SP Medieval Byzantium - Part I

[BaldwinIV]

Byzantium – Part I is module created by me, which presents the war between Byzantine Empire and Bulgarian Tzardom in the end of XIII century. Nicaean Empire conquered Constantinople in 1261 and reunited Byzantine Empire attack Bulgaria. Bulgarian Tzardom was the greatest empire on the Balkans till 1240 but after the death of Tzar Ivan Asen II it collapsed. In less than 20 years all Bulgarian fortresses in Thracia and Serbia were lost.
The mod includes:
- new factions – Byzantine Empire and Bulgarian Tzardom
- new troops tree:
Byzantine Troops Tree

Bulgarian Troops Tree

- some new items (only about 10 created by me, but many of them are not included in the native version)
- renamed NPCs
- new map
      Bugs and problems:
- when you ride on the map is possible to receive an error. Just press “Ignore”.
In the future versions of the mod I’ll try to make:
- better map
- more factions and cities
- new historically correct items
- more complex troops tree
This is a small modification (my firs one) but it works.
If someone wants to help for expanding my Byzantium I’ll accept any kind of help.
In the end I must tell one big THANKS to the following people:
- Raz, nijis, Markus Antonius, luigi, bdac and Septa Scarabae for their items
- Thorgrim for his great tools
- Yoshi for his nice tutorials
If I forgot someone please excuse me 

New things in v2.0:
- more historical accuracy;
- 10 new items;
- separated Varangian units;
- neutral faction is now Kingdom of Sicily;
- new starting option (Byzantine Nobleman; Bulgarian Nobleman; Trabezond Archer; Franciscan Monk and Dubrovnik Merchant);
- better textures and models;

New things in v2.1:
- fixed problems with the Armoured Gelding;
- 2 new items;

Here are some screenshots:

Download links:
v1.0: http://rapidshare.de/files/26824431/Byzantium_-_Part_I.exe.html
v2.0: http://rapidshare.de/files/27895585/Byzantium_-_Part_I_v2.0.exe.html
v2.1: http://www.mbrepository.com/modules/PDdownloads/visit.php?cid=7&lid=264

 

[Yoshiboy]

I look forward to seeing more.

 

[Matheus]

It seems to be a great mod! I wish you luck with this. 

 

[BaldwinIV]

Thanks! I'll try to expand it in future versions and parts!

 

[BaldwinIV]

New screens:
Me with my Byzantines vs Bulgarian party:

Thracian Cavalry:

 

[Odin Doomhammer]

Sounds interesting.  I'll certainly keep an eye open for developments.

But for historical accuraccy, surely the varangian guard shouldn't be recruited from Byzantine Peasants, but should have a separate tree, something like:

Viking Mercenary - Varangian Guard - Elite Varangian Guard
                        - Varangian Guard Archer - Elite Varangian Guard Archer


I dunno, I'm no expert, but the main point of the Varangian Guard was that they were foreign mercenaries and thus independent.  Most were I believe armed with a big axe and a shield, though some were armed with bows.

 

[BaldwinIV]

Sounds interesting.  I'll certainly keep an eye open for developments.

But for historical accuraccy, surely the varangian guard shouldn't be recruited from Byzantine Peasants, but should have a separate tree, something like:

Viking Mercenary - Varangian Guard - Elite Varangian Guard
                        - Varangian Guard Archer - Elite Varangian Guard Archer


I dunno, I'm no expert, but the main point of the Varangian Guard was that they were foreign mercenaries and thus independent.  Most were I believe armed with a big axe and a shield, though some were armed with bows.

I know this. The Varangians are people from Scandinavia (most probably the eastern part of the peninsula). They emigrated in Russia and even rule the Russian Principalities till X or even XI century. Russians call them "Variagi" (or something similar). In IX century they reach Constantinople. Because they were brave and powerful soldiers the Byzantine Emperor (emperor Theophilus I think) hired them in his personal guard.
About the bow usage I think that they were not very popular in the norther nations. But in the Byzantine Empire the bow was very popular.
Even some of the cataphract and other elite units used bows...
I'll try to separate them from the other byzantine units but this will be in the next version.

 

[Ar - Adunakhor]

I LOVE YOU!

I LOVE YOU!

I LOVE YOU!

No, i'm not gay  ! So glad to see you doing this mod!!! I would gladly provide you with historical background if you need it. My modding skills are scarce and i have so little time to improve them. It's just modelling some simple swords and helms... I'm coming right away with some suggestions about the unit trees and afte playing it for a while - about the gameplay as well.

 

[jeansberg]

I could try doing some weapons/shields if you want.

 

[Ar - Adunakhor]

Viking Mercenary - Varangian Guard - Elite Varangian Guard
                        - Varangian Guard Archer - Elite Varangian Guard Archer

I dunno, I'm no expert, but the main point of the Varangian Guard was that they were foreign mercenaries and thus independent.  Most were I believe armed with a big axe and a shield, though some were armed with bows.

The Varangian Guard were NOT independent !!! They were elite worriors of the emperor for quite a while, but in later days more like 'palace guard' and didin't really take a lot of fighting on the battlefield. They were indeed foregin mercenaries, but should be available only to the Byzantine Empire and for A LOT of money. You could skip the Varangian Guard archer - i don't think there were any. Otherwise, the tree looks just fine and makes sense. But it is really important to make the Varangian unit tree independent from the Byzantine one.

Edit:

I definately will try some modelling as well!!! I have an exam on 28.07 and then I go home for a little vacation - about a month... So when i'm back i should be ready with some modells. Hope it is not too late - a month is quite a long time... but not when on vacation 

 

[BaldwinIV]

Everybody who wants to help is welcome! btw I need some Osprey book (or other source)to make more items 

 

[Ar - Adunakhor]

I would like to suggest a few more historically accurate names of the towns. For example, you use 'Silistra' which is the modern name of the town. And another one - using Adrianopple and Costantinople (both English) but Philippopolis (latin). And Durazzo - I know it's the italian name but it was never mentioned that way in any Byzantine or Bulgarian source of the time. So here is a list with updated names that 'harmonise' in my opinion:

Constantinople - Constantinopolis
Adrianopple - Adrianopolis/Hadrianopolis
Philippopolis - ok
Nicaea - ok
Thessalonica - ok
Larissa - ok
Ohrid - Ochrida
Durazzo - Dyrrachium
Serdica - ok
Bdin - ok
Nicopolis - ok
Silistra - Drastar ['drəstər] - the Bulgarian one Dorostotum/Durostotum - the latin one
Varna - that's a tricky one. It seems to be used back in the days, though. Another one is the greek Odessos
Tarnovo - if we try to be historically accurate, the best name should be Turnovgrad/Turnovgrada. The suffix -grad is the equivalent for the greek -polis and means city. It was largely called Turnovgrada by the common people at the time.

btw I need some Osprey book (or other source)to make more items 

I've been downloading a book  called 'Byzantine Fashions Coloring Book' - Dover Publications 2002. It should be interesting. It's a pdf-file about 28MB. The thing is - the torrent seems to be dead. If something changes - I'll let you know.

Edit:

A 'Bulgarian banner' in the chest of Durazzo!!!That is just sooooooo coooooool !!! Love it!

 

[BaldwinIV]

My opinion about the city names:
Constantinople - this is the English (or Latin) version of the name and I'll not change it
Adrianopple - the same as Constantinople
Ohrid - may be you are right. I'll change it
Durazzo - in those days (1270) this city was ruled by the Kingdom Of Sicily and the Italian spelling of the name is Durazzo. I'll not change it
Silistria - I'll rename it as Drastar
Varna - Odessos was the greek name but in this time the city was part of the Bulgarian Tzardom
Tarnovo - I'll change it. Turnovgrad is more proper
About the banner in the chest it is not mine. It is part of "Holy War" and it is made by Raz. I just retexture it.
What you this about the Bulgarian coat-of-arms? 
I'll post some new screen soon

This is the new Ortodoxal Heater Shield. Do you like it?

 

[Highlander]

It could have a border, but exept for that it looks really nice.

 

[fisheye]

Very nice insignia.

You need to add some noise and shading to the brown part so it doesn't look like just a solid block of color.

 

[BaldwinIV]

Very nice insignia.

You need to add some noise and shading to the brown part so it doesn't look like just a solid block of color.

Yes, I 'll make them better. This is just the "first version" of the item.

 

[Ar - Adunakhor]

My opinion about the city names:
Constantinople - this is the English (or Latin) version of the name and I'll not change it
Adrianopple - the same as Constantinople
Durazzo - in those days (1270) this city was ruled by the Kingdom Of Sicily and the Italian spelling of the name is Durazzo. I'll not change it
Varna - Odessos was the greek name but in this time the city was part of the Bulgarian Tzardom

You don't have to change the names if you dont like them  ! I posted that cause I thought they were more matching... About Constantinople and Adrianopple, those are the english versions of the latin names. They are not latin/greek and are more or less 'modern'. The ones with -polis suffix shoud be the authentic ones. But that's just what I think. Maybe somebody else could state his opinion as well. And don't want to insist on them if you don't like them, of course.

I know that Varna was a part of the Bulgarian Tzardom. But my point is that it was also called Odessos in Byzantian as well as Bulgarian documents of the time. Still, I also find Varna better. Same thing with Durazzo. It was in Norman hands at the time, but the greek name was much more poppular I guess. It's just a point of view. And I would say, the Latin/Greek names of the cities should have been more popular at the time. Both Greek and Latin were like universal languages and cosidered to be official when signing a treaty for example. And it didn't matter who ruled the city at the time.

The new shield looks very nice indeed! Just a suggestion - why not using a purple background colour? Purple and crimson were like 'reserved for the emperor'. Not sure if they were on shields though. Keep up the good work!

Edit:

What you this about the Bulgarian coat-of-arms? 

I don't quite get what you mean?

 

[BaldwinIV]

The new shield looks very nice indeed! Just a suggestion - why not using a purple background colour? Purple and crimson were like 'reserved for the emperor'. Not sure if they were on shields though. Keep up the good work!

Edit:

What you this about the Bulgarian coat-of-arms? 

I don't quite get what you mean?

I use the purple for the Byzantine shields. The Ortodoxal Shield is both Bulgarian and Byzantine.
This is the coat-of-arms which I think is similar to the real one:

 

[Ar - Adunakhor]

I like it pretty much and it makes sence. The 'golden lion', for some reason I don't know, was associated with the Bulgarian Kingdom in the middle ages. I thought it was just 'invented' in the modern times but it is not. And the green background seems to match it perfectly. 

Do you happen to know anything about it?

Edit:

Ok, I've done a quick research. This is a page where you can take a look at some old Bulgarian coat-of-arms. The medieval ones seem to bear three lions above one another (see the last three on the page, they seem to be the oldest). They look pretty much like your one I don't think it's that important if there are three or just one.

 

[BaldwinIV]

I like it pretty much and it makes sence. The 'golden lion', for some reason I don't know, was associated with the Bulgarian Kingdom in the middle ages. I thought it was just 'invented' in the modern times but it is not. And the green background seems to match it perfectly. 

Do you happen to know anything about it?

I know that the Bulgarian coat-of-arms is some kind of lion. I choose this from the English coat-of-arms because it is more beautiful and realistic.
I know even that the coat-of-arms of tzar Kaloyan was some dragon, but when Boril become a tzar he obviously changed it. This is everything which I know...