Help adding shield wall to units outside BI

**Crivvens** · January 08, 2007, 10:18 AM

How can i go about taking the shield wall ability from BI and adding it to some Hoplite units?

I really want my Spartans to be able to form a shild wall.

All help appreciated

**rstoner** · January 09, 2007, 12:12 AM

Hi there.

To use the BI abilities in RTW you will have to play it through the BI exe. Create a shortcut to the BI exe, right-click on it and go to properties. Add -mod:data to the end of the target line, so it looks something like this:

"C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\RomeTW-BI.exe" -mod:data -show_err

The -show_err part is very important for error finding.

Now the shortcut will still use the BI.exe while referencing the original rtw data folder.

The BI abilities can now be activated by adding the appropriate tags like shield_wall, schiltrom, can_swim and power_charge to units in export_descr_unit.txt.

For the spartans (and any other hoplites), replace the phalanx tag with shield_wall. Sadly the hoplite's secondary sword attack will have to be sacrificed as the shieldwall only allows for one. Replace the secondary attack lines with:
stat_sec 0, 0, no, 0, 0, no, no, no, none, 25 ,1
stat_sec_attr no

Also remove the secondary attack animation (fs_swordsman) from the unit's entry in descr_model_battle.txt.

I use SigniferOne's classical hoplite animation in conjuction with the shieldwall ability, it looks so cool. His animation pack can be found here:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=27015

BI night battles can now be activated aswell should you wish. Here's a good tutorial: http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=59950

I hope I've remembered everything as it's been quite some time since I did this. I'll keep an eye on this thread should you have any problems.

Good luck

**Crivvens** · January 09, 2007, 08:31 AM

Hi rstoner

Thanks for your help.

I've now got shield wall working for all my hoplites and they are all fighting overarm as well.

The only thing that im not getting is the shield wall icon on the battle map. Rather than the interlocking shield icon i am just getting a box of red lines.

Do you have any idea how to fix that?

Even without the right icon i am still able to use the ability so now im happen.

Again, thanks for the help.

**rstoner** · January 09, 2007, 02:54 PM

Ah, I knew there was something I forgot.

To get the formation buttons to show up you need to transfer one of the BI files to the RTW data folder.

bi\data\ui\roman\interface\battlepage_03.tga

Copy this and overite the same file in the RTW data folder (make a backup of it just in case). You may need to unpack the PAK files in the RTW data folder before overiting.

Vercingetorix's pak extractor is here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/downl...?do=file&id=43

I think that's about it. I'm glad it all worked out for you

**Atahualpa** · January 13, 2007, 11:44 AM

Hi Rstoner.

A question: It works only with vanilla? Because i have added some new units and changed other things, and doing what you wrote i cant play even custom battle.
Bye

**Crivvens** · January 15, 2007, 10:38 AM

Thanks for the help rstoner thats me totally sorted. Now for some dun with Hoplite armies taking over the world!

**rstoner** · January 16, 2007, 05:04 PM

@Atahualpa: Is your game crashing outside of custom battles (ie: totally unplayable) or just the custom battles? If the game is unplayable now please post any error codes you get and I'll try and help. If it's just the custom battles then copy the BI campaign folder:

Rome - Total War\bi\data\world\maps\campaign\barbarian_invasion

Paste the copied folder into the RTW campaign folder:

Rome - Total War\Data\world\maps\campaign

Now download this modified descr_strat.txt ( http://files.filefront.com//;6545821;;/ ) and overite the one in the new copied BI campaign folder. I had to replace all BI faction tags with RTW factions in this descr_strat to get the custom battles working. Now delete the map.rwm file in that BI campaign folder, if there is one.
This BI campaign folder never needs to be used, it's just required by the BI exe to get things working properly.

Finally go to the Rome - Total War\Data\world\maps\base folder and delete map.rwm (it will regenerate when you load a custom battle).
You will have to delete this file between custom battles for them to work so just press ctrl+alt+dlt to exit the program without closing it and then maximize again afterwards. I know it isn't the perfect solution but it takes around 10 secs and is worth the effort imo.

Good luck.

@Crivvens: If your custom battles aren't working try the instructions above. Give those Seleucids a hammering for me.

**Atahualpa** · January 17, 2007, 09:26 PM

Hi Rstoner. Yes Its totally unplayable. When i try to start an inmperial campaign for example, i get the message "please select an option from the list". When i try to play a custom battle im kicked out to the main menu.

i have the mundus magnus map and the sky mod installed, and i have added some units. I hope you can help me with this problem.

Thank you