VERSION 1.5.4 RELEASED OCTOBER 4, 2022
As you were, soldier.
After years of learning to mod the game's data files, campaign setup, and unit textures, I am very proud to present Succession - A Total War: Empire Revival Mod.
The mission of this mod is not new: to enhance the historical accuracy and strategic challenge of ETW without sacrificing entertainment. To accomplish this mission, I've tweaked more aspects of the game than I can count, including:
- Altering the accuracy of cannons and firearms and reducing projectile tracers. Battles will be won by disciplined and experienced troops who can withstand the prolonged onslaught of enemy volleys, or close the gap in good order with bayonets.
- Enhancing the causes and effects of fatigue and morale. Remember not to tire your regiments before engaging, and watch your flanks.
- Improving the effects of buildings, technologies, and character traits. A capitalist in the cabinet will lower the costs of industrial buildings, a physiocrat will lower farm costs, and high level religious schools will improve research.
- Improving diplomacy. AI factions will behave more realistically by placing higher value on interfaction opinion. They will be less inclined to launch attacks purely for sharing a border, though they will still take advantage of weak and undefended neighbors.
- Introducing Portugal, Denmark, and Scotland as playable factions with faction descriptions and victory conditions.
- New technologies for Britain, the United States, and Poland-Lithuania, with more coming in later updates.
- National Traditions giving bonuses to certain factions from the start of the Grand Campaign.
- New Missions for Britain, Austria, Prussia, Sweden, and Denmark.
- Adding many new units for major and minor factions (even rebels!), including marines, revolutionary infantry, frontier militia, Croatian chasseurs, Connaught Rangers, Dagestani swordsmen, colonial Highlanders, and Portuguese tiradores.
- Adding new historical characters to the 18th Century world, including Menno van Coehoorn, Henry Boyle, and Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam.
- Revamping the campaign setup. The Great Northern War has plunged Sweden in a conflict with Denmark, Poland-Lithuania, and Russia (which has recently made bitter peace with the Ottomans). In contrast, western Europe experiences relative peace following the Imperial victory over the Turks; Austria is on good terms with their Polish saviors. The German states continue to rebuild following the devastation of the Thirty Years War, making the Prussian campaign more about rising from the ashes than constant military onslaught.
- Creating a sophisticated Area of Recruitment system; many units, from line infantry to cuirassiers, are now limited to their home regions. Unique, region-specific units take their place, such as the Regiment of Danzig in West Prussia and the Portuguese Legion in Portugal.
- Faction Updates! Bohemia appears as an emergent faction complete with Empire's unused Czech voice files. They are also available in custom battles. Additionally, Westphalia has been rebranded as the Archbishopric of Cologne (Westphalia appears a century too early in vanilla).
- Adding historical titles for dukes, viceroys, electors, governors, secretaries of state, maharajas, chiefs, and emperors.
- Revamping Generals so they are no longer a heavy cavalry unit. These men are officers and gentlemen; the unit size has been decreased and their combat abilities reduced. Keep your general safe; a general who flees the field has a worse impact on morale than a general who dies in glorious battle. This holds true for the player and the AI, so consider sparing a routing enemy general and watch his army follow suit.
- Limiting recruitment of Indiaman trade ships as the AI tends to build fleets of them for combat. Brigs and sloops now possess the ability to trade, though they are less efficient due to their higher upkeep.
- Enhancing campaign map faction COLORS. You will never be unsure whether Portugal or France owns a region again.
NOTE: The campaign has been balanced for playing on the Normal difficulty level. Other difficulty levels will still be enjoyable and challenging, but sticklers for historical realism should stick to Normal as it tames the sometimes random AI.
WHAT'S NEW IN 1.5?
When I started this project, I actually had no intention of releasing it. As such, there are some legacy mods from other creators in the files. I tried to purge anything third party to avoid stepping on my fellow modders' toes, but some elements remain as the original creators are no longer active on this forum (as far as I know). Those that come to mind are:
- Of Kaiser, Tsar, and Ghasyar by Sir Digby Chicken Caesar - this incredible mod adds new units such as Swiss line infantry, Khevsuri warriors, and Slavic pandours. The detail and immersion of his mod is so great, I ended up cloning one of his units as a melee unit for Dagestan. All credit for those models and skins goes to him. Thanks to Caesar for his permission to use them.
- Vanilla Units Enhanced by Bavarian Grenadier - I used some of his excellent models for my new Revolutionary Infantry unit and European generals. All credit for those models goes to him.
- General Andy's Musket Sounds - the greatest musket sound improvement mod on the planet, in my opinion. All credit for General Andy's sounds goes to him.
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Make the world your colony in style. Enjoy.