TRUE SAMURAI final

[VENNONETES]

But the AI should be competitive also on 10k-10k, not only with more & better troops

[PumkinKing]

1) Enjoying the battles a bunch and am looking forward to the upcoming tiny bump in unit sizes.

Do you have any plans to mess around with the bow units? I'm a big fan of DMS tweaks to archery-mechanics, with the arrow-spread and lethality. Maybe something to look at would be the difference in how armored and unarmored warriors were affected by arrows. Also, extremely inaccurate, but will kill with one shot-bullets. I'm not a fan of projectile trails, but that's definitely a personal preference-thing

I agree allot to him, the arrow-damage system of DMS is really good. I would like to see it in this mod ( but maybe you shoul lower the ammo of the bow units abit, the bow samurai could get to killing machines then ^^)

I will download the next version of the mod tomorrow, i get a bit stuck with my hojo campaign since the chosokabe are attacking me every 2 rounds with a ne fullstack army ( i think they have too much money, too. )

[=Vastator=]

I agree allot to him, the arrow-damage system of DMS is really good. I would like to see it in this mod ( but maybe you shoul lower the ammo of the bow units abit, the bow samurai could get to killing machines then ^^)

I will download the next version of the mod tomorrow, i get a bit stuck with my hojo campaign since the chosokabe are attacking me every 2 rounds with a ne fullstack army ( i think they have too much money, too. )

Arrow-damage-system (arrows, not matchlock bullets) of darthmod is quite good, but the fire-arrow ability in my opinion it's broken/almost unuseful (both land and naval) since fire arrows spread too much...

[Fra70]

But the AI should be competitive also on 10k-10k, not only with more & better troops

Ive tried all the mods and there was no one that really improved the BAI ( there was a great debate some times ago and thats why darth leaved the community ), you can only tweaks battle mechanics and make a battle more realistic .There are some scripts inside that can be similar to what we call a BAI but the effect of changes applied there to the game's hardcoded parts is all to be showed . Of course is nice to launch a mod and say "BAI totally redesigned ...AI more smart etc etc " ....
Anyway in a campaign you will find yourself often to play with bigger armies than yours ( if you dont play at normal of course ) and its there than smart (human ) tactic comes in play .
SO if you really want to show something in a customized battle and not fooling your around give the AI some advantage ...its an PC game AI come on ...should lose against a human brain ...

[Fra70]

lets see some kind of formations that can pay alot with my mod ( and much less with vanilla S2 )

the first formation is the infamous HUNGRY PORCUPINE



as you see ...in front we have a light shield of archers and some ashigaru ( that we secretly hope they will attract some fire ) .This is a very cheap shield but necessary to avoid that the first line is depleted by arrows or muskets balls .... the shield will be very fast to retreat while the ashigaru unit can intercept or delay some cavalry or melee units .
The first line is formed by solid Yari Samurai , in my mod can be dangerous to put ashigaru spearmen ( 1st and 2nd level ) in front since they can be routed easily . Healty yari samurai with the general behind can hold whatever enemy for long time and tire him down .
However the samurai units arent tied togheter ..there are spaces in the middle to allow muskets fire ...the spaces have to be big enough to allow a good volume of fire but not wide enough to make a unit passing easily ... Behind the Samurai there are the ashigarus ....they will enter the fray fresh to suppert the depleted samurai units BEFORE they rout ...they will cement the wall .
On the left flank we have the yari cavalry while the other flank is kept secured by a wide screen of Samurai long spears ...they are backed up by a unit of light cavalry always useful to be played as a jolly and to attack ranged units .
The daimyo will held the center alont a unit of Katana samurai to be used to rout the enemy best units .

[VENNONETES]

Il...il porocospino affamato?

It seems very useful btw!

[Fra70]

Im a bit slowed down by the PAINFUL work needed to arrange the new diplomacy ( the one that involve ODA-TOGUKAWA- IMAGAWA ) ...so i dont expect to start the final testing campaign earlier than this evening . So the final release of version 1 is delayed to tomorrow .

Im taking a bit of extra time because i really want that the version 1 is clean and perfect from the beginning ...i want to avoid to make version 1.099b+ and things like that .

[VENNONETES]

I had a terrible battle today >< VH
I got smashed by the AI D:

Armies

The battle

Results

I tried to make something like the porcupine formation, but the AI managed to attack me before I was completely ready :\

My second line of monks helped a lot my ashigarus, but portugal's rush was devastating ><

[MagicCuboid]

Im a bit slowed down by the PAINFUL work needed to arrange the new diplomacy ( the one that involve ODA-TOGUKAWA- IMAGAWA ) ...so i dont expect to start the final testing campaign earlier than this evening . So the final release of version 1 is delayed to tomorrow .

Im taking a bit of extra time because i really want that the version 1 is clean and perfect from the beginning ...i want to avoid to make version 1.099b+ and things like that .

You are wise, sir! I know from experience how frantic things can be when the buglist starts popping up after a hasty release. I'm looking forward to version 1.0!

I also have a couple of comments after checking out the unit balance. One quick change I made was to give dismounted defense values of 10 instead of 5 to the mounted samurai. This would make them almost as viable on foot as they are on horseback, which I felt would reflect their "elite" status. I'm not very experienced with unit balancing, though, so what do you think is the downside of that approach?

Another question I had - should there be katana Samurai in this historical mod? I've read conflicting opinions about the role of the sword on the actual battlefield and wonder if you have an opinion on the matter. Especially since the sword samurai in this mod have +6 attack with the same defense as yari. I might think that the yari wielders would at least have a higher defense than those armed only with a katana.

Finally, is there a difference between clan units and their regular equivalents, or are they meant only to give a boost to the unit cap for those clans?

Great mod! Keep it up!

[Fra70]

One quick change I made was to give dismounted defense values of 10 instead of 5 to the mounted samurai. This would make them almost as viable on foot as they are on horseback, which I felt would reflect their "elite" status. I'm not very experienced with unit balancing, though, so what do you think is the downside of that approach?

The dismounted samurai should be slighly better than standard foot samurai ( compared to my hatamoto units , the ones that replace the hero ones ) , however being on horse give alot of power more ( and that is reflects by some melee advantages ) ...my mounted samurai inspire always nearby troops .
Mounted + stronger unit , faster , great charge - can be kept away from fighting
Dismounted + inspire nearby troops better , great melee troops - more vulnerable , less fast , less powerful
In vanilla cavarly units were more Napoleonic cavalry ( the same error made with knights in MTW ) ... in my mod mounted samurai are the elite , they still beat 1 to 1 any spear unit ( except the best ones with long yari )

Another question I had - should there be katana Samurai in this historical mod? I've read conflicting opinions about the role of the sword on the actual battlefield and wonder if you have an opinion on the matter. Especially since the sword samurai in this mod have +6 attack with the same defense as yari. I might think that the yari wielders would at least have a higher defense than those armed only with a katana.

remember that the yari hit first anyway ( that is part of the game engine ), ive highly raised yari skills confronted to vanilla ones and katanas are heavily capped and also very vulnerable to a cavalry charge ( much more than in vanilla )...they were present on the battlefield ?? They are in paints but to not make errors ive relegated them to be very capped .... a situational unit , a jolly .

Finally, is there a difference between clan units and their regular equivalents, or are they meant only to give a boost to the unit cap for those clans?

right now are a bit watered down ...the difference now is more in the cap numbers ( ex the taked can have more cavalry )
Regarding clans ive a great surprise for the 2nd version of the mod ...conquering a certain province will give you the service of a great clan of the area ( there will be 10 clans sparsed in all the map ...famous ones like the Ikeda , Honda , Ukita , Ii , Asakura , Kato etc .... ) and that will be translated in obtaining 2 excellent units with very low cost and upkeep .
That will add historicity ( lets think about how much important were the Kato , Honda , Kuroda clans for Ieyasu ) and will insert totally new looking units that will shine in every army ( capped at 2 huh )

all the units will be based on paints and informations .

[Fra70]

We are almost there ...after long playtesting it SEEMS that only very minor tweaks have to be implemented and so the release for today is almost sure .

[delanis]

We are almost there ...after long playtesting it SEEMS that only very minor tweaks have to be implemented and so the release for today is almost sure .

Very excited

[Fra70]

ok its ready..tested it until 1560 with 2 clans ( at 12 turns/year are alot of turns ... ) and all is very fine !

http://www.filefactory.com/file/3c9n...E_SAMURAIv1.7z

[delanis]

ok its ready..tested it until 1560 with 2 clans ( at 12 turns/year are alot of turns ... ) and all is very fine !

Awesome

[Cellfish]

Hey, i absolutely love the idea behind this mod but i cant find the info anywhere if this mod supports the official Unit Dlc`s (Sengoku Jidai etc.) can anyone tell me pls if it supports those. Ty!

[Fra70]

Ive all the DLCs except the heroes one , but i dont think it will cause big problems anyway ( ivent touched their stats ) if you have it .
So you can surely play the mod without problems ( anyway is activated before the start of the game because is a pack mod not a mov one ...so its easier to activate it or disactivate it )

[Cellfish]

Awesome! This is my favorite mod besides the mods from Superghostboy! Nice work dude

[PumkinKing]

Really nice.

Started a new campaign, a big challenge now ( one samurai unit ore some ashigaru). Fight are lot of fun a you need to find a good tactic in every match. Will write more after some more testing. ( First wish = stonger arrows, like said before^^)

[Fra70]

2nd phase is started !!

while the 1st phase is finished and the foundation of the mod are made ive started already to work to phase 2 .
Now that ive a gameplay ( on a strategic and on a battle level ) that i like its time to add the shiny things !!

Ive already started to implemente the 10 units that will rappresent minor clans forces that will give the factions an unique look

the 10 units ( capped at 2 but very cheap ) will be

-Ukita Yari Ashigaru , a very modern unit that did shine at Sekigahara ... in Bizen
-Kato Yari foot yari Samurai , Kiyomasa best troops in Higo
-Maeda light yari mounted samurai , the favourite weapon of maeda toshiie in Noto
-Asano light katana samurai in Mino
-Ii Yari Cavalry in Totomi
-Shibata vintage yari samurai in Owari or Echigo
-Honda teppo samurai in Mikawa
-Asakura samurai archers in Wakasa or Echizen
-Hosokawa court naginata samurai in Omi or Yamashiro
-Kuroda , a solid ashigaru unit in Harima

Those units will be recruitable only by who conquer the province
Also the unique units of shogun 2 like Shimazu katana samurai or Date No-Dachi troops will be totally modified and they will be unique both visually and regarding stats .

[Fra70]

Honda Matchlock Samurai

2 units of Honda Matchlock Samurai will be avaiable ( cheap ) for who conquer the Mikawa province .
The are quite small units ( 40 men ) but very skilled in aiming and reloading , however they are not as good as other samurai in hand to hand fighting.



The inspiration for the unit is an illustration of the Osprey Book about Sekigahara , however i did apply some changes :
1) they dont use an Okegawa Do armor but instead a Do Maru ( in the version called Maru Do of the meshes ) so they look less modern and they will not look totally out of place in battles of 1560-1570
2) the helmet is a classic zunari and i didnt resist putting some Honda Tadakatsu antlers as a crest .

They are the only provincial unit that require some technology to be used .
they will be ready in only 2 turns and will cost 1/3 less ( in upkeeping too ) than a normal matchlock samurai unit .

Textures are unique so they will not change with the ownership faction . They will always look "Honda" troops
now they miss only the motorcycle