Announcement: Europa Barbarorum II 2.2r released!

[ZSV]

Again, which units specifically - by name please. They were made by different modellers/texturers, we need to check with them.

If the detail, the following units:

italic_cavalry_sabellian
italic_infantry_samnites_spearmen
ligurian_infantry_swordsmen
hellenistic_cavalry_hippeis
hellenistic_cavalry_tarantinoi
hellenistic_infantry_akontistai
hellenistic_infantry_epilektoi_hoplitai
hellenistic_infantry_hoplitai
hellenistic_infantry_hoplitai_haploi
hellenistic_infantry_hoplitai_mercenary
hellenistic_infantry_hypaspistai
hellenistic_infantry_sphendonitai
hellenistic_infantry_toxotai
hellenistic_missile_cretan_archers
lithobolos
hellenistic_cavalry_molosson_agema_bodyguard
hellenistic_infantry_Agema_phalangitai
hellenistic_infantry_Deuteroi_phalangitai
hellenistic_infantry_hemithorakitai
hellenistic_infantry_phalangitai
indian_elephant_standard

[QuintusSertorius]

If the detail, the following units:

italic_cavalry_sabellian
italic_infantry_samnites_spearmen
ligurian_infantry_swordsmen
hellenistic_cavalry_hippeis
hellenistic_cavalry_tarantinoi
hellenistic_infantry_akontistai
hellenistic_infantry_epilektoi_hoplitai
hellenistic_infantry_hoplitai
hellenistic_infantry_hoplitai_haploi
hellenistic_infantry_hoplitai_mercenary
hellenistic_infantry_hypaspistai
hellenistic_infantry_sphendonitai
hellenistic_infantry_toxotai
hellenistic_missile_cretan_archers
lithobolos
hellenistic_cavalry_molosson_agema_bodyguard
hellenistic_infantry_Agema_phalangitai
hellenistic_infantry_Deuteroi_phalangitai
hellenistic_infantry_hemithorakitai
hellenistic_infantry_phalangitai
indian_elephant_standard

I've discussed it with the team. While we're supportive of helping other mods get going with re-use, we're not comfortable essentially supplying entire rosters. That ends up with other mods looking like EBII-lite. If you could pick up to 10 of the units from that list, and ensure you give credit for them, you have the team's permission.

[ZSV]

I've discussed it with the team. While we're supportive of helping other mods get going with re-use, we're not comfortable essentially supplying entire rosters. That ends up with other mods looking like EBII-lite. If you could pick up to 10 of the units from that list, and ensure you give credit for them, you have the team's permission.

If this is so important, all the same the following units:

italic_cavalry_sabellian
italic_infantry_samnites_spearmen
ligurian_infantry_swordsmen
hellenistic_cavalry_hippeis
hellenistic_cavalry_tarantinoi
hellenistic_infantry_akontistai
hellenistic_infantry_epilektoi_hoplitai
hellenistic_infantry_hoplitai
hellenistic_infantry_hoplitai_haploi
hellenistic_infantry_hypaspistai
hellenistic_infantry_toxotai
lithobolos
hellenistic_cavalry_molosson_agema_bodyguard
hellenistic_infantry_Agema_phalangitai
hellenistic_infantry_phalangitai
indian_elephant_standard

As I wrote, we give in credit team EBII or individual members of the team as you enter. These units are important for the fractions Samnites , Syracuse and Pyrrhus army. Thank you for understanding!

[Kravixon01]

It will sub-mod for Paeninsula Italica II 0.97
Units Samnites, Greeks for Syracuse and and units of Epirus for Pyrrhus army.

I think he's asking for specific unit names, unless you mean all the units for those factions. I'd send Quintus a private message to work out the details.

[malato]

hiya
i'm playing the pritanoi, i'm only at turn 5, but...
i've seen that my bneloved neighbours are amassing and melting their armies along the eastern border of my province: so far they're happy enough with plundering and playing hide and seek in the woods
it seems quite a weird behaviour to me

EDIT:
land battles: i've had two or three: my dear rebel neighbours seem to use missile/light cavalry as wings, but do not hesitate to start the dances with their general/heavy cavalry, right in the centre of my army

sieges: i've faced only one sally so far, but I was merrily waiting for the outnumbered foes out of the village, so they've moved all of their units out of the city, but one, and.. to my surprise, rather than disposing to face my units, AI moved all of the units which were outside behind the town, regroupped, then launched a cavalry unit to harass my lines, then the skirmish unit which was in town, then his other units approached my men one by one, so that it was a no match fight

EDIT II:
once i've conquered the town north of my settlement, dear neighbours decided to move one fo their armies from south east of england to my north east border, just to remind me they know how to welcome me

[rhavviepoodle]

It might just me, but I feel like the CAI is much more likely to war casually and immediately move for ceasefires in 2.2f (compared to 2.2b, which I upgraded from). This isn't a huge problem, except when you're playing a small faction that starts next to large factions that are already at war (Pergamon and Malkuta Nabatu are prime examples of this). It was quite easy to consolidate Arabia (or western anatolia/greece/mikra skythia) in 2.2b, but anymore it seems like the Ptolemies and Seleucids beeline for a ceasefire and then immediately go after their weaker neighbors. Even if you ally with one of them, the fact that they won't war with each other means there's tougher competition in terms of expansion. If push comes to shove, then yeah it might be rational and intelligent for big factions to expand or go after weaker neighbors, but to an extent I think a bit of irrational stubbornness wouldn't be uncalled for.

[wermez]

Playing as Carthage, turn 65, H/M campaign. Relations were good with Rome until their Sicilian adventure. They launched invasion of Corsica with strong army, but with too much equites. Wars are quite rare, but happening. Epirotes and Greeks both launched invasion of Sicily at the same time.

[Lucio Domicio Aureliano]

Playing as Rome VH/VH. I feel the game is already well developed, many interesting features and, some of them, brilliant. The BAI is good, battles are nice, the AI tries to reach high grounds, pursue your skirmishers and their generals run away from senseless charges.
THE CAI is also good, but i feel they are super passive. I understand Rome is one of the easiest, if not the easiest faction to play with, but as it stands the campaign offers almost no challenge at all. Wars are seldom and they end briefly, the AI thoroughly avoids war with me. Perhaps, it would be a nice idea to make the AI more aggressive. I also believe the last remaining factions should be the Belgae and Insubres. That said, the game is great, it will be even better in the future, but it is already great.

Finally, i am experiencing few CTDs, good overall stability. Thx for the best mod i´ve ever played.

[Rad]

Worry not then. Ease up with conquest, give the AI a break until turn 150... then things become interesting.
You have to remember that it's faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar more easy to conquer the world in a video game by blitzing, than to actually do it in real life. To try and mimic actual conquest as much as the engine allows, you need to give the ai time to develop into a threat.

[Lucio Domicio Aureliano]

Ty for your reply RAD. I do think something need to be done though. I am in no way criticizing EB II, for it is truly great, but the difficulty of the campaign needs to be addressed. It is true i could easy up with the aggression, although i am already playing it slow, but that would also make extremely rich (sitting on my arse). Something to increase overall difficulty, be it by adding other game mechanics (many of the mechanics implement are awesome), with eyes to make the game more difficult or handicapping the player. I know the team decided against BGR V grim reality for instance, but it would be nice to mimic those features. One thing is for sure, BGR V does leads to a more difficult game.

Again, the Romans are indeed easy, but they and other factions can become at least a bit harder. That said, i do thing EB has whats needed to make the game harder, because they already have whats is hardest to achieve: a good AI, CAI and BI both. Perhaps a more aggressive AI, since the beginning of the game would already solve the issue to some extent (in my view).

Also, if you be so kind, what do you think about the Insubres?

[Rad]

Lucio, what turn are you at?

[Lucio Domicio Aureliano]

Lucio, what turn are you at?

Stil at the beginning Rad... around 90.

[Rad]

Try your luck with with one of the steppe or celtic factions. Playing with Rome is truly easy. Cash, location, troops. You have it all at the very start.
As a whole, EB2 is challenging. It doesn't need a difficulty boost. The only mod that I can think of that is definitely harder is call of warhammer... because of the billion unexpected spawn armies.

I have no opinion on the Insubres. What would you like me to comment on? Their history or them being a playable faction?

[wermez]

Insubres would fit nicely. I have seen Rome having hard time conquering Gallia Cisalpina, and they succeded taking one city in it after 50 turns. And I gave them much shekels by cheating.

[QuintusSertorius]

The Insubres make little sense when the Boii faction are their cousins.

[Lucio Domicio Aureliano]

The Insubres make little sense when the Boii faction are their cousins.

Gameplay wise i feel the Insubres would be a cool addition. It is possible, though, that they do not meet EBII criteria.They could spice things up in Italy and around the Alps. Regardless, i am pretty sure the last two pics will be great.

[Pooploop]

I'd like to add a few thoughts on Lucio Domicio Aureliano's comment on difficulty, and I fully agree - the ai, both CAI and BAI, must be made more exacting towards players. This game of course is free to be played as you will - if you wish to take it slow then do so. However, the Total War series is at heart a Real Time tactics and grand strategy game, and if CHOSEN to be played at the stated most challenging tier, then the game's ai must deliver its utmost. Unless one is playing multiplayer, most Total War fans have only one opponent: the ai. If that one opponent must be coddled, then no matter how beautiful the graphics or impressive the rosters the program has not improved at all. Take for example the ancient pastimes such as chess or Go; despite their singular "map" (one board style), limited "selection of units" (chess has 6 types of pieces while Go has one), and uninspiring "combat animation" (real life inert game tokens don't spring to life after all), the competitiveness of either game has not dimmed for millennia. This is because the strategical and tactical complexity of either game has constantly adapted and risen, thus always making them a challenge to play.

Disclaimer: I am saying this not because EB2 is considered a pretty Total war mod, but because among the other MTW2 mods, and even the more recent TW titles, this fan creation has actually taken concrete steps into make the game strategically and tactically harder without resorting to cheat buffing the AI. Examples include the lower damage across the board, focuses on flanking and maneuver, the descaling of the performance of cavalry, the importance of routs and prevention of routs...the list goes on and on. I always love seeing new units come to the fore - when the Spartan hoplites came out with the newer Greek cataphracts, I was elated by the skinners' attention to accurate detail. However, what I wish to express is that if I were to see on twitter not a picture but only a worded statement like: "We were able to make the BAI employ flanking or ambushing reserves" or "AI generals now know how to conduct an orderly fighting retreat" or "AI allied armies now know how to fight better, bar just joining up into one big mass before attacking", then EB2 truly would take top spot of mods forever, even against newer CA titles.

EB2 is a mod first and foremost and the dev team is in no way obligated to do whatever I suggest, as their creation is already very good (I also don't own anything). I hope however, that the team will spend some time focusing on improving the BAI and CAI for better future games.

P.S. Honestly, this comment should be directed towards Creative Assembly itself, but its recent games (Warhammer, etc.) have shown greater focus towards aesthetics and ease of play rather than strategical or tactical complexity.

[parthian8]

I have a few rules which work very well in making the game more challenging. Don't reload the game when you lose a battle, when a stack rebels unexpectedly, when an assassin gets through, when you get ambushed or taken out by an earthquake; when your convenient ceasefire is rejected, when your come-of-age princeling is a duffer. If you hold 20 new territories after 75 turns your argument basically boils down to "I was kicking them so hard they hadn't a hope of being aggressive back."

[f0ndiE^]

Totally agree with parthian8. Lucio and poop - wtf? One talking about making the game harder, yet he plays as Rome, which got everything - newb. And about poops post - yea sure, wouldnt that be nice? Such a shame it CANT be done due hardcoded limits. The current BAI and CAI is the best AI I have ever played againts, and trust me, I have played a lot. SO shut the up and go try Saba VH/VH, then talk.

Also Lucio, when ur at turn 90, I can imagine you have all the Italy and some neighbours cities - WOW very GJ maaan. Now wait turn 100, when AIs go berserk. Oh and also, pls post a screen when you will own France / Greece / Africa / Spain - or w/e the you want to take. I bet that you wont make winning conditions until turn 300.

[Colos1987]

Actually, AI is on a leash until turn 100. Upon turn 101 diplomacy screen will explode with wars

Also, try one of the factions in the meat grinder zones of Asia Minor or Hellas proper... it will be far from easy, trust me ;-)