DHRR v0.8 Previews

[konny]

Because we certainly would not be able to make new units for all factions on the map we have tried to make more interesting rosters for the more exotic factions by 'extracting' from the Vanilla units and their upgrade models those that would be least awkward and give them new roles. Here are the first examples:

al-Murabitun (the Moors)


Berbers
The Berbers would be the core population. They are available in Africa and Spain, but as a highly mobile people, would follow the Moors to every conquered province

Berber Tribal Horsemen, Berber Tribal Warriors and Berber Noble Guards

Arabs
Arabs live in Africa, the Levante, Spain and Southern Italy.

Arabian Tribal Warriors
with archers, skirmishers and spearmen.


Arabian Urban Militia and Arabian Raiders
the unit in game has horses


Faris and Noble Faris
(the mounted versions only)

Taifa
This is the military of the Taifa states that dominated Spain since the collapse of the Cordoban Caliphate. They mix elements of European and Oriental warfare. They are available in Spain only.

Taifa Garrisons and Taifa Crossbowmen.
Even though the Arabs prefered the bow over the crossbow, crossbows became rather popular for castle garrions in Spain.


Taifa Horse Archers, Taifa Horsemen and Taifa Nobles.
These would be the core units of the Taifa states.


Taifa Urban Militia and Taifa Volunteer Swordsmen

Ghazawatun
These are only available on Jihad

Ghazawat Archers and Ghazawatun

Muwalladun
These are (former) Christian nobles that converted to keep their lands and titles. They are available in small numbers in Catholic regions.

Muwalladun and Dismounted Muwalladun.

African Mercenaries
Mercs from sub-Sahara Africa are available in rather limited numbers in N-Africa and the Levante.

African Warriors, African Skirmishers and African Archers.


al-Salajiqa al-Rum (the Turks)

The Turks are a complete different people to the Arabs and Berbers, there would also had not been any Arab population of notable numbers in Anatolia, so their units cannot be the same as those of the "Moors".

Iqta'dar
These feudal units would have formed the backbone of any Turkish army

Seljuk Nobles and Turkish Horse Archers
The Seljuk Nobles would also become the new bodyguard for the Turks. The unit in game has horse armour.

Levy
These were often raised in large numbers by the nobles in order to fullfill their quota in troops to deploy for the Sultan.

Herdsmen and Dismounted Herdsmen.

Ghilman
These are war-slaves. The usage of slaves as household troops had a long tradition in the Near East; but the Seljuks of Rum had never been as rich as the Egyptian Ayyubids or the later Ottomans. That way their war-slaves did not become as important as the Mamluks or the Janissary.


Ghilman Archers and Ghilman Horse Archers.


Ghilman Raiders and Ghilman Spearmen.


Turkomen
These are Turkish mercenaries from Central Asia available in the south-east of the map.


Turkoman Horse Archers. Turkoman Raiders. Turkoman Lancers

[IVIarkI2I]

Nicely done

[Nevada]

Wow, nice units!

[Maniple Mayhem]

Looks really good, I can't wait to see them in the next version!

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

:o Really nice to see the Muslim factions looked after! <3

[konny]

:o Really nice to see the Muslim factions looked after! <3

Yes, this was "urgent". I never played those factions because of the ugly basic units. Replacing thoses (even with Vanillas) was highly needed. We also have recieved kind permisson by Rusichi Total War to use their units what allows to replace the Vanilla Mongols with much better units for the Turks.

And, because dHRR wishes to give each faction a unique gameplay, we have also developed concepts for a proper display of the Iqta system and some ideas how to make the Murabits religious fanatics.

[toluas]

Might be worth trying those factions in 0.8

[tony damager]

Hey guyz! First of all let me say that I'm a big fan of your mod.
I'm really impressed by the great effort the dHRR-team put into the concept and the details. I've always been interested in the history of the Holy Roman Empire, since I'm German and have history as my main subject at school. Therefore I am really glad that a modding team finally attends the task of providing the opportunity to play the HRE in a realistic way.
Even though I love the concept and your ideas, there's something that prevents me of enjoying your mod to the fullest: the SKINS
Ever since medieval 2 was released I've hated the vanilla skins of the HRE and up to now nobody has ever made skins for the HRE that were anyhow realistic (no offense meant). It would make your already great mod perfect if you had skins that were as good as those of the lithuania mod or rusichi TW. Thus it would be great if you'd focus on improving the HRR units instead of improving the exotic factions of your mod. I'm sorry if I'm too demanding and I really don't want to insult your team.
It's just that I am LONGING for realistic skins for the HRE. I'd do it myself, but unfortunately I'm a total noob if it comes to skinning. So I'd be really glad if you could do something about that.

[Maniple Mayhem]

Oh wow, those units look amazing! Is the last pic of Huscarls? They look really good if so, very acurate.

[konny]

Oh wow, those units look amazing! Is the last pic of Huscarls? They look really good if so, very acurate.

No, but not to far away: they are the new Highland (and Irish) Nobles. Requirments had been: no kilts, blue faces or any other pseudo-Medieval Braveheart nonsense, but a strong Norse influence.

[Salvo]

Good job konny REP++

[Giovi]

wonderful work i can't wait for the next release

[Nakharar]

you taught us right

[crusader knight]

the date of the release?
beautiful units congratulation
hi

[konny]

the date of the release?

I think, in two month. We won't get everything finished we have planned this year, so there will most likely be a release with the stuff finished now (complete re-work of the Western Catholic factions, lots of new units), and additional "Expansions" for the Eastern and Muslim factions.

beautiful units congratulation

All artwork done by HannibalExMachina. I only implement them into the game and make the representation.

[Beorn]

badass!

[konny]

Introduction

The following units would be the core units of the Western Catholic factions. Things work basically the same for all these factions with a few exceptions, in particular for the Spanish factions that had not been worked out so far. Beside the shown core units there would also be a couple of regional and mercenary units in Western Europe that will be part of a later preview.

The units stats and costs have been reworked in a way that, by maintaining the overall balance of dHRR, charts were developed that should ensure that units what would have been basically the same also would have basically the same stats. In return more emphasis was placed on the different qualities of the men’s training and experience. That way a professional spearman should have about the same stats regardless whether he was raised in Byzantium, Milan or Edinburgh. But he would have better stats than a militia spearman from the same faction. This also applies to the invisible moral.

To calculate unit costs we used price lists from all over the Middle Ages to define what things had costed. Based on the result we calculated the “true costs” of the 60 spearmen or 32 knights in a unit and made this the base recruitment costs. While recruitment costs for unarmoured units remained on their previous level, recruitment costs for mail armoured units were raised dramatically, in particular when talking about cavalry. The upkeep was calculated based on the new recruitment costs plus a flat amount for feeding the men (and eventually the horses) in a unit. In general upkeep remained in a range of about 100fl to about 600fl, but now with clearer differences between ‘peasant’ to ‘elite’.

Finally, the mechanics of recruitment itself had been changed in a way that building requirements had been simplified. Militia units are now mostly recruited from the core building; the “militia barracks” only house very few units. The differences between stables, barracks and practice ranges had been removed, and all professional units are now to be found in a single barracks building; there you’ll also be able to recruit mercenaries. The “feudal units” (knights and their retinue) are now to be recruited from the fief-building. Another important change is that all units that would be accurate for the respective period are now available with the first level of their “home-building”. Additional levels of the respective building add to replenish rate and maximum numbers, but do not unlock further units (with very few exceptions). That way you (and the AI!) would have access to all units that would be accurate for your faction and the year 1080 right from the start.

The Militia

Available from the wooden core building: Populus (Peasant Spearmen), Venatores (Hunters and Herdsmen), Arimanni (Mounted Militia)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These men are free peasants levied into the army. In the old Carolingian times the levy formed the bulk of the army. This institution survived well into the High Middle Ages, but improved armour and modern tactics used by the knights since the late 11th Century made the levy more and more obsolete. While a large levy army was defeated by knights at Hastings in 1066, peasants were still marshalled in the Germany of the Controversy Wars. But always to little effect, with the knights always remaining victorious. Finally the lords gave up the attempt to fight their wars with peasants, and in the later 12th Century it became forbidden for the land folk to own spears at all. The rural levy disappeared from Western Europe, save for remote regions like the Swiss vallies from where it was to return in force nearly 200 years later...

Armed with a spear, a simple shield, and not 'burdened' by any kind of armour, having received little to no military training or combat experience, these men can be expected to give the enemy the impression of facing a strong army, but should not be expected to hold the line for longer than a few minutes. They might be of some use when defending their homes but should under no circumstances be placed against knights on open field.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These archers are levied from local herdsmen and hunters. While they certainly know how to use their bows by livelong practice they are no professional soldiers and cannot be called upon in hand-to-hand combat. They are best used to fight down the enemy from a safe distance - and to run away when the foe closes in for revenge.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These men are rich landowners levied for war. In Carolingian times these men formed the backbone of the army. They were able to do so because their opponents were mostly levies too. With the professionalization of the armies in the High Middle Ages the armoured mounted levy lost its meaning. During the 12th Century the 'peasant-knights' disappeared from the European rosters together with the rest of the levy; save for Spain where the 'brown knights', as they were called by their peasant clothing, played an important role in the Reconquista.

In most occasions these units will no longer be available when you upgrade to the stone core building. The peasant levy disappeared from the European rosters in the 12th Century for about 200 years, being partly replaced by the urban militia. The peasant archers will remain available in England, Spain and Scandinavia, regions where herding and hunting played a large role and that always fielded large numbers of good archers.

Available from stone core buildings: Coniuratores (Urban Guilds’ Militia)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This urban militia is deployed by the local guilds (Lat. coniurationes). Each guild was required to defend a certain section of the city walls, and each member of a guild was required to own arms and armour to fulfil his duty. Different to the rural levy, the urban militias were raised quite frequently during the High and Late Middle Ages, and its members did at least a little tactical training from time to time what made them a comparable disciplined force.

Nevertheless they are no professional soldiers and their weaponry training and combat experience is limited at best. They are also not the conscript members of a standing army, but the last line of defence of their community's freedom. In the day-to-day feuds the council prefers to hire mercenaries instead of keeping the citizens away from their business.

Available from the militia barracks: Sagittarii (Shooters’ Guild)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These men are members of an urban shooters' guild. Different to their name, what translates to 'archers', they are armed with crossbows. The shooters guilds developed in the 11th Century as an union of volunteers that were marshalled to meet the demands of the city's legal owner, usually the king or a bishop, for the urban levy. While the king usually had no use in even more untrained spearmen but desperately needed shooters, in particular when they would be armed with modern crossbows, the shooters guilds were levied to the army quite frequently. In peacetime they performed various guard duties for their city.

Shooters' guild would be the closest thing to professional foot soldiers without hiring mercenaries in the High Middle Ages. Their members were given an additional payment and played an important role in the urban militia forces too; nevertheless they were still militia.

Available from the market: Constafler (Merchant Guild Militia)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These men are members of the local merchants' guild. Like the members of any other guild, the merchants are required to defend a certain part of the city walls in case of war. Different to the members of the craftsmen guilds, the merchants are rich enough to afford decent armour and good swords. Also different to the other citizens the merchants of the High Middle Ages earned their living on the road. When one is required to travel from town to town with valuable goods every day knowing how to handle the sword could proof vital.

Later the urban patricians even more imitated knights and fought mounted with lance and sword. But at this point trading had a already become a stationary business and the constaflers, as they were called when being part of the militia, not only lacked the livelong training of their noble opponents but also the combat experience of their ambulant forefathers.

The feudal units: Familiares, Knights, Ministeriales, Armigeri, Scutarii, Stratores, Arciarii

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These men a part of a knight's retinue. Each knight was accompanied by several war servants (usually 3 to 5) on campaign. These war servants were all armed and had some weaponry training. That way they were able to perform some secondary military duties, such as guarding the camp, the train, or doing recognition and foraging. On the day of battle these war servants would be lined up behind the archers.

But despite their large number and warlike appearance this random selection of armed men has no training to act as tactical unit, no experience to fight in a shield wall, and their 'generic commanders', the knights, are fighting elsewhere. In fact the war servants would not be expected to enter combat, and have, together with the levy, a long record of battles where they run away from the field as soon as the knights had been defeated.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These men a part of a knight's retinue. Each knight was accompanied by several war servants (usually 3 to 5) on campaign. These war servants were all armed and had some weaponry training. That way they were able to perform some secondary military duties, such as guarding the camp, the train, or doing recognition and foraging. This unit is a body of selected strong and reliable men that were given bows to support the knights in battle.

The western European feudal armies often were lacking bowmen, in particular when facing enemies of a different cultural background, such as the armies of the East, but also the excellent Welsh longbowmen. To raise the number of archers the Carolingian 'capitualres' already required each knight to own a bow. This weapon was not used by the knight himself, and certainly not shot from horseback, but was used by a war servant instead. The ratio of one shooter per knight (plus eventual mercenary shooters) remained standard in German feudal armies throughout the Middle Ages, while in France this number was increased to two during the Hundred Years War.

These men have some training with the bow, and with their shields and swords they would be able to defend themselves against enemy infantry. Nevertheless they are not 'natural bowmen' such as hunters and herdsmen. That way their bow is often drawn to the chest, instead of the ear, and the shot released without proper aiming. The usage of crossbows later, and that of firearms much later, seriously improved the performance of the retinue shooters throughout the Middle Ages.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These men a part of a knight's retinue. Each knight was accompanied by several war servants (usually 3 to 5) on campaign. These war servants were all armed and had some weaponry training. That way they were able to perform some secondary military duties, such as guarding the camp, the train, or doing recognition and foraging. This unit is a body of picked men given the spare horses to do recognition and foraging. Being mounted also allows them to quickly follow the knights, if needed.

While the majority of the feudal armies often were mounted for strategically reasons, war servants usually fought dismounted in battle, if they fought at all. But the constant lack of a suitable light cavalry in western European armies would require having some mounted war servants formed up in battle, ready to chase off enemy archers and cut down routing enemies. Nevertheless, these men would be no match for eastern or Islamic light cavalry.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These men are squires and noble servants. They are part of a knights' retinue. Usually a European knight started his training as the age of 7. After seven years he would become a squire. In this phase of his training (between 14 and 21) he would already have learned enough to be able to follow his knight into battle.

In the High Middle Ages only knighted nobles and ministeriales were allowed to fight in knightly fashion with lance and sword. That way noble servants, what would be those that did not made to knights for what reasons ever, would continue to fight with the squires even after 21 years of age. Therefore these 'Armed Men' (Lat. armigeri) would not ride in the knights' charge. Nevertheless they would keep close to 'their' knights to provide new lances and horses whenever needed. In some occasions the armigeri might also ride in a separate body on the wings of the knights, sometimes even opening the battle.

In the later Middle Ages knighting became a more and more expensive ceremony, and many lesser nobles would no longer be able to afford it. Finally at the end of the Middle Ages usually only banner lords and other high ranking persons would have been full knights, while the majority of the armoured lancers, now commonly called 'men-at-arms', would have been noble servants. That way the 'noble servants' as a distinctive tactical unit disappeared from the feudal armies.

Special thanks to Rusischi Total War and the former 1066: Conquest project for allowing us using their units too.

[Nevada]

Wow, nice work mates!

Really looking forward to v0.8 of my favorite mod!

[AnthoniusII]

That is a great stuff here!!

[toluas]

Amazing work!