[Mini Mod][2.53/4 Expanded] Random Bandits Equipment

[Taro8]

Hello everyone!

I installed 2.53 and I was disappointed that the problem with uniformed bandits remained. So I made a little mini mod that adds random crap to bandits and gives them much more varied look. I only did this for myself, but I decided to share.

EDIT: ALSO WORKS FOR 2.54

I ONLY DID EXPANDED/EXPANDED TROOPS!

Changes:
*Desert Bandits, Forest Bandits, Steppe Bandits, Taiga Bandits, Mountain Bandits, Looters and Sea Riders have much more equipment added to their pools with gives them more random look.
*I changed some guarantees so new game is required for this to take an effect.

In the end bandits are a bit easier to deal with, but I think that they are more immersive now.

Installation:
Backup your troop.txt file and overwrite it with mine.
Restart is required for changes to take full effect.

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?5rxdi0vw7wf9z1q

Feedback is very much welcome. Also, I did my best to keep the equipment in low tiers and in theme with its users, but if something sneaked in let me know.

[Hanakoganei]

Nice. I always wondered why the bandits were in uniform lol. Especially the Forest Bandits. They look like a professional army lol. I was gonna do a fix but I guess you already did it so no need.

[Taro8]

I only did expanded/expanded bandits, but if anyone wishes to give same equipment to bandits in other versions then go ahead. However I do not plan to do so myself as I play on exclusively expanded version with expanded troop trees.

[eastpaw]

Nice one, Taro. Will try it out soon.

[20BCeltics]

lol Yeah, I was wondering this, too. I think the Steppe Bandits even had a commander once with four armies following him. They attacked me and the next thing I know I was in the main menu... 

[ruralvirginian]

Installed this last night.  Went and had a little brawl with a band of Taiga Bandits near Khudan (just outside Babushka's Blini and Vodka stand.)  Amazing.  Not Babushka's Blinis - they're Ok but not worth riding all the way out from Reyvedyn to get - but what this little script Taro8 has produced.  The bandits were exactly as I pictured they should be - a mis-matched group of desperate men.  Awesome job!

One other thing I noted was an earlier skirmish with some looters.  They were poorly armoured.  Just +3-+7 clothing.  Just what you would expect from a bunch of city/country folk who have decided to take up crimes of opportunity to be wearing.

Monnikye, Windy, Duh, Caba'drin - take a peek.  This is worthy for inclusion in 2.6.

[BurstFire]

Ah, sounds really interesting. Just unfortunate you need a new game. What happens if you don't start a new game and instead carry on?

Hope this gets added to 2.6 as well actually.

[Taro8]

As far as I know new game is only required for new guarantees tags to take effect. I think that new equipment will be added to bandits in already existing games, but could you check it out? Just keep save from before you added my mini mod, so you can revert to old files and save in case something goes wrong.

The bandits were exactly as I pictured they should be - a mis-matched group of desperate men.

This is exactly what I had in mind when making this little tweak. Forest Bandits especially got on my nerves with their uniform scale armor and helmet. I did rise this issue during 2.5 beta, but it wasnt addressed.

[BurstFire]

Sure, but I'm going to ask a newbie question here: what are 'guarantees' exactly? That you'll get the new gear or see the new changes? o.o

[Taro8]

Guarantees are series of tags you can give to troop in troop editor. They are the way to tell game to ALWAYS give every troop an item type (ranged, helmet, shield, horse, armor, boots, gloves, etc.). If they are not checked it is random if unit gets item from that category (like looters not having armor etc.). From what I experienced you need to start new game for changes, in those tags, to take an effect. However I only changed few of them so putting this mod mid game should still add random crap to bandits equipment, but it wont be exactly what I wanted (All forest bandits will have some helmet and ranged weapon for example).

[BurstFire]

I see. Well seems to work! Saved before I fought some Forest Bandits. They were all wearing padded and leather armour. Killed them all, restarted the mod with the mods troop.txt, they all had scaled armour on or whatever they usually have. Hopefully there won't be any future repercussions from changing the troops txt.

[Taro8]

Good to know. Still I advise starting new game to see my changes in full effect, have fun though.

[ruralvirginian]

Taro8: Noticed something of interest - since you have opened the equipment I'm seeing a lot of horsemen (often 60% of the total)  in the Taiga bandits, which traditionally has always been an infantry-based bandit faction.  I haven't been able to hunt down any forest or mountain bandits yet to see if this is the same as well.  The Desert bandits are all still mounted however.

Has this been done on purpose or is this an undocumented "feature" of the troops.txt modification?

[Taro8]

I added one or two low grade horses to their item pool. This is the cause of more mounted units. Its unintentional, but I think its good to have bandit group that is a mix of cavalry and infantry (how much of each is up to random number god  ), it makes taiga bandits unique.

[ruralvirginian]

Well - it seems to work nicely.  It's like battling a caravan, only these guys bite! Taiga bandits are essentially level I3 and C3 fighters so they took me by surprise the first time.  Only hurt half as much the 2d and 3rd time around.  Have made a mental note to be very wary of Taiga Bandits when they begin to get organized with a bandit leader.  I believe this is another winner Taro.