[PREVIEW] 2.2

[z3n]

Battle Changes

Animations

- All vanilla death animations for infantry replaced with modified Rome TW ones. - Sword cavalry can now attack in frontal direction (custom animation added) which should fix the balance problems. - Hoplites animation (overhand units) completely revisited and fixed with both new attack animations and smoothing changes to movement set. They can now attack cavalry units properly. - Two handed weapons skeleton revisited to make it more deadly. Units are able to kill about 3- 4 times more men than before. - Visual adjustments to javelin animation set. - Strike distances changed for all skeletons which should fix a bug where units did not attack in melee. - Phalangitai skeleton adjusted.

Battle AI

- AI scripts are now automated and need no input from the player - Attacking AI reinforcements will now merge before launching an attack on the player - AI defensive siege configuration updated - will fight even longer on the streets and walls before retreating to the town square - Armies of horse archers (5 units+) will now be more careful when engaging

Battle Map

- Ambient settlements added (farms, structures on the battlemap) - All settlements revisited (fixed gate animations, tower destruction model fixed, palisade walls animations fixed, units are no longer being deployed outside the walls, lots of pathfinding fixes, visual adjustments to Roman settlements, eastern huge city has it's own new model, eastern greek huge city CTD fixed. - Wonders added to campaign map + unique battlemaps. - New custom battle maps.

Sounds

- Overall atmospheare of battles worked on for immersion - Added new sounds for hits - New death screams/sounds (flesh, metal, shield bashes etc) - The sound of the battles clamor increased

Unit Mechanics

- Rework of Custom Battle eras for all units, to focus on factional and likely regional access. No more Celts and Germans on every roster. The Late era is now functional as a reuslt, though All will never work because there are too many units. - Reworked the stats of Iberian units affected by the big remodelling job - no more outdated "Iberian warfare is only about skirmishing", they have infantry capable of close- order fighting. - Correction of attack for tetrere/pentere fleets - now use the same as all the other ships. - Overhaul of javelins loads for all infantry possessing the said weapons. Precs should be as many as they have, and other should have the same+1 or 2 - Introduced an intermediate javelin type (attack 9) for certain units. Also introduced "tipless" javelins, for those without dedicated javelin heads (e.g. fire- hardened tips). - Prec attribute completely removed for infantry: now units which had this attribute have the "cannot_skirmish" attribute - this needs some micro management, but also fixes the combat issues related to this unit class. - Reduction in the size of skirmisher and missile units, with slingers having 48, and non slingers 64 units. - Completely removed ap from all missile weapons (last release IIRC was transitional) - Chariot speed increased. - Added to the hp and armor of elephants - Smaller unit radii for tighter formations (infantry only). - Changes to ship stats (not finalized).

Campaign Changes

Buildings

- Two new Sauromatian buildings - There are over 1000 new or revised Building icons - 85 icons developed for the Eastern Culture, bringing it fully in line with the Greeks, Romans, and Barbarians. - No more "hodge podge" placeholder icon sets - every culture has a common look - Extended the old EB1 nomad icon style across the Steppe Culture, giving it a unique look and feel that is different from all other cultures. - Completely separated the Camp/City icon sets - no more sharing, so you can "feel" the difference between the two. - A massive update to the constructed icons, with very little sharing across cultures and greatly reducing or eliminating legacy RTW icons for most cultures.

Campaign AI

- Updates to naval invasions - Invasion strategies adjusted - Invasion targets reworked - War prevalence increased - Money script fixed

Campaign Map

- Settlement name changes and the associated scripting - Settlement ownership changes - Carthage lost Mastia and gained Liks. - Replaced the city of Tole for Segobrigis. - Replaced the city of Lankia for Moroika. - Now all the cities in Iberia have at least the first level of walls. - Modified and added some rivers in Iberia.

Recruitment

- Hellenistic Poleis building made regional - where you build it affects what you can recruit from it. That includes places where you get a marginal roster, and even those where you get nothing at all. - New Carthagnian government buildings added - Rewrite of Carthaginian settler's colony recruitment (regionality, not Libyans across the world) and trade colonies now give a small "mercenary" recruitment. - Allied State government buildings added to Pritanoi, Aedui, Arverni, Boii, Arevaci, Leusitane and Lugiones. Rework of their existing Protectorate, Migration and Confederation governments. - KH recruitment completely rewritten. Late governments give access to Hellenistic professionals, imitating the Hellenistic Colony. - Allied Governments completely rewritten to remove the religion- linked changes to most of them, which was responsible for all recruitment disappearing unless you shared that region's "religion". Democracy now gives a small cavalry pool and slightly more units, but Oligarchy gives more cavalry and nobles. - Rewrite of Celtic recruitment to accomodate their new reforms/eras. - Philhellenic Satrapies of Hayastan, Pahlava and Nabatu now imitate the polis_two, rather than giving generic recruitment of Greeks. That means regional variability. - Galatian pools rewritten. Characene added as a distinct and different pool. Sparte separated from the rest of Greece, with it's own pool. Liguria separated out. Garamantes removed from eastern Libya; Mauretania and Numidia made more distinct. - Arabian pools properly separated out into Western, Eastern and Southern pools. - New Basilike Patris equivalent government for post- reform Nabatu - Adjustments to mercenary pools, refresh increased by 50% - Expansion of access to Native Colonies to post- reform nomads, Numidia and Carthage. - Higher tiers of Hellenistic and Native colony buildings now give an additional recruitment slot, as intended. - Protectorate governments allow free upkeep, but no recruitment, as originally intended. - The "city" requirement removed from precursor and Native Administration- type buildings for all settled factions, so they have a handful of options in camps. - Removed Assassins from market_two. - Big increase in free upkeep slots for nomads in winter, to simulate "winter pastures", and aid their economies. - Reduced the availability of Parthian cataphracts.

Scripting

- Hoplite/Makedonian phalanx capture script; defeat them in battle and recruit them as mercenaries from your settlements after. - Celtic reform script with impact on recruitment of slinger, archers, heavy cavalry and heavy infantry for Aedui, Arverni and Boii - Carthaginian reform script opening new government options - Revisions to the Nabataean reforms, which are now functioning and achievable - Addition of a post- independence military reform for Taksashila, which makes chariots disappear, to be replaced by lancers. - Addition of notification when Taksashilan independence achieved. - Access to the Basilike Patris no longer one per faction; based on number of settlements held - one for 12 or less; two for 13- 23; three for 24+ - Simpler AI versions of most reforms added, along with fallbacks if they can't meet those. - Added a "Carthage Liberates Canaan" easter egg. - New Carthaginian office system. - Special Carthaginian war system to select your main general. - Two new Carthaginian reforms: the first one profound and the second one humble. - Ten new Pontic factional missions - Recruitment limitation to turn 100 for the AI - Factions will now re-emerge after a revolt (non-hording only)

Sounds

- Three new steppe tracks - New sounds for the enslavement mechanic - Turn end sounds properly implemented - Marriage celebration sounds adjusted - Agent detected updated - Alliance broken/made changed - Ally allied with enemy updated - Adoption updated - Unit completed updated - Character dies updated - Settlement besieged updated

UI

- All faction banners replaced with higher quality ones for CUI and BUI. - Hotseat campaign added to main menu. - Faction selection screen CTD issue fixed. - Buttons in battle UIs now appear in correct spots. - Reorganization of the Gandhara portraits.

Units

- Carthaginian Citizen Infantry - Blastophoenicians - Lybian Swordsmen - Hoplitai Lakedaimonion - Northern Arabian Thureophoroi - Nabatean Agema - Illyrian Thureophoroi - Ardiean Agema - Thracian Colonists - Voini - Promachoi - Yavana Peltasts - Tarabostes - Carthaginian Citizen Militia - Iberian Caetrati Spearmen - Spartan hoplites - Mercenary hoplites - Mercenary phalanx - Tarentine Hippeis - Hyperaspistai - Epilektoi Thorakitai - Magones - Liby-Phoenician Cavalry have had a secondary sword attack added- Lonchophoroi Hippeis have had their secondary kopides changed to secondary spears - Numerous changes of weapons in the Iberian Job to eight units. (Iberian Scutarii Cavalry, Scutarii Spearmen, Caetratii, Leusitane Light Cavalry, Leusitane Light Spearmen, Celtiberian Lancers and Celtiberian Riders) - Acus eporedoi / Kurepos / Batoroi : remade the tunics and shields with better and cleaner textures. Changed the color scheme to a more colorful one. - Edited the "dirt" overlay texture, so it doesnt appear at the starting of battle. Units will still get dirty after a few minutes of fighting. - New sets of shields for the 3 scutarii units - Indian lancers : unique set of shields, previously they used the macemen's ones. - Euzonoi : Changed the tunics textures to better and cleaner ones. Better normal maps too. - Uazali : Improved the tunics and a few shields. Better normals too. - Xystophoroi : better tunics and normal maps. Little color adjustments. - Hippeis : better tunics and normal maps. Little color adjustments. Reworked the bronze cuirass texture. - Thureophoroi / machairophoroi : better tunics and normal maps. Color adjustments. Reworked some of the shields. - Thureopherontes hippotoxotai: Same as euzonoi. - Pantodapoi phalangitai : reworked some shields, some tunics textures, desaturated some clothes. - Hoplitai haploi : little color adjustments - Peltastai Logades : little color adjustments - Hetairoi : better textures for their cuirasses, improved normal maps - Hypaspistai : high res textures, new faces, new cuirasses, slightly improved normal and specular maps as well. - Iranian heavy calavry : color and specular map adjustments - Arachosian cavalry : color adjustments - Iranian axemen : color adjustments - Eastern skirmishers / slingers / persian archers / javelin cavalry : color adjustments - Akkadian heavy infantry : color adjustments, slightly improved normals / speculars - Iranian spearmen : color adjustments, slightly improved normals / speculars - Armenian spearmen : color adjustments - Kardakes : color adjustments, slightly improved normals / speculars - Median cavalry : color adjustments - Baktrian tribesmen : color adjustments - Pontic spearmen : color adjustments - Saka early nobles : toned down some colors on the horses, improved the specular map - Skythian foot archers : little color adjustments - Khamis : slightly changed the color of the leather scale cuirass - Nabatean horse archers : little color adjustments - Nabatean lancers : little color adjustments - Ethiopian spearmen : Remade the faces, improved the shields and clothes, normal maps as well - Ethiopian archers : Remade the faces, improved clothes - Late Liby- phoenician infantry : new set of shields, remade the specular map - Late libyan skirmishers : little color adjustments - Libyan infantry : remade some shields - Officers : new set of shields - Komatai : remade the shields, improved the normal maps - Komatai Epilektoi : new skin - Getikoi Stratiotai : New skin - Mezenai : new skin - Standard bearer : improved the textures - Getai general : made some unique shields for him - Polybian hastati : new set of shields, color adjustments - Polybian principes : new set of shields, color adjustments - Polybian Triarii : new set of shields, color adjustments - Pedites extraordinarii : color adjustments - Equites : color adjustments - Velites : color adjustments - Cohors sociorum : color adjustments - Etruscan hoplites : new set of shields for mercenaries, color adjustments - Standard bearers : little improvements on shields

Miscellaneous

- The first winter popup for nomads now describes "winter pastures" not "time for recruitment". - Numerous tweaks to infrastructure buildings to ensure factions have consistent access, particular important regarding Seleukids and Baktria, but also other factions, such as post-reform nomads. - Addition of "upkeep" to many infrastructure buildings (except roads, which seems to distort AI behaviour). - Review of capabilities offered by infrastructure and temple buildings; general reduction of public order bonuses. - Expansion of infrastructure building options for Allied Governments. - Update to Settled/Nomad trait triggers so that characters can progress back and forth between them, depending on behaviour. - Cleanup of export_units to move all English- translations of unit names into the first line of the description, instead of cluttering up the display as a note after the native name. - Changed all starting Rebel garrison commanders to infantry bodyguards, and all starting garrisons to infantry, to prevent them wandering off.

[Darkan]

Ohh, first one to post...I'm as giddy as ... can be. Time to read and prepare for the arrival of the EB2.2 goodness...

[Sar1n]

We've heard about most of these before...but seeing this, in one place, is mind-blowing. The amount of work put into EBII is fantastic.

Just one thing, is the unit list complete? Hyperaspistai are missing, and those are one of units I've been looking forward to in 2.2.

[alex33]

Noice! To see how many changes there are is amazing! So there are no new unit voices after all?

[bordinis]

nice, very good job! Can't wait for release. Have the bugs with Pritanoi been fixed : them not getting their chariots transported via ships and the one where as a player you can't recruit british noble infantry with their best goverment buildings only as oligarchies?Also chariot javelin attack speed increased or you meant movement speed?

[QuintusSertorius]

Just one thing, is the unit list complete? Hyperaspistai are missing, and those are one of units I've been looking forward to in 2.2.

There's some units missing off that list, including Hyperaspistai.

nice, very good job! Can't wait for release. Have the bugs with Pritanoi been fixed : them not getting their chariots transported via ships and the one where as a player you can't recruit british noble infantry with their best goverment buildings only as oligarchies?Also chariot javelin attack speed increased or you meant movement speed?

No idea what the bug relating to chariot sea-transport is about, they have sea_faring same as every other unit. Noble infantry is recruitable in several Pritanoi governments now.

Chariot movement speed and javelin attack speed have been increased.

[z3n]

We've heard about most of these before...but seeing this, in one place, is mind-blowing. The amount of work put into EBII is fantastic.

Just one thing, is the unit list complete? Hyperaspistai are missing, and those are one of units I've been looking forward to in 2.2.

The main issue is that there's just so much our team has changed some things may have escaped attention. Hence why it's called a preview not a changelog.

Added two other units missing from the list as well.

Noice! To see how many changes there are is amazing! So there are no new unit voices after all?

I don't believe so, the vast majority of the voices have been remixed and scaled to a higher quality others didn't need it. We do have plans for new voices but we need the voice actors to do so and our historians to concept the words.

nice, very good job! Can't wait for release. Have the bugs with Pritanoi been fixed : them not getting their chariots transported via ships and the one where as a player you can't recruit british noble infantry with their best goverment buildings only as oligarchies?

A question for QS or Ibrahim, however looking at the code it would appear that bug is fixed.

[bordinis]

I had a bug in 2.1b with british chariots not getting in any of my ships wanted to transport them into Europe. I guess it's fixed, reported that back in January as far as i remember Anyway very excited for this

[Boogie Knight]

Ooooh boy.

[alex33]

I don't believe so, the vast majority of the voices have been remixed and scaled to a higher quality others didn't need it. We do have plans for new voices but we need the voice actors to do so and our historians to concept the words.

no i'm talking about imported voices from eb 1 =)

[wojtekimbier]

It's happening!

[accipiter]

You guys kick serious ass! I can't wait!

[DenniZ]

Cant wait to see all the work you guys put in, well done and thanks for all the effort team!

[Wulfburk]

Awesome! Cant wait for it.

[charlieh]

This list is something else. You can see the effort and attention to detail. Thanks EB team. Great stuff :-)

[dogukan]

A lot of changes there

[Jervaj]

Danm...I saw 2.2 and wnet on crazy mode. So excited to play it and it is near....so many changes.

Amazing work as always. Praise for the EB team

[Roma_Victrix]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to play with the new KH late governments with better recruitment options. I can't wait to see all the new units! And the new Eastern/Semitic huge city model mentioned in the OP. I'm also super stoked about the faction reemergence script triggered by revolts of certain settlements (I'm assuming this means the capital cities of fallen factions).

Could someone explain the Hoplite/Makedonian phalanx capture script? It's really just as simple as defeating them in battle once, on the campaign or battle map, before you can recruit them as mercenaries from your settlements?

[QuintusSertorius]

Could someone explain the Hoplite/Makedonian phalanx capture script? It's really just as simple as defeating them in battle once, on the campaign or battle map, before you can recruit them as mercenaries from your settlements?

Since I wrote the script...here goes.
1) Defeat an army containing either hoplite-like units (Hoplitai, Liby-Phoenician Infantry, Etruscan Infantry, Lakonikoi Hoplitai, Indohellenikoi Hoplitai or Babylonian Heavy Spearmen) or Phalangitai (the real deal, not just any phalanx).
2) First time you qualify, you'll get a notification explaining what's happening after the battle.
3) In particular settlements (ie those with a Hellenic type of administration, or else a proper settled one for non-Hellenistic factions), the next turn, recruitment of either a mercenary hoplite or mercenary phalanx unit will appear. As soon as you recruit them, they disappear again.
4) And so on it goes every time you defeat a qualifying army.

[pericol]

Anything special for the Getai in the future?

You did a really good job. I cant wait to play the 2.2! :X