Cyclohexane
Knight at Arms
CREDITS
First thing first, give credit where credit is due. While I spent uncounted hours creating the troops, modifying the .brf files, modifying textures, editing and rotating items, testing the units, testing the items, etc., none of this would be possible without the following individuals allowing me to use their models as a starting point:
One who deserves particular gratitude is the creator of the Rise of Khergits, <Knight>. If you have never played ROK, I highly suggest it. The play style is completely different than SOD. This mod is fast paced action with fast horses, long lances, and piercing bows. I really enjoy horse archer characters so I had a blast in this mod. <knight> has given me permission to use some of his models. D'sparil has given permission to Temujin to use some of the Eagle and Radiant Cross models (also an excellent mod).
In order to get permission for these models, I promised the guys who worked so hard on them that they would be mentioned in the credits. Considering the long list already and the fact that some of them are already there (Maw is awesome), I hope this is not a problem (otherwise I will have an interesting Mod that I unfortunately cannot share). So whoever made the starting credit screen, please add these individuals (in no particular order and the mod name is there for reference on this thread, not necessarily on credit screen).
Rise of Khergits (RoK) developers:
And don’t forget the organizer and inspirer…
If you’re wondering why I am thanking so many people, it is because since the final release of version 4.1 SOD (707 items), I have added 165 new quality items! The Zerrikanian’s do not need this many items, I have been adding files to the .brf and textures for future Mercenary Guild units and to make some faith units not look like clones.
WHY I DID THIS
The first time I played SOD I choose the Zerrikanian’s because I liked the name. I knew nothing about each civilization because I never took the time to read anything. I was downloading mods left and right and playing through them to see which one was going to keep me up late at night the most. I loved the new kingdom management features in SOD and here I am. At first I was a little disappointed because the Zerrikanian’s were not what I expected. Below is my vision of the Zerrikanian’s initially inspired by Temujin in this thread: zerkanian troop overhaul . Eventually we decided to make them a cross between Russian, Asian, and Muslim culture. If anyone is upset about that, keep in mind Calradia is a fantasy location and there are 4 other new civilizations to play.
BACKGROUND
Zerrikanian’s use color to distinguish units and have been giving orders on the battlefield without speech before smoke signals. With one turn of the Boyar’s feathered helmet, archers will not only know to fire, but where to fire at. For that reason, their uniforms are colorful and the men know who to follow. Another thing that distinguishes them is the masks their elite soldiers wear to battle. Within ranks, there are subdivisions and the helmets they wear into battle signify this position.
Zerrikanian’s believe capturing one soldier in battle is more impressive than killing two. Slavery is intermingled into Zerrikanian society and it is even possible for slaves to achieve high ranking positions through battle. I think you will find that the Zerrikanian’s are unique and offer a balanced play style without the ability to spam one unit type for instant destruction.
All of these new units can be a bit confusing at first so here is the new troop tree. We will definitely need some new signatures, because these guys look nothing like previous versions.
The new Zerrikanian Troop Tree
The total number and the level (XP) of the troops is the same. I altered the troop tree to remove one of the heavy cavalry units (make it harder to get elite cavalry due to higher amount of levels involved before dying) and gave them a mid tiered cavalry archer instead. I also removed the elite archers and gave them a mid tier infantry unit to help in sieges. To summarize their abilities:
Each unit has a couple different helmets and sometimes a few different armors to choose from. The diversity created is more than just taking other peoples work. I spent many late nights awake when I should have been sleeping teaching myself the .brf editor and “The Gimp”.
The Gimp is not some guy in a rubber suit keep inside a chest. Rather it is awesome OSP freeware with many similarities to Photoshop. If you’re like me and do not believe in pirated software but do not want to shell out $600 bucks, then the Gimp is for you. I am familiar with Photoshop so I took to this very easily. Not hard to use and I may continue making more OSP items in the future.
UNIT DESCRIPTIONS
Your Starting Gear
Nothing elite and unbalanced (same armor values and yes that is a new mace), but it makes you feel like a Zerrikanian right off the bat. The noble outfit came from darie’s OSP Indo-Persian Armor Pack. I liked it so much, I re-textured the spiked helm from D'sparil’s Eagle and Radiant Cross and the charger from <knight’s> Rise of Khergits. If you ever played Diablo II, think of this as an item set without any bonuses.
Militia
The standard Zerrikanian foot troop issued light leather and a shield. Some are peasants from the homeland while others were born (or taken) into slavery but promised freedom and citizenship upon completion of one decade of service. Many carry axes into battle while others carry clubs. This is due to their potential to specialize as a shock troop or their desire to capture the enemy on horseback. Deserters are not tolerated and the army is literally whipped into discipline.
Cossack
Cossacks are the backbone of the Zerrikanian cavalry and speed is their most critical atrribute. As such they wear light armor and wield straw shields. They spend most of their time on horseback and are accustomed to patrolling large areas of land protecting nobles fiefs, roads, and towns. Many come to battle equipped with bow and arrow while others carry maces and clubs training for their desired promotion path, the Kalmuck (horse archer) or Bashkir (heavy cavalry).
Bashkir
Zerrikanian cavalry specialize in capturing troops and selling them into slavery or ransoming for profit. It is easy to kill a man in battle, turning it into a profit is much more difficult. One look at their gear and it is obvious that war is good business. While not heavily armored, Bashkir’s are useful in a siege being skilled in shield and mace. Notice the new decorated throwing hammers on the Bashkir and Oprichnik
Oprichnik
The elite Zerrikanian heavy cavalry. The profit from many battles shows in this units armor, dress, and societal standing. Oprichnik’s in the home land work directly for the Tsar’s special “police force” having submitted countless number of men in armed and unarmed combat. In rare instances, slaves have become equal to nobles and allowed to own land in Zerrikanian society through this path.
I gave the Oprichnik’s many different helms. I am proud of my work on the mask helm. I retextured the helm of Eagle and Radiant Cross mask to make it match the Rise of Khergit armor.
Kalmuck
Lightly armored, fast, and maneuverable. While they are not the most skilled archers in the land, a combination of Kalmuck and melee cavalry is a force to be reckoned with. When dismounted, a Kalmuck can hold his own with their large shields and sabers.
Axe_man
The upgraded militia infantry unit. Many battles have allowed upgraded gear and specialized skills. They are lightly armored but spend hours each day increasing their athletic and defensive shield ability. Armed with axe and shield, they work in tandem with Berdiche Axemen to block blows to allow the heavy infantry to get in close.
Berdiche Axemen
Berdiche Axemen had their own 2 handed double sided battle axe named after them after a great war long ago with the Andians where their heavy cavalry was stopped in place and subsequently chopped to pieces. While they do not come from noble blood, their skill with the axe is unmatched and their rank in the Zerrikanian army is well respected. They act as the Zerrikanians shock troop for sieges leading the charge but their weakness is ranged fire and they depend on Axe men for cover.
Once again, I retextured the helm of Eagle and Radiant Cross mask to make it match the Rise of Khergit armor. Notice the detail of the armor texture (not just the green scales but the fabric on the back matches the armor).
Strelet
A simple archer accustomed to using their bow for hunting. Some are slaves promised freedom after service while others have volunteered to gain a better life. Armed with a small bow and dagger, life at the bottom of society is not easy. They fall victim to heavy cavalry and only slightly effective as archers. However, they are cheap and easily replaced.
Dvor Archer
The Zerrikanian’s elite archers. Dvor archers do not come from nobility, rather they reach their rank from the amount of kills on the battle field. They are highly sought after by Zerrikanian nobility as personal guards for their family and property. The Dvor archer is only moderately effective when compared to other civilizations elite archers.
Boyar Son's
Boyar Son's are often the second or third son of Zerrikanian nobility or the son of a poor noble. While the first born is granted lands and wealth, these individuals must fight to increase their societal standing. Many are motivated by greed but some are eager to pick up the sword and prove their worth and the battle field for honor, religion, or just the love of battle. The many different styles of decorative shields they carry are a banner and honor to their family. Boyar’s function as light cavalry on the battle field armed with spear, bastard sword, shield, and often javelins.
Boyar
A wealthy and powerful noble forged from battle. While the typical Zerrikanian Boyar will never back down from a fight, oftentimes, he must leave your command to take up business in his own lands. However, just as slaves are often freed and granted citizenship in return for loyalty, Zerrikanian policy requires a life for a life. A Boyar will never leave his Tsar empty handed, he will send his son, or even his personal bodyguard, the Dvor to stand in his place. Boyar’s function as heavy cavalry on the battle field armed with spear, bastard sword, shield, and often javelins.
Dvor
While their rank is respected among Zerrikanian society, Dvors are not nobility, rather they are the personal body guards of Boyars and their family. The majority have earned this rank from killing or capturing countless number of men in battle and showing exceptional bravery. The Dvors are paid well and train constantly. Unlike typical Zerrikanian cavalry that will try to capture you and sell you at a profit, the Dvor is armed with laminar armor, a heavy plate mask, and a giant two handed cimitar that has been modified for 1 or 2 handed combat. The Dvor is paid to end the battle quickly. And they are paid well.
RELIGION
The religion of the Zerrikanians varies from castle to castle due to the fact that an overwhelming high percentage of the population are, or once were, slaves. Religion is mostly a tool used by nobles for controlling the population. For this reason, many different religions are tolerated and practiced. There has never been a unifying religion of the Zerrikanians due to the fact that a living enemy is more profitable than a dead one. However, after the advance by the Legion crushing their homelands and forcing many of noble blood from their lands, that is due to change…
First thing first, give credit where credit is due. While I spent uncounted hours creating the troops, modifying the .brf files, modifying textures, editing and rotating items, testing the units, testing the items, etc., none of this would be possible without the following individuals allowing me to use their models as a starting point:
One who deserves particular gratitude is the creator of the Rise of Khergits, <Knight>. If you have never played ROK, I highly suggest it. The play style is completely different than SOD. This mod is fast paced action with fast horses, long lances, and piercing bows. I really enjoy horse archer characters so I had a blast in this mod. <knight> has given me permission to use some of his models. D'sparil has given permission to Temujin to use some of the Eagle and Radiant Cross models (also an excellent mod).
In order to get permission for these models, I promised the guys who worked so hard on them that they would be mentioned in the credits. Considering the long list already and the fact that some of them are already there (Maw is awesome), I hope this is not a problem (otherwise I will have an interesting Mod that I unfortunately cannot share). So whoever made the starting credit screen, please add these individuals (in no particular order and the mod name is there for reference on this thread, not necessarily on credit screen).
Rise of Khergits (RoK) developers:
- <knight>
- Tatari_Okan
- Artizan
- D'sparil
- dariel
- maw
- Luigi
- Njiekovic
- Ursca
- Ubberdorc
- Mirathei
- Raz
- The Pope
- TRC
- Oblivion
- RR_Raptor65
- The Pope
- James
- Luigi
- -IYI-O-R-T-
And don’t forget the organizer and inspirer…
- Cyclohexane
- Temujin
If you’re wondering why I am thanking so many people, it is because since the final release of version 4.1 SOD (707 items), I have added 165 new quality items! The Zerrikanian’s do not need this many items, I have been adding files to the .brf and textures for future Mercenary Guild units and to make some faith units not look like clones.
WHY I DID THIS
The first time I played SOD I choose the Zerrikanian’s because I liked the name. I knew nothing about each civilization because I never took the time to read anything. I was downloading mods left and right and playing through them to see which one was going to keep me up late at night the most. I loved the new kingdom management features in SOD and here I am. At first I was a little disappointed because the Zerrikanian’s were not what I expected. Below is my vision of the Zerrikanian’s initially inspired by Temujin in this thread: zerkanian troop overhaul . Eventually we decided to make them a cross between Russian, Asian, and Muslim culture. If anyone is upset about that, keep in mind Calradia is a fantasy location and there are 4 other new civilizations to play.
BACKGROUND
Zerrikanian’s use color to distinguish units and have been giving orders on the battlefield without speech before smoke signals. With one turn of the Boyar’s feathered helmet, archers will not only know to fire, but where to fire at. For that reason, their uniforms are colorful and the men know who to follow. Another thing that distinguishes them is the masks their elite soldiers wear to battle. Within ranks, there are subdivisions and the helmets they wear into battle signify this position.
Zerrikanian’s believe capturing one soldier in battle is more impressive than killing two. Slavery is intermingled into Zerrikanian society and it is even possible for slaves to achieve high ranking positions through battle. I think you will find that the Zerrikanian’s are unique and offer a balanced play style without the ability to spam one unit type for instant destruction.
All of these new units can be a bit confusing at first so here is the new troop tree. We will definitely need some new signatures, because these guys look nothing like previous versions.
The new Zerrikanian Troop Tree
The total number and the level (XP) of the troops is the same. I altered the troop tree to remove one of the heavy cavalry units (make it harder to get elite cavalry due to higher amount of levels involved before dying) and gave them a mid tiered cavalry archer instead. I also removed the elite archers and gave them a mid tier infantry unit to help in sieges. To summarize their abilities:
- Great melee cavalry but specialize in blunt weapons. This means less damage and not as heavily armored. The prisoners they collect will become a constant source of income for the persuasive Zerrikanian commander or make great “recruits”.
- They have a mid tiered cavalry archer unit to help against other civilizations who focus on melee cavalry. More strategy and less spamming of one unit to win every battle. Similar to Khergit horse archers but will fail against veteran horse archers.
- Their archers are not bad but fail miserably in melee. The Dvor archer has nice light armor, war bows, bodkin arrows, but no shield and only a saber in melee.
- Their infantry is not heavily armored, but has a high damage output with high athletics.
- Their nobles are on par with all the other civilizations (heavy shock cavalry).
Each unit has a couple different helmets and sometimes a few different armors to choose from. The diversity created is more than just taking other peoples work. I spent many late nights awake when I should have been sleeping teaching myself the .brf editor and “The Gimp”.
The Gimp is not some guy in a rubber suit keep inside a chest. Rather it is awesome OSP freeware with many similarities to Photoshop. If you’re like me and do not believe in pirated software but do not want to shell out $600 bucks, then the Gimp is for you. I am familiar with Photoshop so I took to this very easily. Not hard to use and I may continue making more OSP items in the future.
UNIT DESCRIPTIONS
Your Starting Gear
Nothing elite and unbalanced (same armor values and yes that is a new mace), but it makes you feel like a Zerrikanian right off the bat. The noble outfit came from darie’s OSP Indo-Persian Armor Pack. I liked it so much, I re-textured the spiked helm from D'sparil’s Eagle and Radiant Cross and the charger from <knight’s> Rise of Khergits. If you ever played Diablo II, think of this as an item set without any bonuses.
Militia
The standard Zerrikanian foot troop issued light leather and a shield. Some are peasants from the homeland while others were born (or taken) into slavery but promised freedom and citizenship upon completion of one decade of service. Many carry axes into battle while others carry clubs. This is due to their potential to specialize as a shock troop or their desire to capture the enemy on horseback. Deserters are not tolerated and the army is literally whipped into discipline.
Cossack
Cossacks are the backbone of the Zerrikanian cavalry and speed is their most critical atrribute. As such they wear light armor and wield straw shields. They spend most of their time on horseback and are accustomed to patrolling large areas of land protecting nobles fiefs, roads, and towns. Many come to battle equipped with bow and arrow while others carry maces and clubs training for their desired promotion path, the Kalmuck (horse archer) or Bashkir (heavy cavalry).
Bashkir
Zerrikanian cavalry specialize in capturing troops and selling them into slavery or ransoming for profit. It is easy to kill a man in battle, turning it into a profit is much more difficult. One look at their gear and it is obvious that war is good business. While not heavily armored, Bashkir’s are useful in a siege being skilled in shield and mace. Notice the new decorated throwing hammers on the Bashkir and Oprichnik
Oprichnik
The elite Zerrikanian heavy cavalry. The profit from many battles shows in this units armor, dress, and societal standing. Oprichnik’s in the home land work directly for the Tsar’s special “police force” having submitted countless number of men in armed and unarmed combat. In rare instances, slaves have become equal to nobles and allowed to own land in Zerrikanian society through this path.
I gave the Oprichnik’s many different helms. I am proud of my work on the mask helm. I retextured the helm of Eagle and Radiant Cross mask to make it match the Rise of Khergit armor.
Kalmuck
Lightly armored, fast, and maneuverable. While they are not the most skilled archers in the land, a combination of Kalmuck and melee cavalry is a force to be reckoned with. When dismounted, a Kalmuck can hold his own with their large shields and sabers.
Axe_man
The upgraded militia infantry unit. Many battles have allowed upgraded gear and specialized skills. They are lightly armored but spend hours each day increasing their athletic and defensive shield ability. Armed with axe and shield, they work in tandem with Berdiche Axemen to block blows to allow the heavy infantry to get in close.
Berdiche Axemen
Berdiche Axemen had their own 2 handed double sided battle axe named after them after a great war long ago with the Andians where their heavy cavalry was stopped in place and subsequently chopped to pieces. While they do not come from noble blood, their skill with the axe is unmatched and their rank in the Zerrikanian army is well respected. They act as the Zerrikanians shock troop for sieges leading the charge but their weakness is ranged fire and they depend on Axe men for cover.
Once again, I retextured the helm of Eagle and Radiant Cross mask to make it match the Rise of Khergit armor. Notice the detail of the armor texture (not just the green scales but the fabric on the back matches the armor).
Strelet
A simple archer accustomed to using their bow for hunting. Some are slaves promised freedom after service while others have volunteered to gain a better life. Armed with a small bow and dagger, life at the bottom of society is not easy. They fall victim to heavy cavalry and only slightly effective as archers. However, they are cheap and easily replaced.
Dvor Archer
The Zerrikanian’s elite archers. Dvor archers do not come from nobility, rather they reach their rank from the amount of kills on the battle field. They are highly sought after by Zerrikanian nobility as personal guards for their family and property. The Dvor archer is only moderately effective when compared to other civilizations elite archers.
Boyar Son's
Boyar Son's are often the second or third son of Zerrikanian nobility or the son of a poor noble. While the first born is granted lands and wealth, these individuals must fight to increase their societal standing. Many are motivated by greed but some are eager to pick up the sword and prove their worth and the battle field for honor, religion, or just the love of battle. The many different styles of decorative shields they carry are a banner and honor to their family. Boyar’s function as light cavalry on the battle field armed with spear, bastard sword, shield, and often javelins.
Boyar
A wealthy and powerful noble forged from battle. While the typical Zerrikanian Boyar will never back down from a fight, oftentimes, he must leave your command to take up business in his own lands. However, just as slaves are often freed and granted citizenship in return for loyalty, Zerrikanian policy requires a life for a life. A Boyar will never leave his Tsar empty handed, he will send his son, or even his personal bodyguard, the Dvor to stand in his place. Boyar’s function as heavy cavalry on the battle field armed with spear, bastard sword, shield, and often javelins.
Dvor
While their rank is respected among Zerrikanian society, Dvors are not nobility, rather they are the personal body guards of Boyars and their family. The majority have earned this rank from killing or capturing countless number of men in battle and showing exceptional bravery. The Dvors are paid well and train constantly. Unlike typical Zerrikanian cavalry that will try to capture you and sell you at a profit, the Dvor is armed with laminar armor, a heavy plate mask, and a giant two handed cimitar that has been modified for 1 or 2 handed combat. The Dvor is paid to end the battle quickly. And they are paid well.
RELIGION
The religion of the Zerrikanians varies from castle to castle due to the fact that an overwhelming high percentage of the population are, or once were, slaves. Religion is mostly a tool used by nobles for controlling the population. For this reason, many different religions are tolerated and practiced. There has never been a unifying religion of the Zerrikanians due to the fact that a living enemy is more profitable than a dead one. However, after the advance by the Legion crushing their homelands and forcing many of noble blood from their lands, that is due to change…
