Grand Unit Addon Mod (for Retrofit 1.0) Version 6.0

[Candelarius]

@Candelarius: Is this the error causing your CTD problem? Can we expend a flood of new units?

You betcha!

Turns out I had a missing space (after YOUR UNIT!) after a unit in the modeldb file. When I added the space, the bug suddenly went away...oops. Note to those that are not aware of this saga that SSJ refers to: The crash issue I fixed ONLY occured when one modded the modeldb file. The mod itself still plays fine and is still crash-free. This is a behind the scenes only bug.


Anyway, official press release:



I released yesterday version 4 of this mod, but, alas, today I found an annoying bug (only noticeable if you are modding the modeldb file and the bug only appears if you add or remove an additional unit from that file, therefore, this has no impact on the normal user of this mod) that I want to take out. Therefore, I've taken the version 4 download links down, and will be working on taking out the bug for the next day or two. Good news, the next update which will be out before Sunday will still contain all the goodies I had planned for version 4, but, to make matters better, I found a couple new units and discovered how to add a few more Kingdoms units to the mod without breaking the hardcode limit, so, the next update will contain a few surprises. Sorry for the delay. The current versions people are playing, version 3 and 4 most likely, are completely stable and fine the way they are, so, keep playing to your heart's content. Bad news: The next update will not be save-game compatible. Your current saves will work, but the new strat map faction leader models will only appear if you start a new campaign.

Next update expected by this weekend. I have some unit farming to do, and, since I now have permission from Ornamentum to use their units (thanks), I may be able to add a couple helmeted spear guys to the game (since they added a kettle helm to the game's spearmen). We'll see, depends on how I feel about "going extra-vanilla"...

EDIT: Oh my friggin god, check this out...thanks to the Ornamentum team, I can add helmets to some units! Not sure how many, but, check out this English Armored Sergeant unit (I'm sticking with vanilla textures for consistency):



EDIT: Here are a few more pics:

Mailed knights, now have a friggin Norman style helmet complete with nasal guard, available on second armor upgrade:


Spearmen Militia, now have a helmet, Norman style with nasal guard, available on highest armor upgrade (maybe should be a basinet and not a norman pot helm, but, considering these are militia, they would have had outdated equipment even in the late-game anyway):

[Candelarius]

I purchased a book on the Teutonic Knights for Christmas and was disappointed that not a single illustration, photo, or mention was made of winged or horned helmets.

Run! Nationalism based arguments! Beware the winged Hussars!

[Baron von Stadler]

I purchased a book on the Teutonic Knights for Christmas and was disappointed that not a single illustration, photo, or mention was made of winged or horned helmets.

That is because there are only 2 known depictions of it...one on an effigy and the other a Knight charging at the Battle of Lake Peipus. The latter most likely isn't even an Order knight but one of the Livonian Secular knights (maybe even the Archbishop of Riga).

It was then blown out of proportion by Eisenstein in his film....hmm, wonder why, horned/demonic German knights in a Communist Russian film.....

Out of curiosity, is that the new Osprey book that came out on the Teutonic Knights? If so, how is it?

[Candelarius]

That is because there are only 2 known depictions of it...one on an effigy and the other a Knight charging at the Battle of Lake Peipus. The latter most likely isn't even an Order knight but one of the Livonian Secular knights (maybe even the Archbishop of Riga).

It was then blown out of proportion by Eisenstein in his film....hmm, wonder why, horned/demonic German knights in a Communist Russian film.....

Out of curiosity, is that the new Osprey book that came out on the Teutonic Knights? If so, how is it?

Actually, it is the Osprey book. My wife bought me TWENTY Osprey books for Christmas. My collection is getting pretty impressive.

The Teutonic book is great. It's pretty short and sweat, like all Osprey books, but the illustrations are, as always, stunning. There are a couple nice treatments of knights from different periods, with the usual exteme attention to detail and all sorts of weapons, equipment, helmet variations, flags, etc, all detailed in the plates. Then there are a couple plates of different battle scenes, one of which is really cool with a Lithuanian mounted trooper invading a Teutonic camp, and you see a full armored 13th century knight with great helm pulling his sword out, as the Lithuanian is bring his own sword down for the blow, but, in the background, about twenty feet away, you see another Teutonoic knight, of the guys with the tau emblem (a half brother), pulling back a crossbow, staring up at the mounted Lithuanian. I was struck by the scene, and immediately thought to myself both "hurry up, dammit, your friend is about to bite it" and at the same time "****, that crossbow would hurt at that close range". You can just see the frustration on the tau guys face (sorta, he has a cool full face nasal guard and full mail coif) as he is struggling to arm his weapon.

Anyway, it's, as always, another great book in the series. I didn't dwell much on the arms and armor of the Teutonic knights, not as much as the English Knight series did, but focused more on the history, organization, and even social customs of the Brotherhood. Strongly recommended though, if only for the awesome plates....and only 12 bucks a piece or so at Amazon.

[Candelarius]

UPDATE ALERT

I found a typo in the modelsdb file that could be a problem if somebody tried to mod the file (the game only "notices" the typo when the modeldb file is altered in some way, don't ask me why). I took the download links down temporarily while I fix the issue. Should be back up soon. Those that are currently playing are fine as long as you don't try to mod in any new units.

[Silesian_Noble]

In the time of plate armour, instead of maces (which In Polish is called ‘buzdygan’,) like the one from Polish Foot Knights unit in this pack, in reality Polish knights preferred using:
1. axes:
2. so called ‘nadziak’ and also 'czekan'

The mace we are talking about was mostly commander attribute which signalized who is in charge of the unit.



I hope that with posting those great pictures of Polish knights the discussion about equipment of Polish Foot Knight is closed now


Posting Osprey scans in the public general forums are not allowed. We know how important the scans are to modders so we do allow it only in the Hosted Modifications Forums.

[Candelarius]

I considered the discussion closed two pages ago....

Okay Silesian, since I'm down for a major update currently, I'll swap the Polish and Hungarian Foot Knights. My Hungarian book specifically mentions maces, and, your pictures specifically show Polish soldiers with axes. I'll just swap them around, it'll be easy.

[Silesian_Noble]

I considered the discussion closed two pages ago....

Okay Silesian, since I'm down for a major update currently, I'll swap the Polish and Hungarian Foot Knights. My Hungarian book specifically mentions maces, and, your pictures specifically show Polish soldiers with axes. I'll just swap them around, it'll be easy.

God bless you mate

[Candelarius]

I'm thinking of also renaming them. Rather than making them "foot knights", I'm going to name them either "axemen and macemen" or just "sergeants".

[Lord Snow]

Any chance we can have a run-down of what will be in the next update? I'm trying to decide whether to start a new campaign or wait for the next update.

[Candelarius]

The next update will include everything currently listed in the readme, including the new strat model faction leader models, swapped Hungarian and Polish Foot Knights, copied Gotland Footmen to castle barracks (currently only available from Swordsmith's Guild), helmets for some units (new models courtesy of Ornamentum), and several new units, including Knights of Calatrava for Spain (by unDa), Mounted Calivermen for Scotland, Gwent Raider mercs, Horseboy mercs, and maybe one or two others. That's pretty much it. I expect to have this out by the weekend, no sooner than Thursday, no later than Sunday.


EDIT: This is especially for Silesia Noble:

Polish Foot Knights (Poland - Unused baltest model)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Hungarian Foot Knights (Hungary - Unused baltest model)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[iobor]

Hi Candelarius!

Are you going to include all the skins from ornamentum?

iobor

[michael01]

i'm in my 480 turns on my Campaign VH VH difficulty using this mod, i especially love the descr_mount file & descr_ai_battle tnx 4 that @ Candelarius.

I like the new model unit’s & new strat map faction leader model, too bad you need to start a new campaign, I just cant do that, but if you will add a Stone Fort in your next major update, I wont hesitate to start a new campaign.

PS : my birthday is coming this week pls be so kind to give me + rep as a birthday gift Anyone pls dont be a

[Candelarius]

i'm in my 480 turns on my Campaign VH VH difficulty using this mod, i especially love the descr_mount file & descr_ai_battle tnx 4 that @ Candelarius.

I like the new model unit’s & new strat map faction leader model, too bad you need to start a new campaign, I just cant do that, but if you will add a Stone Fort in your next major update, I wont hesitate to start a new campaign.

PS : my birthday is coming this week pls be so kind to give me + rep as a birthday gift Anyone pls dont be a

Happy birthday.

I have no plans on adding stone forts, because it gives the human player a major advantage over the AI player (AI will not properly capture, garrison, or attack forts).

Hi Candelarius!

Are you going to include all the skins from ornamentum?

iobor

No, I don't intend on changing any skins at all. I feel the vanilla skins are very nice the way they are. Ornamentum's skins are beautiful, though.

[Rodrigo The Scarred]

Sorry for potential offtop, but
Need download link, please...

[Candelarius]

Of course you need a download link....but as the front page says, the download link is temporarily down for an update. Download link will be up by this weekend.

[JonR]

Those Armoured Sergeants look much better with helmets!
Perhaps you could add those helmets to crusader sergeants and mercenary spearmen aswell? As far as I know, their mesh has the same shape as the mesh of Armoured Sergeants.

[Candelarius]

Those Armoured Sergeants look much better with helmets!
Perhaps you could add those helmets to crusader sergeants and mercenary spearmen aswell? As far as I know, their mesh has the same shape as the mesh of Armoured Sergeants.

Hmmm, good question, I'll check that idea out!

EDIT: Good news, mercenary spearmen work! Bad news, crusader sergeants do not. See pic below.





Welp folks, the mod is finally all done. I'm going to spend Friday and Saturday testing and then upload Saturday night or early Sunday morning. What I've managed to squeeze in:
- Copied Gotland Footmen to castle barracks (were previously only available at swordsmith guild)
- Swapped Polish and Hungarian Foot Knights for historical accuracy
- Added Pisan and Genoese Sailors Mercs to Outremer
- Added Irish Squires Mercs to Ireland/Scotland
- Added Gwent Raiders Mercs to England/Wales
- Added second armor upgrade to Norse Axemen Mercs
- Added Mounted Calivermen to Scotland's roster
- Added Mounted Calivermen Mercs to Ireland/Scotland
- Added Knights of Calatrava unit to Spain's roster
- Added kettle helmets to all Armoured Sergeant and Mercenary Sergeant units
- Added 'norman' helmets to Mailed Knight second armour upgrade
- Added 'norman' helmets to all Sergeant Spearmen units at final armor upgrade
- Added new unit cards for Polish and Hungary Foot Knights and new cards for Mounted Calivermen (no longer green).
- Minor merc pool adjustments (for new units).
- Fixed all known bugs.

- Surprise! Added four North American units to Aztec unit slots (not recruitable by Aztecs) for custom battle usage.
- Surprise! When North America is conquered you'll have access to the four North American units (in North America only)...you can even ship them back to Europe!
- Surprise! North America's settlement is now garrisoned by North American troops (no more Aztecs in Georgia)!


(ignore the Aztec shields on those guys above, I've already changed them to Apachean shields)

[Candelarius]

UPDATE RELEASED!!!

I've released what I hope to be the final version of this mod, which I've generically named version 5 (fifth patch), which is available for download now. This is the final version of this mod, since there literally is no more available space left to fit another unit in without taking existing units out! I've tried to keep to the original "vanilla" gameplay, and only added a few minor things (besides unit additions) that I think do not unbalance the game or distract from the original vanilla game's focus. The Grand Unit Addon mod for the Retrofit Mod 1.0 now includes approximately 100 new units spread across all factions. I've tested the mod as much as I possibly can and it is 100% crash free and bug free (as far as I can tell), as long as you install it correctly. This mod requires the Retrofit Mod 1.0, installed ontop of a clean unmodded version of Medieval II Kingdoms. See the first page in this thread for the complete updated readme and download link.

NOTE: There is no patch included to bring this up to date, as I changed many files and added so many others, I didn't think a patch that was half the size of the full installer made sense. The new version will also REQUIRE that you restart your current campaign, or start a new one. That's the price you pay for progress! Good news, you shouldn't have to restart your campaign ever again, as I consider this mod to be done done done. Enjoy playing!

[Maledon]

Awesome, thanks Candelarius!

One thing I did notice was a lot of purchase/up keep prices were not balanced (to my untrained eye).

For instance Germany’s Zwei Handers were cheaper and has less upkeep than most other hard hitting units so there was really no incentive to build anything else. I ended up easily wiping out all the other nations (H/VH).
I see this type of unit price/Up keep balance in quite a number of units in retrofit and your mod.

I went though almost all the units and tested them and altered the prices and upkeep based on combat finesse, number of men, weapon/armor, upgradeability, and so forth.

I was wondering if you (or anyone for that matter) would care to look through my changes for feedback.