Readme file for Mod?

[perris0707]

I may have missed this somewhere, but is there a readme describing how this mod works mechanically? I am trying to recruit higher quality Byzantine units for example (Varangian guard, Kataphraktoi, etc), but I can't seem to get them. I have played for about 60 "turns" and still no luck. Also, I would like to know the recruitment areas for the various factions and what units they can recruit. This is a great mod and it is a lot of fun to play! Thanks much!

[uanime5]

I once made a guide but I'm not sure what happened to it. It explained the how the Royal / Noble cities work and about the AoR system.

As there are 4 turns per year 60 turns is about 15 years, so the technology won't have changed much over than time period. Which campaign you play will determine when units become available, as the more heavily armoured until are only available when you can build an armourer than can make their armour (many military building cannot be upgraded without a high level armourer).

Explaining the recruitment areas is difficult because some of them change in different campaigns (for example after the Teutonic order is established). It's probably easier to check the building browser to see which units you can recruit in each province.

Regarding the Varangian guard they can be recruited from an Armoury (Fortress) in a Greek area (I'd need to know which campaign you were playing to be able to tell you where they are). The Kataphractoi can be recruited in an Earl's Stables (Fortress). I'll need to check their armour levels and abilities to determine if these buildings are correct for them.

[perris0707]

I am playing the 1080 campaign. I like the early period stuff and I am thinking of trying the patch that will allow me to play the 970 era campaign. I am a little afraid to load in on my computer because the version (1.5) I have on now is finally running smoothly! Knock on wood.

I have upraded the armorers as far as I can, but no Varangians or Kataphraktoi. Historically these were available early in the 10th century and gradually became more rare as time passed until there final disappearance by the the 14th century. Dr. Timothy Dawson's most recent book (Byzantine Cavalryman c. 900 -1204) shed some new light on the evidence suggesting that Kataphraktoi were much more common than previously thought.

[uanime5]

I though the Varagarians were an early soldier because they were Vikings that served as mercenaries / Imperial Bodyguards but I didn't know the Byzantine Empire would have access to the Kataphraktoi in the 10th century. I though they were a late period soldier, as they wore heavy armour.

As I haven't done much research on the Byzantine Empire's army can you provide me with some information. In what eras did the Archontopoulai, Kataphraktoi, Latinkon, and Vardariotai become commonplace in the Byzantine army (an estimate is fine), what soldiers could the Byzantines recruit from south eastern Europe and what could they recruit in the Near East (a generalisation is fine), and how did they garrison settlements in the Near East (could they train local soldiers or did they need to send soldiers from Europe)?

[perris0707]

Based on the latest research in Dr. Timothy Dawson's book Byzantine Cavalryman c. 900 -1204 the Byantines basically used 3 types of cavalry in their warfare during this period - mounted archers to skirmish and harass the enemy (these could be light to heavier armored troops), kursores (medium to heavy armored lancers), and finally kataphraktoi (heavily armored cavalry mounted on protected horses). Basically the units you list above are all units that fit into these roles at different periods of Byzantine history. For example the traditional Greek (native) kataphraktos was gradually replaced by the Frankish Latinikon and Archontopoulai units. Vardariots were elite horse archers recruited from the Vardar valley in the late 11th century through the 13th century. Skythikon units were comprised of tribal horse archers like Pechenegs, Turks, Uzes, Cumans, Turkomans, or any steppe horse archers that the Byzantines referred to as "Skyths". Much like all westerners were "Franks". The Byzantines of the Komnenan period also made great use of Turkopouloi (Turcopoles) in this cavalry archer role. It is not clear exactly where "Turcopoles" came from or how heavily armored they were. Most likely only helmets, padded coats, and a klivanion (lamellar chest armor) were worn.
The role filled by native Kataphraktoi in the 10th-12th centuries was gradually replaced by Latinikon Franks or (more rarely) native units like the Archontopoulai or Athanatoi (Immortals) into the 13th - 15th centuries of the Byzantine twighlight. The later kursores were provied by the Pronoia (feudal landlords responsible to supply retinues of heavy cavalry for military campaigns), Serbian Nobles, Armenian Nobles, or Georgian Nobles. The kursores did most of the actual fighting in battles and ranged from medium cavalry with little armor to basically kataphraktoi armor! Dawson's extensive research has seriously challenged the previous notion that the Byzantine Empire only had a very small number of kataphraktoi troops.

So - I would say that Kataphraktoi should be certainly available at Constantinople, Corinth, Adrianople, Thessalonica, and Nicaea during the early period (say 970 - 1200). These would be supplemented by the Byzantine lancers, Byzantine cavalry archers, available at all Greek recruiting areas. Byzantine Lancers could also be used to represent Pronoia troops in later times. "Skyth" units should be available in the Anatolia, the Steppes, etc. like they are now. Latinikon units should start to become available by 1100 in European areas of the Empire. Archontopoulai should be available only in Constantinople after 1100. In the eastern parts of Anatolia I would make Armenian and Georgian Noble cavalry recruitable to serve the role of kursores. Vardariots should be available after 1100 also in Constantinople and Nicaea, but nowhere else. Having most elite units (Varangians, Archontopoulai, Athanatoi,and Vardariots) available in these two cities would accurately reflect the Empire's dependence on these two cities for its elite units. Garrisons usually consisted of a combination of troops sent from the heart of the Empire, mercenaries, and local Pronoia retinues.

Does this help?

[uanime5]

Thanks that was very informative. Would this be accurate:

Europe

Constantinople
Mounted Acritae (970-1453)
Byzantine Cavalry (970-1453)
Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Dismounted Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Varangians (970-1453)
Kataphraktoi (970-1200)
Archontopoulai (1100-1453)
Latinikon (1100-1453)
Dismounted Latinikon (1100-1453)
Vardariots (1100-1453)

Corinth
Mounted Acritae (970-1453)
Byzantine Cavalry (970-1453)
Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Dismounted Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Kataphraktoi (970-1200)
Latinikon (1100-1453)
Dismounted Latinikon (1100-1453)

Adrianople
Mounted Acritae (970-1453)
Byzantine Cavalry (970-1453)
Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Dismounted Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Kataphraktoi (970-1200)
Latinikon (1100-1453)
Dismounted Latinikon (1100-1453)

Thessalonica
Mounted Acritae (970-1453)
Byzantine Cavalry (970-1453)
Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Dismounted Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Kataphraktoi (970-1200)
Latinikon (1100-1453)
Dismounted Latinikon (1100-1453)

Athens
Mounted Acritae (970-1453)
Byzantine Cavalry (970-1453)
Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Dismounted Byzantine Lancers (970-1453)
Kataphraktoi (970-1200)
Latinikon (1100-1453)
Dismounted Latinikon (1100-1453)


Antolia

Nicaea
Skythikon (970-1453)
Turcopoles (970-1453)
Varangians (970-1453)
Kataphraktoi (970-1200)
Archontopoulai (1100-1453)
Vardariots (1100-1453)
Georgian Cavalry (1100-1500)
Armenian Cavalry (1100-1500)

Abydus
Skythikon (970-1453)
Turcopoles (970-1453)
Georgian Cavalry (1100-1500)
Armenian Cavalry (1100-1500)

Smyrna
Skythikon (970-1453)
Turcopoles (970-1453)
Georgian Cavalry (1100-1500)
Armenian Cavalry (1100-1500)

Sinope
Skythikon (970-1453)
Turcopoles (970-1453)
Georgian Cavalry (1100-1500)
Armenian Cavalry (1100-1500)

Trebizond
Skythikon (970-1453)
Turcopoles (970-1453)
Georgian Cavalry (1100-1500)
Armenian Cavalry (1100-1500)


Steppe

Skythikon (970-1453)

[perris0707]

Yes, I think that looks pretty good. Basically the game is a "simulation" of history and one of the main draws of gaming is to see if you could have done better. For example, nobody wants to play a Byzantine faction that is doomed to fall to the Turks. What would have happened had the Byzantines won at Manzikert in 1071? That's why we play the game. You have done a fantastic job of making the game both historical (way better than the vanilla version!!!) yet flexible too. I really like what you have done by keeping the Byzantine Lancers as European Pronoia and using Armenian and Georgian Nobles as the Pronoia in the East. Screening out the native kataphraktoi by 1200 is a good touch and accurately reflects the replacement of the heaviest cavalry by European mercenaries. Generals of course still had their personal retinues of heavily armed and armored troops (the Athanatoi) and that is modelled quite adequately by their bodyguard units. Keeping the Archontopoulai confined to Nicaea and Constantinople accurately reflects their elite and limited status.

The only change that I would humbly suggest is to Trebizond. Trebizond was one of the three independent Byzantine states that formed when the Fourth Crusade captured Constantinople in 1204. Nicaea and Epirus are the other two states that formed at this time. Nicaea has the Archontopoulai units available that are distinctly Byzantine and the area of Epirus (Corinth and Athens) have Byzantine Cavalry and Lancers. Trebizond should have a distinctly Byzantine Cavalry unit as well. I would give them access to Byzantine Lancers and Dismounted Byzantine Lancers just to give them a distinct Byzantine flavor in Eastern Anatolia. Trebizond actually lived on as the last Byzantine state after the fall of Constantinople in 1453 until the Turks finally conquered it in 1461. Byzantine Lancers would reflect the Byzantine presence there and also reflect the somewhat antiquated appearance of Byantine troops in the later Medieval time period. What do you think about that idea?

[uanime5]

Okay then I'll add the Byzantine Lancers to Trebizond as well.