New Civilization: Vikings

[Loppan Torkel]

Here you go - the proof that Odin was swedish, making us the Vikingest of all civs - All mighty Wikipedia



edit: on a more serious note: some theories, early sources of Sweden and a bit of history, semi-legendary kings of Sweden, runestones (uppland, östergötland and medelpad are swedish).

General Viking age-wikipedia links.

I'm not saying that the swedish tribes were as powerful as the danish but from what I understand the Norse culture - Viking civilisation - existed in Sweden also. And I know that wikipedia isn't all true, but it's handy and provide some info on a subject where the sources are few and not always believable.

True/False? - provide links.

 

[CivArmy s. 1994]

Maybe I have the solution, let's see: I can use the same leaderhead artwork and UU one's to create two different civis, one for Vikings and another for Denmark. I think it is just necessary change the city list and civilopedia entry for both.

what do u think?

of course, I can add the second leader too

 

[Dane]

Sweden had the same culture as Danmark and Norway. So in that way they were of course part of the Vikings. And most of the vikings travelling east, were probably from the swedish areas.

I think it's a good idea to make one Viking Empire, and then seperate also for Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

I think the Viking should have to leaders, one Danish and one Norweigen. The Danish leader could be Sven Forkbeard. He were the most conquering. Could be aggressive.

The Norweigen could be Leif Erikson. But maybe someone has and better choice.

Most of the Danish cities, in the postet city list, were not even citys 1000 years ago.

Here are my suggestions to Danish viking cities.

Hedeby
Ribe
Odense
Roskilde
Lund (Danish at the time)
Viborg
Århus
Malmø (Danish at the time)

Mix those with a list of Norweigen.

 

[SoCalian]

I honestly don't see what the big deal over having seperate civs is. I always saw the viking civ as representing all of the scandinavian nations, and their history, kinda like england does for britain, or india for all of the various indian empires, or how Civarmy's tupi mod represents all of Brazil, or any other example. I always thought It was unnecesary to make a bunch of different civs for what basicaly amounts to the same culture(in the wider view of things). That view was developed mostly due to the hardcoded limit number of civs in CIV3, and the limited amount of space in on a world map, especially europe. I guess at least half of that view is archaic now with civ4, so I guess, the more the merrier.

 

[mik_bakunin]

as for a norwegian leader i would suggest harald hårfagre or olav kvite. harald was the first king of norway, uniting the country ca. 900 AD. olav kvite ruled a kingdom in ireland, man and south wales 852-870 AD.

here's a short list of cities in norway founded before 1700.
871: Tønsberg
997: Trondheim (Nidaros)
1000: Oslo
1000: Skien
1070: Bergen
1125: Stavanger
1624: Kongsberg
1630: Risør
1641: Kristiansand
1650: Åsgårdstrand
1657: Fredrikstad
1665: Halden
1666: Kragerø
1671: Larvik

 

[CivArmy s. 1994]

I'm going to do the same on this Viking Civ thread, I mean, a ellection. I did the same on the Canadian civ one. People can vote once:

1) Unique Unit:
- Viking Boat:
- Berserker:
- Other? Which one?

2) Second Viking leader:
- Which one?


It doesn't have a death line, but I expect add the new soon, so, vote if u want

 

[Clifford]

I'm going to do the same on this Viking Civ thread, I mean, a ellection. I did the same on the Canadian civ one. People can vote once:

1) Unique Unit:
- Viking Boat:
- Berserker:
- Other? Which one?

2) Second Viking leader:
- Which one?


It doesn't have a death line, but I expect add the new soon, so, vote if u want

Since we´re focusing on the Vikings now, and not a danish/swedish/norwegian specific civ, i´d suggest:

1) UU: A trireme with +1 move and Caravel ability to move through borders. If we´re sticking with land units I´d suggest an Axeman with city raider ability and amphibious attack from start.

2) Second leader: Check this list http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking for suggestions. Most of them would either be aggressive/financial or aggressive/expansionist.

May I also suggest taking Scandinavian citynames in general rather than Danish. Order them by founding year...

 

[woodelf]

I still vote for Berserker. An extra move longboat simply isn't useful enough the way that Firaxis has naval units set up. Maybe if the att was upped to 3, but still....how many naval wars are fought each game by galleys or caravels?

Or you could make the naval unit the UU for one leader and the berserker the UU for the other, if possible.

 

[Grimshok]

How about a longboat with the ability to move through borders, while carrying troops! (wait, no... that wouldnt work, as you'd be kicked out as soon as you landed and declaired war).

How about an Axeman, with the river crossing/water landing ability by default, and less cost or an extra movement? (enabling a horde type capability or rapid quick-attacks), or does not require any metals.

 

[Grimshok]

I vote Ragnar Lodbrok, Eric the Red, or his son Leif Erikson

Also, for city names, ... I'd like to suggest:

Sjaelberg
Jammer
Vakker
Aekel
Nedgaa
Drage
Geaver
Angrep
Torden
Frykt
Luftig
Fugloy (fugløy)
Walkure (walküre)

 

[Carewolf]

I tried searching but was unable to find good lists on the oldest danish cities, so I have to reconstruct it from cities I know are more than 1000 years old (I've expanded on Dane's list):

Ribe(C)
Hedeby
Roskilde(C)
Odense(C)
Viborg
Jelling(C)
Lund (Danish at the time)
Århus (also know as Arus in the Viking age)
Malmø (Danish at the time)
Køge

Other interesting names:
Jorvik (aka York later, but danish founded)
Christiania (aka Oslo later, but danish founded)
Dublin

* The ones marked with C has been capitals at one point

 

[Lorteungen]

Sjaelberg
Jammer
Vakker
Aekel
Nedgaa
Drage
Geaver
Angrep
Torden
Frykt
Luftig
Fugloy (fugløy)
Walkure (walküre)

Are you serious? Did you just make those up? Worst city names ever, no offense.

 

[Quinzy]

you think those are bad? there are 3 places in France called Silly! and 2 called Pissy!

 

[Fridrikr]

I think there are more than enough cities to choose from when you think about it:

Birka
Hedeby
Kaupang
Skiringssal
Skara
Lund
Trondheim
Oslo
Visby
Reykjavik
Eskilstuna
Västra Aros
etc...

Then I suppose it could be possible to also use viking cities situated outside Scandinavia, such as Jorvik (York), Dublin and Cork and such.

And finally, I don't see the point with the whole "exclusively danish/norwegian" thing going on. I'd just like to have a nice viking civilization to play with, just like in Civ3. But then also without those damned misspelled city names like Karistad. Or the finnish cities too for that matter.

 

[CivArmy s. 1994]

I'll wait more few days, so, I can check the result of the pools and make the alterations

 

[Grimshok]

Are you serious? Did you just make those up? Worst city names ever, no offense.

Nah, didn't make them up. Actually its from a VERY VERY old computer game (pre-color) 'Voyage of the Valkyrie', 1980 by Leo Christopherson. MAN, those were the days! Anyway... those were the names of the Castles owned by the enemy airforce, giant birds (eagles, condors, etc.) who you would attack from your spaceship, as you flew around their foggy island, and tried to avoid running into the mountains in the mist.

A fantastic game in its day, and although the names' meanings don't exactly fit for Civ, their not harmful, and it would be a fitting tribute.

*shrugs and smiles*

 

[mik_bakunin]

just to clear up some misinformation here.

1. Jorvik was not founded by vikings, they merely controlled it as their capital in their small kingdom in England. It was later given to the norwegian king Eirik Blodøks by the english king Athelstan along with the rest of Nordimbraland (Northumberland). He was driven away in 941. Jorvik was later taken by William the conqueror.

2. Kristiania, or modernday Oslo, was not founded by the danish. I really don't understand where you got that from. Oslo was founded ca. 1048 by the norwegian king Harald Hardråde, but archeological findings indicate settlements here from before 1000. The city was then called Ásló or Ósló until 1624 when the danish king Christian IV changed its name to Christiania. It was changed back to Oslo in 1925. But it was NEVER founded by danish. (I got a bit annoyed by this one.)

3. Dublin was not founded by the danish either. It's first mentioned by the geographer Claudios Ptolemaios in 140 AD. It is said that St.Patrick was there in 448 and spread christianity. In 840 norwegian vikings built a fortification here, and created a small kingdom. The danes came twelve years later in 852;the next 150 years saw fighting between irish and danes/norwegians. The irish won in the end in 1014 at the battle of Clontarf.

I vote for an axeman with city raider and ambhibious bonus. The boat doesn't do it for me. Also, I think Eirik Blodøks is a great choice for a second leader. (His name means blood-axe. aggressive expansive of course.)

 

[niklas627]

Nice mod

I miss the oldest town in Sweden Skara, which is over 1000 years.

I was also thinking on spec.units.
What bout AntiAirCraft Unit "40mm Bofors gun"?
Ok, Bofors is a Swedish company, but the Bofors gun is in armies around the world. I know that both Norway and Denmark has got it.

cheers/
niklas

 

[Carewolf]

The term founded is always a bit loose. Before Absolon came their was also settlements in what is now Copenhagen, they just wasn't all that important or called Copenhagen.

Christiania, which should always be spelled with royal Ch, was made the capital of Norway it is today by Christian IV (It is funny how swedish politicians tries to rename old danish cities to Kristian..., in Scania the people of Kristianstad has tried for decades to be allowed to spell their city name correctly, but have been denied it by the govenment in Stokholm)

As for Dublin, there was an important fortress there, by some name I've forgotten, but not a major city.

So when we come right down to it. No city outside the US has ever been truely settled in historic time. Who founded it is a vague term, and usually associate with whoever put the city on the map.

 

[Carewolf]

Nice mod

I miss the oldest town in Sweden Skara, which is over 1000 years.

Oh, I thought it was Birka. I've seen a lot of references to Birka together with Kaupang and Ribe.

I was also thinking on spec.units.
What bout AntiAirCraft Unit "40mm Bofors gun"?
Ok, Bofors is a Swedish company, but the Bofors gun is in armies around the world. I know that both Norway and Denmark has got it.

I don't think Denmark or Norway has it. We are the NATO countries that share most military technology with the US. In Denmark swedish equipment was sometimed used for political reasons until the 70's, but was dropped because of poor quality and most importantly, because by supporting american military production, danish companies could become subcontractors.