Just playing with the improved map and factions

[Munimentum]

Hello, I've been playing Grand Campaign Mod for a while now and I'm loving it, phenomenal mod with ridiculous amounts of effort went in to make it, so thank you very much for creating this mod!

Having said that, my personal favourite part of this mod is the far, far, FAR improved map aswell as the additional factions (particularly Ireland, which makes both playing as England and watching events on the british isles play out equally fun).

I'm just wondering if there is a way to play with only these 2 options, or otherwise a mod which specifically only uses these two additions? As well done as the garrison and economy balancing is, I don't like them as much as the previous two additions. It feels a little bit too constricting and annoying, since while playing sicily my main armies were pretty much entirely the ones you start out with and my economy couldnt sustain anything more without deadlocking my income.

So yeah, can anybody help me please? Thank you.

[Dave Scarface]

Hi Munimentum,

First welcome to the KGCM forums I think your analysis is spot on! the best thing about this mod is not just the addition of new factions from Kingdoms. But the map on which the campaign is played out. Most of my work has gone into improving Bigmap, starting positions and campaign balance btw.

About the only two small things you don't like as much. Well for a start if you look in the patch 3.4 download thread you will see a no garrison script. Use this and the AI won't get help to defend its key settlements. The second thing you need to change is the upkeep costs in the export_descr_unit.txt. Change these back to the old upkeep costs and you will no longer have such a problem with income.

regards,
Dave

[Munimentum]

Hi, thanks for the reply dave. I found the no garrison fix and started a new game and its far better As for the upkeep problem this time around I didnt see such a big problem but I was playing as england with militia so that may be the reason

Another thing I've noticed is the ridiculously disproportionate armies for AI factions. While I was busy annihilating Ireland, Scotland built up 5 full stacks of very good units which they would have no chance of keeping upkeep on with the 4 provinces they controlled. Likewise in my Sicily campaign Venice had huge amounts of full stack armies, aswell as Byzantines having endless amounts of full stacks (Not such a problem since they do have a huge empire). Is this a feature of an AI mod or a side-effect of the economy balancing or what? I think it was this that was really annoying me, not so much the garrison and economy balancing. There is nothing worse than beseiging a garrisoned city when full stacks of armies which shouldnt be possible starting climbing down your throat

I realise increased difficulty is the main purpose of this mod but still, personally I dislike when AI gets blatant cheat-worthy advantages, even if it does mean increased difficulty So yeah, is this a feature of AI modifications or is it an economy balancing thing aswell?

[Dave Scarface]

Don't worry about the AI being able to afford supporting multiple armies in the campaign. Unlike the human player they get income bonuses each turn. And when that fails the AI debt script kicks in. Some may not like the idea of the AI getting cheats. but this really does make the mod a whole lot more challenging.

In my last campaign a few weeks back as the TO, my low income helped to contain my ability to expand early on. Sixty turns in and I still had only something like 7 regions. Whilst Denmark was becoming a super power in the region and kicked me out of Visby. I didn't even dare attempt to retake Visby. I just let them have it, and pushed even harder to defeat Lithuania taking Vilnius instead. Closing up one front so I could prepare for all out war with the Kingdom of Denmark! Thats how this mod works like it or not. You simply can never afford to wage war on everyone who threatens you. More often than not you must concentrate your efforts against one enemy at a time. And this is what makes my mod so challenging at times. And the reason why it is so popular with some TW players.

Dave

[Munimentum]

Thanks for your replies dave, I really appreciate you finding the time to answer me

[Iceciro]

I do wish there was some option to play with the enhancements on a more even playing field with the AI.

I understand that it's because the AI is, well, a total moron, but fighting down things you can't possibly match is no fun for some of us.