Berpol
Grandmaster Knight
This is a collection of my thoughts on troop trees.
Troop Tier (level):
Combat Skills:
Based on my observations regular troops have combat skills of level*5 + 10 and above. Peasants are a bit lower and specialists like marksmen sometimes considerably higher.
Skills:
With exceptions troops have combat skills up to their tier. Specialist troops (like most Khergit) have 1 or 2 skill levels more (Riding, Mounted Archery).
Troops that have inferior equipment compared to their levels like Berserkers (with war paint or woad) or Assassins (with throwing daggers) also have higher skill levels to compensate this.
In my opinion regular troops should have no skill over 5, higher skills should go to heroes (after all they are the heroes).
Attributes:
Based on my observation troops can use equipment even if they don't have high enough skills or attributes. If you give them base stats additional points are distributed at random based on their level.
STR gives hit points, AGI gives speed, I usually give troops enough for their skills.
Equipment:
Each culture has it's own ideas on how to conduct battle and a preference on what kind of weapons and armor they use. History has also shown that they are able to learn and adapt though in the limited time frame usually seen in Mount&Blade this would be represented with the hiring of mercenaries from other cultures than the adaption of new tools of war as you not only would need to train your troops in them, you also need craftsmen to learn how to make them. Equipment, at least for average troops, is limited on what you can either create yourself or trade for in great numbers. The Japanese had to become great weapon smiths because they only had access to poor grade iron/steel.
The equipment of the different troops is based on your military culture. Does everyone get regulation weapons and armor (Romans) or do your troops equip whatever they find on the battle field or in a shop.
Regulation weapons and armor results in a unified look of the army and even lower tier troops have good equipment though higher tier troops also have only average equipment.
If troops can use whatever they want you get two different results. If your culture has a thriving military industry their weapons and armor might still have a uniform look with differences mostly in quality and construction. If your culture mostly gets military equipment from trade (or looting) their weapons and armor are very diversified.
Of course if you insist that all your troops wear your colors this also gives a uniform look (but we'd need more heraldic armors for that).
Troop Type:
In human history we had many different kinds of armies.
- Greek armies with it's reliance on heavy infantry
- Persian armies with huge numbers of troops but only light or medium troops
- Mongol armies made up entirely of mounted archers
- European medieval armies with it's cadre of heavy knights
- (fill in whatever you can think of)
Each army had it's strengths and weaknesses though the weaknesses usually only appeared when they were on foreign ground or against unexpected foes.
Troop Tier (level):
- 1st Tier
These are the fresh recruits, peasants who came to defend their home without experience in combat. Equipment is what they brought, sharp tools, hunting weapons and strong clothing. - 2nd Tier
These either got some training or survived combat without training. Weapons and armor are older items from the armory or leftover loot from their first battle and is more intended for training than battle. - 3rd Tier
These are trained soldiers, the main corps of the army. They either got good training or survived several battles. Equipment is of average quality and construction and includes a few better pieces either inherited, bought or found on the battlefield. - 4th Tier
These are professional soldiers, the veterans from many battles. They have both training and experience from battle. Weapons and armor are at least of average quality and are often good pieces from the battlefield. - 5th Tier and above
These are professional soldiers with lots of training and experience. Depending on their training they either form the backbone of the troops or work in independant units. Weapons and armor are the best you can buy or plunder.
Combat Skills:
Based on my observations regular troops have combat skills of level*5 + 10 and above. Peasants are a bit lower and specialists like marksmen sometimes considerably higher.
Skills:
With exceptions troops have combat skills up to their tier. Specialist troops (like most Khergit) have 1 or 2 skill levels more (Riding, Mounted Archery).
Troops that have inferior equipment compared to their levels like Berserkers (with war paint or woad) or Assassins (with throwing daggers) also have higher skill levels to compensate this.
In my opinion regular troops should have no skill over 5, higher skills should go to heroes (after all they are the heroes).
Attributes:
Based on my observation troops can use equipment even if they don't have high enough skills or attributes. If you give them base stats additional points are distributed at random based on their level.
STR gives hit points, AGI gives speed, I usually give troops enough for their skills.
Equipment:
Each culture has it's own ideas on how to conduct battle and a preference on what kind of weapons and armor they use. History has also shown that they are able to learn and adapt though in the limited time frame usually seen in Mount&Blade this would be represented with the hiring of mercenaries from other cultures than the adaption of new tools of war as you not only would need to train your troops in them, you also need craftsmen to learn how to make them. Equipment, at least for average troops, is limited on what you can either create yourself or trade for in great numbers. The Japanese had to become great weapon smiths because they only had access to poor grade iron/steel.
The equipment of the different troops is based on your military culture. Does everyone get regulation weapons and armor (Romans) or do your troops equip whatever they find on the battle field or in a shop.
Regulation weapons and armor results in a unified look of the army and even lower tier troops have good equipment though higher tier troops also have only average equipment.
If troops can use whatever they want you get two different results. If your culture has a thriving military industry their weapons and armor might still have a uniform look with differences mostly in quality and construction. If your culture mostly gets military equipment from trade (or looting) their weapons and armor are very diversified.
Of course if you insist that all your troops wear your colors this also gives a uniform look (but we'd need more heraldic armors for that).
Troop Type:
In human history we had many different kinds of armies.
- Greek armies with it's reliance on heavy infantry
- Persian armies with huge numbers of troops but only light or medium troops
- Mongol armies made up entirely of mounted archers
- European medieval armies with it's cadre of heavy knights
- (fill in whatever you can think of)
Each army had it's strengths and weaknesses though the weaknesses usually only appeared when they were on foreign ground or against unexpected foes.
