Verion 5.5 Beta

[DimeBagHo]

Link removed - the non-beta version is out.

The major changes include:
-Gauls (independent) faction added
-Thrace converted to barbarian faction
-Thrace recoloured to be slightly less florescent
-Trade re-worked along the silk road, and some steppe areas
-Map and starting diplomacy revised to keep the peace between Parthia and Scythia

Work on minor settlements is incomplete. The Independent Gauls are playable in this beta, for testing purposes, but won't be in future versions.

[Kara Kolyo]

It would be fun if indi gauls are playable....

[Centurion44]

Great update! How about giving part of Britain to the Independent Gauls?

[Kara Kolyo]

just tried trhace for a turn and the new color is much better!!!!

[Kara Kolyo]

Couple of more turns into the thracian campaign and it looks quite well
some suggestions - forester warband unit would look quite fashionable in dark blue they could be named gettai archers or something.
one of the thracian heavy cavalry unit could use more "greek" look- macedonian heavy cavalry model for example or something like this. Same goes for the general bodyguard too.
Scythian aor units would be great for Buridava. Maybe some noble horsearchers will be good adition to the scythian aor too.

[cherryfunk]

Started a Gallic campaign (not independent) and I'm loving it so far. I would suggest changing Gauls (independent) to Celts, and adding them to Britain, to give them a 'safe area'.

[Centurion44]

I find that the Independent Gaul's color is somewhat hard to tell apart from the rebels, maybe the color could be altered a little?

[Maraxus]

I find that the Independent Gaul's color is somewhat hard to tell apart from the rebels, maybe the color could be altered a little?

Well, for a quick fix we could use the Averni skins I made for Diadoch. I would probably tweak them a bit before that, with every skin job one gets better and one's old work looks worse

Or we could reskin the Indy Gauls to have a purple senate scheme, similar the Lombardi in BI. I gladly volunteer to do either (after i finish figuring out unit cards)

Also I'd like to see the Indy gauls start with less land in the west, there should be a couple of slave citties to make the whole Gaul region look diverse and somewhat ununified, plus its fun to pick on slave cities for quick and easy victims early on in a campeign, they make for easy initial growth before some big war starts.

[DimeBagHo]

Adding the Independents to Britain or Ireland is a possibility, but there are already a couple of interesting battles set up for anyone who invades Britain, which I'm reluctant to remove.

Maraxus: The colour scheme for the Independents on the strat map is red and a paler green than the other Gauls. You could try that out for the units and see how it looks.

Kara Kolyo: I think that the playing the Independents would be a little too easy, and historically weird, given how extensive and dispersed their starting position is. I am planing one or two provincial campaigns though. You will be able to play the Gauls starting either in Dacia or Galatia.

[cherryfunk]

Also I'd like to see the Indy gauls start with less land in the west, there should be a couple of slave citties to make the whole Gaul region look diverse and somewhat ununified, plus its fun to pick on slave cities for quick and easy victims early on in a campeign, they make for easy initial growth before some big war starts.

I agree, it should a big mix-up.

[Centurion44]

Thracian diplomats still have the light blue colors, and the Independant Gaul's diplomats are purple.

[DimeBagHo]

Thracian diplomats still have the light blue colors, and the Independant Gaul's diplomats are purple.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, there's a new version up. That problem should be fixed, along with a few other details

[Cymera]

How would those campaign skins work with the new factions? Do you plan to simply copy them to the new factions, or do you want to edit them a bit? Those diplomats in the link that I sent you look superb.

[DimeBagHo]

How would those campaign skins work with the new factions? Do you plan to simply copy them to the new factions, or do you want to edit them a bit?

I will have to do skins for them so strat map units may take a while to add.

[Cymera]

They're pretty well done as it is, maybe you could just take some of those and edit them a bit for the new factions. They have strat map characters for Africans, Carthaginians, Romans, Greeks, Barbarians, etc.

[Kara Kolyo]

Gauls and Epirus as provincial campaigns sounds great. Dime, any comments on the thracian units from my previous post?

[Scutarii]

Excellent. Having fun as Germania, and attacking the two different Gallic facitons is fun. I allied with Gaul and attacked the indy Gauls. It really simulates the constant warring between tribes well. The conflict actually saved my main army.

[DimeBagHo]

Kara Kolyo: Thracian slingers might work out. Noble horse archers are much less likely, as I prefer not to make the best units from one faction available to other factions. An melee capable archer unit might work out as well - though I'm more inclined to make it a unique unit armed with romphias.

[perun]

... I prefer not to make the best units from one faction available to other factions.

A very sound idea. Should be printed in big red letters somewhere for everyone to see.

[Kara Kolyo]

@Dime - even better - long ranged, yes? for some reason Thrace cannot train the regular barbarian archers. haven't checked the files to see if the entry is missing somewhere. What about some kind of their own phalanx? even with short pikes?