Australians Mod

[Rob (R8XFT)]

I actually think R8XFT has a pretty good idea... a modified rifleman might just work fine, although I'd be interested to know whether the AI would use two cav. type units, and whether the light horse would only be used for defensive purposes.

Obviously, you'd need the AI strategy clicked on defense and offense. Perhaps if the AI was thinking of attacking it would still choose the best attacking unit, ie Cavalry, except if it had no access to horses or saltpeter.

But you're not thinking of playing against Australia are you ?

 

[Margim]

Eer... perhaps. I'd love to put it in as a replacement civ... over one of those less important nations of the past, like the Hittites, Mongols or English .

 

[LlamaGod]

Make Mad Max a great leader, woo

 

[WardyPP]

Margim: The main problem i see with making a rifleman replacement is that a) like you said, it would probably confuse the AI and b) being able to draft those units as soon as you discover nationalism may be very unbalanced.

 

[Margim]

Margim: The main problem i see with making a rifleman replacement is that a) like you said, it would probably confuse the AI and b) being able to draft those units as soon as you discover nationalism may be very unbalanced.

Unbalanced, perhaps, but curiously historically accurate. After all, Australia's nationalist (albeit for the 'Empire') fervour first arose in WW1, when the light horse became most used, and that it came to such a point that those not volunteering basically were shunned by society. Thus, they were essentially drafted. Anyway, when its all finally downloaded, I guess we just do what feels right for our own games.

 

[WardyPP]

Well I agree with you to an extent that the light horse and nationalism are linked. However, the Light horse was around for at least 30 years before World War I, and participated in a lot of campaigns in the Boer War.

When it comes down to it though, I'm just thinking that since I'd probably want to play as the Australians all the time in my epic games, I don't want to make them too powerful because it will take some of the challenge out of it.

Besides that, I don't think the editor is so restrictive as to what you can do as far as units go. I think it's possible to simply add an additional unit to the build possibilities, meaning that you could conceivably keep the normal cavalry, but allow discovering Nationalism to let you build Riflemen AND Light Horse. This is something that none of the vanilla civs can do, but it's a possibility.

On balance though, I think it would be easier and more accurate to just replace cavalry with the light horse.

 

[WardyPP]

Margim and R8XFT: I have created a new mod implementing the Australians as agricultural and scientific, using Menzies as the leader and Light Horse as the UU.

Light Horse: 6/5/3 80 shields, replaces Cavalry, upgrades to Air Cavalry.

I have also added a new unit: Air cavalry, which is a UH-1 "Huey" chopper I found in the unit library. Its a 12/5/2 land unit that treats all terrain as a road. Cost: 110 shields. All forms of Cavalry can upgrade to Air Cavalry after the discovery of Advanced Flight, and all civs can build it. Requires oil and rubber like the Helicopter transport.

I found some cavalry with a different hat in the unit library which im using as the graphic for the Light Horse. I also used LordAzrael's original city list.

Military Leaders: Breaker Morant, John Monash, Weary Dunlop, Peter Cosgrove.
Scientific Leaders: Hugh McKay, Douglas Mawson, Mark Oliphant, Victor Chang.

The new units work correctly in debug mode, but I haven't yet played a game to see if the upgrading works correctly.

Additionally, I haven't tested the balance of the Air Cavalry unit. I think it has potential to be too good, but I think the possibility to follow history by upgrading mounted cavalry to helicopter cavalry is neat. I don't mind changing the stats if it turns out to be diabolical, but I'd like to keep it in the mod if possible.

Anyway, the big problem is that I've been unable to work out how to get R8s' menzies leaderhead working, and also that the new units I have added have no sound. If you guys feel like testing the mod or even just helping me sort out the graphics and sound, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[WardyPP]

If you guys want a copy of the mod files, email me at ydraw@iinet.net.au I tried uploading it but it says the file size limit is 500k.

 

[Margim]

Was the cavalry you found like this one? Its the only one I could find that seemed to fit.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=914858&postcount=634

 

[WardyPP]

Margim: Yes, that's the one.

 

[WardyPP]

OK guys, the mod is now complete. I have enabled R8XFT's Menzies Leaderhead, as well as both the Light Horse and Air Cavalry Units. They also now have sounds.

The only remaining problem is that the Air Cav unit uses the same Civilopedia icon as the transport helicopter, due to me not being able to work out how to create a civ-compatible palette in photoshop. I think I can live with that.

Oh, also my Civilopedia entries are pretty crappy, but again, who cares.

Of course, with all the .flics and other graphics included, the mod chimes in at 21MB, so now I have to work out where to stick it so you guys can download.

 

[mintyfreshdeath]

I've thought about it in the past and I feel that the traits of Agricultural and Expansionist would suit an Australian civ. Agricultural because of the way the continent, which is the driest in the world, has been made viable and productive. It hasn't always been a good thing, particularly now that we are seeing the effects of irrigation on what is also possibly the most fragile and ancient landmass in the world. Australian science is focused heavily on environmental sustainability... if it is the only future for the rest of civilisation if it is to survive, then that goes doubly for Australia.

Expanionist because this entire continent has been colonised. It is the only country with a territory that spans a continent. THAT'S expansion.

 

[Admiral Lilwall]

Lord Azreal, any updates on this civ? Did you have to start over? Still keen to see your version of it

 

[Sandman2003]

I like the Mod, but the UU is kind of sucky... An offemsive UU with added defense (light cavalry) doesn't really improve it usefully. Likewise, a defensive UU with added offense (ANZAC) also isn't particularly useful. At least in a humans hands. The AI may benefit from these oddities, because the AI has a habit of getting their units into a position where they will be attacking with defensive units (infantry - it has the AI offense strategy after all), or defending with offensive units.

There really isn't much you can do with the cavalry unit. A good UU would either be cheaper, have better movement, better offense, or better abilities. The knight to cavalry upgrade cost is minimal - effectively ruling out cheaper. A move four horse based unit would be absurd, and unbalanced, ruling out better movement. Better offense has been done with the Sipahi, better abilites has been done with the Russian UU. So there is not really anywhere left to go.

Of the two I actualy prefer the ANZAC with 8.10.1 infantry replacement, if also given amphibious ability, and treat all terrain as roads, to make its offensive sort of useful. The later GA isn't really that big a problem - the GA will probably end up being triggered by wonders. If you capture the appropriate wonders, building any wonder will trigger the GA... Also the infantry doesn't have any other UU replacements as far as I am aware, so it is a good choice!

 

[Enkidu_Warrior]

perhaps the light cav ought to simply be cheap cavalry. same abilities, just easier to produce (may fit some of the historical references to social pressure to sign up to serve).

i note there are a number of changes mentioned on this last page, but cant tell where the final, or at least latest, version of this download is. anyone?

 

[Sandman2003]

i note there are a number of changes mentioned on this last page, but cant tell where the final, or at least latest, version of this download is. anyone?

There is another thread about it, here:

Australian Mod

 

[Enkidu_Warrior]

ah, the old bait-and-switch. i shoulda thought to look for another thread! thanks

 

[killer_J27]

Speechless

 

[gorgles]

Ok..the most glaring omission re great leaders...Monash...he was the envy of Allied leaders in WW 1. In fact it's been postited his stategies of not sending people 'over the top' as per Haig and co where what helped bring that nightmare to an end...and in deference to 60,000 years of continous living culture, the more aware and adventurous of you could actually list indigenous group names to the play.,,just keep the egalitarian myth alive that we are really the land of the fair go...lol! Maybe some ackowledgement of East Timor...New Guineau..and any chance of creating avatars/icons of Uluru or Lake Eyre? And a bit less parochialism (gayfl indeed! Extreme Philately...NOW YA TALKIN'!! BRING IT ON BEIJING!)

 

[gorgles]

Suggestions for great Aussie leaders. Bruce Spence ala Gyroboy in Mad Max II.Kath and Kim spring to mind. Ray Martin could be the propaganda minister. John Laws (His poetry could be listed a WMD!) and his cohort...thingie...Alan Jones could be inner party members from the Ministry of Truth...And let's not forget Dame Edna...at least she's a real woman!