Thoughts on me making a Marius - Sulla Civil War submod?

**Haddon** · December 12, 2016, 01:13 PM

I have done a fair deal of very minor modding in my time playing Total War (and Mount and Blade and some Dragon Age and FFTactics), but I have never completed making a real mod for release based on a theme. Though I am close with my FFT mod. Anyway, I absolutely adore Marius and Sulla, like two heads of a military god coin, and the direct causes of Caesar's rise to power. We have seen a whole lot of Caesar and his wars in games (though not a great deal in TW, surprisingly. Probably because it is so overdone) but the people I consider his predecessors and reason he was able to do what he did get so very little love.

So, my thoughts on this so far are in three different categories;

either the mod starts with the Jugurthine/Numidian War, followed almost immediately by the Cimbrian Invasion, taking command of Marius, Sulla and maybe Quintus Sertorius (despite being too young at this point historically, he was a badass and I might include him), with Roma as its own faction, you controlling only the territories in Spain that Marius basically owned.

Second idea is the mod starts with the Battle of Arausio, where you are meant to get your ass totally handed to you, and then Marius (freshly home from the Jugurthine War) must recruit units in time to stave off the Germans. This one seems harder to script, but also seems more interesting, I think. These first two ideas then continue on until Mithradates VI rises in the east, and after defeating him the Romans break into civil war between Marius and Sulla. Just skip the Social War, because 2 massive wars followed by 2 massive (basically) civil wars seems a bit too much.

Third idea, and my personal favorite right now, is start the mod with the Social War, with you commanding both Sulla and Marius, while Mithradates wreaks havoc off to the east, but you just kinda have to take it and hopefully not lose too much, because the Social War is a scary deal. Almost immediately after the Social War, the Roman faction breaks into the Populares and Optimates (yes, I know they weren't quite the Populares at the time) and you command either Marius or Sulla, and must defeat the other AND Mithradates.

Now, this is far from a guarantee I am going to make this, but I thought I would get some opinions on the subject. If people are interested, it will make me much more likely to do it. Not for awhile, of course, because AE isn't out, and when it comes out I am gonna be PLAYING it! But, you know, in time.

**ABH2** · December 12, 2016, 02:45 PM

I would personally love to see AE become a platform for other modders work, and I rather enjoy the time period suggested here myself. When we release, I do plan to provide all data that could help out modders (all raw data for the Assembly Kit) and there will be a lot of stuff in the model packs which people can play around with to release submods.

**Haddon** · December 12, 2016, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by ABH2

I would personally love to see AE become a platform for other modders work, and I rather enjoy the time period suggested here myself. When we release, I do plan to provide all data that could help out modders (all raw data for the Assembly Kit) and there will be a lot of stuff in the model packs which people can play around with to release submods.

That is great to hear, I love openness with modding. This community usually is, as long as credit is given, and I am a big believer in giving credit where due.

**bobbyr** · December 12, 2016, 04:10 PM

It would be great!
We lack mods for this time period in Rome II and ATW.

You could use the game 'Ale Jacta Est' as an inspiration. It includes this very scenario in all it's historical detail. Could save you a lot of research.

**Petellius** · December 12, 2016, 09:09 PM

Do it.

Will we be seeing naked cimbri sledging down the alps? xD

On another note we'll hopefully (eventually) get some cool events going on in this period (along with social wars), its something I know the team really, really wants to do and get right. I wouldn't mind seeing a myriad of submods tbh. I love to see how others will explore the AE lore (I know its historical but still every mod has its own kind of take) and expand on different areas and bring new stories. I get so hyped about people sharing in our ambitions.

**Maetharin** · December 13, 2016, 01:29 PM

Love the idea, but AE needs to be finished first

Especially since the Roman Civil Wars put Romans against Romans, there isn´t much variety there,
so a detailed 24-turns per year campaign with supplies and other strategic issues would be awesome.

But for that we´d need these features in-game

Best regards

**Falco** · December 13, 2016, 02:09 PM

I would love to see some kind of sub mod for this time period. It's very surprising to me that more people haven't used this time period for a mod TBH.

**The Wandering Storyteller** · December 13, 2016, 02:21 PM

The submods is the greatest aspect that I'm looking forward too. I would love modders to make campaigns mods for AE. The Roman-Parthian Wars, the Roman-Marcomanni Wars.

Too many Roman novels out of curiosity focus on Rome and Britannia. If you look at Robert Fabbri's Vespasian series, it has Britannia. Really Britannia had nothing going for it. I say the Parthian mainland, the stunning cities, its much better.

I really love this line from the Suebi Faction intro for RII.

Even the stoutest centurion would tremble at the sight of a charging band of Berserkers – or feel the icy hand of fear clutching his heart when the sinister, black-painted Night Hunters spring from the forests.

Now this would make for a great campaign submod.

But I don't mind early Republican stuff, I kind of veer off to the Gladiator Period, more Rome vs Raging Germanic's and Persians in the East.

This would be an ideal campaign submod if any modder decides to do this in the near future:

PARTHIAN WARS is a historical operational strategy game with simultaneous turns (WEGO system) that places you in command of Rome or their Eastern nemesis, the Parthians (from 53BC to 197AD).

You play the part of the military and political leadership, guiding your nation to victory, through some of the toughest conflicts of the Ancient world, represented by 5 challenging scenarios.

Go for it!

I agree, there's a lore for this, but I'd use the historical discussion, but then its up to others how they look at it. I think this mod may revive those disappointed RII fans, I mean after all AE is that mod that should really replace RII. Because I was like many of the other excited fans of the time waiting for this game, but on release day....lets just say it wasn't great. Is RII improved, yes. Would I play it, maybe because Time Commanders and DEI, but no.

AE is supposed to be a RIII in this sense. Taking elements of RII, Attila and RTW, and making a unofficial sequel to RII in my opinion.