The Beacons of Gondor submod for TATW 2.1 // A Support System To Aid Your Ally // Version 1.2 RELEASED // Including new aid-system for Dale & Dwarves + OoG & OoMM

[Baron Samedi]

THIS SUBMOD IS OUTDATED & INCORPORATED INTO MY COMPILATION. PLEASE DO NOT POST HERE BUT IN THE THREAD OF THE COMPILATION. THANK YOU!!!

The beacons of Gondor

Features:

• introducing a unique system which makes it possible to actively help your ally and receive help from them; no more watching helpless how your ally gets destroyed by it's enemies or by the invasions on it's key cities, I present you the choice to do something about it!
• 6 unique video events; every decision you make is accompanied by a epic event
• unique custom ''beacon'' building for Gondor & Rohan as a requirement to ask for help
• take command of Theoden as the commander of the reinforcements that aid you in battle
• get rewarded for successfully helping your ally through improved relations and by getting financially compensated
• get punished for not helping your ally; observe your relation with your ally getting worse to a point where they are poor
• unique monitoring system that automatically disbands your reinforcements once they have served their purpose

New changes in patch 1.1:

• introducing a custom aid-system for Dale & the Dwarves!
• unique custom ''nest of ravens'' building for Dale & Dwarves as a requirement to ask for help

New changes in patch 1.2:

• introducing a custom aid-system for the Orcs of Gundabad & the Orcs of the Misty Mountains!
• unique custom ''drums of the deep'' building for OoG & OoMM as a requirement to ask for help
• 1 unique video event
• strat-map models, battle models, portraits changed to that of the ally of Dale/Dwarves
• legolas & some buddies will aid if Helms Deep is under attack (done for the fans of the movies)
• reduced amount turns after which you can help your ally (for Rohan & Gondor)

Requirements:

• TATW 2.1

Installation:

• Download-link: HERE
• Extract the contents of the download in: …\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age and allow it to overwrite everything
• Additionally download patch 1.2 (see attachment below) and extract in: …\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age and allow it to overwrite everything

F.A.Q:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

* Can I help my ally every time one of their key settlements is under siege?
Yes, but watch your treasury, it will cost you money every time you send reinforcements for help.

* What are the requirements regarding asking for help?
1. Minas Tirith/Dol Amroth/Edoras/Hornburg needs to be under siege by an enemy army
Dale/Esgaroth/Erebor/Azanulimbar-Dûm needs to be under siege by an enemy army
Moria/Goblin towns/Gram/Carn Dum
2. You must have build the beacon of Minas Tirith/Edoras in ... (you do the math)
You must have build the nest of great ravens in Dale/Erebor
You must have build the drums of the deep in Carn Dum/Moria
3. You must be allied with Rohan/Gondor
You must be allied with Dale/Dwarves
You must be allied with OoG/OoMM
4. You can't ask for aid before turn 50 as Gondor (for Rohan this is turn 40, since they are usually the first invasion target)
For Dale/Dwarves it is 50 turns

* What are the consequences of asking for help and helping your ally?
Regarding receiving help from your ally: Your ally will send reinforcements directly next to the settlement that is under siege. Take command of them and destroy the enemy army within 2 turns. You will give them a small reward for their service to Gondor once they successfully helped you.
Regarding helping your ally: Next to the settlement that is under siege, an army will spawn, ready for your command. Save your ally and get rewarded for your service, if not your reinforcements will automatically disappear within 2 turns. Your relations with your ally will also improve.

* Will it be hard for the A.I. to conquer key-settlements of my ally:
Depends on how well-stacked your pockets are and your willingness to help.

* Could important characters also be relocated/moved to use them as reinforcements?
Not possible with the current engine (you can't move characters that aren't labeled properly). The reinforcements are always lead by Theoden, no matter what.

* Will you apply your ''beacon-system'' also to other allied factions besides Gondor & Rohan?
Dale and the Dwarves have since patch 1.1 a similar system.
OoG and the OoMM have since patch 1.2 a similar system.

* I can't spend 5G to help my ally. What now?
Get a loan.

* Wouldn't it be better that the A.I. completely controls the reinforcements.
This was my original preference, but due to the limits of the game it is not fully implementable unfortunately.

* I asked for aid, got it, but when I fight (and destroyed) a enemy in the region of the settlement that is under siege, the reincorcements disappear?
Be sure in case you ask for help, you directly use the reinforcements to counter the siege.

* Is this submod compatible with other submods?
Only if they don’t modify the following files:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

• export_descr_buildings.txt
• export_descr_unit.txt
• historic_events.txt
• export_buildings.txt
• descr_names.txt
• descr_character.txt
• export_descr_character_traits.txt
• descr_model_strat.txt
• expanded.txt
• battle_models.modeldb
• campaign_script.txt

* How do I uninstall this submod?
Extract the contents of the ''Uninstall.rar'' (see below) in:...\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age

Screenshots:

Playing As Gondor:

Playing As Rohan:

Playing As Dale:

Playing As The Dwarves:

Playing As The Orcs of Gundabad:

Playing As The Orcs of The Misty Mountains

Credits:

• Special thanks to King Kong and all of the TATW team for making this magnificent mod for us to enjoy
• Pallas for suggesting a concrete aid system for Dale & Dwarves
• Tatoru for suggesting a concrete aid system for OoG & OoMM

Notes:

• 
  
  • Steps to make this submod compatible with Sauron & The One Ring submod:
  1. Download and install the Sauron submod first (patched up)
  2. Download and install the main download of this submod (see download-link above) + patch 1.1 (see below in attachment)
  3. Download ''Compatible_with_Sauron_submod.rar'' (see below in attachment) as the final step. Extract in: ...\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age
  4. Start a new campaign
  
  
  • Steps to make this submod compatible with AUM 2.1 submod:
  1. Download and install AUM
  2. Download and install the main download of this submod (see download-link above) + patch 1.1 (see below in attachment)
  3. Download ''Compatible_with_AUM.rar'' (see below in attachment) as the final step. Extract in: ...\Medieval II Total War\mods\Third_Age
  4. Start a new campaign

Not compatible with other submods right now. I will release in the future a compilation of my work with some new stuff.

[Sensei Kiisu]

This is fantastic!

Although, why wouldn't you release it as a sub-mod in the first place? That's the best way to gain constructive feed-back..?

[Baron Samedi]

This is fantastic!

Although, why wouldn't you release it as a sub-mod in the first place? That's the best way to gain constructive feed-back..?

It is far from finished, besides I always need constructive feedback from the community for inspiration!

[Hanny]

You could look at the campaign script from RC/RR, it contains a Rohan and Gondor mechanism along the lines your proposing, in some great depth already.

[drogoth232]

You did this all today?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

My gosh you are fast! It looks great! +rep!

Dang got to spread it

[Legio]

Amazing!

[Astor]

Very interesting. However, might I suggest that you have only cavalry in the spawned Rohan army. It will help keep it slightly lore-ish and realistic. Not to mention epic. Who ever heard of a pivotal battle decided by infantry ?

[Quixotry]

Great idea, and I'm sure brilliantly executed, I've always thought there should be a 'beacon' event!
Will it be a one time event or not? If not, is it possible to have a minimum amount of turns before the beacons can be relit, because it seems to be quite a big advantage for the good guys. I've rarely seen the AI besiege with more than one stack at a time (excluding invasions, though I could just be remembering wrong), so might be difficult for the AI to take the city at all.
Forgive me for any ignorance here! =P

[Osbada]

Very nice and a great Idea. Maybe playing as rohan if different settlements are besieged different factions could help? (If AI can help).
HelmsDeep is under siege and then you ask the SilvanElves for help?

[tallstark]

Baron is the man, do it! +Rep for anything that involves Rohan!!!

[Killerbee]

Looks very neat, but 5000 is not enough if I see the stack size

Nevertheless, great work !

[Flavio]

Very cool! If I may suggest, don't do the spawm army very big, so that one could have an epic battle, even is lose it.
About the help fo other factions I think it would be very hard for the AI to conquer anything, like Quixotry said.

That's it if i think something more i will say.

[.:Zack Fair:.]

Very good! Like scripted battle in COW! I saw that it will cost 5000, but for early game it's too much! Economy of rohan sucks and how can you think to afford such a great sum? Minas Tirith will most likely to be stricked early, and you have to fight versus isengard. Same thing with Gondor for the very early invasion against Edoras. So you have to reduce this cost.

I recommend to make AI do this between them (like if you're playing dwarves or eriador etc..but more if you're playing evil)

[kaiser1993]

even more good work but i would suggest making the majority of the rohan army cavalry, more like the movies. and please say you are releasing all your work as a pack

[Anfauglir]

Amazing idea! I agree that the army should be mainly cavalry, and I think the cost should be as high as game testing allows for. However, I also think that Rohan should risk something other than cash... I wonder if the spawn should be delayed and if there is a way that the King of Rohan could be transported to Gondor to lead the charge? That would seem realistic to me, and might justify a lower cost if the gameplay demands it.

Regardless of what you do in the end, this one is the dog's!!

[Yarrum]

Building off of moving the King, perhaps instead of having the army be entirely spawn based, existing cavalry units in native settlements could also be moved, costing the player more depending on their distance from Dunharrow. One thing to note: a rohan army that spawns inside the Rammas Echor would be trapped inside because even factions with military access can't pass through each others' forts. To avoid war with Gondor, the player would have to take the fort held by Mordor, which would make it inpossible for the Gondor AI to use that route out of the wall. There has to be some sort of return script if you don't intend for the stack to dissapear after the battle it fights.

[glassakias]

a HUGE rep from me. you are one of the most genius scripters i've ever seen

[Ceasar Gubius]

You should script something like that for other factions (To Combat the Evil Invasions). For instance ...

Dale is attacked, the Dwarves have an option to send aid. Erebor is attacked, Dale has the same option.

Lorien is Attacked, High Elves can send aid. Rivendell is attacked, Silvan Elves can send aid...

Edoras is attacked, Gondor can send aid. Helms Deep is attacked, Silvans can send aid.

ect....

BTW, awesome mod !

[Tatoru]

It is impressive how you caught the idea (as there were discussion about it in good crusade topic) and get into it. Respect +rep

What i would like to see solved is that problem with finances early in game. There could be some sort of levels of funds taken into this help (maybe also different levels of relationship increase)
As there is nothing like multiple selection menu in event situations you could make it like this :
Would you like to spend 5000? OR would you like to send less or none? (YES leads to appearance of appropriate 5000 army)
(NO leads to another selection) Would you like to spend 2500? OR would you like to send less or none? (YES leads to appearance of appropriate 2500 army)
(NO leads to another selection) Would you like to spend 1000? OR refuse to help Gondor? (YES is 1000 cost army)
(NO means refusal and slight decrease in relationships)

It is obviously very rough schema which needs to be smoothed, made more athmosperic, while maintaining it clearly comprehensible. I could help with that (made some descriptons) as I had almost whole weekend free, but my english is as it looks lik. So maybe it would be easier to just wrote that by yourself than correct it.

I support the idea of army disbanding after event.

And I´m awaiting at least same success as with that Sauron ring + immortal nazgul submod.
Good luck.

[Pallas]

I like your idea, exactly like your one ring/Sauron sub mod.

I think it could be like that:
When the beacon building, which has already existed in the building staff of Minas Tirith, was destroyed, because the Rammas Echor or Minas Tirith is atacked by an evil army, the call for help reach Rohan and after accepting the call, a huge army of Rohan spawns near Dunharrow and has the movement points of an crusading army to reach Minas Tirith as fast as possible.

But the beacon building should be possible to rebuild after 40 turns or something like that.

I have made a building icon/building info card, for my own thread "Unique buildings" some time ago:
Attachment 104238 Attachment 104239