weak and/or small rosters.

[Inhuman One]

I am sure we all know that the rosters are not balanced. They shouldnt be of course, otherwise all factions would be the same.

Still I do think that all factions should have enough options for recruitment. I personly like it when a faction gets a unit from something else than the standard militairy buildings, it adds some flavour and gives more motivation to build that building.

I personly toy a lot with custom battles just to compare rosters, and to see all the appearances of the units in battle and their effectiveness.

While some factions get 4 full rows of units (not counting siege equipment) Others barely get two rows in the custom battle roster.

I think that a good start would be to try to get all factions to get at least three full rows if not more. For the Teutonics it seems logical that they are a little limited since they are a knightly order and not a nation. Same goes for the templars. They both have a small but strong roster.

But I really cannot see why the rosters of nations should be small. They should have variety. I also noticed that half of the catholic factions cant recruit light swordsmen anymore so this puts that hole back in the roster.

I am just going to give my suggestions for some poor rosters now, anyone is free to add suggestions to this topic of course or discuss already mentioned suggestions.

For Scotland I was dissappointed that nothing was added for them in Kingdoms. I am very glad that KingKong gave them a reskinned version of the irish arquebusier (forgot the name) I do think that they could use some more variety. I suggest the following:

-Light swordsmen (just in simple chain, nothing too fancy, same for shields)
-Galloliah (if the irish get these scottish troops the scots should get them too)
-Scot's guard (scottish archer, would be good for a final tier in archery ranges which the scots dont have right now)
-Mounted Highlanders. (armed with axes and shields, can pack a punch but not as well armored as huscarls)

Ireland has a very small roster so lets not forget them. They could perhaps adopt more of the welsh units and could perhaps share some units of the scottish roster. I suggest:

-Gwent raiders
-highlander pikemen
-light swordsmen
(they can use more but I cant think of more suggestions)

Hungary has a decent roster, but could use an extra infantry unit of morderate strenght in their roster. I suggest:

-macemen (can be copied and reskinned from the mercenary pool)

The same goes for Poland, they need another infantry unit of morderate strenght as well, for them I suggest Macemen as well.

Spain is the exact same as Aragon, minus a few units. I heard that King Kong had thought about making the conquistadores and dismounted conquistadores recruitable on the entire map instead of just america, but I believe this has not been done yet, so I suggest for Spain:

-Conquistadores
-Dismounted Conquistadores
-Light swordsmen

For the HRE I have one suggestion as well. While their roster is indeed powerfull, I think the burgher pikemen could be replaced by another unit namely:

-Landsknecht pikemen (provides them with late period pikemen)

Lithuania's roster might be able to use some additions as well. This might require new units though, or perhaps some mercenaries could be used. I cant think of any units to suggest though, perhaps something half naked and barbaric if they had such warriors.

With Kiev having a rather powerfull roster, I believe that Novgorod could use a unit or two as well, their roster is not very big either. I suggest:

-Lategame pikemen that the french have too (forgot the name)
-a sword infantry unit (not sure whats appropriate)

The mongols have the smallest roster so should not be forgotten either, Since they are strong with cavalry and bows, this should not mean they have no melee infantry at all. They should have weak to morderate infantry, nothing to match a feudal knight or stronger, but still something good enough to defeat spear militia and similar units. I cant give solid suggestions though.

The Kingdom of Jerusalem has a small roster, smaller than that of the templars even while a kingdom should have more units available than a knightly order in my opinion. I suggest to make more units of the kingdoms version of the kingdom of jerusalem and the principiality of Antioch avaiable.
I suggest:

-Acre squires (I believe it was squires, they have this city though)
-Acre knights (they had acre from the start after all)
-Muslim Archers (they are in muslim territory and should be able to recruit muslim troops)
-desert infantry (not sure of the name, I mean the scimitar wielding arabs that King Kong added to muslim factions)
-some sort of cavalry archers (just a basic one, nothing too strong)

Milan is a bit underpowered considering Infantry, I suggest the following:

-Sword and buckler men

Well those are all my suggestions, feel free to comment and I am looking forward to any suggestions others may have.

[republic_bohemia]

Good topic men,But I""ve got to play Medieval II Total War! +_+ as the Sicilian Normans because am so motivated by them now-thanks men for the motivation.

I join this topic tomorrow morning.

-Goodnight all,try not to wake up saying; Charge!

[Sevachenko]

I personally think Aragon is pretty balanced. They are like the perfect harmony of the combination of the Spanish Roster with a French fling. I personally think Sicily needs more missile units.

[blueice]

good topic and a nice read tbh

here are my comments on some of the factions you listed:

Scotland:

- Scots guard: they shouldnt have any tbh, these units were among the personal guard for the french king, dont see any reason why Scotland should be able to recruit them.

hungary & Poland:

- the lack of such infantry is one of their weaker points and should be a challenge imo not somethign that should be fixed

Spain:

- light swordsmen, dunno if they need this tbh, i mean they have sword and buckler men right? i think they should do the job. agree on the conquistadores though

Novgorod:

- late game french pikemen(avonturiers??not sure, too lazy to check ) nah these units are French not Novgorodian, its a bit far off for Novgorod to have these units maybe some different pikes from a nation thats closer to home? although i dont know wether Novgorod (or the French for that matter) deployed such pikes in any significant number

[Moretz]

Don't think pikemen for novgorod would be historically accurate but medium strength macemen or javelin infantry wouldn't hurt. or make dismounted druzhina a strong spear unit.

[Caesar Clivus]

Novgorod:

- late game french pikemen(avonturiers??not sure, too lazy to check ) nah these units are French not Novgorodian, its a bit far off for Novgorod to have these units maybe some different pikes from a nation thats closer to home? although i dont know wether Novgorod (or the French for that matter) deployed such pikes in any significant number

You are correct. Novgorod did not use pikes. Spears yes, but not pikes.

[Inhuman One]

Considering the weaknesses of Hungary and Poland, Byzantium had the few weaknesses it had removed, and I am not even suggesting on giving Hungary and Poland strong infantry, just something mediocre like macemen.

[BoJaN]

Isn't there a unit limit though for the mod?

[Caesar Clivus]

Isn't there a unit limit though for the mod?

There is a unit limit for all mods. Hardcoded limit for the EDU is 500...which SS is at. But with some creative tinkering, there are ways to free up some slots.

[Son of Mao]

Delete the Aztecs they are so badely represented with three teritories that taking tem out is much better

[Inhuman One]

I know there is a unit limit, that is why I suggested very few actually new units. I mostly suggest adding existing units to some factions that have small rosters.

I believe that Highlander cavalry is the only really new unit I suggested.

[republic_bohemia]

I think the problem with this game is that there are so many units that you never even use,so there just useless and take all the unit space.

In my opinion,to improve the overall game is to delete units that are not necessary that are useless,and add units that people will actually use from there first turn they begin to the last turn.
By that I mean units you do use because they are the factions units that give that faction the advantage and unique feeling.



A good example is Kiev,nice unique unit roster-king kong did a great job on the Kiev Unit roster.

So by removing useless units from the game,this way the factions will actually be a challenge because every faction will have a unique unit rosters and there disadvantage too.
By factions having there own unique unit rosters and unit roster disadvantages the factions will actually recruit challengeable units,which will gave the player a challenge which leads to where if the player just does auto battle he/she will lose because the faction will not just use spear units and useless units.

What am trying to say is that it be a lot better game if the AL actully used there unique units instead what they use now,and also am tired of seeing AL Armies with no generals.