European Middle Ages Mod Resurrection

[Drtad]

A good possible leader for Bulgaria could be Krum. Krum was an excellent warrior who defeated both the emperors Nikephoros I, and Micheal Rangabe. Upon the assension of Leo V the Armenian, the Byzantine were in a percarious situation with Krum blockading Constantinople by land. Leo V tried to kill Krum in an ambush, but was unsuccessful, but it did lift the siege, at the loss of a few cities including Adrianople. However, after King Krum's death, Leo V the Armenian quickly took the opportunity and conquered Bulgaria in short order. Also, a leader of the Slavs could be the Viking called Rurik, first prince of Novgorod if I am not mistaken. Serbia's leader should definitely be the Serbian emperor Stephen Dushan.

 

[Craig_Sutter]

Here's my first Civilopedia entry, for the Cog...

Spoiler :

<TEXT>
<Tag>TXT_KEY_UNIT_COG_PEDIA</Tag>
<English>[TAB]The Cog was a wide spacious type of transport ship that through the Middle Ages gradually replaced the Viking age Longships in Northern Europe. The Cog first appeared in records during the mid 10th century. The Cog was a broad beamed ship primarily used for transporting goods, animals and armies. Developed out of the Viking legacy, it used the clinker (overlapping beams) style of construction and had a single sail, common to the Longship. With its open hull, it would be possible to row a Cog a short distance. However, their weight and ungainly shape compared to the Longship would preclude oars as a serious means to navigate,and thus a Cog had a very large mainsail. Its higher freeboard and wide hull made the Cog a much more ocean-worthy ship than its predeccesors. The long keel would obviously give a good grip on the water and, combined with a square sail, provided the best answer for a deeply laden cargo ship in the rough waters of the North Sea and Baltic. The principal structural features of this type - weather deck, flat floors and through beams - all combined to greatly increase the carrying capacity of the Cog in comparison with its open boat type predecessors, and greatly contributed to the trading success of the Hanseatic League. [PARAGRAPH:1]A Cog was first armed with a catapult (first recorded arming of a Cog was 1234) and by 1470 deck mounted guns had appeared on ships. [PARAGRAPH:1]With the first Crusade, Northern European ships landed on the shores of the Mediterranean, and with it, building methods and styles became mixed. Ship builders began using the Mediterranean carvel built construction to replace clinker built ships, and added stern rudders and lateen sails, while maintaining the larger cargo capacities of the Northern European vessels. Finally, around 1400 AD the Cog had grown, developed and changed so much that it became two new ship types, the Caravel and the Carrack.</English>
<French>[TAB]Non.</French>
<German>[TAB]None.</German>
<Italian>[TAB]None.</Italian>
<Spanish>[TAB]None.</Spanish>
</TEXT>

More will be coming. Hope it's not too long.

 

[Craig_Sutter]

This is the entry for the Lateen Galley. Note, I've used TXT_KEY_UNIT_LATEEN_GALLEY_PEDIA for the naming convention. Make certain to change that if it's not the name you've chosen.

Spoiler :

<TEXT>
<Tag>TXT_KEY_UNIT_LATEEN_GALLEY_PEDIA</Tag>
<English>[TAB]Around the second century CE, a new type of sail became widely used in the Mediterranean. This was the triangular lateen sail, which could catch the wind on either side of its surface, thereby allowing a vessel to sail closer into the wind. Sailors no longer had to depend solely on the wind blowing in the desired direction when they wanted to undertake a voyage. The Byzantines may have adopted the lateen sail from the Arabs, and then passed it on to other Europeans. Around this time, the Byzantines, along with other Mediterranean shipbuilders, introduced a new form of hull construction. Instead of assembling the planked and mortised hull first and inserting a ribbed skeleton into this shell, they began constructing the skeleton (ribs and keel) first and then built the planked hull around this interior structure. [PARAGRAPH:1]Broader and slower in heavy water than the Longship, Lateen Galleys became dominant in the Mediterranean and calmer waters. Able to tack into the wind with its single yacht type sail (right angled triangle - side mounted), it was faster than Classical Galleys in calm waters because it could sail the shorter course than the clumsier square rigged ships. Gradually, these developed into larger ships with two masts and, later, fore and aft castles. By 1200, the design had moved on to Medieval Galleys. Early vessels would use a side rudder but the latest design would have the stern rudder, the main mast carrying a square sail and the mizzen carrying the traditional triangular sail. The issue for Lateen crews was the shallow draught that could cause them to capsize in bad weather. The drift with the wind was a big issue, too, for those with the older style side rudder/oars for steering. The Lateen later evolved into the Medieval Galley.</English>
<French>[TAB]Non.</French>
<German>[TAB]None.</German>
<Italian>[TAB]None.</Italian>
<Spanish>[TAB]None.</Spanish>
</TEXT>

 

[Craig_Sutter]

If you've not seen it, this is perfect for the Cog...

http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=2878

 

[Head Serf]

Thank you so much, I just added them in!

EDIT: I just added in the new cog art. Do you know of any good buttons to use for it?

 

[Drtad]

Alright, I see on the front page you also need some UU lists Head Serf. Do you want to focus more on balance? or historical accuracy? Anyway, here is what I can remember from the top of my head. (A lot comes from Medieval: Total War.)
Byzantine info comes from various sources including Medieval Total War
Byzantines: Kataphraktoi (cataphracts, extremely heavy, yet slow cavalry)
Pronoi Allagion (lighter cavalry), Dromon (naval unit that was faster and more powerful than any other ship of its time), Byzantine Firegalley (they completely annihilated the entire Arabian fleet in the Siege of Constantinople)
Armenian info comes from Europa Barbarorum mod for Rome Total War
Armenians: Nakharar (replacing Vassals), Aspet (replacing knight), Dziavor (Armenian word for cavalry, could replace Heavy cavalry?)
Hungarians: Szekely (replacing cavalry), Jobbagy (replacing spearman?)
Italians: definitely naval superiority ships
Turks: Sipahi (replacing cavalry), Jannissary (replacing musketguy)
Egyptians: similar to Turks

More later

 

[Head Serf]

Craig, I couldn't find any information about the Roman emporer you included. I found that Valentinian III might be a good late Roman emporer to have, he kept the Visigoths at bay a little longer and also won a battle against the Huns.

 

[Craig_Sutter]

Sorry, he wasn't an emporer. He was head of a rump kingdom of what was left of the West Roman Empire in Gaul, late 400's. Lost to the Frankish king Clovis about 486??. There was no West Roman Empire left at that time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syagrius

The wiki has the info.

 

[Craig_Sutter]

I'm a fan of Total War also. I don't yet have MTW II, though, and am unlikely to for some time.

For the Turks, I also like some sort of improved Cannon (Turkish Siege Cannon, perhaps?). They had the best in the world at that time (and needed it for Constantinople).

For the Vikings, I'd really like not to have Berserkers as a UU. I'd rather they were some sort of religious special unit available to some civs in limited numbers (replacing missionaries for Pagans). I have some ideas on this, with Crusaders acting similarly for Christians and Dervishes for Islam, as well as Shaman for non-Teutonic Pagans.

Instead, I'd like to see Drakarr (viking longship having ocean capability), and Hersir (has amph ability, replaces swordsman or maceman).

From Medieval Total War I, I've always like the Irish Kern, a skirmisher/javelineer... it would replace composite archer or archer.

For the Scots, Highlander is a typical choice, but actually historically was of a later age... we could call them Clansman, though, and give a unit similar abilities.

For the Franks, and early UU might be vassal replacing Paladin. Sounds a little fantastical, but Charlomagnes knights were refered to as Paladins in the literature, at least. I say vassal replacement because I think true knights were a little later. Another French UU could be Cavalier, heavy Cavalry replacement.

Anglo-Saxons could have Fyrdsman, spear replacement, and thegn, vassal replacement. Another choice might be Housecarl, replacing Swordsman or Maceman.

I certainly approve Dromon as Byzantine UU.

Welsh should get some sort of Archer, I suppose.

I've mentioned late Roman Equestrians (vassal) and Auxiliary Legion (warrior or swordsman) before.

Norman Knight seems a given. For a second UU, perhaps Invasion Barque... a Cog replacement with superior transport.

By the way, how many UU's do you think each nation should have?

 

[Craig_Sutter]

No idea of the buttons for the Cog, sorry. Will any bmp file do, because I can likely find some graphics on-line somewhere.

 

[Drtad]

O yeah, Russians should have Boyars replacing Vassals definitely, and their leader could be Mstislav the Bold. A very good leader until the Mongols arrived at the bank of the Kalka River.

By the way, Valentinian didn't really fight the Huns, it was the last real brilliant Roman leader, Flavius Aetius. Flavius was able to hold off Attila himself with only a small force, and he overwhelmingly won the Battle of Chalons, with the Visigoth king dying and Attila losing his aura of invincibility.

 

[Head Serf]

Well, Wikipedia told me all of those things were accomplished by Valentian III, I'll have to look into it again.

The Unique Units sound good, for the next update I'm just going to have one UU per civilization, It'll save some time in getting the new version out (which is going to probably be a while). With 33 civilizations, it would an incredible amount of work getting together 2 UUs per civilization.

EDIT: Craig_Sutter, about the Cog button, don't worry about it. I'll just put in a request somewhere. I like the buttons to look fairly consistent, and art from another internet source might be bad for consistentcy.

 

[Drtad]

Posted by Wikipedia
Given his minority, the new Augustus ruled under the control first of his mother, and then, after 433, of the Magister militum Flavius A&#235;tius. Valentinian's reign is marked by the dismemberment of the Western Empire; the conquest of the province of Africa by the Vandals in 439; the final abandonment of Britain in 446; the loss of great portions of Spain and Gaul, in which the barbarians had established themselves; and the ravaging of Sicily and of the western coasts of the Mediterranean Sea by the fleets of Genseric.

As an off-set against these calamities, there was the great victory of A&#235;tius over Attila the Hun in 451 near Chalons, and his successful campaigns against the Visigoths in southern Gaul (426, 429, 436), and against various invaders on the Rhine and Danube (428-431).

The burden of taxation became more and more intolerable as the power of Rome decreased, and the loyalty of its remaining provinces was seriously impaired in consequence. Ravenna was Valentinian's usual residence; but he fled to Rome on the approach of Attila, who, after ravaging the north of Italy, died in the following year (453).

This is from the wikipedia article on Valentinian III. It says that the Magister Milletum, Flavius Aetius had real power over Rome and it was he who defeated the Huns at Chalons and defeated a lot of other barbarians. Flavius Aetius was assassinated by Valentinian in 456.

By the way, the Turkish UU could be the monster bonbard. A really large bombard. The person who actually built the cannon for them was Hungarian.

 

[Craig_Sutter]

I'd prefer if the first UU for the Vikings would be the Drakkar, a Viking Longship. I'd give it ocean going capability... that really ought to be its only advantage. But it's a big one as being the only ocean traversing craft for 300 years or so is a big advantage.

The bolded item is the correct spelling for the ship.

 

[Craig_Sutter]

I just finished Peter Heathers Fall of the Roman Empire. Drtad is correct. Valentian, if I recall, was rather young and Aetius was rather a father figure for some time... until rivals at court convinced Valentian Aetius was a danger to him.

 

[Head Serf]

I stand corrected, Flavius Aetius will be the leader for the Roman Empire.

 

[Head Serf]

I was working on making buttons for the new naval units, and the normal buttons that belong in art/interface/buttons/units worked fine, but when I changed the buttons for the unit_resource_atlas, it made all of the buttons much smaller. Does anyone know what I need to do to keep it from shrinking?

 

[Drtad]

For my mods I don't use the atlas, I just delete that part in he artedefines and I only define the button outside the atlas. That way works fine for me.

 

[Head Serf]

Ok, I'll try that.

I've added leaderheads in for the many of the main scenario leaders. I'm weary of adding in very many leaderheads as each one uses up about 4-6 mb of space, and with 15 or so leaderheads, the file size could be enormous. I personally would like to keep it under 10 mb after being zipped so that I can continue to have it immeadiately downloadable from this site, but that probably won't be realistic after adding in other things such as UUs. Anyway, here are the civilizations I need city lists for:

Italian States (Done)
Spain (Done)
Poland (Done)
Moors (Done)
Lithuania (Done)
Egypt (Done)
Turkey (Done)
Saxony (Done)
Welsh (Done)
Normans (Done)
Scottish (Done)
Ireland (Done)
Crusaders (Maybe names of their fortresses?)
Portugal (Done)
Venice (Done)
Papacy
West Roman Empire (List is done, will finish coding in soon.)
Slavs (Done)
Arabia (Done)
Persia
Bulgars
Khazars (Done)

 

[Drtad]

Head Serf, why don't you use static LH's? They take up much less space, and a lot of them can be found in Arbitrary Guy's Europa Europa European Empires mod.
Here are the cities that come to the top of my head, more to come soon:
Egypt: Cairo
Alexandria
Luxor
Giza

Italian States: Rome
Milan
Naples
Venice
Palermo
Genoa
Pisa
Messana
Reggio di Calabria
Bari
Taranto
Otranto
Ravenna

Turks: No cities here, all they did was conquer from others anyway.

Poland: Krakow
Warsaw

Khazars: Balanjar
Sarkel

More to come later...