer who "wants more" from the original game, and hence does not introduce any new factions or new units (this doesn't count the original game's "hidden" units, several of which are included in the mod).
Specific features:
1) Slower, more enjoyable game experience. No longer will you rush to Chivalric knights within the first 50 turns. In an average game, you should be using each unit presented to you when it becomes available. Additionally, the corruption mechanic has been ramped up to discourage early blitzing - you will need competent characters and better infrastructure to expand your empire drastically. Several "hidden" units are available for use (Dismounted Gothic Knights, etc.). Each faction has 2-3 objectives to take by the end of the game, and only requires 30 territories rather than the obscene 45 (by this point, most give up). Trust me, it's not a cakewalk to get there.
2) Better recruitment system. Units are now only available from walls in very rare circumstances (conquistadors, Aztec units, papal special units). Otherwise, you must build the barracks-type building to gain each level of new unit. Further, you must have the proper type of blacksmith in town to recruit units with that level of armor. All "mass-levied" units now come in maximum size (including archers), and all "elite" units now come in smaller sizes with higher stats. Elites are still an excellent choice for bolstering the commoners and assaulting castle walls, but making an army of nothing but is expensive, difficult, and potentially fatal. Navies and war machines generate more slowly to discourage AI overproduction of such units. Militia units are also generated more slowly than castle units. If one wishes to create an army base on militia (the Italians, for example), it's still possible in the later game but will need supplementing from castles. This change has not, in my experience, hampered the Italian factions in the campaign game.
3) Better traits system. Traits and anti-traits work properly much more often (still imperfect, but previously-common problems are rare now). Furthermore, traits and ancillaries that were rarely-seen are now available under the right circumstances. One of the most easily-noticed repercussions of these changes is that governors in cities with taverns do not instantly become horrible irresponsible drunkards.
4) Loyalty and Authority more important. A high-authority leader will inspire loyalty amongst his generals, especially those closer to the capital. A low-authority leader will see support slipping away from generals too far from the capital. A high loyalty general will be resistant to impulses to become corrupt, but a low loyalty general will begin to exhibit these trends, especially very low-loyalty ones. Keep low-loyalty generals near the capital so your king can keep an eye on them, and send higher-loyalty generals out onto the fringes of your empire.
5) Improved battlefield and strategic AI. The AI invades more competently and also with better armies. While the AI still cannot match the player in terms of creating perfectly balanced armies, gone are the days of militia + siege engine armies. AIs will rarely go to war stupidly, and will ask for peace when it's obvious that they are losing. Less factions get excommunicated for acting stupidly.
6) Units tweaked to guarantee that they are balanced as well as useful for their time period. You should always want to upgrade your old buildings to access new units. Siege weapons are now more useful, and have a better (but not great) chance to hit units. They're still less reliable than regular infantry archers, but no longer is it foolish to haul siege weapons along with your army. Cavalry charges are more deadly as well.
7) Tweaks to the campaign map and starting configurations - traditionally weak factions (like Scotland, the Byzantines, Moors, and Russia) pose more of a challenge now. Furthermore, several settlements have had their type changed from castle to city (or vice versa) depending on typical player preference, but also to give the AI an advantage in using well-placed settlements. It should be uncommon for the player to wish to change settlement type, as each is now ideally selected.
By the Sword released!
