[SUGGESTION] - improve toggle weapon mode and itp_next_item_as_melee flag

The toggle weapon mode functionality and the itp_next_item_as_melee flag is a very good concept, but currently it seems to be VERY limited with the way it is designed.  I was really looking forward to testing this in Warband since I had created something similar (but it had several limitations).
    M&B 1.x code - http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,71461.msg1880210.html#msg1880210

I briefly tested out the itp_next_item_as_melee flag on several different weapons and saw the following:

• switching a throwing weapon to a melee weapon works fine (native functionality)
• switching a melee to a throwing weapon doesn't work correctly (it tells me I'm out of bolts even though I switched to a throwing knife)
• melee to melee somewhat works, it doesn't switch the mesh but seems to switch the attributes (1h to 2h, etc?)
• trying to use this functionality on ranged weapons doesn't seem to work at all (I tested with the flintlock pistol)
• the mesh isn't switched so you can't re-position it or use a different mesh (ie. rifle as a club or staff)

I've used the above code I wrote in 1.x to switch weapons for a variety of purposes.  Lightsabers to throwing lightsabers, switching a rifle from kill (pierce) to stun (blunt damage), switching 1h to 2h, switching the firing position of guns, etc, but none of that is really possible with the current implementation.  To really be widely usuable this flag should really be something like itp_next_item_as_ALTERNATE and allow ANY weapon the ability to switch to ANY different item.

Suggestions:

• Allow ANY weapons to switch to any other item
• It should also switch the mesh, so we can have the ability to re-position the mesh, add a bayonet to a rifle, etc.
• make sure it correctly displays the weapon types when you mouse over (ranged/polearm, etc)
• It would be very helpful to have a trigger like ti_on_weapon_toggle so we could have the option to display a message (ie. switching to "stun" mode).  On a side note, We could really use the ability for ti_on_weapon_attack to work on melee weapons.
• it would be helpful to allow us to put multiple of these "next_items" in a row, so a rifle could switch to a staff, then switch to a club, then back to a rifle
• I'm not a huge fan of forcing it to be the next item in module_items.py, since that could cause issues with try_for_range type of commands and make organization of the items file more difficult.  Adding an optional 11th item record which contains the alternate item id would be a better solution in my opinion.  This would also allow us to string together many variations:  itm_rifle would have itm_rifle_staff as its alternate, itm_rifle_staff would have itm_rifle_club as its alternate, and itm_rifle_club would have itm_rifle so it goes back to the original.

Anyway, those are my thought so far. 

edit:

I put it in the bug tracking system as a suggestion, Bug ID:  1053

Yeah, I think this had been suggested by Arch3r before in the module system thread,
but this is important for Warband mods and needs to be reiterated.

Plus you think it would be simpler if rather than all the current constraints the item just did a switch to any item at all and that item's stats animations, mesh and the whole nine yards.  Leave it to the modders to make sure that people weren't changing greatswords into throwing hammers.  But hey if that's what you want then fine.

Yes, they have a bec de corbin (polehammer) in the BRF's, but the hammer can't be used, just the spike. You should be able to turn it with x.

This would be incredible for many many mods.  /signed

I agree.
I can imagine fighting with a spear, and then throwing it at someone.

Yeah, why not? every mod need this!

"It should also switch the mesh, so we can have the ability to re-position the mesh, add a bayonet to a rifle, etc."
this shouldnt be hard at all, you can even see this effect in the current version:
press ctrl + F11 to pause the battle, use mouse roller to toggle the weapons, you will see that the weapons' meshes be changed without any problem.