Good Old Men Micromod

[caralampio]

Maybe you consider me silly for posting these little "micro" mods, with name and picture and stuff, but I have all these ideas that are unrelated to other things, so they can't be properly integrated, but I still want to share them. Perhaps someone will like them enough to include them in a more serious mod of theirs? SS 6.2 might include them? Oh well if just one person likes them, I'm satisfied.

Ever since vanilla 1.0 I've been intrigued by a couple of traits that are buried within the files. Maybe they were experimental and were dropped off in the final version. These are Senile and Too Old to Fight. I have created triggers for them, and they can apply to any general reaching 65 years or more.

Since these are very small tweaks, I will tell you what to do rather than offer you the files. That way you can integrate with other mods as well.

SENILE
This traits includes three levels, somewhat senile, senile and totally senile, which give reductions in command and authority (which are worse as the dementia gets worse, of course).

TOO OLD TO FIGHT
Only one level, Beyond Battle. Originally this trait had no effects. I have tweaked it so it reduces hit points, movement, troop morale, but increases authority and popularity (as the old man is considered wise and venerated by his people).

-Backup any files you will be messing with.
-Open export_descr_character_traits (in data folder) and search for "Trait TooOldToFight" (without the quotes)

It says like this

 ;------------------------------------------
Trait TooOldToFight
    Characters family
 
    Level Beyond_Battle
        Description Beyond_Battle_desc
        EffectsDescription Beyond_Battle_effects_desc
        Threshold  1
 
;-------------------------------------------

Change to read like this

;------------------------------------------
Trait TooOldToFight
    Characters family
 
    Level Beyond_Battle
        Description Beyond_Battle_desc
        EffectsDescription Beyond_Battle_effects_desc
        Threshold  1
 
 Effect HitPoints -4
 Effect MovementPoints -3
 Effect TroopMorale -1
 Effect Authority 1
 Effect LocalPopularity 1 
 
;-------------------------------------------

Go to the very end of the file and paste this:

;------------------------------------------
Trigger Alzheimer
WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd
 
Condition IsGeneral
      and CharacterAge > 64
 
Affects Senile 1 Chance 10
 
;------------------------------------------
Trigger TooOld
WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd
 
Condition IsGeneral
      and CharacterAge > 64
      and Trait TooOldToFight = 0
 
Affects TooOldToFight 1 Chance 100

-Open export_vnvs (in data/text folder). Search for "Beyond_Battle" (without the quotes). It says like this:

{Beyond_Battle} Beyond Battle
{Beyond_Battle_desc} This man is no longer physically capable of taking the field of battle. 
{Beyond_Battle_effects_desc} (No effects)

Change to read like this

{Beyond_Battle} Beyond Battle
{Beyond_Battle_desc} This man is no longer physically capable of taking the field of battle. However, his advanced years make his people consider him wise and venerable.
{Beyond_Battle_effects_desc} -4 to your general's hitpoints (how many hits your general can take before dying), -15% to Movement Points, -1 Morale to all troops on the field, +1 Authority, +1 to popularity (improves public order)

That's it! Enjoy your retirement!

[thdot44]

pretty cool +R

[ginger_hammer]

This is a good idea +R

[Gorrrrrn]

caralampio

another little gem.

it's these little wrinkles that make for a more enjoyable game.

is it save game compatible?

Might want to modify the code for faction leaders? (or do they not count as generals?)

My HRE emperor, despite being hated by half of his generals who won't fight for him, has reached the vulnerable (sorry venerable) age of 64. He's the only general I can trust with an army - any of the others might desert at any time, especially his "right hand men" (he's had 3 and all have rebelled!)

[Santiago de Pola]

Hahaha, grumpy old(but wise) men..what a great idea! Does it apply to AI generals as well?

[Barser]

Dont DLV use a system somewhat like this?

[caralampio]

It should be savegame compatible, generally speaking, but I don't know what would happen if you already have an old general in play (probably he will trigger the trait next turn and that's all).

I'm not familiar with DLV, interesting if they have a similar concept.

It applies to AI generals, player generals, whether they are family members or just "generals".

Beyond Battle occurs to every general that reaches 65 1/2 years. Senile should be rare, especially the higher levels (10% chance per turn of catching it), but see what happened in my current campaign:

[aduellist]

AFAIK, you need to start a new campaign to pick up changes in export_descr_character_traits.txt.

Just as a suggestion, you might want to put some variability to the trait (set to something other than 100). Not everyone becomes too old to fight on their 65th birthday. There have been notable exceptions throughout history.

You might even want to tie it in with the sickly and robust traits (sickly characters more likely to get it, robust characters less so).

Something like this:

;------------------------------------------
Trigger TooOldSickly
WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd
 
Condition IsGeneral
      and CharacterAge > 64
      and Trait Sickly > 0
      and Trait TooOldToFight = 0
 
Affects TooOldToFight 1 Chance 75
;------------------------------------------
Trigger TooOldNormal
WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd
 
Condition IsGeneral
      and CharacterAge > 64
      and Trait Sickly < 1
      and Trait Robust < 1
      and Trait TooOldToFight = 0
 
Affects TooOldToFight 1 Chance 50
;------------------------------------------
Trigger TooOldRobust
WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd
 
Condition IsGeneral
      and CharacterAge > 64
      and Trait Robust > 0
      and Trait TooOldToFight = 0
 
Affects TooOldToFight 1 Chance 25

That way you at least have an opportunity to occasionally get an exceptional character.

[caralampio]

Thanks aduellist I like your suggestion However, with a variable age of triggering, the age should be set lower (from 63 years maybe).

Actually I think 65 is an early age for these traits, especially senile, but since it is the age when characters start dying from old age and very few make it beyond 66 or 67, it's now or never.