Areuakoi traits, ancillaries and tips?

[makute]

Good day everyone,

I'm giving a try to EB 2.35 playing as the Areuakoi. It's my first serious dive into EB after playing SS 6.4 for years, so I'm not much scared about gameplay complexities, but I need help some mechanics.

- Personal herds: Does the character need to start the Winter turn already out of a settlement? I mean, I go out in Fall, stays out during Winter and re-enter again in Spring, or is enough with going out in Winter and re-enter next Spring for the Herds to expand?

- Mercenary work: Can the characters be recruited in neutral or enemy provinces if other requisites are met? What happens if a merc-to-be stay in a settlement with a governor and the mercenary is a better one than the previous, does it gets "skipped"?

- Also, I'll need some clarification about the raiding mechanic, as I've seen different answers to this same question: Do I need to move my raiders to a new, "fresh" tile once they create devastation? Also, does the quantity and/or quality of the troops acompaning the general matters?

Thanks a lot.

[RodriguesSting]

- Ending the turn outside during the winter is enough from what I remember reading the files.
- You can only be mercenary by staying inside the given settlements, after a given year depending on faction (don't think it applies to the Areuakoi).
- It seems this is how the mechanic was conceived, but I had success by just staying on the devastated tile, both on raiding income, as well as in acquiring raiding traits (including herds).

[makute]

- Ending the turn outside during the winter is enough from what I remember reading the files.

I tried to squeeze some info from the export_descr_character_traits.txt file, but was not familiar with the I_EventCounter trigger.

Trigger CattleGain14
  WhenToTest CharacterTurnEnd

  Condition FactionType f_arevaci
        and Trait HerdOwner > 0
        and I_EventCounter ecWinter = 1
        and Trait LivestockHerds < 4
        and not InEnemyLands
        and not EndedInSettlement

  Affects LivestockHerds  2  Chance  100
  Affects LivestockHerds  3  Chance  15

If I recall correctly, does this means that there is a 100% chance to increase the herd in two points, with an additional 15% of a third?

- You can only be mercenary by staying inside the given settlements, after a given year depending on faction (don't think it applies to the Areuakoi).

That's what the 2.35 guide says, but my Areuakoi generals got the "Eligible for Mercenary Service" trait after a couple turns. I wonder what other vital information the guide is lacking.

- It seems this is how the mechanic was conceived, but I had success by just staying on the devastated tile, both on raiding income, as well as in acquiring raiding traits (including herds).

Again, the guide is not clear on this. Thank you so much for your help

[RodriguesSting]

If I recall correctly, does this means that there is a 100% chance to increase the herd in two points, with an additional 15% of a third?

Indeed, although not all traits actually progress in that additive fashion. A good deal of them have a certain threshold as a good outcome, and a different one (larger or smaller, depending on the trait) with a bad outcome, as well all possibilities between that. This is one of the additive. For the record, here's the thresholds for this trait line in particular:

Trait LivestockHerds Characters family
ExcludeCultures cul_2, cul_1, cul_3, cul_4, cul_7, cul_6


Level Modest_Herds
Description Modest_Herds_desc
EffectsDescription Modest_Herds_effects_desc
Threshold 1


Effect MovementPoints 3
Effect Piety -2


Level Respectable_Herds
Description Respectable_Herds_desc
EffectsDescription Respectable_Herds_effects_desc
Threshold 10


Effect MovementPoints 1


Level Enviable_Herds
Description Enviable_Herds_desc
EffectsDescription Enviable_Herds_effects_desc
Threshold 25

Effect Farming 1


Level Great_Herds
Description Great_Herds_desc
EffectsDescription Great_Herds_effects_desc
Threshold 50


Effect Piety 1
Effect Chivalry 1
Effect Farming 1
Effect MovementPoints -1


Level Boundless_Herds
Description Boundless_Herds_desc
EffectsDescription Boundless_Herds_effects_desc
Threshold 80


Effect Piety 1
Effect Chivalry 2
Effect Farming 2
Effect MovementPoints -3

Keep in mind, as well, this is just one of the triggers to acquire herds. There's many, MANY more.

That's what the 2.35 guide says, but my Areuakoi generals got the "Eligible for Mercenary Service" trait after a couple turns. I wonder what other vital information the guide is lacking.

*Generally* this trait means your general can actually go to the said settlements (in the guide, as well reading the trait description itself), wait up, and start his mercenary adventures. It works as intended for most factions. I think Areuakoi are not among the ones that it is kinda screwy. So that basically serves to let you know this general can be a mercenary. If you don't want him to go on the mercenary adventures, keep him away from the eligible settlements. Otherwise, sit him there.

Again, the guide is not clear on this. Thank you so much for your help

I had to do quite some asking around myself to discover that. I wish the guide was a bit more open regarding internal mechanics, as the basic knowledge of them is vital to play this mod with any degree of informed decisions.

[makute]

Thanks again for your detailed answer. You've been very helpful and thoughtful

Are there any other mechanic specific or not to the Areuakoi, not listed in the guide? Apart from herds, mercenaries, warrior values...

[RodriguesSting]

There's the the senate/bureocratic offices you can get, the generic Iberian hand traitline, the daggers... but these are comparatively minor to the ones already presented.

You can find their specific traits in the file, in "Section 4.20 - Faction Specific Traits - AREVACI", and triggers in "Section 4.20 - Faction Specific Triggers - AREVACI". Generic Iberian traits will also apply, as well as some Celtic ones.

[makute]

Thanks again mate. Will definitely take a look at them.

[makute]

Have a couple more questions:

- First one is about the different Governments types: I re-read a few times the player manual and searched the forum but it's, by far, the more obscure part of EB2 (not that I'm complaining).

I just took Mastia (Bastetania province) in my current Aravaci game, and planned to stablish a client government so I can put a client ruler in charge. This way, I can have a governor without my FMs triggering the Mercenary work. Specifically, I chose a regular Closely Allied Democracy for its naval recruitment bonus. I tried at first an Anetlo (Aravaci specific Client State) but that government didn't allow for client rulers recruitment, is that by design? Am I missing something choosing the regular Allied Gov over my faction specific one?

Is the map in this thread still relevant and up to date? I always assumed that the whole Government Buildings mechanism serves as a simulation of the Faction sphere of influence, and how the farther from the homelands the less direct control that can be held over them. Anyway, I'm having a really hard time familiarizing with it. I.e. what's the purpouse of the Konzuratus (Coalition)? It seems like an early dead end to me. Also, in the player manual there is a mention to Kar Areuakum (any Client Allied State) in the Celtiberian Migration page,but can't find anything about it in the factional governments. Does it refers to any Client Allied State, like either Allied Government or Anetlom Client State?

- The second may be a bug, but I'm not entirelly sure. Here you can see my current FL in the capital, trying to trigger the Champion's Duel event:



A couple turns later, after taking Mastia, The FM leading the assault (and Potential Successor) gains both the Amputated and Enemy Right Hand traits, while the FL lost his Champion's Duel trait, even when his still in his 50s, and I assume, eligible.



As I said, not sure if this is a bug or just an unlucky development of events.

I'll appreciate any help.

[Rad]

A couple turns later, after taking Mastia, The FM leading the assault (and Potential Successor) gains both the Amputated and Enemy Right Hand traits, while the FL lost his Champion's Duel trait, even when his still in his 50s, and I assume, eligible.

You win some, you lose some.

[makute]

I call it The Skywalker Curse​

[Lusitanio]

Seems really bad luck mate. I did quite a few of playtesting with the Celtiberian faction and never had that happen to me.

[Trarco]

Have a couple more questions:

I just took Mastia (Bastetania province) in my current Aravaci game, and planned to stablish a client government so I can put a client ruler in charge. This way, I can have a governor without my FMs triggering the Mercenary work. Specifically, I chose a regular Closely Allied Democracy for its naval recruitment bonus. I tried at first an Anetlo (Aravaci specific Client State) but that government didn't allow for client rulers recruitment, is that by design? Am I missing something choosing the regular Allied Gov over my faction specific one?.

Yes, it's by design, maybe I should re-think some of these mechanics.

Anyway, I'm having a really hard time familiarizing with it. I.e. what's the purpouse of the Konzuratus (Coalition)? It seems like an early dead end to me.

It's there for historical and replayability reasons, but actually, it is not the best choice in terms of gameplay.

- The second may be a bug, but I'm not entirelly sure. Here you can see my current FL in the capital, trying to trigger the Champion's Duel event:



A couple turns later, after taking Mastia, The FM leading the assault (and Potential Successor) gains both the Amputated and Enemy Right Hand traits, while the FL lost his Champion's Duel trait, even when his still in his 50s, and I assume, eligible.



As I said, not sure if this is a bug or just an unlucky development of events.

I'll appreciate any help.

It is an unlucky development of events (but, IMHO, good for the roleplay). I can't confirm it, but according to the screenshot, it seems that you got the right hand because you obtained a clear victory or killed many enemies, but at the same time, probably, you lost the hand because you lost too many bodyguards.

[Jervaj]

Damn, seems like Arevaci are one of those factions with traits that can really cripple your FM.

At least that one also got the good one and may compensate a bit.

I really love all the falvour they are getting. Lovin to see how factions are developping internally.

[makute]

Yes, it's by design, maybe I should re-think some of these mechanics. It's there for historical and replayability reasons, but actually, it is not the best choice in terms of gameplay.

I'm just dipping my toes in EB2 after a long time being in my "to-play" list, but the first thing that becomes obvious to a new player (apart from the hard work and dedication that the team poured on it, and I can only be grateful for it), is that some of the details and accuracy that makes EB2 so unique gets in the way of playability and fun.

Don't get me wrong, I'm well aware that EB2 is still a work in progress, thus IMHO is worth the effort making the mod more accesible now. I.e. some traits and ancillaries description doesn't inform about its exact bonus, just "a increase/decrease" in this or that. Or as you say, some government buildings that are only included for the sake of historical accuracy, which with just some tweaks would be usable, not just from a roleplay perspective.