Factions Preview

[SigniferOne]

There'll be FOUR Gallic factions, Psycho V, along with Ligurians, Venetii, and Rhaetians.

[LordSaradain]

Woooah! Rome is awesome!
Very Impressive!

[Lupus_gr]

Dear mates... this is a SO GOOD LOOKING "Ancient Italic" mod! Nice units (models/skins)... but you REALLY impressed me with the "early" Rome city, the "blue-prints" of the citadel, the structurs, the city's outskirts... everything! (You made "my"... city very nice - my real name, is the name of Rome's founder!)

Nice job! Very "close" to professional!...

Keep it up...

[Shaggy1973]

Imagine if this was the prologue that came with RTW

I can imagine playing this, and then loading up a good roman mod (like Roma - if only it was updated to 1.5) and being able to take over Italy and then the Med.... dreams

[Sparton Matticus]

Im just wondering what the next preview will be... Any one got any opinions on what that might be about? maybe a little clue from the modders?

But i have a feeling this mod is still in the early stages so i wont expect another preview any time soon.

[Titus]

Do you have alot of these units done already? And when can we see the gallic faction or that will be the next preview ?

[Luciano B]

Im just wondering what the next preview will be... Any one got any opinions on what that might be about? maybe a little clue from the modders?

But i have a feeling this mod is still in the early stages so i wont expect another preview any time soon.

...stay tuned ...the next preview may be released sooner than you are expecting

[Obi Wan Asterix]

Fantastic work guys!

One of my most awaited mods with an outstanding team and a superb balance of gameplay and realism

I am curious about the Etruscan use of the Gladius that you chose. What basis did you use for their weaponry. Their Javelins and Gladius look to advanced. I mean these were always sited as one of reasons they lost to Romans, not only tactics.

What about the Celtic factions? Are the Etruscan not going to have to deal with the raiding Insubri most of the time?

[Luciano B]

Fantastic work guys!

One of my most awaited mods with an outstanding team and a superb balance of gameplay and realism

I am curious about the Etruscan use of the Gladius that you chose. What basis did you use for their weaponry. Their Javelins and Gladius look to advanced. I mean these were always sited as one of reasons they lost to Romans, not only tactics.

What about the Celtic factions? Are the Etruscan not going to have to deal with the raiding Insubri most of the time?

The sword reproduced is the Greek type narrowing at the middle of the blade, very common all over the paeninsula in that period. The Etruscans relied very often also in the curved heavy sabre called "machaera", resembling the "kopis" but larger. Both are used in our units: the greek type associated with the hoplite spear, the curved slashing weapon instead is associated with javellin-type throwing weapons.

The Etruscans seem indeed the first who developed "pilum" type javellins of the style later adopted by the Romans. The most ancient surviving example comes from the Etruscan city of Vulci, and the oldest depiction of that type of weapon is the one shown in the 4th century pictures of the "Gliglioli" tomb at Tarquinia (ancient Tarquinii).

Don't worry, every weapon, blazon, equipment piece is drawn from Etruscan art of the 4th century and surviving pieces in the museums. For more deatiled references on the Etruscan "armamentarium", there is a large amount of datas in the last paragraphs of the Etruscan faction preview.

[S.P.Q.R.]

...I am curious about the Etruscan use of the Gladius that you chose. What basis did you use for their weaponry. Their Javelins and Gladius look to advanced...

Well after doing some studies seems that Etruscians used a Falcion swords...basically a one'side blad , slightly bended and heavier on the tip, perfect for hack and chop things, but ofc unbalanced. Anyway...Swordfighting at the time was the last choice...it was all about spears and some sling shooting...you have to wait the romans when they come up with the Legion system as they were the first swordsmen in Europe (maybe the celts were the first...who knows)

[Luciano B]

The Etruscans (and all other Italic peoples of the same area) used both the standard hoplite straight sword (the "xyphos") and a curved heavy weapons named "machaera", similar to "kopis" but larger. These two kind of weapons are the ones used by our units, since the "gladius ibericus" was adopted later among the Roman/Italic warriors. Pilum type javelins originated in Etruria in the fourth century, as a development of a similar type of Italic heavy javelins.

[dragases1453]

Awesome! very very good job!

[SigniferOne]

Asterix, I would place the Etruscan social system, and their foreign policy, as the two major reasons why they lost. The Etruscans possessed a semi-feudal system with wealthy nobles, organized in hoplite fashion, surrounded by lower-morale entourage (which by the way we'll be trying to reproduce here). It's a fact of the matter that Etruscans regularly raised much larger armies than Rome, but their social system resulted in their armies being less stable and loyal than their Roman citizen counterparts.

Another big reason for loss was the foreign policy, when the Etruscans preferred to banquet and party rather than deal with crises and solve enmities with other countries permanently. Thus they constantly got invaded by the Celts, which they haven't dealt with, and they tried half-heartedly allying with enemies of Rome without contributing the entire society to the struggle.

A dedicated player, wielding massive Etruscan armies, could try to rectify those mistakes.. I really recommend those who are interested take a look in the Historical Background section, found here.

[Obi Wan Asterix]

Asterix, I would place the Etruscan social system, and their foreign policy, as the two major reasons why they lost. The Etruscans possessed a semi-feudal system with wealthy nobles, organized in hoplite fashion, surrounded by lower-morale entourage (which by the way we'll be trying to reproduce here). It's a fact of the matter that Etruscans regularly raised much larger armies than Rome, but their social system resulted in their armies being less stable and loyal than their Roman citizen counterparts.

Another big reason for loss was the foreign policy, when the Etruscans preferred to banquet and party rather than deal with crises and solve enmities with other countries permanently. Thus they constantly got invaded by the Celts, which they haven't dealt with, and they tried half-heartedly allying with enemies of Rome without contributing the entire society to the struggle.

A dedicated player, wielding massive Etruscan armies, could try to rectify those mistakes.. I really recommend those who are interested take a look in the Historical Background section, found here.

Thanks Sig! Just wanted to know your "politics of history" position which I appreciate.

There are no laws on ancient history

Second question... how do you plan to implement the city system?

[PSYCHO V]

Asterix, I would place the Etruscan social system, and their foreign policy, as the two major reasons why they lost. The Etruscans possessed a semi-feudal system with wealthy nobles, organized in hoplite fashion, surrounded by lower-morale entourage (which by the way we'll be trying to reproduce here). It's a fact of the matter that Etruscans regularly raised much larger armies than Rome, but their social system resulted in their armies being less stable and loyal than their Roman citizen counterparts.

Another big reason for loss was the foreign policy, when the Etruscans preferred to banquet and party rather than deal with crises and solve enmities with other countries permanently....

I believe the most significant was that they were caught between two growing powers, the Gauls and Romans. They were criticially weakened by both...the meat in the sandwich. It was all downhill from there.

my2bob

[deadcell87]

I believe the most significant was that they were caught between two growing powers, the Gauls and Romans. They were criticially weakened by both...the meat in the sandwich. It was all downhill from there.

my2bob

Mmm meat, mmm sandwhich, mmm etruscan meat sandwhich (doesnt sound that bad) :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: .

[Holger Danske]

OMGSKILLZHAX in short - very cool!

[SigniferOne]

Second question... how do you plan to implement the city system?

Could you be a little more specific?

[Obi Wan Asterix]

Could you be a little more specific?

Will the cities work as single battles?

Are you making special walls for Syracuse?

What other nice things can you tell us that will make us want to hybernate until PI comes out?

[SigniferOne]

Will the cities work as single battles?

Yep. In the ideal case scenario they will work exactly like regular siege battles, except a lot harder.

Are you making special walls for Syracuse?

The walls of Dionysius? Well I certainly will try...

What other nice things can you tell us that will make us want to hybernate until PI comes out?

Well, a lot will be done in terms of trying to improve gameplay, and especially siege warfare. So there won't be siege towers and (probably) no sap points, just ladders and rams for you to take the cities. There will also be a great deal of scripts in the game, including one similar to SPQR where if you're near a city, populace will start gathering inside to defend it. Also, next preview will contain animations...