Third Age: Total War: The Python Invasion

I am already trying to get this underway as a mod for regular medieval total war, but I also thought it might be interesting for ta:tw.

As Sauron prepares to make his war on middle earth, he is startled to discover a new, more powerful force entering middle earth: King Arthur, and his knights of the round table. Suddenly, all the powers of middle earth are suffering from attacks by killer rabbits, gumby squads, the spanish inquisition, and the knights who say ni! Will the nations of middle earth be able to resist the python invasion? Or will the world be overcome by the forces of silliness? Help make this mod, and find out.



I thought since three total war games have invasion expansions, this would make an excellent invasion expansion. The python faction would have one settlement in the northern half of the map, and would send its army south to make war on the forces of middle earth. I myself have no modding experience, so I would not be able to create any of this myself. I would need help from willing modders. I already have a unit roster planned. I am not experienced in mod creation, but I believe it should be farelly simple to add the faction in. Perhaps in later releases there could be special events, but at this point, this seems fine.

Here is the symbol I made for the Python faction. If anyone else wants to submit one, that is fine, It may be used. My plan is that the python faction will require you to "build" Python movies and seasons. Each one grants access to a different group of units. Each building also spreads silliness to a different degree. The Python faction has silly culture, which it must spread to recruit its most important units. Aside from these buildings, there are no changes to the buildings the pythons can build, at least not in the first release. Either way, here is my plan for the factions building and unit tree:

Monty Python And the Holy Grail pt1. required for:
General's Bodyguard
Knights of Camelot 20% culture
Dismounted Knights of Camelot 10% culture
Singing Knights of Camelot 30% culture
The Black Knight 65% culture
Cow Trebuchet 30% culture

Monty Python AtHG pt2. required for:
Holy Hand Grenadiers 80% culture
The Killer Rabbit 75% culture
The Knights who Say Ni! 55% culture

Monty Python AtHG pt3. required for:
French Guards 80% culture

Season 1 required for:
The Knight who smacks people over the head with a chicken 40% culture
Gumby Squad 25% culture
British Army Troops 40% culture
Hell's Grannies 45% culture
The Bately Townswomen Institute 35% culture
Upper Class Twits 45% culture

Season 2 required for
Spanish Inquisition 60% culture
Spam Vikings 55% culture

Season 3 is purely cultural

Season 4 required for:
Military Fairies 35% culture

Life of Bryan required for:
Suicide Squad 50% culture
-----------------------------

I have also categorized units into tiers:
(bodyguard)
Generals Bodyguard*

(low tier)
Knights of Camelot (mounted wo/horses)*
Dismounted Knights of Camelot*
Singing Knights of Camelot (inspire nearby troops)*
Gumby Squad (strong melee)

(2nd tier)
(possible)Upper Class Twits (too stupid to be afraid, they act as excellent combat troops due to their clumsiness.)
The Bateley Women's Institute (fierce demoralizing melee unit).
Knights who smack people with chickens (Chivalric Knights with color changes and a chicken "axe")*
British army troops (gunpowder, very silly)

(upper tier)
Spam Vikings (powerful shock troops)*
Spanish Inquisitors (ambush units, maybe an archer version)
Knights Who say Ni! (Long Range high damage Skirmish units)
Black Knights (strong melee, with pending zweihander tossing) (model by Taro_M) Check it out here.

(Uber Units)
Holy Hand grenadiers (long range super powerful)*
The Killer Rabbit (altered war dog)
French Guards (scare nearby enemy infantry)*

(siege)
Cow Trebuchet (throws cows that do same damage as rocks)*

units marked with a * mean they can be created using reskinned models from vanilla.
--------------------------


Python Faction will start out on an England shaped island off the coast of middle earth. The island will be positioned somewhere around...



On it will be three settlements; two castles, one city. The Two Castles will be Camelot and the Castle of AAAAARRRRRGGGHHHH. The city will be the Flying Circus. Aside from that, the Pythons will begin with two full unit stacks. One under the command of Arthur, the other under Lancelot.
----------------------------

The Python navy will consist of "airships" (for the moment). They will have high attack values, and can be built from ports, the only naval military building the pythons faction will have. The Python factions begins with a large navy as well (one half stack).
----------------------------

Python agents include:
Silly Vicars (Rev. Arthur Belling by G. Chapman). This is the priest unit.
Merchant Bankers. Merchants.
One who knows how not to be seen. Spy.
Piranha Thug. Assassin.
----------------------------

Finally, we have sigs for the people who want to support the mod (though they aren't particularly good):

Well it would be quite easy if you take existing units from Medieval.

Hahaha the concept me laugh.

I'm starting to get the impression that I've managed to start people making fan mods (or maybe that's just my bloated ego)...

Originally Posted by LuckyNinja

Hahaha the concept me laugh.

I'm starting to get the impression that I've managed to start people making fan mods (or maybe that's just my bloated ego)...

It's your bloated ego.

Killer Rabbits, Knights of Ni!, Tim the Sorcerer, the Three-Headed Knight, Brave Sir Robin and due to budget constraints; NO horses (just sound of coconut shells being 'clip-clopped' together).

Invinsible horse, and slow unit speed = Python cavalry
Holy handgrenade throwers, very easy to make, but you'll need a holy handgrenade model.
Black knights, they throw two handed swords and charge.
Monks, wielding a two handed holy bible.
Sir Robin, a unit with very poor morale that retreats as soon as the enemy is close.

For those of you who are interested in the mod, I have already posted a half-done unit list in the original thread. Here it is:

Generals Bodyguard*
Knights of Camelot (mounted wo/horses)*
Dismounted Knights of Camelot*
Singing Knights of Camelot (inspire nearby troops)*
Knights who smack people with chickens (Chivalric Knights with color changes and a chicken "axe")*
Spanish Inquisitors (ambush units, maybe an archer version)
Holy Hand grenadiers (long range super powerful)*
Knights Who say Ni! (Long Range high damage Skirmish units)
French Guards (scare nearby enemy infantry)*
Cow Trebuchet (throws cows that do same damage as rocks)*
British army troops (gunpowder, very silly)
Gumby Squad (strong melee)
(possible)Upper Class Twits (too stupid to be afraid, they act as excellent combat troops due to their clumsiness.)
The Bateley Women's Institute (fierce demoralizing melee unit).
Black Knights (strong melee, with pending zweihander tossing) (model by Taro_M) Check it out here.
The rabbits idea mentioned above would be good if it could be implemented. They would be the python uber unit.

units marked with a * mean they can be created using reskinned models from vanilla.

Other unit ideas could, of course, be incorporated. It all depends on the level of commitment there is to making this mod a reality. Keep in mind that the goal of the Python Faction is mostly so people can have fun. It would be nice to have it balanced with others as well. Also, for those of you who want specific holy grail characters to be featured, keep in mind the faction needs a family tree. Also, more than ideas, we need a mod team. So anyway, heres hoping the mod takes off.

The black knight too, please. I love the scene where he throws the two hander right throught the head
of the other knight.

Also it's very easy to make him throw a two handed sword.
Javelin animation, and a two hander instead of a javelin.
And make it's own projectile model for the two hander, so you actually see it fly throught the air.

that's easier to say than to make

(and for the holy hand-grenade you can use the super banana bomb with a greek fire effect on impact)

Originally Posted by axnsan

that's easier to say than to make

What's easier to say then to make?
this?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I'm quite good working with models, I also got my very first model into the game.
Well, it was an eyepatch for one of my generals.
this was v1 of the textures, v2 looks better, and no it's not a public mod.

not that, the projectile models.

Originally Posted by axnsan

not that, the projectile models.

Well, working with .cas files is a bit more complicated then with .mesh-files

I'll take a look if I got enough balls to make a flying zwei-hander

you make zwei handers out of your balls :o ?



but yes, i agree working with cas files is harder

The Batley Womens institutes Reenacment society would be the vanguard of any offensive campaign right? They would also like it to be known that they could be ringbearers too!.....
Don't forget sundays performance of The Battle of Unnumbered tears!! the cricket square at 4pm,tea and scones willnot be provided so bring your own! Stop this now!its just getting SILLY!
Don't forget the upper class twits (first rate troll fodder!)

Originally Posted by axnsan

you make zwei handers out of your balls :o ?



but yes, i agree working with cas files is harder

Maybe I will after all

I managed to open weapon_javelin_high.cas

Now I will have to change it to a two hander

edit: Animation issue => ctd. But it appears that the missiles use same .cas format as for
RTW. Someone with more experience with this maybe could make it.

edit: strange, now it worked.

edit: no, it didn't, invisible. I wish I could be l££t with 3dsmax, and not just milkshape

This is all rather silly.

Good stuff!

I actually HAVE working black knight model check it out here:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...t=black+knight

Im also intersted in putting few MP homages in MTW2.

Originally Posted by Taro_M

I actually HAVE working black knight model check it out here:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...t=black+knight

Im also intersted in putting few MP homages in MTW2.

Excellent! With all the work being done on the black knight, I would love to see the unit in game. Congrats, another unit is being added. What with the fact that he is already doing pretty well, I feel that it would be rather enjoyable to include him. Good work. I'll add some credits foe the model. If we can get projectile to work, then I'll add credits for the person who does it.

What about The Horde of upper class twits and The Bately WI? all crinkley tights smudged lipstick and flailing handbags obscured in a cloud of dust coming on...ever on! Nobody expects the....

Originally Posted by Elfhelm

What about The Horde of upper class twits and The Bately WI? all crinkley tights smudged lipstick and flailing handbags obscured in a cloud of dust coming on...ever on! Nobody expects the....

Well, I think It'd be better cover a basic unit roster first, and then expand it. First we need to get the faction playable with about ten units or so, and then expand it. So, your ideas will be welcome. If you want a unit to be added, please present a basic unit description and what abilities you would like it to have in-game. As always, your hilarious and intelligent ideas are welcome. Silly ideas, are also welcome.