A huge thanks to Ltd, slytacular, Lucem for models and textures for this roster. Thanks to the rest of the team for advice and research. And a special thanks to sly for getting me involved in the development of this mod.
The roster is still somewhat a WIP, so all criticism and comments are welcome! Hope you enjoy the Rus roster!
Last edited by AlexiosThe1st; August 02, 2017 at 07:28 AM.
Re: Medieval Kingdoms Total War: Kievan Rus (REVAMP)
I see two things:
1. Blue Hairs and Facial Hair
Reminder that hair and beard models in Attila are colourmasked, hence do not forget to tint the model in the UnitEditor, unless you want your units' hair to be painted in the faction's color. See Izgoi Scouts having Russian Blues.
2. Smerd Spearmen and Axemen inconsistent armour
As I understand it, Smerd units are representative of the Russian Feudal Peasantry, so they are understandably light by appearance. However, why are the Smerd Spear and Axemen of the High era be a bit better-armoured than the late era? I suggest reducing the mailed variants of the high era version a bit so it matches the late era proportion.
Re: Medieval Kingdoms Total War: Kievan Rus (REVAMP)
But purple was so expensive that only emperors could afford it (that video is about Rome, but at the end he explains how the different colors were made):
Thorolf was thus armed. Then Thorolf became so furious that he cast his shield on his back, and, grasping his halberd with both hands, bounded forward dealing cut and thrust on either side. Men sprang away from him both ways, but he slew many. Thus he cleared the way forward to earl Hring's standard, and then nothing could stop him. He slew the man who bore the earl's standard, and cut down the standard-pole. After that he lunged with his halberd at the earl's breast, driving it right through mail and body, so that it came out at the shoulders; and he lifted him up on the halberd over his head, and planted the butt-end in the ground. There on the weapon the earl breathed out his life in sight of all, both friends and foes. [...] 53, Egil's Saga
I must tell you here of some amusing tricks the Comte d'Eu played on us. I had made a sort of house for myself in which my knights and I used to eat, sitting so as to get the light from the door, which, as it happened, faced the Comte d'Eu's quarters. The count, who was a very ingenious fellow, had rigged up a miniature ballistic machine with which he could throw stones into my tent. He would watch us as we were having our meal, adjust his machine to suit the length of our table, and then let fly at us, breaking our pots and glasses.
- The pranks played on the knight Jean de Joinville, 1249, 7th crusade.
This is the only forum I visit with any sort of frequency and I'm glad it has provided a home for RTR since its own forum went down in 2007. Hopefully my donation along with others from TWC users will help get the site back to its speedy heyday, which will certainly aid us in our endeavor to produce a full conversion mod Rome2.
Re: Medieval Kingdoms Total War: Kievan Rus (REVAMP)
Some feedback on the roster if I may:
- must ask, how Alexander Nevsky is related to Kievan Rus at all?
- imho, a bit extensive use of Byzz kettle helmet. May be tone its frequency a bit and restrict to Guard units? There are many accurate and varied Rus helmets used, but these stand out too much.
- Did you think of giving javelins to more units, as you said roster is still WIP? Right now, it's used by only one lightly-armored unit, right? A javelin, 'sulitsa' was extensively in use by light and heavy armored troops alike in 10-13 century, so I'd suggest giving them as a secondary weapon to some heavy infantry like Druzhina.
- Dismounted Druzhina are very grey and mono-coloured, I think more variants of shields for them is required. They were professionals after all, not militia.
- On the topic of shields, why no use of trident-trizub at all, one of the most important symbols of Kievan Rus?
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Thanks for the great work!
Last edited by Beregond; July 17, 2017 at 05:08 AM.
Re: Medieval Kingdoms Total War: Kievan Rus (REVAMP)
Originally Posted by You_Guess_Who
I see two things:
1. Blue Hairs and Facial Hair
Reminder that hair and beard models in Attila are colourmasked, hence do not forget to tint the model in the UnitEditor, unless you want your units' hair to be painted in the faction's color. See Izgoi Scouts having Russian Blues.
2. Smerd Spearmen and Axemen inconsistent armour
As I understand it, Smerd units are representative of the Russian Feudal Peasantry, so they are understandably light by appearance. However, why are the Smerd Spear and Axemen of the High era be a bit better-armoured than the late era? I suggest reducing the mailed variants of the high era version a bit so it matches the late era proportion.
1. Will change.
2. That was purposeful. The difference between axemen and spears was a representation of stratification within the peasant class. Those that could afford slightly better armor functioned as shock troops. But I can equalize them as well if the difference between the two looks wrong (or change the name of the levy axemen; that's another option I suppose if diversity is desired).
Having the late smerd as lighter units was also a design choice. I had the lights get lighter and the heavies get heavier. But I'd be happy to change this if it's wonky.
Last edited by AlexiosThe1st; July 17, 2017 at 07:09 AM.
Re: Medieval Kingdoms Total War: Kievan Rus (REVAMP)
Originally Posted by Beregond
Some feedback on the roster if I may:
- must ask, how Alexander Nevsky is related to Kievan Rus at all?
- imho, a bit extensive use of Byzz kettle helmet. May be tone its frequency a bit and restrict to Guard units? There are many accurate and varied Rus helmets used, but these stand out too much.
- Did you think of giving javelins to more units, as you said roster is still WIP? Right now, it's used by only one lightly-armored unit, right? A javelin, 'sulitsa' was extensively in use by light and heavy armored troops alike in 10-13 century, so I'd suggest giving them as a secondary weapon to some heavy infantry like Druzhina.
- Dismounted Druzhina are very grey and mono-coloured, I think more variants of shields for them is required. They were professionals after all, not militia.
- On the topic of shields, why no use of trident-trizub at all, one of the most important symbols of Kievan Rus?
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Thanks for the great work!
Alexander Nevsky was added to this roster as he was an important Russian prince of the 13th century. Admittedly not of Kiev, rather Novgorod and later Vladimir, but neither of these principalities are represented in the mod (and the above principalities had reasonably close ties to Kiev). I thought it a shame to leave this figure out, one important to the defense of the western edges of the Rus principalities. If this is deemed an issue, Nevsky can be removed.
On which units specifically do you find the Byz helmets in too high a concentration?
I'd love to give Rus a few jav units. Will change immediately.
I can easily give the Druzina a few more shields that have more color, as well as a few colored gambeson models.
I'll see if I can't have a few of those shields made
Last edited by AlexiosThe1st; July 17, 2017 at 08:16 AM.
Re: Medieval Kingdoms Total War: Kievan Rus (REVAMP)
Originally Posted by lion8000
But purple was so expensive that only emperors could afford it (that video is about Rome, but at the end he explains how the different colors were made):
Re: Medieval Kingdoms Total War: Kievan Rus (REVAMP)
So no Novgorod because of Campaign map limits, right? How do you think other Rus factions , such as Chernigov, Galicia-Volhynia, or Ryazan-Murom will compare and differ from Kievan Rus? And did you get any Turkic-Mongol inspiration for the High/Late tier units, as Rus would have been a total Mongol vassal state thoughout the 1300's and early 1400's? Great work though!
Medieval Kingdoms Total War: Kievan Rus (REVAMP)
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Originally Posted by lion8000
The Bogatyrs are an amazing addition, thanks for doing this revamp!
