Beta 1.3.0 - Sturgian cavalry shields

[Maneuverer]

How is everyone doing? So many game-changing fixes introduced with the latest beta patch and I've so far had a small trouble with loading one of my saves and encountered a couple crashes but I'm sure that'll be fixed soon. I would like to suggest a small change regarding to the bellow faction change.

All Sturgian faction troops now use round shields. They also use shields that are more fitting to their level and abilities.

Could this change be reviewed again regarding the cavalry units? This will probably disappoint all the Viking kids here. However, Sturgia faction is based on Kievian Rus' that was heavily influenced by Norse culture based on these few sources that have been preserved.
The ground troops probably used the famously known Norse round shield (at some point of time) but these shield were not designed to be used on horseback. Cavalry (like Kievian Druzhina) more likely used kite-shield that were derived from their round cousins. Could the cavalry get their kite-shields back or get the "Norse Cavalry Shields" that I've been seeing in shops trough the game?

M.

 

[Maximum997]

+

Spoiler: They used triangle and kite shields.

BTW. It wasnt a Kiavan Rus, it was Novgorod Republic.(Nothern part that only was independent from Mongolians and Poland and was heavily influenced by Norse culture )

 

[Hodor NOT]

I can second that.
The round shield for the vast majority of infantry troops is fine. But the sturgian cavalry needs their drop shaped kite shields.
I hope TW does not give in too much to the viking purists. The Sturgians are clearly inspired by the Rus and in the calradian lore will split into the Nords and Vaegir we know in Warband.
Personally I like the rus-style as it adds some to diversity, I wish they would further expand upon the intermingling of those styles.

 

[Hodor NOT]

+

Spoiler: They used triangle and kite shields.

BTW. It wasnt a Kiavan Rus, it was Novgorod Republic.(Nothern part that only was independent from Mongolians and Poland and was heavily influenced by Norse culture )

Actually Rus were found not only in Novgorod. Kiev was historically a Rus power and had a lot of dealings with the byzantine empire. They were an important trade partner, other times they would sail to Constantinople and demand money. The tradition of Rus/viking warriors entering the service of the empire (Varangian guard) became widespread among norse all the way to Norway.
Novgorod became a major force quite a bit later due to, as you said, the independence it could retain during the Mongol invasion.

 

[Maximum997]

Actually Rus were found not only in Novgorod

Sure. I know.Novgorod just was most influenced by norsemen then anyone else.

Novgorod became a major force quite a bit later due to, as you said, the independence it could retain during the Mongol invasion.

Yes. But if we have mongolians, so we can say that is that period. (And yes, there are mongolians, becouse they lords called themself "Khan")

 

[Maximum997]

Could the cavalry get their kite-shields back or get the "Norse Cavalry Shields" that I've been seeing in shops trough the game?

BTW you can do it in like 2 minutes for yourself.
Go to Mount & Blade II Bannerlord\Modules\SandBoxCore\ModuleData

Edit the file Spnpccharacters.sml with notepad

Find druzhinnik and replace their round shield with any kite shield you want,

"Item.fortified_kite_shield"

You should do it for like 3 times becouse they have 3 different lodouts.

 

[Hodor NOT]

Sure. I know.Novgorod just was most influenced by norsemen then anyone else.

Yes. But if we have mongolians, so we can say that is that period. (And yes, there are mongolians, becouse they lords called themself "Khan")

The factions cannot be translated to real-life examples 1:1. The emulated period seems far sooner than the real-life Mongol Invasion.
Judging from the equipment, the faction design and the lore context we find ourselves in a setting most resembling 900-1100. 1200s is the timeframe of Warband.
The Khuzaits are a stereotype nomadic steppe faction, as they existed on the Eurasian steppe for centuries. They are inpsired by Huns, Bolgars, Cumans, Kipchak, Mongols etc.

 

[Maximum997]

1200s is the timeframe of Warband.

Plate armor and Zweihanders in 1200
But i agree with the rest.

 

[Maximum997]

For TS

Just put this file in that folder Mount & Blade II Bannerlord\Modules\SandBoxCore\ModuleData
But ofcourse make backup for spnpccharacters.xml
https://dropmefiles.com/ykKd0

Nothing changed, only shields. But i know myself, so make a backup

 

[Maneuverer]

For TS

Just put this file in that folder Mount & Blade II Bannerlord\Modules\SandBoxCore\ModuleData
But ofcourse make backup for spnpccharacters.xml
https://dropmefiles.com/ykKd0

Nothing changed, only shields. But i know myself, so make a backup

I assume I'll have to do that with every game update. I might as well use type more northern shields based on unit tier. There are shield that I'd belevie fit the theme and time of Kieavin Rus' or the Novgorod Republic. Hopefully we might get them on the calarly units in next patch again.

Northern cavalry shield:

 

[Maximum997]

Northern cavalry shield:

I dont know its ID

 

[Maneuverer]

I dont know its ID

Is there a way to look for these ID's? Has there been a model viewer/editor released or some sort of a modding tool released?

 

[ironiccookies]

Is there a way to look for these ID's? Has there been a model viewer/editor released or some sort of a modding tool released?

I don't think so. The only way afaik is during tournaments hover your mouse over the winning item.

 

[Maximum997]

Is there a way to look for these ID's? Has there been a model viewer/editor released or some sort of a modding tool released?

I found out. It is easy. Just add _ to names between the words.

Northern cavalry shield. It should be "Item.northern_cavalry_shield"

 

[SmattlePattle]

Sturgia suffers from the Viking-Russian hybrid because so many players just want the vikings. I admit, to some degree I'm probably guilty of that as I usually play Sturgians with a shieldwall focus, but its a shame the Russian influence is so subsumed cus "muh vikings"

 

[Meraun]

Sturgia faction is based on Kievian Rus' that was heavily influenced by Norse culture based on these few sources that have been preserved.

Is it? Source? i fought its more Dane and Norway inspired!

 

[SmattlePattle]

Is it? Source? i fought its more Dane and Norway inspired!

Everyone being titled "Boyar" should be a big hint.

But, to clarify: https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Sturgia

"The principality's history began when Nordic traders and adventurers migrated from the northeast territories seeking land and wealth, and eventually formed diplomatic and marriage alliances with the native tribes of the Sturgian region, merging the two cultures together into something new, with a violent, warlike but also mercantile mentality. "

Its a mash up of the both. The idea is arguably to hark back to the intermix of the two. Its not a bad idea but way more people are into Vikings then Russians so it gets handled awkwardly.

 

[avenger1024]

Is it? Source? i fought its more Dane and Norway inspired!

It was originally conceived as primarily having a Kievian-Rus inspiration and looked a bit more Russian/Slavic focused in the earliest faction dev diaries. TW introduced more Nordic/Viking flavor into it as time went on; whether that was due to fan feedback or just a change in vision hasn't been explicitly said.

Dev Blog 14/12/17 - TaleWorlds Entertainment

www.taleworlds.com

 

[Androme1]

I'm inclined to agree. The Druzhinniks and the Brigands will not be participating in a shieldwall anyhow so they don't 'need' the round shields to function efficiently in a shieldwall, so the gameplay argument is covered. And you covered the historical inspiration/lore-argument, and I agree with that aswell.

Everyone being titled "Boyar" should be a big hint.

But, to clarify: https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Sturgia

"The principality's history began when Nordic traders and adventurers migrated from the northeast territories seeking land and wealth, and eventually formed diplomatic and marriage alliances with the native tribes of the Sturgian region, merging the two cultures together into something new, with a violent, warlike but also mercantile mentality. "

Its a mash up of the both. The idea is arguably to hark back to the intermix of the two. Its not a bad idea but way more people are into Vikings then Russians so it gets handled awkwardly.

Well, that citation is fanmade and not official. It makes it sound like the Sturgian culture sprang out of initiative by the in-game Nords, which is not the case. The role of the Nords in the foundation of the Sturgian principality is as mercenaries, mirroring the use of norse mercenaries in the foundation of Kievan Rus, which the faction is inspired of.

Sturgia suffers from the Viking-Russian hybrid because so many players just want the vikings. I admit, to some degree I'm probably guilty of that as I usually play Sturgians with a shieldwall focus, but its a shame the Russian influence is so subsumed cus "muh vikings"

Completely agreed. It is the faction with the biggest identity crisis, the cause of which is very clearly the fact that "muh vikings" is so incredibly popular amongst young teenage boys in popular culture nowadays. Evident by the fact that Sturgian troop overhauls are twice as common on the Bannerlord nexus page than all the other factions troop trees combined.

 

[Maneuverer]

I found out. It is easy. Just add _ to names between the words.

Northern cavalry shield. It should be "Item.northern_cavalry_shield"

Not quite. I also did some digging myself but you are right it is easy.
In *\Mount & Blade II Bannerlord\Modules\SandBoxCore\ModuleData\ folder there is a data file named spitems.xml.

It contains information about all (I assume) items in game. I found the item IDs based on their name parameter. The Reinforced Cavalry Shield holds ID northern_horsemans_shield and Northern Cavalry Kite Shield has ID northern_scouts_shield. I replaced round shields for following Sturgian calavry units with following northern cavalry shield variants:

Sturgian Hardened Brigand, Sturgian Druzhinik --> Northern Cavalry Kite Shield
Sturgian Horse Raider, Sturgian Druzhinik Champion --> Reinforced Cavalry Shield

The result is following:


Judging from the amount of items and shield variants and their names/ID's I found through out the spitems file there are signs of clear intentions for having Sturgian cavalry wielding propriate time situated shields. I understand the previous "knightly" shields were not really fitting but I feel like the last change is a bit of step back.

Hereis the modified data file. Just copy it into the ModuleData folder mentioned above but make sure you make a backup before you overwrite your original file!

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