LBaeldeth
Veteran
I've got to say, this mod is great. It's a wonderful grounding of Native in the historical period with a fantastic re-imagining of the factions and their troop trees. I also adore the retextured and edited items list - always did prefer the look of chainmail to plate. I'm playing as the Northmen, and agonizing over whether to fight in the shield-wall with my infantry or join my growing number of Norman-esque cavalry in their glorious charge ... it's a harder decision that I'd imagined.
That said, there are a few things that sometimes confuse me. For instance:
Huscarls have bows.
I'm not that familiar with Scandinavia's warriors in the period covered, and I was sort of surprised to see my elite infantry spawning with bows and arrows. Is this supposed to happen? It's not a problem, really - they still have their melee weapon and shield, and it'll definitely be useful when facing Khergits - but I am mildly confused.
Northern Trained Footmen wear Fur Armour.
It's the same armour that Northern Footmen wear, and it's not very good armour, either. I can understand a scattering of this armour among the third-tier troops, but they seem to wear it exclusively. Is there no leather sprinkled in their equipment list?
Northern Warriors wear Fur Armour.
This is really pushing it. These are my fourth-tier units! They are expensive and not all that easy to come by. Why are they wearing pitiful +19 armour that leaves them so very vulnerable and killable?
Northern Hirdmen have poorer armour than Northern Riders.
Northern Huscarls and Northern Riders both upgrade to the Northern Hirdman, but for the Rider, it seems a step down, as their Mail Hauberk (+40 body, +11 leg) is exchanged for a Byrnie (+39 body, +6 leg).
Everything is Beige.
Everything. Bandits, peasants, manhunters, caravans, sea raiders, kings and lords, villages, towns, and castles of every faction - the same uniform beige. It's sort of confusing, though I think I'm slowly getting used to it. Handily, the ReadMe informs me that this is only one text-file edit away from changing back to faction-specific colours, which I may do when I get around to joining a kingdom.
There are little things I could nitpick about: Rhodok ranged units looking silly with big pavises now that they're archers, not crossbowmen; the venerable Baron Rolf becoming 'John'; Sea Raiders occasionally wearing linen shirts instead of, you know, armour. But those all fall away to the glee of trussing up in mail and Norman helm, kite shield and lance in hand, and trotting out on my chestnut Heavy Hunter to lead my glorious Northmen against the foe, the cavalry of William's Normandy behind me, a shield wall of sturdy sword-Danes standing firm on my flank, and the enemy cowering before us. I really ought to get Battlesizer for this ...
[EDIT: Screenshot taken.]
This mod is so cool
That said, there are a few things that sometimes confuse me. For instance:
Huscarls have bows.
I'm not that familiar with Scandinavia's warriors in the period covered, and I was sort of surprised to see my elite infantry spawning with bows and arrows. Is this supposed to happen? It's not a problem, really - they still have their melee weapon and shield, and it'll definitely be useful when facing Khergits - but I am mildly confused.
Northern Trained Footmen wear Fur Armour.
It's the same armour that Northern Footmen wear, and it's not very good armour, either. I can understand a scattering of this armour among the third-tier troops, but they seem to wear it exclusively. Is there no leather sprinkled in their equipment list?
Northern Warriors wear Fur Armour.
This is really pushing it. These are my fourth-tier units! They are expensive and not all that easy to come by. Why are they wearing pitiful +19 armour that leaves them so very vulnerable and killable?
Northern Hirdmen have poorer armour than Northern Riders.
Northern Huscarls and Northern Riders both upgrade to the Northern Hirdman, but for the Rider, it seems a step down, as their Mail Hauberk (+40 body, +11 leg) is exchanged for a Byrnie (+39 body, +6 leg).
Everything is Beige.
Everything. Bandits, peasants, manhunters, caravans, sea raiders, kings and lords, villages, towns, and castles of every faction - the same uniform beige. It's sort of confusing, though I think I'm slowly getting used to it. Handily, the ReadMe informs me that this is only one text-file edit away from changing back to faction-specific colours, which I may do when I get around to joining a kingdom.
There are little things I could nitpick about: Rhodok ranged units looking silly with big pavises now that they're archers, not crossbowmen; the venerable Baron Rolf becoming 'John'; Sea Raiders occasionally wearing linen shirts instead of, you know, armour. But those all fall away to the glee of trussing up in mail and Norman helm, kite shield and lance in hand, and trotting out on my chestnut Heavy Hunter to lead my glorious Northmen against the foe, the cavalry of William's Normandy behind me, a shield wall of sturdy sword-Danes standing firm on my flank, and the enemy cowering before us. I really ought to get Battlesizer for this ...
[EDIT: Screenshot taken.]
This mod is so cool
, but there are levels of armour between Fur and Mail. I'd love it if my fourth-tier troops could wear some variety of the leather armours, the way my Northman Archers do, so they're actually better protected than second-tier.
Though I won't until I get around to playing a Vaegir Rus character. 
