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Thread: Baltic States Preview

  1. #1
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    Default Baltic States Preview





    Staat des Deutschen Ordens

    State of the Teutonic Order





    History

    Before being one of the major and influential states in the Baltic, the Order of the House of Saint Mary of the Germans in Jerusalem, or the Teutonic Order, was a small order based on the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar.
    In 1128, a wealthy German began receiving other Germans, pilgrims and crusaders, in his own house, for comfort, for they did not speak the Latin or French of the religious orders nor the Hebraic or Arabic of the locals.
    With too much work, he built his own hospital. Giving and receiving alms, nursing sick and wounded crusaders and pilgrims, he was eventually joined by other fellow countrymen, and soon, they "banded themselves together,
    after the pattern of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem [Knights Hospitaller], and united the care of the sick and poor with the profession of arms in their defense, under the title of Hospitallers of the Blessed Virgin".
    The city of Jerusalem fall to Saladin in 1187, and the conqueror allowed the order to continue its service in the capital. During the crusader siege of Acre in 1189-1191, one Sibrand, considered the first Grand Master of the order,
    along with citizens of Lübeck and Bremen founded a field hospital and shelter for the German soldiers, either of Frederick, the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold of Austria or the bohemian troops of Diebold.
    This small field hospital was joined by the brethren of the Blessed Virgin in Jerusalem. This joint venture was recognized by Pope Celestine II in 1192, and became the Teutonic Knights as they were known for the following decades
    and centuries.
    Until the capture of Acre, they served as people who tended to german sick and wounded, but after the city was taken, the order was recognized by the pope. Henry de Walpot, the first Grand Master, purchased a site within the city,
    built a hospital and enlisted soldiers to aid his new founded knights. The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick used his influence to further the progress of the Order.
    It expanded from there, gaining estates and monasteries, in Italy, Hungary and the Holy Land. Andrew II of Hungary took into his service the Teutonic Knights in 1211, years after Henry de Walpot died, to defend his south-eastern
    border from the Cumans, and received the district of Burzenland.
    In 1224, they petitioned the pope to be under the direct authority of the Papal States rather than that of the King of Hungary. Fearful and angered, Andrew II expelled them from his lands a year later.




    Livonian Brothers of the Sword

    Christianity arrived in the Baltic with the Norsemen in some smaller settlements, and the pagans had contact with other Christians; german traders that used the old trade route of the Varangians and Greeks. The bishopric of Üxküll
    was already established by Meinhard, who, despite not being able to entirely Christianize the Latvians, ensured a Christian foothold in Pagan lands. Further attempts to convert the pagans led to the death of one of the bishops
    of Üxküll, Berthold. The pope called a crusade that arrived in the form of 23 ships and 500 soldiers in Riga, commanded by Bishop Albert of Livonia, who also became the Bishop of Riga and the founder of the Livonian Brothers
    of the Sword, founded to secure the conversion of pagans and protect the local commerce.

    Order of Dobrzyn

    It was founded by the First Bishop of Prussia, Christian of Olivia to protect Cistercian missionaries in Prussia. Duke Conrad of Masovia granted them with the town of Cedlitz and later Dobrzýn, hence their name, and the surrounding
    lands to finance their operations of countering pagan invasions in Poland. Initially they had 15 knights and other soldiers, men-at-arms, squires, sergeants and etc. The order counts with the Masovians and the Teutonic Order for
    its survival, for their number have been dwindling over the years.



    Current situation

    Grand Master Hermann von Salza met with Bishop Christian in Rome, and there, both saw opportunities. With the permission of Duke Conrad and other nobles from Masovia, the Teutonic Knights were to aid them against the pagan Prussians.
    The Holy Roman Emperor granted the Order the land of Culmerland, as a sort of base for their future conquests, conquests which the order was allowed to keep, as of the Treaty of Kruszwica, in 1230.
    Grand Master Hermann’s main forces were at the Middle East and Armenia, but he managed to spare about 30 knights and near 300 sergeants, squires and regulars. The order took control of Vogelsang, and sent small raiding parties
    against the pagans across Vistula River.
    Small campaigns happened, with polish, german and Pomeranian crusaders, who’d return home after the campaign ended, and thus resting upon the shoulders of the Order to consolidate their rule of the region, mostly building rough
    timber keeps.
    By 1232, Rogów had fallen to the crusaders, as well as Gurske and most of Culmerland; to consolidate, fortresses were built in the ruins of Tórun and Chelmno, and immigrants from Germany and Poland settled minor towns
    in the conquered regions.
    Seeing the success, the pope promised to call another crusade and press onto the heathens. Success is on their grasp, but the Lithuanians gather under the banner of a young Mindaugas, who had many other successes on the field
    and is on the verge to unify Lithuania. That and the strong Novgorodians to the east of Riga. Though they just left their own civil war, no one can predict the ambitions of the Rus'.
    The Holy Roman Empire will be a lasting ally, though the same cannot be said about the Poles. If the heathens are conquered, converted or exterminated, who would stop the Poles to turn against the Order, a possible mighty rival?
    Only God and their swords are to keep them safe, in a land surrounded by enemies and uncertain allies.


    Starting provinces
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]


    Economy

    The Teutonic Order, like the Templars, was rich and had several benefactors to boost its economy from the beginning. The Order possessed many estates in Europe and Asia, as well as strong benefactors, like the Holy Roman Empire
    and the Free City of Lübeck.
    During and after the Prussian Crusades, the Teutonic Order settled in Chelmno Land and expelled the Prussians from there, quickly taking control and looking to make up for the expenses in campaign. By clearing the marshlands
    and woodlands for crops and settling of towns, mainly of German folk, this increased German influence on the Baltic commerce.
    Not only that, but the Order protected Lübecker merchants especially, and in return, they would be able to use Hanseatic ships to aid the war effort in Prussia.






    Rules and organisation

    The Teutonic Order was based off the Hospitaller Knights, at first. But as they gained power and expanded they also became a Military Order, like the Templars. To preside in both chapter and battlefield, the Hochmeister,
    or Grand Master, existed, and he was elected from and only by the knights.
    The Order was divided in two classes, clergy and knights. The knights took vows to mainly fight the enemies of the faith, while the clergy tended the hospitals, churches and whatnot. In both these classes, there were serving
    brothers, called Familiares; though not very high in hierarchy, they could be selected to become squires and priests.
    Below the Grand Master, the hierarchy divided in 2 branches. There was the deputy of the Hochmeister, the Großkomtur; the preceptor, who presided over the chapter and clergy and servants in the absence of the Hochmeister.
    On the other side of the hierarchy, there was the Marschall, and he served as a lieutenant general in the battlefield under the Grand Master and presided over the military affairs in his absence; the Spitler, responsible
    for all of the hospital affairs; the trapier, who provided the outfits and armaments, of simple yet effective usage, and the treaßler, the treasurer.
    The expansion of the Teutonic Order was large, and to manage the newly conquered lands, provincial masters were appointed, the Landmeister, and he acted with the voice of the Grand Master in the country.
    Overall, their discipline and organization should and will be helpful in the upcoming battles against the unruly Prussians.






    Army

    The Order possessed large numbers of knights compared to their Livonian and Dobrzyn brethren, though; sadly, most of these knights were not in the Baltic; nonetheless, the Order possessed more infantry than the Livonian
    and Dobrzyn brethren. The elite cavalry and, sometimes, senior officers, were the Ritterbrüder, Knight Brothers, who held the best available equipment befitting for someone of their rank and status, for all of the Ritterbrüder
    were of noble descent.
    The Diendebrüder, the Serving Brothers, were not necessarily of noble birth, but they had military experience nonetheless. Men-at-arms, horsemen and partially armored infantry; Disciplined and more numerous than the knights,
    they were the backbone of the Order’s hosts.
    The Halbbrüder, the Half Brothers, were noble knights who, unlike the Ritterbrüder, did not swear vows for life. Despite that, they were fierce fighters and have arms and armor as good as any noble knight.
    Their forces were spent after years of campaigning against the Prussians, and so, before more reinforcements came, the Order came to rely on the Order of Dobrzyn and the Livonian Brothers, who also were spent, so, the bulk
    of their forces came from native Prussian recruits; who, although, not very useful in organized battles, could serve better for raiding and scouting, due to their knowledge of the marshlands and woodlands of the country.
    The german colonies in the Baltic provided a number of militia. They participated in campaigns, but their main use was for garrisoning towns and sparing the Order’s soldiers the need to defend them.
    The crusaders also provided large numbers, but their temporary presence forced the order to look other ways to ensure the peace in this impetuous country.


    Examples of order units

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Schutzen gilde - urban crossbow militia

    [IMG][/IMG]
    Kriegsknechte - order sergeants
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Dienendebrüder - serving brothers
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Dobrzynbrüder - Brothers of Dobrzyn Order
    [IMG][/IMG]






    Models and textures from:

    Baltic Total War
    Russ 2 Total War
    GeMiNi][SaNDy's Western Unit Overhaul for DLV
    Polished Poland

    Mapping, modelling and skinning: Hellvard
    Research: claudioxd27
    Factions symbols and units cards: SerbianWOLF



    Last edited by Hellvard; October 22, 2016 at 12:50 PM.





  2. #2
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview




    Prūsai

    Prussians


    Origins


    The Prussians are said to be descendents of the Cimbri, one of the many “barbarian” peoples the Romans fought with, hailing from Jutland. Despite a devastating defeat in the Battle of Vercellae, with the death of a king
    and many chieftains, the Cimbri still were residing in the Baltic and Jutland.
    The first Prussian king is said to be a man named Widewuto, or Videvutis, a king of a Cimbri tribe who migrated from Denmark to the Baltic. He civilized the region and named it Prussia, after his brother Pruteno. Widewuto
    had after that 12 sons, and the regions in the Baltic were named after them, Sudovia after Sudo, Lithuania after Litvas, and so on.
    Widewuto would live to have 116 years of age. With that age, he burned himself with Pruteno in a religious ceremony.


    Current situation

    The key to ensure the survival of the Prussians is to maintain an alliance with the Lithuanians, also pagans and not in good relations with the monastic orders. The Teutonic Knights and the Dobrzyn Order are separated from their
    Livonian brethren, with the Lithuanians and the Prussians between them. This is an advantage that must be exploited; the Prussians also share an open border with Mazovia, and Duke Konrad will have no fear in supporting the Order
    against the Prussians who’d oftenly raid his lands.
    The Novgorodians are currently neutral, but the continuous expansion of the Teutonic Knights might make them alarmed. They have to focus on issues at home before setting their eyes at the Baltic, however, having to deal with
    insurgences at Pskov and defend themselves from the Mongols.
    The Order’s territories are small, for now, and the true Christian foothold on the eastern Baltic is on the hands of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. For now, the ones who shall deal with them are the Lithuanians. The war is
    balanced thus far, and if the pope calls another crusade, the Prussians will have to fight more and ask their gods for help; who knows for how long they will be able to do that.


    Starting provinces

    As in reality Prussians didn't create unified state, they will have only one region at start of the game, with richest Prussian settlement, Tuwangste, as it's capital. Main objective of this faction will be to unite Prussians tribes by marriages, veches (meetings of local citizens) or by conquest. This will be necessairly to unlock more advanced buildings trees for this faction.


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]


    Goverment & Society


    Baltic tribal societies were unlike German or Slav ones: they were less hierarchical, and most of the population was made up of free farmers. Polygamy was a common practice among the Prussians, seeing that the legendary Prussian
    king, Widewuto, allowed for men to have 3 wives.
    Old Prussian settlements, either timber keeps or towns were divided into tribal domains. One basic social division of the Prussians was the laūks, which meant field. It consisted of a group of farms with economical interests and
    a desire for safety. The administration resided in the hands of a leader and a chief, who were elected by a gathering of the adult males, who also discussed matters concerning the community.
    The chief was responsible for military matters, building watchtowers, roads and taking care of the border defense, while their leader acted and supervised daily and common matters. The term laūks is thought to include the
    fortifications as well as the social structure, but the settlement itself is called kāims.
    There were some leaders who acquired various kāims and laūks, and became leaders of larger social entities, known by non Baltic speakers as duchies.


    Economy
    The territory of Sambia was the richest territory populated by the Prussians. The Sambians did commerce with the Swedes and their territories were rich in amber, which made them wealthier than the other tribes, ever since the
    Bronze Age. The other tribes are surrounded with Christians,
    and commerce is scarce, if it exists at all. Due to that, some tribes, like the Pogesanians and Pomesanians, resort to raids, usually in Mazovian and Pomeranian lands.
    Scalovia and Warmia’s rivers and lakes had fish, and most regions were densely populated, with many forts and towns that traded with each other, with the exception of Sasna, a territory plundered by the Mazovian and had most
    of its folk migrate to the north, to Pogesania, Warmia or Bartia.

    Religion

    Likewise with Norse Paganism, the Baltic Religions, Latvian, Prussian and Lithuanian, were written and recorded by Christians, and not the native folk themselves, because the Balts spread and told their tales through oral tradition. And so, the few reports and accounts of these religions often had fabrications and misunderstandings.
    Prussian religion survived the least, for they were assimilated and conquered by a Monastic Order, the Teutonic Knights, who spread Catholicism over the region, making Prussian paganism less present and more of a subject for scholars than the common people.
    The creator god, present in Latvian and Lithuanian tradition, is Dievas, the name likely coming from the Indo-European word, dyeu, meaning heaven; he probably came to be worshipped as a personification of the sky. The goddess Saule, the “Mother Sun”, and like Dwis, began as a personification of nature. In some stories, she is wife to Dievas, and in others, is the lover of a moon god, Menuo.
    There also is the Triad of gods, Perkūnas, Potrimpo and Pecols, represented in the flag of Widewuto, a legendary Prussian king. Perkūnas is probably the most famous and recognized figure. He is the god of thunder and storms, like Thor. Potrimpo was the god of running water, grain and spring, associated with happiness. And there was Pecols, the ruthless god of sacrifices, death and the lord of the underworld, akin to the Lithuanian deity Velnias.
    It was common for the Prussians to burn people in sacrifice, to scare away evil spirits.
    There wasn’t much organization, but medieval chronicler, Peter von Dubsburg, claimed that there was a temple, Romuva, also known as Rickoyoto by Simon Grunau; that claim is considered false by modern historians, since there aren’t other sources to support those claims.
    Wilhelm Mannhardt recorded the Prussian gods and deities in his book, Constitutiones Synodales, with the following gods:
    Occopirmus, the chief sky god, likely derived from Dievas; Suaixtix, god of light; Ausschauts, god of the sick; Autrimpos, god of the sea; Potrimpo, god of running water and grain; Bardoyas, god of ships; Piluuytus, god of abundance and wealth; Perkūnas, god of thunder and Pecols, god of death and hell.



    Army

    Their high population allowed for armies big in size, though poorly disciplined and equipped. The Prussians were more used to battling in open fields, and so, their siege tactics, refined in the west, were more reliant on
    starving the enemy with siege forts, much like the one Julius Caesar built on Alesia.
    The swampy and wooded lands favored the type of combat the pagans had, and, the heavy cavalry was nearly unutilized in that sort of terrain. They fielded javelinmen, a weapon very commonly used by the balts, either mounted
    or dismounted, and other sorts of light infantry, wielding axes, pikes and spears, and less commonly, swords. Their armors are unable to rival the plate of the western knights, and won’t surpass chain mails or leather armors.
    When fighting, the Prussians shall have to rely on their prowess and courage, if they are to retain their customs and religion.


    Examples of Prussian units

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Šķepunëši/Free farmers
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Kirwińyki/Raiders
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Buttataws/Householders
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Kongu Sargi/King's bodyguards
    [IMG][/IMG]



    Models and textures from:

    Baltic: Total War
    Wrath of the Norsemen


    Mapping, modelling and skinning: Hellvard
    Research: claudioxd27
    Factions symbols and units cards: SerbianWOLF

    Last edited by Hellvard; October 22, 2016 at 12:51 PM.





  3. #3
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview



    Lietuvos kunigaikštystė

    Duchy of Lithuania

    Origins



    The first Lithuanians came from Jutland and from Poland, at the beginning of the Neolithic, in about 10,000 BC. Before agriculture, the Lithuanians were hunter-gatherers, and due to the harsh climate, agriculture would only emerge 7,000 years after the settling of the region, and, slowly, the hunter gatherers were replaced with farmers.
    By the 3rd millennium BC, the northwestern Indo-Europeans mass migrated into the region called the Corded Ware; the Corded Ware originated in the Volga River and went towards the Rhine; it comprised areas of modern day France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and even Finland.
    These Indo-Europeans mixed with the local population of Jutlandic and Polish settlers to form the culture and language of the Lithuanians, and to prove so, the languages of Sanskrit and Lithuanian have some similarities.

    History



    The Lithuanians were one of the Baltic peoples, together with the Prussians, who were comprised of the Pomesanians, Pogesanians, Sambians and etc., the Latvians, composed of Semigallians, Latgallians and Curonians. Much like
    these folks, the Lithuanians weren’t very united, with territories known as duchies, like Deltuva, Samogitia and Aukštaitija. The Lithuanians and Sambians of Prussia both had some form of contact with the Romans due to the amber
    trade.
    Their territory was divided, and their way to unite was to conduct raids. They did so before the arrival of Albert, later, Bishop of Riga. They raided the lands of the Rus’, Poland and, later, Livonia, now in control of a crusading
    order, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. Another foreign factor that would help them unite was the the Teutonic expansion in Prussia.


    Current situation


    By the 1230s, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were well established in Riga and many castles were built in Livonia, and the Teutonic Order ceased Culmerland (Chelmno) and built hill forts, and the Order of Dobrzyń sits still,
    its power being crippled. With the arrival of the Teutonic Order, however, they gained bigger chances of survival.
    The Prussians were south of the Lithuanians, who share an open border with the Teutonic Order and the Order of Dobrzyń, as well as Masovia. Meanwhile, further north, Lithuania is still divided and confronting the powerful
    Livonian Order. Samogitia and Aukstaitija (current Lithuania) are at peace and in alliance, but if Mindaugas, one of the elder dukes, is to make Lithuania able to confront these enemies, the Duke of Samogitia must be subdued.
    Novgorod has troubles at home, with a prince, Yaroslav, who still needs to consolidate power. It would not take long to do so, since the major insurgence is from the city of Pskov. Should Novgorod succeed in conquering Pskov,
    their ambitions would not end there; the Golden Horde, in the southeast is soon to bring fire and death to Russia, and the Baltic’s several ongoing conflicts may lure Yaroslav and his vassal principalities to the land, which seems
    ripe for conquest.
    Mindaugas’ first goals would seem to be to unite his own country, and launch raids and attack the lands of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword before they expand further, and at the same time, if possible, support the Prussians
    in their war with 2 factions at the same time. Christianized or destroyed, to most Lithuanians, both fates can and must be avoided.


    Starting provinces:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]
    [IMG][/IMG]


    Goverment & Society


    Lithuanian societies were distinct from the Christian ones, seeing that war was part of the life of every able-bodied peasant; this trait proved its use when confronting many threats, the Rus’, the monastic orders, and Poland.
    Like Prussian societies, most of Lithuanian state was composed of free men, called laukininkai. Upon being captured in war, prisoners were made into slaves, called šeimyniškiai, who worked on the land of a lord, boyar or duke.
    The territory’s (i.e. Deltuva, Aukštaitija) supreme leader was called duke.
    The bajoras, a boyar, had mostly military duties, due to the growing instability of the region; the lands of a bajoras could be of the same size of a laukininkai. If a farmer was under the jurisdiction of a boyar, he was called
    kaimynas, a neighbor; Boyars granted tracts of lands to some kaimynas, and in exchange, they worked on it and served in his retinue.


    Economy


    The Lithuanian tribes maintained trade rights with the Roman Empire, and the main export was amber. Up until recent times, their resources weren’t very different than the Prussians. The forests provided timber, and the rivers
    and lakes’ fishes and the grain worked in fields were enough to maintain the common peasant fed.
    Since the end of the Roman Empire, and the forming of the Eastern Christian kingdoms, Lithuania and Prussia did not have many choices of commerce in the west, and so they resorted to the east, the Rus’,
    the Principalities of Novgorod and Polotsk. Having access to trade with them might become harder, though, with the Golden Horde ever nearer, and by then, Lithuania’s duchies should achieve some sort of unity and truce
    with the Western kingdoms, otherwise they might break.



    Religion


    Lithuanian religion was very similar to Latvian mythology and had some things in common with Prussian mythology. They had in common the fact that they were recorded by Christian writers, who could misunderstand some facts and fabricate some more. Oral tradition was the common way to spread the tales, and it is a preference for some scholars to reconstruct the mythology from the ground up, looking at the old writings and other data, such as folkloric songs and tales and other historical documents. Lithuanian mythology evolved as time passed, and so, a perfectly accurate reconstruction of it cannot be achieved.
    The creator god and chief of both the Latvian and Lithuanian pantheon, is Dievas, the name likely coming from the Indo-European word, dyeu, meaning heaven; he probably came to be worshipped as a personification of the sky. He was represented as plants, animals, and more commonly, an old beggar or a sage.
    Saulė, the goddess of light, life and fertility; she had a lover, Mėnuo, the god of the moon, but they separated due to his infidelity. He still wanted to see his daughter, the goddess of the Earth, Žemyna, and soon, they made a pact; that is why the Sun shines during the day, while the Moon visits at night.
    Perkūnas, the thunder god, present in Latvian, Prussian and Lithuanian mythologies. In Christian records, Perkūnas is a demon and an evil spirit. He’s usually represented as a spirited middle aged man, carrying bow and axes and riding a chariot driven by goats, much like Thor.
    The goddess of dawn is Aušrinė, akin to roman Aurora. She was based on the planet Venus, the dawn star, and paved the sky for Saulė to light the world, while the evening star, Vakarinė, prepared Saulė’s bed at night.
    The 2 goddesses of fate were Dalia and Laima, the former associated with wealth and materials one would earn during a lifetime, and the latter with how the life of a person will take place, like the Greek Fates (Moirai).
    Žemyna was the goddess of earth and she nourishes most forms of life, and, seeing that everything that is born on earth will return to earth, she is also related to death; Žemyna is one of the chief Lithuanian deities, along with Dievas and Saulė. Among the minor deities and spirits were:
    · Ašvieniai, twins who pulled Saulė’s carriage through the sky, represented as horses;
    · The Žvaigždės, stars who were the offspring of Saulė. Aušrinė and Vakarinė were the most noteworthy Ašvieniai, but there also was Indraja (Jupiter), Sėlija (Saturn), Žiezdrė (Mars), and Vaivora (Mercury);
    · Ežerinis, god of lakes.
    · Upinis, god of rivers.
    · Auštaras, the god of the northeast winds.
    · Bangpūtys, the god of storms and seas, father of the 4 winds. Šiaurys and Pietys, the northern and southern winds, and Rytys and Vakaris, the eastern and western winds;
    · Javinė and Jievaras, spirits who protect grains.
    · Kupolė, spirit of springtime vegetation and flowers, god who inspired the current day festival of Rasos, or the St. Jonas Festival.
    · Laumė(singular Lauma), female fairy-like creatures who pitied and felt compassion for human suffering.
    · Pinčiukas, one of the evil spirits. Like most pagan religions, the “evil” gods and beings were not purely malicious; they had qualities of their own, but in Pinčiukas’ case, he was a trickster, like Loki from the Norse Mythology.
    · Giltinė, the goddess of death; in Lithuanian, Giltinė means reaper. She was said to be the sister of Laima, the goddess of fate and luck. When Laima predicted one’s death, Giltinė would come to take away this person’s life.



    Army


    During wars, tribes would mobilize to form armies. Every able-bodied landholder was called to war. The leaders of each regional levy were chieftains, and since ca. 1200, this title was hereditary, and had different names and titles,
    rikis or kunigas, both meant king, from Latin rex, and from gothic, kuningas.
    If a freeman was rich enough, he would be a bajoras, the lesser nobility. The means to become rich were either well managing one’s farm, or taking loot from wars or raids. Much like the Prussians, the Lithuanian fortifications
    were made of earth and timber, located on high terrain. With news of invasion, a freeman was to provide his own equipment and defend the fortress, now full of women, children and livestock.
    Unlike the Prussians however, the Lithuanians used siege weaponry, a stone thrower; with so many castles being built in Prussian territories, they came to be of use. The common soldier in Lithuanian armies was a light horseman,
    armed with bows and javelins for ranged attacks, and axes, swords and spears for close combat, as well as shields. They acted like tatar troops, raiding, feigned retreats and ambushes;
    Infantry was less numerous and useful, being little more than support for the cavalry. Russian levies also were part of Lithuanian armies, either from Polotsk, a subjugated city, or from allied princes.
    Mobile like the Mongols, but not as numerous, in their own lands, the Lithuanians could count on terrain to protect them, and their own mobility and agility would protect them on foreign lands.



    Examples of lithuanian units:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Kaimynas Ietininkai /Neighbor Spearmen
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Žemaičių Pėstininkai/Samogitian Infantry
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Ukininkas Arklių Lankininkai/Landowners Mounted Archers
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Bajoras Svita/Boyar Retinue
    [IMG][/IMG]


    Models and textures from:

    Balic: Total War
    Wrath of the Norsemen: The Baltic Release

    Mapping, modelling and skinning: Hellvard
    Researcher: claudioxd27
    Factions symbols nd units cards: SerbianWOLF
    Last edited by Hellvard; October 22, 2016 at 01:37 PM.





  4. #4

    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    Hi Hellvard. I suggest using sandee models for teutonics. His chainmail textures are great

  5. #5
    Hellvard's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    I think that Lithuania Mod models fits teutonics better Besides, I don't have time to re-work entire teuonic roster





  6. #6

  7. #7

    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    yes lithuania mod is very good

  8. #8

    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    very good mod!

  9. #9
    demagogos nicator's Avatar Domesticus
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    Another well done preview, great work!

  10. #10

    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    Just for this:
    "Widewuto would live to have 116 years of age. With that age, he burned himself with Pruteno in a religious ceremony."
    I will try the Prussians first!

  11. #11
    Hellvard's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    Battle between Lithuanians and forces of the Teutonic Order
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 













  12. #12
    Hellvard's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    Curonian Axemen

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  13. #13
    Hellvard's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    Lithuanian captain
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Lithuanian general
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    Lithuanian heir

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Lithuanian duke
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    We are still in need of researcher and unit cards maker!





  14. #14
    Hellvard's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    Teutonic Order officers:

    Captain
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Komtur
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    Grand komtur
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Grand master
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 





  15. #15
    SerbianWOLF's Avatar Semisalis
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    Awesome work, Hellvard !
    No freedom was ever given by any request, nor good speech. Freedom is what you conquer !



  16. #16

    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    Can't wait to play as the Order!

  17. #17
    Hellvard's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: Baltic States Preview

    You will like it, I'm sure





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