THE NEW TROOP TREES: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1rmebMy6lHmzGSmGDDi9QxpWF2DGzm7IZIoKIk2TEFE4/edit?hl=en_US
THE TROOP GUIDELINES: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bjbm0EUt7nPAAglvVPCPF7FL9gx4hSPzj9CVzENMj1A/edit?hl=en_US
TROOP STATS: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtQHmEa--keBdHRYc2dSYVZaSGY3dWdXOUdaWUNtbkE#gid=8
ThunderClaw and I have spent a lot of time penning out armies, plotting scenarios, researching and otherwise just trying to come up with a balanced, sane plan for the upcoming troop rebalance. We first came up with a list of goals, then a list of guidelines we'd adhere to in achieving those goals. We've come up with the following, and I hope you all find this as a great move going forward. I'll link you to the public google docs we have describing the new balancing schema, as well as the new troop tree, but I'll also provide you with a nutshell here:
1) Each faction will now be designated either 'Specialist' or 'Generalist' army in one of three respective soldier lines: Infantry, Archers and Cavalry
2) Specialist factions will achieve a higher level in the peasant line for their specialty, but have a lower level cap for their weakness
3) Generalist factions will achieve an average higher level in the peasant line and have a broader choice of Noble soldiers, but have only a single elite unit
4) Noble and Elite soldiers will be successions of their peasant line origins, but will still be only available through city centers/unique buildings.
5) Bandit, Mercenary and Slaver troop lines will have Noble/Elite parallels, but will never reach the level/expertise of Faction soldiers.
6) Troop names have been juggled somewhat, and we've made an attempt to make them a little more historically interesting, if not accurate. Ultimately, though, remember names do not matter, only balance matters!
7) Dark Knights, Bandits, Mercenary and Slaver lines have not yet been finished.
Cliff notes for big changes between NE and this:
* Swadian ranged power has been seriously curbed; but they maintain their battlefield dominance in heavy cav
* Vaegirs cav power has been curbed, but they maintain their absolute dominance in ranged combat
* Nordic cav has been almost eliminated, but their mounted medium/heavy skirmishers will be highly effective on foot and in sieges
* The entire Sarranid line had to be rebuilt; the vanilla troops were just awful. The NE troops were good, but were modeled to fit the new design. Expect Sarranid forces to be very competent now.
* The Khergit line is still 100% mounted, however they also now have a light/medium infantry branch to make them suck less in siege warfare
* Rhodok soldiers are sort of an amalgam of the 3 specialist powers, with the unique advantage of being the only faction with mounted crossbow units
The specialist factions:
Swadia (Heavy Cavalry, weakness Archers, only faction with access to most powerful warhorses/charges)
Vaegirs (Archers, weakness Infantry, only faction with access to most powerful bows)
Nords (Heavy Infantry, weakness Cavalry, only faction with access to most powerful throwing weapons)
The generalist factions:
Sarranid: (Cavalry/Infantry, only faction with both strong cavalry and infantry)
Rhodok: (Infantry/Archers, only faction with expertise in polearms and mounted crossbow soldiers)
Khergit: (Cavalry/Archer, only faction with 100% mounted soldiers)
Each faction will have limited access to faction-specific equipment, though said equipment still falls under our item rebalance guidelines.
I know some people might be shocked or surprised at some of the troop shuffling/renaming, but keep in mind some of this is tongue-in-cheek and our primary focus was, and will always remain, game balance and fun. If you don't like some of the new names, you are absolutely encouraged and welcome to edit the soldiers yourself and name them whatever you please. Though, I will say, I did invest at least some time into giving soldiers historically interesting, if not accurate, names. Without further ado...
THE NEW TROOP TREES: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1rmebMy6lHmzGSmGDDi9QxpWF2DGzm7IZIoKIk2TEFE4/edit?hl=en_US
THE TROOP GUIDELINES: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bjbm0EUt7nPAAglvVPCPF7FL9gx4hSPzj9CVzENMj1A/edit?hl=en_US
As we continue our work, you'll be able to see our latest changes in these links. If someone wants to make a forum-friendly version of the tree, please do!
THE TROOP GUIDELINES: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bjbm0EUt7nPAAglvVPCPF7FL9gx4hSPzj9CVzENMj1A/edit?hl=en_US
TROOP STATS: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtQHmEa--keBdHRYc2dSYVZaSGY3dWdXOUdaWUNtbkE#gid=8
ThunderClaw and I have spent a lot of time penning out armies, plotting scenarios, researching and otherwise just trying to come up with a balanced, sane plan for the upcoming troop rebalance. We first came up with a list of goals, then a list of guidelines we'd adhere to in achieving those goals. We've come up with the following, and I hope you all find this as a great move going forward. I'll link you to the public google docs we have describing the new balancing schema, as well as the new troop tree, but I'll also provide you with a nutshell here:
1) Each faction will now be designated either 'Specialist' or 'Generalist' army in one of three respective soldier lines: Infantry, Archers and Cavalry
2) Specialist factions will achieve a higher level in the peasant line for their specialty, but have a lower level cap for their weakness
3) Generalist factions will achieve an average higher level in the peasant line and have a broader choice of Noble soldiers, but have only a single elite unit
4) Noble and Elite soldiers will be successions of their peasant line origins, but will still be only available through city centers/unique buildings.
5) Bandit, Mercenary and Slaver troop lines will have Noble/Elite parallels, but will never reach the level/expertise of Faction soldiers.
6) Troop names have been juggled somewhat, and we've made an attempt to make them a little more historically interesting, if not accurate. Ultimately, though, remember names do not matter, only balance matters!
7) Dark Knights, Bandits, Mercenary and Slaver lines have not yet been finished.
Cliff notes for big changes between NE and this:
* Swadian ranged power has been seriously curbed; but they maintain their battlefield dominance in heavy cav
* Vaegirs cav power has been curbed, but they maintain their absolute dominance in ranged combat
* Nordic cav has been almost eliminated, but their mounted medium/heavy skirmishers will be highly effective on foot and in sieges
* The entire Sarranid line had to be rebuilt; the vanilla troops were just awful. The NE troops were good, but were modeled to fit the new design. Expect Sarranid forces to be very competent now.
* The Khergit line is still 100% mounted, however they also now have a light/medium infantry branch to make them suck less in siege warfare
* Rhodok soldiers are sort of an amalgam of the 3 specialist powers, with the unique advantage of being the only faction with mounted crossbow units
The specialist factions:
Swadia (Heavy Cavalry, weakness Archers, only faction with access to most powerful warhorses/charges)
Vaegirs (Archers, weakness Infantry, only faction with access to most powerful bows)
Nords (Heavy Infantry, weakness Cavalry, only faction with access to most powerful throwing weapons)
The generalist factions:
Sarranid: (Cavalry/Infantry, only faction with both strong cavalry and infantry)
Rhodok: (Infantry/Archers, only faction with expertise in polearms and mounted crossbow soldiers)
Khergit: (Cavalry/Archer, only faction with 100% mounted soldiers)
Each faction will have limited access to faction-specific equipment, though said equipment still falls under our item rebalance guidelines.
I know some people might be shocked or surprised at some of the troop shuffling/renaming, but keep in mind some of this is tongue-in-cheek and our primary focus was, and will always remain, game balance and fun. If you don't like some of the new names, you are absolutely encouraged and welcome to edit the soldiers yourself and name them whatever you please. Though, I will say, I did invest at least some time into giving soldiers historically interesting, if not accurate, names. Without further ado...
THE NEW TROOP TREES: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1rmebMy6lHmzGSmGDDi9QxpWF2DGzm7IZIoKIk2TEFE4/edit?hl=en_US
THE TROOP GUIDELINES: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bjbm0EUt7nPAAglvVPCPF7FL9gx4hSPzj9CVzENMj1A/edit?hl=en_US
As we continue our work, you'll be able to see our latest changes in these links. If someone wants to make a forum-friendly version of the tree, please do!