SERBIA

[Lifthrasir]

Here is the Stratiotes model for Serbia, based on nikossaiz model for ERE:



Next step: make the model for rebels

[kostic]

I love them a lot ! I just think the spears are a little too long.

[Lifthrasir]

I haven't touched them. I have mostly modified the shields textures and corrected a few texture assignements which were wrong. The mesh itself hasn't been modified.
The textures are based on Vojislavljević (yellow strap on red background) and Nemanjić CoA (double headed white eagle on red backgrund). The green one with the yellow straps and the orthodox cross is based on a real medieval cavalry serbian flag. The 2 others are based on serbian symbols.



For the rebels, I'll probably use a mix of Croatian, Bosnian and Bulgarian symbols and CoA, to reflect the neighbouring regions of Serbia and Greece.

[Lifthrasir]

Below, the shields texture for the Stratiotes rebels:



From left to right:
Kačići family Coat of Arms (Croatian)
Bulgarian (from a medieval paint)
Croatian
Bulgarian
Croatian (not sure about the accuracy of that one)

I'll try to post a pic from the game later on.

​

[kostic]

Good work. Your Serbian shields are fine, but I admit that I have no knowledge of the heraldry of families in this region. Did they wear their shields like this in the 12th century? It's possible.

[Lifthrasir]

The Vojislavljević (yellow strap on red background) and Nemanjić CoA (double headed white eagle on red background) were used during the 12th century.
The Green one is based on a Serbian cavalry flag but I can't say from which medieval era
The 2 others are pure invention but based on real serbian symbols

Regarding the others (for rebels), the Kačići (Croatian Noble Family) CoA was uses from 1106 AD.
The 1st Bulgarian one (red and green) is shown on a paint (12th century) from the fresco in the church of Saint Panteleimon in Gorno Nezeri (North Macedonia). I'm not sure it is Bulgarian as the church seemed to have been built by Greeks
The 2nd Croatian one is based on their CoA . I can't find the pic anymore but the oldest CoA had less squares actually (2 red and 2 white). But to not get it similar to any possible other shield, I've used the one from the 15th century.
The 2nd Bulgarian one is also from late era and based on one from a museum. Medieval Kingdoms mod uses similar shields for the Bulgarian heavy spearmen (see here). So yes it was used but more for spearmen than for cavalry.
The last Croatian one is based on the croatian cosplay. That's why I'm not sure about the accuracy

In any case, I'm opened to suggestions

Edit: here are the models in game for rebels. Don't pay attention to the Serbian flag, I had to make a trick to test it in custom battles. These are really for rebels

[Lifthrasir]

I've reworked a bit the slave models for Stratiotes:





Not a big change: I've only removed the Croatian CoA and have replaced it with the Bulgarian flag from the 13th century. It seems more logical to me to make more Bulgarian rebels than Croatian one for that unit.

[officialdeo]

Wow, these units are amazing. It's such a shame I can only see it as chunky models due to my 10-year-old, toaster of a laptop.

[Jurand of Cracow]

There should be a special historical event or script related to Saint Sava and spread of the Orthodox church in Serbia at the begining of the 13c.

[SteamedTang]

Do any of you guys have advice for playing as Serbia? I’m having a bit of trouble with then.

[SteamedTang]

Hey does anyone have some advice for playing a VH Serbian campaign. I’m having a bit of trouble with them.

[Jurand of Cracow]

Hey does anyone have some advice for playing a VH Serbian campaign. I’m having a bit of trouble with them.

I haven't played them yet. I tried to allow them to take Skoder but how do they evolve later - I don't know. Tell us what kind of challenges have you experienced.

[Nemesis2345]

Hey does anyone have some advice for playing a VH Serbian campaign. I’m having a bit of trouble with them.

My advice : Get good relations with the pope and the catholics and storm the Romans (Byzantines) since if you are at war with other catholics your realtions will drop and they will all try to attack you .

[SteamedTang]

Hmm. I’ll try that out in a new campaign. The one I currently have I expanded to Bologna and am trapped btwn the Pope and Venice. Not at war yet.

My fear in implementing your advice is my ability to handle the Byzantines. When I have tried in the past I struggle greatly with all their javelin units.

[SteamedTang]

Once you take Skadar, Vrhbosa, Zadar, and Ragusa, it is difficult to figure out where to expand next. The Byzantines are terrifyingly powerful and war hungry(making it difficult to maintain peace with them). There are hardly any remaining rebel settlements nearby that make sense to take.
I just took Bologna in my current campaign. Not sure if it was the wisest choice.

[kostic]

Playing serbia in VH / VH is indeed quite a challenge !

[Fishmalk]

In my playthrough as serbia a version or two ago, I gobbled up the rest of the balkans asap while keeping my starting castle as my eastmost region so i could use it to defend against the byzantines when they inevitably attacked me. Once or twice I attacked their greek provinces and returned them for peace. My territorial expansion was into hungary and then germany, which made for messy borders and a revolution in hungary I barely contained. If/when the ERE collapses, you want to be the one that picks up the pieces west of the bosphorus. Until then, moving into italy is probably the wisest course.

[Jurand of Cracow]

Guys,
if there'd be a Serbian fan willing to write the descriptions of the events, then it would be quite helpful.

{SERBIAN__EVENTS_SECTION_BODY}----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------{SERBIAN__EVENTS_SECTION_TITLE} Technical line for easier editing of the section SERBIAN EVENTS




{SERBIAN0_STARTING_INFO_BODY}\n\nSerbian reforms are not fully implemented yet. The faction plays similar as it was in SSHIP 0.92 or 0.97.
{SERBIAN0_STARTING_INFO_TITLE}Serbia in the Middle Ages


{SERBIAN1_REFORMS_INFO_BODY}\n\nSerbian reforms are not fully implemented yet. The faction plays similar as it was in SSHIP 0.92 or 0.97.
{SERBIAN1_REFORMS_INFO_TITLE}Serbian Reforms


{SERBIAN2_NEMANJA_STATE_BODY}\n\nSerbian Reform 1.
{SERBIAN2_NEMANJA_STATE_TITLE}Nemanja Dynasty


{SERBIAN3_SAINT_SAVA_BODY}\n\nSerbian Reform 2.
{SERBIAN3_SAINT_SAVA_TITLE}Saint Sava


{SERBIAN4_DUSAN_EMPIRE_BODY}\n\nSerbian Reform 3.
{SERBIAN4_DUSAN_EMPIRE_TITLE}Stefan Dusan Empire


{SERBIAN5_WESTERN_INFLUENCES_BODY}\n\nSerbian Reform 4.
{SERBIAN5_WESTERN_INFLUENCES_TITLE}Stefan Dusan Empire


{SERBIAN6_BRANKOVIC_LAST_STAND_BODY}\n\nSerbian Reform 5.
{SERBIAN6_BRANKOVIC_LAST_STAND_TITLE}Brankovic Dynasty

    ;====================================================================================================== SERBIA EVOLUTION    ;---------- Serbia Evolution


    set_event_counter serbian2_nemanja_state_player 0			; turn 80-140
    set_event_counter serbian3_saint_sava_player 0				; turn 150-220
    set_event_counter serbian4_dusan_empire_player 0			; turn 400
    set_event_counter serbian5_western_influences_player 0		; turn 500
    set_event_counter serbian6_brankovic_last_stand_player 0	; turn 600
	 
	;-------------------------------------------------------------------- SERBIAN STARTING INFO
	; information about reforms
	
    monitor_event PreFactionTurnStart FactionType serbia


		if I_IsFactionAIControlled serbia
			terminate_monitor
		end_if


        if I_TurnNumber = 4
			historic_event SERBIAN0_STARTING_INFO		
			terminate_monitor
		end_if
    end_monitor
	
	;-------------------------------------------------------------------- SERBIAN NEMANJA STATE
	; Stefan Nemanja state (1166-1196)
	
    monitor_event PreFactionTurnStart FactionType serbia


		if I_TurnNumber = 100
		and I_SettlementOwner Ras = serbia						; at least the capital is in the Serbian hands
		
			historic_event SERBIAN2_NEMANJA_STATE factions { byzantium, hungary, poland, hre, venice, kievan_rus, cumans, sicily, pisa, rum, }									; info only for the nearby factions
			
			if not I_IsFactionAIControlled serbia
				inc_event_counter serbian2_nemanja_state_player 1
			end_if
				
			terminate_monitor
		end_if


		if I_TurnNumber > 110										; FALL BACK - in case of failure or a bug
		and I_SettlementOwner Ras = serbia							; at least the capital is in the Serbian hands
		and RandomPercent > 90										; to add some randomness against the bugs
		
			historic_event SERBIAN2_NEMANJA_STATE factions { byzantium, hungary, poland, hre, venice, kievan_rus, cumans, sicily, pisa, rum, }
			if not I_IsFactionAIControlled serbia
				inc_event_counter serbian2_nemanja_state_player 1
			end_if			
			
			terminate_monitor
		end_if


	end_monitor			
		
	;-------------------------------------------------------------------- SERBIAN SAINT SAVA
	; Saint Sava cultural modernization (1174-1236)
	
    monitor_event PreFactionTurnStart FactionType serbia
	
		if I_TurnNumber = 200
		and I_SettlementOwner Ras = serbia						; at least the capital is in the Serbian hands
		
			historic_event SERBIAN3_SAINT_SAVA factions { byzantium, hungary, poland, hre, venice, kievan_rus, cumans, sicily, pisa, rum, }
			
			if not I_IsFactionAIControlled serbia
				inc_event_counter serbian3_saint_sava_player 1
			end_if
				
			terminate_monitor
		end_if


		if I_TurnNumber > 210										; FALL BACK - in case of failure or a bug
		and I_SettlementOwner Ras = serbia							; at least the capital is in the Serbian hands
		and RandomPercent > 90										; to add some randomness against the bugs
		
			historic_event SERBIAN3_SAINT_SAVA factions { byzantium, hungary, poland, hre, venice, kievan_rus, cumans, sicily, pisa, rum, }
			if not I_IsFactionAIControlled serbia
				inc_event_counter serbian3_saint_sava_player 1
			end_if	
			
			terminate_monitor
		end_if


	end_monitor	
	
	;-------------------------------------------------------------------- SERBIAN STEFAN DUSAN EMPIRE
	; Stefan Dusan state (1330-1355)
	
    monitor_event PreFactionTurnStart FactionType serbia
	
		if I_TurnNumber = 400
		and I_SettlementOwner Ras = serbia						; at least the capital is in the Serbian hands
		
			historic_event SERBIAN4_DUSAN_EMPIRE factions { byzantium, hungary, poland, hre, venice, kievan_rus, cumans, sicily, pisa, rum, }
			
			if not I_IsFactionAIControlled serbia
				inc_event_counter serbian4_dusan_empire_player 1
			end_if
				
			terminate_monitor
		end_if


		if I_TurnNumber > 410										; FALL BACK - in case of failure or a bug
		and I_SettlementOwner Ras = serbia							; at least the capital is in the Serbian hands
		and RandomPercent > 90										; to add some randomness against the bugs
		
			historic_event SERBIAN4_DUSAN_EMPIRE factions { byzantium, hungary, poland, hre, venice, kievan_rus, cumans, sicily, pisa, rum, }
			if not I_IsFactionAIControlled serbia
				inc_event_counter serbian4_dusan_empire_player 1
			end_if	
			
			terminate_monitor
		end_if


	end_monitor	
	
	;-------------------------------------------------------------------- SERBIAN BRANKOVIC LAST STAND
	; Brankovic dynasty (1427-1459)


    monitor_event PreFactionTurnStart FactionType serbia
	
		if I_TurnNumber = 600
		and I_SettlementOwner Ras = serbia						; at least the capital is in the Serbian hands
		
			historic_event SERBIAN6_BRANKOVIC_LAST_STAND factions { byzantium, hungary, poland, hre, venice, kievan_rus, cumans, sicily, pisa, rum, }
			
			if not I_IsFactionAIControlled serbia
				inc_event_counter serbian6_brankovic_last_stand_player 1
			end_if
				
			terminate_monitor
		end_if


		if I_TurnNumber > 610										; FALL BACK - in case of failure or a bug
		and I_SettlementOwner Ras = serbia							; at least the capital is in the Serbian hands
		and RandomPercent > 90										; to add some randomness against the bugs
		
			historic_event SERBIAN6_BRANKOVIC_LAST_STAND factions { byzantium, hungary, poland, hre, venice, kievan_rus, cumans, sicily, pisa, rum, }
			if not I_IsFactionAIControlled serbia
				inc_event_counter serbian6_brankovic_last_stand_player 1
			end_if	
			
			terminate_monitor
		end_if


	end_monitor

[Stivanderen]

In the current version (0.98) bashtinik infantry, aka the peasent nobility/ free holders wield spear and shield and are stats wise worse than the norse landevearnsmenn how ever their lore text says that they should also have javelins which im pretty sure they had in the last version. Some ways to make them stronger would be to increase their unit size from the normal noble infantry of 101 to 120, make them better at hiding, give them javelins, give them a small stat boost perhaps in defence skill. The only thing they have going for them is that they have one of the best attack stats for spearmen in general.

[Jurand of Cracow]

fyi - in 098 the initial situation of Serbia shoul be eased somehow:

;------- Financial Support for Serbia ; very crude solution to the problem of initial inability of Serbia to support fighting - the same script as for Portugal & Lithuania

monitor_event FactionTurnStart TrueCondition
and I_EventCounter faction_turn_serbia == 1


log --- Script start : Serbia supported


if I_TurnNumber > 1
and I_NumberOfSettlements serbia < 2
and I_NumberOfSettlements serbia > 0


console_command add_money serbia, 5000
historic_event SERBIA_INITIAL_SUPPORT factions { serbia, }
end_if


if I_TurnNumber > 1
and I_NumberOfSettlements serbia < 3
and I_NumberOfSettlements serbia > 1


console_command add_money serbia, 2000
historic_event SERBIA_INITIAL_SUPPORT factions { serbia, }
end_if


if I_NumberOfSettlements serbia > 2
terminate_monitor
end_if


log ------ Script end
end_monitor