So right now steam says I've played bannerlord for 98 hours, and something that has stood out to me across the various hotfix versions of the game is Sturgia's constant, total, destruction. All the time. It's either the mongol hordes from the east, or the battanians or even the Vlandians wiping them out.
Now there are, of course, balancing issues (lots of unit stats have not been finely tuned yet) and simulation issues causing snowballing.
But I want to suggest something that might play to Sturgia's themes (a mix of Rus and Scandinavians) some more and also help them out during the winter months to minimise snowballing.
Sturgia's current racial bonus is a pretty forgettable "20% less slowdown in snow on the world map"
1) I propose Sturgia's bonus be changed to:
3) I would change village output so that:
Now there are, of course, balancing issues (lots of unit stats have not been finely tuned yet) and simulation issues causing snowballing.
But I want to suggest something that might play to Sturgia's themes (a mix of Rus and Scandinavians) some more and also help them out during the winter months to minimise snowballing.
Sturgia's current racial bonus is a pretty forgettable "20% less slowdown in snow on the world map"
1) I propose Sturgia's bonus be changed to:
- "X% less food upkeep for troops in winter [when above the snow-line]" (perhaps 50% less)
- All other empire troops (except Sturgians) consume twice as much (i.e. +100%) food in winter [when above the snow-line] when they are not stationed in a city.
- When troops are stationed in a city - either in a garrison, or just an army "waiting" in the city walls (in winter/above the snow line), this extra food cost is negated.
3) I would change village output so that:
- Villages above the world map's snowline [i.e. villages in the snowy bit] produce half as many food products each day (so not just grain, but also olives, dates etc) in winter seasons.
- This will mean that the northern empires are always hungrier in the winter and will need to prioritise granaries - or go to war southward to raid for food.
- (I haven't played around much with fief management, but maybe the sturgian cities could get a bonus starting granary level to reflect their adaptation to the winter).
- Non-sturgians would have to spend more time preparing for an invasion into Sturgia - or for any invasion campaigns in the winter.
- And the fact that staying in cities would negate the extra food cost means that non-sturgian empires can "hold up" for winter, and wait till warmer months.
- This would help to minimise snowballing vs Sturgia, as other empires would need to retreat to their keeps until spring. Or head south.
- The Sturgians, by contrast, would be able to use the winter months to their advantage:
- Their armies would be able to range out further, unmolested by their enemies who are hiding in their cities.
- As it would be easier for Sturgians to support their troops food needs in the snow vs other empires.
- This would actually give other empires a reason to use the "slaughter livestock / horses" mechanic.
- e.g. If a vlandian army is sieging a sturgian city, and is far from home and running out of food, they could slaughter their extra horses/mules to keep feeding their troops... for a while.
- Or it might force an otherwise overwhelming force to abort their sieges/invasions and break up their army to raid the northern countryside to try and force peasants to give them food.
- This would also make starvationa real risk in the north in the winter months if you go in unprepared - or are not a Sturgian.
- Currently starvation, is a very under-utilised mechanic, it's next to impossible to run out of food as you can easily buy enough grain or edible products from any village - even in the middle of winter.
- For those who havent tested it out, after a day or two of no food your troops, companions and your hero begin losing health until you die.
- This would also give caravans a new trading dynamic, they could make a lot more money by transporting food north in the winter.