Mercenary XPak for Vanilla

**Nebuchadnezzar** · August 28, 2006, 01:24 AM

I got bored with vanilla's barbarian mercenaries being the only mercenary option available from virtually one end of the map to the other with very little else between so I set out to fix what I thought would take only a weekend but in fact took 3 weeks!

The mod is complete and fully game tested.
Download: Mercenary XPack or try our Mercenary XPack Lite a Cut down version adding only 4 new mercenary units.

Mercenary X pack is a feature packed mercenary add-on for Vanilla Rome Total War that will significantly improve on gameplay and increase difficulty. It does not change the vanilla game in any other way. Add a formation mod to this and you will add further improvement. My personal favourite is Sinuhets latest formations.ai mod but Darths are also good.

WHAT IT DOES

Adds 20 new units to the current mercenary pools.
Redefines existing mercenary pools for high regional dependence. Certain units will only be available in very specific regions.
Limited selection of mercenary types in fringe areas surrounding the Italian peninsula.
Experience level upgrades to units recruited in traditional homelands.
Explore and conquer the far reaches of the map for elite and rare mercenary units but you will need to be patient.
A few bug fixes in the original game files.
A few surprises.

REQUIREMENTS

Rome Total War V1.5 or V1.6 Barbarian Invasion. This mod will work with Player 1's bugfixer (install first) and formation mods but will not work with any major mods.
This mod is not save game compatable with any previous saves of any version. You must start a new campaign.
Play on hard or very hard for the AI to take advantage of the extra mercenaries.

INSTALLATION

No special installation instructions are required as it is self installing. Download X pack, unzip the package and double click MXP.exe. The package will install into the default directory C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War folder. If this is not the directory where Rome Total War is installed then use the browse button to point to the root folder where your game is installed.

SUPPORT

This mod has been fully tested over several extended campaigns and to my professional knowledge is bug free, however it may still be possible for something to show up. NOTE: The first requirement is a clean install of RTW patched to V1.5. If you don't have this or you tend to hand modify files on the fly then please re-install RTW, the required patches and then the mod and try again. I will only provide technical support for the mod and not IT training.
No uninstall is provided. Make a back-up copy of your Data folder before installing. If you need to uninstall without a back up copy then you will need to re-install Rome Total war.

FEEDBACK & SUPPORT

Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

SCREEN SHOTS

Britannia players head to Eastern Europe or the Steppes to hire mercenary warband archers.
Archer Warband

My mainly peasant army
Domus Dulcis Domus

But really they didn't have a chance
Victory

Head to Germania for some great mercs
Germania Mercs

CONDITIONS OF USE

This is a mod was designed for vanilla players first and foremost, however I would appreciate a request if these changes (whether in part or in whole) are to be included in other public modifications.

No other restrictions apply. Vanilla players are free to edit files to suit their style of play.

The mod was created entirely by Nebuchadnezzar and is bug free. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it!

Nebuchadnezzar

**Nebuchadnezzar** · September 05, 2006, 11:46 PM

Minor update to V1.01

# New formation settings for celtic huntsman.
# Redefined replenishment values for several mercenary pools.

No bugs or CTD's encountered.

**Nebuchadnezzar** · September 17, 2006, 10:04 PM

Updated to V1.10

NEW IN V1.10
# Added new unit Mercenary Nubian Spearmen.
# Further Refined values for several mercenary pools.

**Cha0sMarin3** · September 20, 2006, 12:16 PM

Nice, I make alot of use of the mercenaries as they are good replacements for the troops i leave behind in conquered settlements.

**Nebuchadnezzar** · September 21, 2006, 03:30 AM

Originally Posted by Cha0sMarin3

Nice, I make alot of use of the mercenaries as they are good replacements for the troops i leave behind in conquered settlements.

Good! Thats exactly what they should be for. Mercs should be a bit better than those standard merc barb infantry CA gave us.

**Cha0sMarin3** · September 21, 2006, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by Nebuchadnezzar

Good! Thats exactly what they should be for. Mercs should be a bit better than those standard merc barb infantry CA gave us.

Yeah indeed, the only mercs actually worth recruiting are the Sarmatian heavy cavalry, hoplites, cretans and elephants... And later on in the game they become only usefull as garrison due to the Marius reforms.

**Nebuchadnezzar** · September 25, 2006, 01:20 AM

Big update this time

NEW IN V1.20 (Major)
# New units Mercenary Woad Warriors and Mercenary Skirmisher Warband added.
# Removed units Mercenary Celtic Huntsmen and Mercenary Hypaspists.
# A number of skins redone or improved to provide consistancy with mercenary green colours.
# New unit cards and description images to reflect skin changes.
# Further refined mercenary pools and some replenishment values.

Recommend all users update to the latest version. Its a big improvement.

**Nebuchadnezzar** · November 14, 2007, 09:10 PM

I've been playing RTW lately but I didn't want the huge gameplay/balance changes from my original Xpack so I put together a cut-down version that adds only 4 new mercenaries.
Woad warriors for Britannia, Axemen for Germania, Archer warband for the Steepes & Eastern Europe and a surprise in the frozen north.

I was pleased with the subtle changes in that it very much remains a vanilla game and so decided to share with anyone that may be interested.

See the first post for download links.

**!!!Kriegsbagel!!!** · November 17, 2007, 06:17 PM

I'm curious, what are the "surprises"?
:hmmm:

**max_minimod** · November 18, 2007, 05:08 AM

Yea, some nice Vikings? Then I would include your mod

**Dom9127** · November 18, 2007, 09:37 AM

Do you know if the XPak works with the vanilla balance mod? Because I cant be asked to re install Rome again if it goes wrong.

**Nebuchadnezzar** · November 18, 2007, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Dom9127

Do you know if the XPak works with the vanilla balance mod? Because I cant be asked to re install Rome again if it goes wrong.

I am pretty sure VBM changes export_descr_unit.txt. In which case no.

Originally Posted by !!!Kriegsbagel!!!

I'm curious, what are the "surprises"?
:hmmm:

I always wondered what it would be like to have a stack of amazon chariots marching on Rome.

**EmperorBatman999** · June 04, 2009, 07:04 PM

So where are the Amazon chariots?

**Nebuchadnezzar** · June 04, 2009, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by EmperorBatman999

So where are the Amazon chariots?

In hyperboria (sp) at very top middle in Russia

You don't have to capture it, just send a general to the region and recruit like any other merc. There is usually 1 available with 2 max but slow replenishment rate. I guess in hindsight I should have made them recruitable from barracks (or stables) after capture.