Crusader States

**Velico** · July 12, 2009, 06:39 PM

I'm just curious of anyone's opinion on this. Instead of having only the Knights Templar as a faction would it be more interesting (and more viable) to have a Crusader States faction? The first Crusader state, the County of Edessa, was founded in 1098 which would make it viable as a starting location. The Principality of Antioch could also be included at the start of the campaign as it was also founded in 1098. Jerusalem was established as a Crusader state in 1099, but I feel if this were given at the start it would make the faction a bit imbalanced.

I was thinking about this as well . . . What if for certain provinces captured or started with (ie: Antioch, Jerusalem, Tripoli) there were specific units that would become available. For instance, the main base of operations for the Knights Hospitaller was in Antioch. Since you start with it, Hospitallers would be available (even though they weren't technically a military force until around 1136). This could be a script as well, make Hospitallers available only after the date of 1136. Similar concept for the Knights of Antioch and the Order of the Temple (Knights Templar) could be made. Templars become available when Jerusalem is captured since their base of operations was at the Temple Mount. Their military service would become available upon capture since it was more of their objective than the Hospitallers.

Anyway, what do people think of this? It's close to the time period of the early campaign and since the Templar faction is in there already, why not expand it? Let's stay on topic and I'd love to hear some more ideas on this.

**Caesar Clivus** · July 12, 2009, 07:04 PM

It cant be done as there is a faction and unit limit which SS is already at. The latest RR/RC submod combines the Templars and the Kingdom of Jerusalem and has a Crusader States faction instead. Check the RR/RC thread in the submods forum for details.

**bɑne** · July 12, 2009, 07:25 PM

It also includes your specific unit idea to some extend (ie Knights of Jerusalem)

**The Noble Lord** · July 19, 2009, 07:34 AM

Not enough faction slots for now, maybe later new factions would be incorporated.

**Sir Dudeski** · July 19, 2009, 11:31 PM

Why are there limits on the number of factions one can have?

**spanish_emperor** · July 19, 2009, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by Sir Dudeski

Why are there limits on the number of factions one can have?

because of Creative Assembly's hardcoded list

**LyonsNoir** · July 20, 2009, 03:25 AM

i recommend playing 5.1 if you like that. The Knights Templar have Acre and Jerusalem I believe in it, and access to pretty much any Crusading unit you can think of at some point or another, as long as you're within the AoR.

Personally, I prefer the Crusader States portrayed by English and French presence in the Holy Land. It gives more of a divided and marginalized unity that was pretty accurate for the Crusades.

**Velico** · July 20, 2009, 01:25 PM

Thanks for the responses! I've started a campaign with the pseudo-mini mod of RR/RC. The Crusader States are pretty fun so far. Much better constructed than the Templar campaign. It's still a difficult fight but I've found myself in control of Aleppo down to Alexandria and all in between. The year is 1248 and the Mongols are on the warpath but I have so many stacks of elite troops that I feel confident in my ability to defend my kingdom. My only beef is the damned French accent... I hate hearing that every time I select on a unit

Anyway, I had a thought about the Knights Hospitallers. I have not seen them in my campaign yet. There are Knights of Antioch and Knights of Jerusalem but no Templar or Hospitaller Knights? I realize they were not numerous in the holy land (not much more than 300 brothers in each order if my memory serves me correct) but is this because they are coded to only come with the upgrades that become available with fortresses?

Also, I don't know how feasible, or necessary it really is, but would it be possible to create a skin for the Hospitallers to trigger at 1248 to issue them a standard military dress of a red surcoat with a white cross instead of the black cape with the white cross. Pope Innocent IV issued them that as the standard battle dress because prior to that there was no formal declaration from the Hospitallers. Not a big deal, but it would be cool to see. I understand most of their time in the holy land was noteworthy for having the black/white but they were still in the holy land a good fifty years after the Pope's declaration.

**Caesar Clivus** · July 20, 2009, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by Velico

Also, I don't know how feasible, or necessary it really is, but would it be possible to create a skin for the Hospitallers to trigger at 1248 to issue them a standard military dress of a red surcoat with a white cross instead of the black cape with the white cross.

It's not possible to change unit skins mid campaign unless you have separate units defined in the EDU. And SS is already at the unit limit. The only way to do it would be to manually replace the skin (i.e. going into windows explorer and copying and pasting the texture file) at the proper time in the campaign.

**The Noble Lord** · August 04, 2009, 03:11 AM

Originally Posted by spanish_emperor

because of Creative Assembly's hardcoded list

Precisely.

**LyonsNoir** · July 21, 2009, 01:49 AM

which i don't recommend as it will most likely screw up your game.

**Velico** · July 22, 2009, 01:55 PM

I noticed just now that the Templar Longbowmen don't have a defined quality type. Anyone know why this is? Would they be superior, average? Where would I need to go to edit this? (Sorry Caesar if you've answered this question before... You seem to reiterate yourself a lot on these forums

)

**Caesar Clivus** · July 22, 2009, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by Velico

I noticed just now that the Templar Longbowmen don't have a defined quality type. Anyone know why this is? Would they be superior, average? Where would I need to go to edit this?

The description you see is textual. So dont worry too much if you dont have one for a unit because the absence of the description doesn't affect unit stats. If you want to put it back in though, you have to edit SS\data\text\export_units.txt. As for what quality description to put in, you'd have to ask PB methinks.

(Sorry Caesar if you've answered this question before... You seem to reiterate yourself a lot on these forums

)

Part of my job is repitition. And because part of my job is repitition, I inevitably repeat myself. And because I repeat myself, I've found that repitition is just part of my job...