Introduction to The Rights of Man

[Johan217]

“I begin by taking. I shall find scholars later to demonstrate my perfect Right.” - Frederick II the Great

Mod team

Design: Johan217
Original concept: Sage2

Contents

Battle mechanics
Campaign mechanics
AOR recruitment system
New units
French revolutionary army

Mod architecture and philosophy

Above all, we want to achieve a more challenging game -- perhaps slower, but also deeper, and more closely resembling historical accounts. Our goal is not to make a more dramatic or cinematic game. War does not now, and did not then, resemble Braveheart, the Patriot (as enjoyable as those movies are) and other highly dramatized, Hollywood movies. These are not a good source for making historical decisions in game balance. We have studied the history of the region, and at least one of us is a soldier and a veteran, albeit one serving in our own strange modern half-wars. It may not be much, but we hope that we can add at least a few thin insights as we strive to create a sense of verisimilitude.

When possible, we have tried to avoided change core balance around units. While many small adjustments have been made, staying close to original values will make it easier for players to utilize the excellent work provided by other modders. Additionally, adjusting core balance can cause the AI to make poor decisions, both on the battlefield and when recruiting troops.

Likewise, we have avoided changing core game mechanics, such as the number of turns per year. Core changes like these can cause problems; in the case of turns per year, this will make buildings that cause economic growth per turn (since there are more turns) overly strong when compared to buildings that create wealth (i.e. add to GDP). Adjust the growth downwards to account for this can cause problems with the AI's purchase decisions.

Main features

• No changes without historical rationale, gameplay balance, and consideration for AI decision making.
• Detailed AOR system that allows for multi-facted Imperial armies with representative and unique line troops from many different regions. There are over 30 new units recruitable by many factions! These include the Walloon Guard, Chuguevski Cossacks, Freikorps Cavalry, Georgian Khevsurs, Swiss Infantry, and many more units, each balanced for gameplay. Additionally, many changes have been made to unit statistics and recruitability to improve historical realism and balance.
• Unique unit roster for the French Republic, with appropriate blue uniforms
• More authentic Ottoman unit roster, adding many more units such as Sekban Fusiliers, Cebülü Cavalry, Azab Infantry, and new ship types.
• Changes to battle dynamics: movement speed, projectile ballistics, lethality, fatigue and morale to more closely match historical accounts and doctrine, while maintaining game balance and playability.
• Changes to naval battles: longer, and weapon differeniated, range for cannon, and slower and more deliberate ship handling.
• Changes to campaign dynamics: significantly reworked aspects of the happiness, research, income, building benefits, campaign income, governments and more. Balancing progress, happiness and industrialization will be much more challenging, and the better balanced buildings will help the CAI. You will have to make very hard choices.
• Dozens of new descriptive strings to communicate changes to unit types, remove non-period wording, based on proper descriptions pack originally from l33tl4m3r.
• Adjusted traits and ancillaries for greater player challenges, and more characters with both positive and negative traits.
• Reduced speed of research through adjustment to buildings, characters and government types.
• Dozens of other small improvements to improve gameplay.

Featured third party content

• Blood and Smoke mod by Mech_Donald
• Pip-mod and Marble UI by Waronmars
• Equipment mod by Erasmus777
• Animations modifications by Tiyafeh
• Model fixes by Ahiga and Reiksmarshal
• Musket and cannon sounds by Obushnikov. They're hands-down the best I've heard - listen for the snap of the hammer!
• More authentic government office titles by jeweetwel_youknow
• Realistic Flags mod by Spanky
• Period loading screens by Spanky, accompanied by lesser known period music by Corelli, Telemann, Bach and others
• Modified early-game campaign script by TheStinger
• French revolutionary textures by Mr Thib, Gerard Duval and Amiral_Bruix
• Unique models/skins for British, French, Spanish, Russian and American marines and naval officers by Officerpuppy
• No replenishment in enemy lands - mod by T.C. (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=545672)
• Pikemen animation fix - Primergy (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=371796)

Special thanks to

Yarkis, Serenissima, Tancredii, Dogmeat, JaM, moopere and Pdguru

[Johan217]

Battle mechanics

Projectile ballistics
When selecting a weapon's range, the following has been considered:

1) What is the maximum range of the weapon -- how far the projectile will carry.
2) What is the maximum effective range of the weapon -- how far the weapon will be lethal, at least 1 in 100 shots, in trained hands.
3) What is the doctrinal range of the weapon -- how soldiers were trained, and where they, in practice, opened a lethal fire.

Battle formations
We have chosen to not to significantly tighten regimental formations (the spacing between men). Those modeled in game show a bit more than an arm's distance apart. This is correct. Anyone who has served as a soldier, and had to practice complex drill and ceremony (a modern take, of course, on 18th century infantry evolutions), will know that you cannot operate with any effectiveness closer than this -- you will be stepping on the heels of the soldier in front of you, and when you change your facing, you run the risk of a rifle barrel to the head, a crushed finger, or a bayonet to the gluteus maximus. The spacings in the game for infantry are, in short, correct.

Additionally, Sinhuet's army formations modification has been included. This changes the way that units are set up on the battlefield. The BAI makes use of these changes to very good effect. It's not the same as being able to modify the battle AI parameters, but it is as close as we can do currently.

Battlefield movement, morale and fatigue
A number of changes have been made to movement, morale and fatigue on the battlefield. The goal of these changes to improve game play, without hampering the AI. For example, since the AI is notorious for running its soldiers ragged on the battlefield, the fatigue penalty for running has not been increased. However, the fatigue penalties for fighting, reloading and firing have all been increased -- thus making fatigue more of an issue, but without penalizing the battle AI's poor decision making. All fatigue thresholds have been somewhat lowered, but this means that recovery time is proportionately faster, as well.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Troops that rout are more likely to return to the battle, especially if they had not suffered a large number of casualties before routing. Causing a sudden shock to a unit's morale, especially those with low morale to begin with, may cause them to rout suddenly, whereas the wearing effect of attrition has a lesser effect until greater levels of attrition are reached. The overall effect of attrition has been increased from vanilla, whereas the effect of shock has been decreases slightly (in vanilla, a low morale unit would tend to quickly on receiving a shock, and would be unlikely to return to battle). Additionally, troop types reasonably capable of effective melee cause fear, for a limited radius. Units on the edge of breaking may rout at the sight of a steady advance of bayonets, although involved and lengthy melees can still occur. This generally makes melee combat a more definitive (and sometimes, less bloody) affair than missile combat. A volley, an effective charge and a sharp melee may rout poorly trained units without a firm leader behind them. Historical tactics such as holding your elite troops in reserve is now a more viable tactic, and judging the moment to charge home can make the difference between a hard fought and bloody melee and a routing enemy -- as it should!

The morale bonuses offered by ancillaries and traits for generals have been significantly reduced. These tended to largely favor the player as the AI does not seem to be able to keep its generals alive long enough to develop significantly positive traits, so these reductions better balance the player's army with the AIs.

Battle movement speed is about 35% slower than the default speed, providing for a generally slower land-battle experience. This has been balanced carefully with projectile lethality.

Naval battles
In general, naval combat should now more closely mirror historical accounts, without being too slow, or exposing problems in the naval Battle AI. Historical accounts often have battles last 6 or more hours. While it would be most accurate to cut ship movement speed by about 80%, severely reduce turning speed, and make reload speed about 1 minute 45 seconds to 2 minutes between shots (a well trained crew fired about 3 shots in 5 minutes while fresh), this does not a good game make.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Naval projectiles range have now been significantly increased, and differentiated based on gun size. The overall range for accurate engagement is now significantly larger, and now reflects historical accounts and is better balanced with the very large size of the maps. This will significantly increase the value of the weather gauge, since an attacker will be under aimed fire for for that much longer when tacking up-wind, and increasethe tactical options available to a player. At shorter ranges, naval projectiles do a little more damage than they did.

All ship speeds are about 10% slower. These slower speeds will result in an overall slower pace of naval warfare.

The naval morale has generally been tweaked. Ships are now somewhat more likely to surrender before they sink than they were previously.

British ships receive an additional -1 penalty to movement. British shipbuilders created notoriously conservative and outdated designs. However, they receive a +1 bonus to morale.

Several ships have seen corrections in armaments. Sloops are now armed primarily with 6 pounder guns; Brigs are now armed primarily with 9 pounder guns. 4th rates are now armed primarily with 24 pounder guns. The short description text (what you get when you mouse-over the beginning battle screen) correctly reflects all new armaments.

Galleon's, Fluyts and Race-built Galleons have seen some overall reduction in performance. Previously, a Galleon had the same size crew as a 3rd rate ship-of-the-line -- and a tougher hull! These are outdated, obsolete ships, and will now not be a match for a modern ship-of-the-line.

The morale effect of a raking attack has been significantly increased. A raking attack with grapeshot will often induce a wavering ship to surrender -- as it should.

I have not incorporated reductions to turning speed, or a significantly increased wind effect. While I really like the additional tactical dimension this grants, watching an AI ship try to sail directly up wind, at a slow walking pace, definitely breaks my immersiveness. Until the AI is capable of properly tacking its ship up-wind, I feel that this would be a net negative in game play.

[Johan217]

Campaign mechanics

Government
Difference between governments has been emphasized. In conjunction with rebalancing buildings, this will force a player to think more carefully about strategic trade-offs. Religious buildings, and happiness generating buildings, may now prove critical, especially when conquering new provinces, or when an absolute monarchy attempts to modernize.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Absolute Monarchy
An absolute monarchy is a state ruled by an oligarchy of individuals committed to the status quo, and fearing change. Change will only reduce their power and wealth. An absolute monarchy resists change and the destabilizing ideals of the enlightenment, and while considered backwards by the proponents of change, sometimes the old ways are best. Austria was an absolute monarchy.

An absolute monarchy will find it very difficult to significantly industrialize, due to the penalties it receives on lower class happiness. An absolute monarchy will need to rely on taxing the upper class, rather than its impoverished and unhappy lower class; this will have the general effect of stifling economic growth. An absolute monarchy will also need to carefully direct research -- too much focus in 'enlightenment' technologies, too many schools, or too much investment in modernization will cause the lower classes to take up arms. An absolute monarchy receives a penalty to its overall research speed, due to the lack of free-flowing ideas. However, an absolute monarchy receives a bonus to the recruitment cost of its units.

Constitutional Monarchy
A constitutional monarchy is a state that must be ruled by a leader who can delicately balance the desires of the lower classes and the peers that represent the interest of the elites. A constitutional monarchy allows progress -- but not too much, nor too fast. Britain was a constitutional monarchy.

A constitutional monarchy is a balance between a republic and an absolute monarchy -- but it makes no one truly happy. The peers do not have the power they want, while the commoners do not have the freedom. A constitutional monarchy receives a small bonus to research, and another small bonus to the cost of recruitment. Constitutional monarchies will be able to achieve a reasonable amount of industrialization, or enlightenment technology, but must still monitor and control these areas. A constitutional monarchy walks a fine line between two extremes, but must careful balance and monitor the rate of progress.

Republic
A republic is a state ruled by the tyranny of the many. Innovation and progress run deep in its marrow. Without rapid innovation and industrialization, however, the rights of man will wither and die on the vine. France after 1789 was a republic.

A republic is the most innovative type of state government, and it receives a bonus to research. As a republic can rely on a higher level of industrialization, and a happier lower-class, it need not overly tax its elite -- allowing for greater economic growth. A republic, with its free-thinking populace and quaint "one man, one vote" ideas, must put more effort into recruiting and training its soldiers and sailors, and therefore receives a penalty to the recruitment cost of its units. A republic that is not able to industrialize quickly enough will find itself unable to support its foreign wars.

Research
The rate of research has generally been adjusted downwards, by reducing the spawn rate of gentlemen, reducing the research points generated by different school building types, and adjusting the government type research bonuses so they are normalized at -10% (i.e. technologies require +10% more research ponts).

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The 2nd and higher level of research traits acquired by gentlement will generate a negative effect in an opposing research type. Higher levels of specialization in Industry will reduce ability to research Enlightenment. Higher levels of specialization in Enlightenment will reduce the ability to research Military. Higher levels of specialization in Military will reduce the ability to research Industry. You will now to take this factor into account when assigning research to different school, and to different gentleman. If a school must research a particular technology area, you may want to move your specialists elsewhere in the meantime. Likewise, it will be beneficial to have schools specialize in research areas.

The destabilizing tendency of schools has been significantly increased over vanilla. Absolute monarchies, and to a lesser extent constitutional monarchies, will have particular difficulty with provinces that have these institutions.

Finally the cost of schools has been increased, discouraging the early game tendency for the player to just build a lot of schools, and max-out research early on. This will reduce how often the CAI build schools, but will have the same effect on the player.

All of these together will serve to significantly slow the cost of research. I prefer a mixture of subtle adjustments, especially those which add depth to the game play, over a simpler solution such as simply doubling the cost of researching a given technology.

Music
We have tried to choose lesser known pieces, especially from those composers that people may be less familiar with. I have also, whenever possible, selected those recordings where period instruments are used, and the piece is performed similar to how it would have been performed. With the exception of Bach's Der Kunst Der Fugue used for the title screen, we have selected lesser known works from composers such as Buxtehude, Telemann, Blow, Corelli, Scheidt, Boccherini, and of course Bach. We also have one piece of Anon. 18th century Russian church music; you may recognize the theme as being used in a later, 19th century piece (hint: it has orchestrated cannons).

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

For the campaign music pack, in keeping with CA's own music, I have selected pieces exclusively in a minor key, particularly those with simple instrumentation that do not draw over-much attention to themselves. Campaign music should not draw attention to itself, but further the player's immersion into the period.

The two pieces preceding battles are a John Blow fanfare and drum roll, both used (but not written for, since Blow was already dead) the coronation of King George II. The drums for naval battles were selected specifically as they are reminiscent of the British Navy's "Beat to Quarters"! Finally, I had some fun with the credits: it's a very fitting piece from Handel's Ode for St. Cecilia's Day (listen to the lyrics).

Why Bach? Isn't he one of the best known composers of this period? Indeed he was -- but was also enormously prolific, writing far more than just "the" Toccata and Fugue, Jesus bleibet meine Freude, and Brandenburg Concertos that are his most popular pieces today. He wrote an enormous range of music from secular to sacred, cantatas to concertos, both serious and humorous. In my opinion, he was the true genius of the 19th century, eclipsing both Mozart (who was rarely serious enough) and Beethoven (who did not have a drop of music humor in his dry, deaf old bones).

Why not more from Eastern Europe / Russia? I just don't have anything quite period appropriate. India? Same issue.

[Johan217]

AOR recruitment system

Introduction

A special feature in The Rights of Man is the Areas of Recruitment (AOR) system. This allows nations to recruit foreign troops when they have captured a particular region.
By the beginning of the 18th century, the age of mercenary armies was over, and nations began to rely increasingly on professional armies. Many armies also included foreign contingents in their ranks. This is somewhat reflected in ETW through the use of the “Expatriate Infantry” unit and the occasional Cossack or Native Indians unit, but in The Rights of Man we are expanding this system, giving a more authentic and hopefully more fun representation of the multinational armies that fought on the battlefields in the Age of Reason.

Goals

• Our chief aim is to represent the multinational character of 18th century armies, making the battles more colourful by giving these units their own uniform.
• Make existing foreign units available for recruitment when a nation conquers another nation’s capital.
• Create new units that can only be recruited in a particular region.

How it works
When for example you play as France and capture the territory of Württemberg, you will be able to recruit a limited number of Württemberg Line Infantry (provided you have the required building for line infantry).

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This unit will have its own distinctive uniform and unit card, so that you’ll be able to recognise it on the battlefield. Now your infantry will not all be wearing the same white uniforms, but you’ll also see guys in red, green, blue, or whatever!

Saxon and Hanoverian Line Infantry in Austrian service

Uniforms/Unit cards
Every foreign unit you recruit will have its own distinctive uniform and unit card, so you can recognise it easily on the battlefield as well as on the campaign map. The textures use the game's default colours so that these units blend in nicely with the rest. If however you prefer a more historical look, it is very easy to add third party skins. TROM is compatible with most third party skin packs (for example those of Regalia of Nations).

Officers, Flag bearers, Musicians
Foreign units usually have their own officer, flag bearer and musician. Originally these would be recoloured automatically by the game in your faction's colours. Now they appear in proper uniform colours.

Saxon Line Infantry in French service. Note that the officern flag bearer and musician blend in nicely with the rest of the unit.

Named units/Provincial units
TROM uses two types of Line Infantry.
"Provincial" Regiment of Foot: this is a generic type of infantry unit. It is recruitable in every European province that has a Military Governor's building. It is not a great deal in term of cost to performance, but it is not limited in numbers. Note that for Prussia, the provincial units are named "Fusiliers". If a province does not have a Military Governor's building, you can recruit Militia instead.

"Named" Regiments of Foot: these regiments are only recruitable inside your home regions, and always in a limited number. The numerical limits can vary quite a bit -- from 16 or 18 for France and Russia, to 6 for the smaller minors. Majors can recruit at least 12 named line from their capital province. Some majors, notably Britain and Austria can recruit multiple types of line (Britain can recruit Scots and Irish if they build the right buildings; Austria can recruit Hungarians). These regiments are always a better deal - even if their quality isn't a lot better than the generic Regiment of Foot, they will cost less. These "Named" Regiments of Foot are also the units you can recruit when you hold a minor nation's capital.

When you hold a major nation's home region that posesses Barracks, you will be able to recruit 2 new units: Volunteer Infantry and Volunteer Cavalry.

Polish Volunteer Infantry

Named and provincial regiments use a slightly different texture, so that it is easier to distinguish between them. Typically, the named regiments wear a silver lined hat, while the reserve units wear slightly weathered breeches.

Left: Hannoverian Provincial Regiment of Foot
Right: Hannoverian Regiment of Foot - this is the "named" line unit, the one you can build when you are holding the Hannover territory. Can be replaced by using third party skin sets.

Colonial units
Colonial regiments now use a slightly different texture. Typically, colonial regiments can be distinguised by their white cuffs and facings.

Left: British Colonial Regiment of Foot
Right: British Regiment of Foot

Militia Units
Militia units and Provincial cavalry now use new models. They no longer wear bonnets, but proper tricornes. The militia skins are part of Spanky's excellent Militia Mod, included here.

New militia from Spanky's Militia Mod. Unit card has also been changed to reflect their new look.


Provincial cavalry model and unit card.


Colonial militia also uses a more authentic model. No more bonnets in the Americas!

[Johan217]

New units

This is a only selection of the new units in TROM. The mod contains many more, and the list is still expanding!

Walloon Guard: available in Flanders (requires Military Governor's Barracks or Governor's Palace)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Freikorps Cavalry (requires Army Encampment or Minor Royal Palace in Prussian home regions)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Saxon Freikorps Jäger (requires Army Barracks or Military Governor's Barracks, and Light Infantry Doctrine)

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Italian Carabineers (requires Army Board or higher)

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Hannoverian Grenadiers (requires Military Governor's Barracks or Governor's Palace)

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Potsdam Grenadiers (Brandenburg): elite infantry (requires Army Board or higher)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Circassian Cavalry (Caucasus): armoured melee cavalry, irregular - Ottomans only (requires Governor's Palace or Military Governor's Barracks)

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Circassian Infantry (Caucasus): armoured melee infantry - Ottomans only (requires Military Governor's Encampment, Governor's Palace or higher)

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Hessian Mounted Jäger (Westphalia) (requires Minor Royal Palace, requires Carbines) - texture by Danova

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Bosnian Auxiliaries (Balkans): light infantry armed with muskets and sabres - Ottomans only (requires Governor's Residence or Military Governor's Encampment)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Cairo Janissaries (courtesy of the Ottoman Realism Team) - new in v1.30 (requires Drill School)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Württemberger Horse Grenadier Guards

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Marines - recruitable in the West Indies by Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, United Provinces - unit by Officerpuppy

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Gardi Musketeers - European style Maratha Infantry - requires European Military Doctrine

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Maratha Light Infantry

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Rohilla Matchlockmen - Mughal Irregular Infantry

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Afghan Cavalry

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Swiss Line Infantry - recruitable by France and Spain (requires Drill School in capital)

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[Johan217]

Les Droits de l'Homme - the French Revolutionary army

Features

TROM replaces French units with their post-revolution equivalents when France becomes a republic in the campaign.

• unique unit roster for French republic, all units get an appropriate uniform (usually blue) when France becomes a republic in the campaign
• new skins for French (royal) dragoons and Bulkeley's regiment (Special Edition only)
• all French units replaced with republican units in Custom Battles (Late Era)

The children of the revolution marching in blue at last

French Republican Regiment of Foot


Provincial Regiment of Foot


Officer, tambour and flag bearer


French Dragoon (monarchy)


French Dragoon (republic)

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Mr Thib & Gerard Duval (Bayonets of the Republic) and Amiral Bruix (French Empire) for giving us permission to include parts of their work in this mod.