Call of the Barbarians Unit Pack

[ShiroKobbure]

Thanks to Tom and Ares, a few of my units packs should be released soon. I have a few more on my computer, that I am re-rendering and touching up.
But right now I want to work on another pack. Call of the Barbarians is a pack that will make barbarians more diverse. Each Barbarian "civ" will have 1 to 4 unique units, so you don't see the same archer or swordsman every place on the globe. So if you want to request something (no promises) put the name of the civ and one or two images for reference.

Here is the civs I am planing on making units for:

Inuit
Nootka
Caribs
Amazonians (Brazil)

Nubians
Pygmy
Masai
Zulu

Philistines

Tibetan

Taiwanese aborigines
Visayans
Moro (Filipino)
Papuan (Papua New Guinea)
Maori
Hawaiian
Koori

 

[Axolotl]

Dang but it would just be awesome to have some Tlingit warriors:

Spoiler :

Note the totally sweet helmet-masks, slatted wooden armor, and variety of weapons -- muskets, bows, spears, wooden daggers, etc.

Here's one with a spiked war-hammer, which ended the life of many a Russian fur-trader on the Alyeskan frontier.

Much farther south, what about the Mapuche?:

Spoiler :

Here's a spearman.

The Mapuche were quick and enthusiastic adopters of Spanish horses and cavalry tactics, with which they successfully resisted the conquistadors; they continue to be a thorn in the side of the Chilean government to this day.

Here's one with a massive wooden war club. The also used spears, slings, and bows and arrows in combat and, later, guns and even captured cannons.

Thank you so much for doing all this, Shiro. I know I'm not the only one looking forward to the packs you've already previewed, and this new project is going to add so much flavor to the game.

 

[Blue Monkey]

In support of Axolotl:

Two Galleries (they're very large, hence the thumbnails) -

Top Row: Haida + 2 Kwakiutl
Middle Row: Nootka & a couple of related tribes (for the sake of some variations in the cedar bark garments
Bottom Row: Tlingit




Two rows of tribes living a little further south but still considered NW tribes. Maybe some ideas here for headdress variations or or early era units.



Some notes on colors

• On all the Haida/Tlingit/Kwakiutl clothes I have seen (Southwestern/Gene Autry Museum, American Natural History Museum, Museum of the American Indian) the predominant decorative colors are red, black, & white. The white is often button/bead work - abalone, mother of pearl, etc. The woven basket hats are black & natural straw colored.
• In the illustrations you will see some blue - this was a very rare dye color until contact with the Europeans. If indigo clothes were gained in trade they were often leeched of all their dye rather than worn. Those might be good places for civ color.

postscript: all the images are by David Rickman from the Dover Press "Northwest Coast Indians" coloring book.

 

[Blue Monkey]

Images of "barbarians" (archers) from many different Asian nations.

 

[ShiroKobbure]

Axolotl the Pacific North West Indians are on the list, I wrote them as Nootka.

 

[Axolotl]

Axolotl the Pacific North West Indians are on the list, I wrote them as Nootka.

I think I can manage to be ecstatically happy with that.

 

[nick0515]

As a New Zealander, I'm glad to see you have Maori on your list. Some Maori units will be great to have. A New Zealand Wars scenario could even be made if you make a musket unit.

 

[Blue Monkey]

I think I can manage to be ecstatically happy with that.

Myself as well.

As a New Zealander, I'm glad to see you have Maori on your list. Some Maori units will be great to have. A New Zealand Wars scenario could even be made if you make a musket unit.

If needed I can probably find some pictures of Maori.

In the meantime here's one of Himalayan archers in traditional dress. IIRC they're from Nepal or Bhutan but might work for Tibet.

Spoiler :

 

[nick0515]

Maori warrior pics are very easy to find. Here's a few I found.

1. With the traditional taiaha

2. With a pounamu/greenstone (NZ jade) patu/mere (small club, usually called mere when made from pounamu).

3. With a musket, doing a Haka (war dance) in much the same manner as he would if he was armed with a taiaha.

 

[Blue Monkey]

Hopefully the Maori unit(s) will have Tā moko. It will need to be simplified & exaggerated to appear at game scale, but hard to imagine a warrior without it.

Spoiler :

 

[nick0515]

Yes, Moko would be a very nice touch.

 

[ShiroKobbure]

How common were long beards on Maori?

 

[nick0515]

Maori men didn't grow any facial hair before Europeans arrived. Beards only became popular after European contact. Christian missionaries promoted growing beards to cover up moko which they saw as a heathen practice.

So any pre-contact units should definitely be beardless.

 

[Balam-Agab]

If you're up for it I could use some units for medieval Eurasian Steppe nomads; i.e. Cumins, Kapchaks, Petchenegs, Bulgars etc. Their equipment was more or less the same so the particular tribe is not important.

Here are some examples:

Spoiler :

 

[tom2050]

That's an awesome pic nick! I wouldn't mess with the guy!

Spoiler :

 

[nick0515]

That's an awesome pic nick! I wouldn't mess with the guy!

Spoiler :

That's the idea. Look as fierce as possible. Haka is so much built into the New Zealand identity that the All Blacks (New Zealand's Rugby team (the best team in the world!)) are famous for performing it before every match. It's a cultural icon in New Zealand. Maori have keep alive most of their traditions in New Zealand and as you can probably see from the first pic, contemporary Maori still often learn it as well as a whole lot of other cultural activities, though Moko is far less common now. Kapa Haka (Maori traditional singing and dancing, including war dances) performances are very common in New Zealand there are national competitions etc

Sorry I'm getting a bit off topic.

 

[Blue Monkey]

That's the idea. Look as fierce as possible. Haka is so much built into the New Zealand identity that the All Blacks (New Zealand's Rugby team (the best team in the world!)) are famous for performing it before every match.

IIRC at one point there were official protests by opponents because it was felt that the haka unfairly intimidated other teams. Which afaik is part of the intent of a haka. Would make a great fortify or victory anim.

• NZ (All Blacks) v. Tonga with both sides doing haka.
• Haka performed by Maori Studies graduating students - in traditional dress & easier to hear the chant.
• Regional Kapa Haka competition, look at 2:40 + for dress & haka.
• At UN - Powhiri ("friend or foe" challenge). Shows spear & dress in detail.
• Touristy Powhiri re-enactment, but check out the weapon and the way he's wielding it.

 

[nick0515]

Yeah there have been protests about it but I know plenty of non-New Zealand rugby fans who love the Haka too.

Also, while the Haka is used as a war dance/challenge etc it has many other uses too. I probably shouldn't have called it a war dance really becuase it was, and is, used in many peaceful non-aggressive situations also.

Yes it would make a fantastic victory animation.

 

[Blue Monkey]

Also, while the Haka is used as a war dance/challenge etc it has many other uses too. I probably shouldn't have called it a war dance really becuase it was, and is, used in many peaceful non-aggressive situations also.

I was surprised to see women & what seem to be youngsters involved in traditional presentations of Haka when I looked at youtube. Makes more sense now that you explained a little.

 

[Jerry'sGoldfish]

and what became of those units??