[PFM help] How to change the income of non-major factions?

**AerionMagnus** · February 19, 2017, 03:47 PM

Okay, so recently I figured I may as well try to influence the campaign map by pretending to be a god and give hidden financial boosts to factions that tend to be steamrolled by others. Mainly due to the fact that smaller faction would be able to resist major factions for a longer period of time, which would mean that the campaign would last longer and that the bigger empires would have more trouble comitting mass genocide.

For that reason, I decided to download PFM and try and edit them via "db/effect_bundles_to_effect_junction_tables/factions_traits_effect_bundles_to_effects_junctions", and while I did find most of the factions whose income I was able to edit, some have eluded that. Namely, I am looking for the lines that would enable me to edit income of Arevaci, Lusitani, Edetani, Cessetani, Cappadocia (is the latter even in DeI?) and that Indian faction whose name eludes me. Due to the fact that DeI has been changing some faction names, cultures, etc., I don't know what the correct lines are.

Here are a couple of examples:
- Macedon: rom_faction_trait_successors_macedon
- Saba: rom_faction_trait_saba
- etc.

There's also one that seems to be for the same faction (Getae), but is at the same time different:
- rom_faction_trait_getae
- rom_faction_trait_daco-thracian_getae
Which one is correct? Do both count for the same faction or are there two factions that have a different name in-game, but the same in the file?

Also, there are lines "rom_faction_celtiberian_tarbelli" & "rom_faction_celtiberian_cig" - which factions do they represent?

And one last thing: If I want to edit the income of factions that don't (yet) have that option in PFM, do I simply add a new rome and write the proper lines (for example rom_faction_trait_saba/rom_building_gdp_subsistence_faction_capital_hidden/this_faction/*income number*/start_turn_completed)?

Hopefully you can help, it would be a great addition to my campaign.

**Dresden** · February 19, 2017, 06:10 PM

To find out what faction traits are assigned to the factions, you can look in political parties tables. The cig/tarbelli one is for the CiG faction. Most factions have an entry for the subsistence capital entries (most set at 0) already. And, yes, if there are some missing then just add their faction effect bundle there the same as the others.

Normally in the game itself and at times in the mod, large factions were pretty awful and did not do very well. So, we took steps to change that. It may mean that some smaller factions aren't around in the mid/late game, but then that would sort of make that portion of the game rather easy.

But, rather than giving specific factions money, the easiest way to change the AI income once they get larger is to remove their building income bonus in campaign difficulty handicap effects (building gdp mod all). I would warn you, though, that it will make larger AI empires pretty much deteriorate.

**Jake Armitage** · February 19, 2017, 07:25 PM

Maybe AerionMagnus idea to strenghten some "key" non-major faction around the map might be interesting.
Anyway I have noticed too the latest possibilites that major factions have to expand.
And sincerely I see these possibilities as a good thing for DeI 1.2.

**AerionMagnus** · February 20, 2017, 04:50 AM

Originally Posted by Dresden

To find out what faction traits are assigned to the factions, you can look in political parties tables. The cig/tarbelli one is for the CiG faction. Most factions have an entry for the subsistence capital entries (most set at 0) already. And, yes, if there are some missing then just add their faction effect bundle there the same as the others.

Normally in the game itself and at times in the mod, large factions were pretty awful and did not do very well. So, we took steps to change that. It may mean that some smaller factions aren't around in the mid/late game, but then that would sort of make that portion of the game rather easy.

But, rather than giving specific factions money, the easiest way to change the AI income once they get larger is to remove their building income bonus in campaign difficulty handicap effects (building gdp mod all). I would warn you, though, that it will make larger AI empires pretty much deteriorate.

Good to know, thanks.

Actually, I've always found that changing the hidden income (via lines "/rom_building_gdp_subsistence_faction_capital_hidden/this_faction/*income number*/start_turn_completed") is the easiest and the most simple way to influence a campaign. I've been doing it for years and have managed to slow down the campaign for major factions and managed to "influence" the AI in a way that it would actually have to work hard(er) if it wanted to become a powerhouse in the game. I am not trying to make the empires collapse, the bonuses may stay (although this could enable me to trigger some sort of an artificial economic crisis, which sounds cool!), I am giving the minor factions the strength to fight against them - to a certain degree. They get more income, they get to build more armies or rebuild them faster after being defeated, which means that they fight harder. The harder they fight, the more that major faction has to work to conquer them. The results are: slower campaign, more historical accuracy, actual wars and less steamrolling.

I also like giving enemy factions more income for harder challenge. It's great.

Originally Posted by cino

Maybe AerionMagnus idea to strenghten some "key" non-major faction around the map might be interesting.
Anyway I have noticed too the latest possibilites that major factions have to expand.
And sincerely I see these possibilities as a good thing for DeI 1.2.

If I understand your post correctly, I agree. There are some quite important minor factions in the game that shouldn't be destroyed in an instant. Pergamon, Celtiberian tribes, Illyrians and some others. I don't mind to see them destroyed in the long run, I only want to give them a fighting chance. The major faction will likely overcome them, but in the process there could be a peacy treaty and a more equal fight. I want major factions to expand and provide me a challenge in the mid-late game, but if I change the incomes properly, this will slow them down and the map won't be only 2-3 grand empires after 200 rounds. There will still be some minor tribes that will fight against opression, some major factions with hard positions (Parthia, Pontus) will have a chance to bulid their own empires. Seleucids and Carthage, for example, always beat the crap out of their enemies. They are too strong. By giving their enemies more income, I am able to provide them with challenge, for example.