AoR Recruitment

**TheBromgrev** · September 12, 2009, 07:39 PM

After reading the Role of the Papal States thread (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=284896) I had a few ideas concerning the cultural recruitment system the mod uses based on some comments found there. There are a few unrealistic issues the system brings. A simple example: Rhun turns on Morder and takes Nurn. Rhun can immediately recruit their own units based on the barrack's level because their culture is the same. Did Rhun replace the orc population with easterlings? If so, where did the human settlers come from? One could argue that they came from further east, but would the same argument hold if Gondor took the settlement instead? M2TW isn't capable of handling this type of situation on its own, but a few tricks can make this situation more realistic.

After thinking about it a bit, I came up with an alternative recruitment system, the AoR. Now, I understand that it would be a LOT of effort to completely redo how recruitment is done, so perhaps this is a project for a sub-modder. But, TATW already uses the AoR system with Dunlending Clansmen and each faction's region-specific units. I've also seen working examples in the Broken Crescent mod (which doesn't use Kingdoms features) and in Rome: Total Realism (which is way older than this mod), so it can be implemented.

Basically, my idea is to only allow a faction to recruit its own units in their home territories.
A few examples of what I mean:
Gondor: starting regions, the rebel settlement to the west, Ithilien, and possibly Harondor.
Harad: Harad regions, Umbar, Harondor. Only Corsairs in Umbar, normal Harad units in Harad and Harondor
SE: all of Mirkwood and Lothlorien.
OotMM: The Misty Mountains, Anduin valley, the northern mountain chains.
Dwarves: Starting regions, Dain's Halls, Gundabad, Moria.
Etc.

When a faction conquers a settlement outside of their home territories, they would only have access to the most basic units available in that region. No one should be able to recruit from former orc regions unless they have high-level barracks, and then only some "rebel" units such as city guards. On the flip side, orcs should not be able to recruit from regions they conquer, unless the region has high-level barracks and even then only base orc units.

Overall, I think this system is much more realistic, as when a faction conquers an area, the local population will most likely not change their fighting style to match their new masters'. Also, orcs are cannibals, so any surviving population would not fight for them, but be used as food or slaves instead. Same for any humans/elves/dwarves who take an orc settlement, the orc population would not fight for a new master.

I think the AoR system is more realistic and would make the game more difficult. What do you guys think?

**Jean=A=Luc** · September 12, 2009, 08:11 PM

I get your point but it could make gameplay painfully slow and retraining advanced units would become a chore (moving them constantly between the core territories and the front lines), especially in long campaigns.

There's probably a small number of people who would enjoy this kind of gameplay but I'd never support it except as an optional "rule set".

It would be a lot better if there was a way to allow for retraining of advanced units in non-core provinces (with the appropriate barracks level) while preventing them from being built anywhere except in home territories.

**TheBromgrev** · September 12, 2009, 08:19 PM

Yeah, I had that problem with Broken Crescent as well. However, there are ways around it, such as relying on native levies to be used as cannon fodder, while your core units finish off any stragglers. Another solution is to lower the max recruitment stat and increase the replacement rate, which would allow units to "cycle" in the same way modern armies organize units into tours.

As far as allowing advanced retraining, perhaps only allow that at fortress and citadel class barracks buildings? I don't think M2TW can support retraining without being able to recruit though. Rome: Total Realism got around the problem by forcing the player to build 3 AoR buildings before a region could recruit native units. Since both games use the same shell, that option should be possible.

**Point Blank** · September 12, 2009, 11:16 PM

RR/RC has a full dynamic AOR implemented for every unit, based on faction/race, region, location, land type, unit type and tier and religion level. There are 8 or 9 recruitment availability levels for each unit depending on these factors.

**Infinity at End** · September 13, 2009, 12:15 AM

If you really wish to balance the game by modify the recruitment type then I suggest to implement the troops limits based on your cities/castels levels , numbers and your Generals .

So every unit will have a : population needed , so instead of having troops based on your income , you will have troops based on your troop population(units) too , or make a script that can calculate the total population in all your cities/castels and a % of that become your army limit like : at 1000 population you can have 150-250 warriors (1-2 units/points) so ... 1 unit of militia = 1 unit/point , 1 unit of advanced troops like citadel guard or olog hai will need 2,3,4 units/points .

This way maybe will prevent the AI spamming lots of troops , the AI will get fewer units , so does the player and this way the game will be a little bit more balanced and the battle will take place with fewer troops in the early game and later on will be battles with full stacks of units .

And of course the AI can be helped here a little bit by giving him a bigger base army pool to provide a easy/medium/hard time on the player depending on each preferences .

I know this thing can be done because I played a M2TW MOD some time ago , I can't remember how it was called :| but I know it can be added to the game .

Regards , Infinity !!!