I. Essence
a) There are no universal factions that can beat any opponent. There are no universal units available for recruitment by any faction (except for mercenaries).
b) Each faction has tough advantages and severe disadvantages.
c) The combat system is designed at the intersection of historicity, balance and gameplay.
d) It is very expensive to hire your troops, but they are cheap to maintain. Hiring mercenaries costs a penny, but very expensive to maintain. At the same time, the period of recruiting their troops is very long, which forces the player to play from mercenaries (as it was in the 16th century)
e) There are no universal tactics (to recruit pikemen, shooters and horses) because each faction is limited in the characteristics of its infantry / riflemen / cavalry. Each faction can be defeated by using its shortcomings on tactics
II. Number
a) The number of the same units is different and depends on the faction.
For example, pikemen of Italy have 20-30% of the number of the norm, but Italian shooters 60-70%, and pikemen of Switzerland 90-100%, but only 10% of shooters (this is due to the fact that, according to Rafaoli's book, Italian companies had 20-30% pikemen in relation to the arrows, and the Swiss almost did not use arrows
b) In the 2nd half of the century, the number is 10-20% higher than in the first half of the first
c) by birth:
- max strength of the militia
- lower for unarmored units
- even lower for medium-ranged and even lower for heavy weights
- in the cavalry the same
- unique units have a separate size
III. Speed
a) in 1 half, units move slower than in 2
b) factional counters (Scottish pikemen are very fast, Swiss - increased infantry speed, etc.)
IV. endurance
a) heavy troops get tired much faster than light troops
b) the most serious influence of climate on fatigue and efficiency by region.
European armored forces will be defeated in the desert due to the heat, and Turkish warm-blooded hordes will be unable to do anything in winter Scandinavia. This will help reflect the historical challenges of conquering different regions.
V. Shooting
a) Arquebus hit close, but very painful
And so far, it doesn't matter that AI is using it badly - historicity is a priority and let's see the tests in practice
b) muskets strike in the "1 shot - 1 corpse" style. But very small ammunition
d) many intermediate versions (lightweight muskets, esсopets, pistols, cavalry crossbows and petrinals)
e) Bows strike far, but are ineffective against armor
f) Crossbows must knock out 1 detachment of infantry in heavy armor or 1 detachment of heavy gendarmes of standard strength for 1 ammunition
g) Allah-Babah - Exterminatus and a nuclear bomb
VI. Morality
a) while in development because tests are needed and the firearms hit her hard
VII. Armor
a) units have 4 levels of armor: default, forge upgrades 1, 2, 3.
Example on a heavy infantry squad:
0.cuirass and helmet
1.curassa and helmet and tabs
2.the cuirass and helmet and tabs and bracers
3.Heavy Infantry 3/4
VIII. Weapon
a) a large number of different weapons have been introduced (pikes, cavalry spears, darts, espantons, glaives, lohaber axes, short pistols, long bows, half pikes, boarding axes, swivel guns, flame throwers, two-handed messers, etc.)
b) each weapon has its own characteristic numbers and the units differ from each other, incl. and a wide variety of weapons
IX. Skill
a) all factions and units are divided by weapon skill, for example:
- Turkish Delhi have maximum skill despite the lack of armor
- Swedish fyanika has a low skill because suckers despite the presence of armor
X. Fractions
a) All factions will fight as they fought in history:
- if you play as the Swiss, you will get huge squares of pikemen with crazy morale, discipline and increased speed. But in return, you will receive only 10% of the strength in the detachment of Swiss shooters. And you will suffer from a gunshot as the Swiss suffered in reality
- if you play for Spain, then you will receive average units that are universal in size. And it will beat, coordinating the kind of troops ... but you will be defeated if the French trample on you with their gendarmes of increased numbers and increased characteristics
- if you play for the Russians, then you have a huge amount of cheap noble cavalry at your disposal and you will fill up with horse meat (with an admixture of archers)
b) You can play as a faction as you want only in one case - you hire mercenaries to compensate for your shortcomings. But mercenaries are very expensive.
XI. Variety
a) tactics are made so that there are a minimum of identical units
And the same detachments of French gendarmes have different weapons - one detachment of estoс, the second swords, the third bec of corbin, etc.
b) If the detachment could belong to several factions, then it is given to the one where it is more preferable (for example, Saxony, this is the pikemen faction, and Brandenburg, the halberdiers).
This is not entirely historical, but it was done in favor of the gameplay and in such a way that it would be interesting and unique to play for different factions.