The Border Princes Redone Mod (Preview 18.04.2015 - Shield Guards)

**paradamed** · March 29, 2015, 10:31 PM

You're welcome! Actually it is warhammer fantasy roleplay, Renegade Crowns.

**Encablossa** · March 30, 2015, 02:24 AM

Those look great! Amazing work FakeTwin!

Out of curiosity will the currently completed ones be released for 1.5 or are you going to hold off until 1.6 is out?

**Kahvipannu** · March 30, 2015, 05:03 AM

They look great FakeTwin. Those are from Dark-Omen, right? If so, that is awesome

**FakeTwin** · March 30, 2015, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by paradamed

Actually it is warhammer fantasy roleplay, Renegade Crowns.

That shouldn't be a problem - I'll just take poetic license.

Originally Posted by Encablossa

Out of curiosity will the currently completed ones be released for 1.5 or are you going to hold off until 1.6 is out?

Probably the latter, I'm afraid. What I'm planning to do is more or less the equivalent of creating a whole new faction. This means the work isn't finished when the units are done: I also have to change files like "export_descr_buildings" (to tell the game which buildings are required to recruit the units) and look through the scripts to make sure I don't mess something up accidentally.

Maybe (that's a big "maybe"!) I'll release a sneak preview containing some of the units for use in custom battles at some point, but I can't promise anything (it's a hell lot to do...).

Originally Posted by Kahvipannu

They look great FakeTwin. Those are from Dark-Omen, right? If so, that is awesome

Thanks! In fact, they are inspired by the guys from "Dark Omen", but I took the liberty to change their appearance quite a lot - I just thought the original design was a little bit too boring.

But now, ladies and gents, for something completely different: Following some pondering - and the info provided by paradamed (rep him!) - I updated/changed the mod description:

Changes:

- Hunters renamed to Border Rangers

- New Units: Badlanders, Enforcers/Bounty Hunters, Hinrikness Axemen (for a little more info on these units check out the updated general mod description in post #1)

- Rough Riders will wield bows instead of crossbows

- Woodcutters are cut from the roster - lol

- Trebuchets are cut from the roster, leaving catapults and carronades as the only artillery pieces

Faction description at a glance:

- Strengths: Diverse army, many ranged units

- Weaknesses: Elite units expensive and few in numbers, weak artillery

Things to do when everything else is done:

- Custom projectiles for Amber Wizards

- Custom projectiles for Badlanders (maybe)

- Custom animation for Rough Riders (a very, very big "maybe"!)

- Officers, musicians and standard bearers

- Unique generals with custom models+skins (taken from official and unofficial sources). Planned so far are: Sven Carlsson (already included in 1.6 as far as I know), Lord Durant of Akendorf, Duke Beauchamp of Brovska, Lietpold the Black

**FakeTwin** · April 18, 2015, 01:08 PM

Okay, completing this unit took way longer than I anticipated, but it's finally done. These guys will probably form the core of most of your armies: Say hello to the Shield Guards! (Note: the model still needs some -very- minor tweaking, for example the boots and legs don't fit together properly yet. But that'll be a piece of cake.)

Screenshots:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Description: These grizzled veterans are covered in the scars from a life of war. They are among the best warriors these lands can give and so they often form the only standing fighting force of a region. Paid by the communities or rich individuals, they constantly train for battle and can afford good armour and weapons in order to unleash their fury towards the enemies of the Border Princes.

**keldor** · April 18, 2015, 07:16 PM

Man, when women see these guys. They're gonna squirt in their trouser skirts.

**Lord Necromancer** · April 19, 2015, 04:45 AM

Nice piece of work, just awesome!

**paradamed** · April 22, 2015, 10:30 AM

These shield guards are cool and will have a unique gameplay possibility with the pistols.

**FakeTwin** · April 22, 2015, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by paradamed

These shield guards are cool and will have a unique gameplay possibility with the pistols.

These aren't pistols, but knives (for decoration)

But now that you mention it: That's an interesting idea you have there...

**paradamed** · April 23, 2015, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by FakeTwin

These aren't pistols, but knives (for decoration)

But now that you mention it: That's an interesting idea you have there...

I swear I saw pistols in teh belts, hehe. It would be cool to have them with pistols. They could have a similar role to witch hunters; well, maybe not as powerful as witch hunters since witch hunters are pretty unique. They can be decent fighters in close combat but with a pistol for special situations like when flankinga unit before a charge or killing a beast. It would give the Border Princes some unique flavour. Since these guys can afford good armour, why not a pistol. Maybe it would also be cool to have a little more variety in the swords and maybe even add some maces, axes, etc, in the mixture.

**WhiffOfGrapeshot** · April 25, 2015, 07:43 AM

This is great work. Some suggestions that you can use if you like:
When I tried tackling the Border Princes HERE I tried to emphasize that it isn't a single united faction, rather a group of tiny independent princedoms, primarily featuring foreign mercenaries from all over the Old World. There should be very little unified theme, mostly just peasant and militia level, low tech woodsmen types, supplemented by flamboyant mercenaries from Estalia, Tilea, Araby, Ind, Cathay, Ogre Kingdoms, disgraced Bretonnian and Imperial knights, etc. IMO, Border Princes should have no "native" firearms, rather ones brought in by Dwarf, Empire, and Tilean mercenaries, and each city having different units, much the same way different Empire provinces do.

Check out the old Dogs of War book (or the newer free warhammerarmies version) for some more ideas, like having a Paymaster. Also consider what units from other armies you might be able to add to the roster without needing to add new EDU entries, like Slayers.

**FakeTwin** · July 04, 2015, 02:21 PM

I just wanted to let you know: work on this project didn't cease; it's just that "Real Life" was a pretty

ing

the last two months. I hope that I'll be in a shape to continue my work soon!

**IrishBlood** · July 13, 2015, 05:47 AM

Hey FakeTwin, really loving the mod idea!

I played a campaign as the border princes and found it a bit lackluster due to the fairly generic units. Also vanilla CoW border princes have very few scripted battles to deal with and the Grimgor invasion just passes right by them, so I don't know if that's something you are able to fix, but it might be worth baring in mind!

Also I have a few unit ideas if you are interested? I've been an extensive reader of all the warhammer fantasy novels I can get my hands on and as a result I've got a pretty good image in my head of what border princes armies look like, they might not be in the offical war books, but they should be lore friendly as they are in the fantasy novels!

Empire deserters (multiple units):

This would be a re-skinned version of existing Empire units, such as swordsmen, halbadiers, etc. The border princes have a long and not so proud tradition of accepting exiles from the Empire, be they criminals, refugees or in this case: deserters! To my knowledge each unit can have 4 different models, so for this idea you would use existing models from four different factions. For example, Empire swordsmen deserters would be a unit using models from say Ostland, Stirland, Talabecland and Ostermark. Deserter Spearmen could use Riekland, Middenland, Nordaland and Averland colors, that way the deserter units would all look different, adding a lot of variety, but minimum effort as you are just reusing existing models and textures!

The unit would be a mismatch of colors and heraldry as individual deserters would hold onto their gear (as they likely have few other possessions), but because they have all received the same basic imperial standard training, they are able to reorganize themselves into units. You could modify the models to give them a more run down/shabby/grimey appearance also to really emphasize that they are deserters. They should have the same stats as empire units, but with bad moral, but lower upkeep and recruitment costs than normal seeing as they are desperate and on the run!

For obvious logistical reasons these units should only be recruit-able in the province bordering Averland as that is the direction most of them would be coming from.

Exiled Knights:

This is a similar idea, but a bit different. There are numerous plot lines in various novels revolving around exiled imperial or Bretonian nobility going in search of fame and fortune in the border princes. These guys tend to be either (i) second or third sons of nobility with no prospects of getting a decent inheritance at home, (ii) Political exiles, as in nobles who have rebelled against their leige lords or in some way displeased the various elector counts and have been banished from the empire, (iii) Bretonian knights errant going questing for fame and fortune.

These guys would have much better equipment and training than the deserter units, but would be far more expensive. They also would have high morale as this is their chance to make it big and are not mere common peasant deserters. Unit composition would be the same however, different models from different units being used to give them a rag tag look and feel. The basic unit description would be something along the lines of the rulers of the border princes cobbling together any knight they can find into organized units to form decent heavy cavalry. Such units would be very expensive as I said, and would either be mercenaries, purchasable in scripted events, or recruit-able upon building high tier buildings.

Bounty Hunters!

This Idea is heavily influenced by Brunner the Bounty hunter (arguably the best collection of Warhammer fantasy tales

). As the border princes are filled with fugatives and criminals, it is no surprise that it is fertile ground for bounty hunters to ply their trade. Such men are ruthless bad-ass's who will stop at nothing to get their blood money.
The idea is similar to the enforcers, but I dont think the nets are a very good unit attack, so I think handguns would be a better alternative and more fitting with the lore. These guys could be recruited from anywhere, but would be VERY expensive, but with low upkeep. They would reasonably small unit size, but very tough.

Basically loads of this guy

;

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Caravan Guard (Crossbows/Spears).

The vast majority of the Empires overland trade to Cathay, Ind and Nippon all pass through the Border princes. As a result caravans pass through on a regular basis and considering how dangerous a journey it is, they will need good protection. This has made the border princes a hub for finding and hiring caravan guards, tough men (and women!) who know how to handle themselves and are familiar with the terrain and dangers of the Border princes and the surrounding areas. They are common guards with limited funds and poor armor, but arm themselves with crossbows and spears that are functional and particularly effective when trying to fend off greenskin attacks that plague the region.

I think this is a pretty plausible unit, as they would undoubtedly be leveed by the Border princes to defend the various settlements etc when they are not escorting caravans. Indeed there is more than one short story about a caravan and its guard being forced to help in the defense of a settlement it was resting in when it got attacked by Greenskins.

They should be easily recruit-able and have a low recruitment cost, but medium upkeep as they are semi-professional troops. They would make up the bulk of the ranged units in a Border princes army. They would be decent in melee, particularly against cav, but would not last long in a fight against heavy infantry.

Bandits

I think the bandits in vanilla CoW are decent, but I reckon you could do a great deal to improve them

The border princes are RIFE with bandits and criminals, particularly along its mountainous regions and as a result I feel they have to be included. They should be archers, with decent melee stats but very low armor and only mediocre morale. I think they should have the easily hidden unit perk though as that would fit in well with them being ambushers etc.

Tilian mercenaries.

Tilian mercenaries have a big presence in the region for obvious reasons, but as long as the standard mercenaries are available to Border princes armies then they shoudl be fine as they are.

I cant think of anything else, but I hope that was helpful!