RFC:Africa (Helpers needed!)

1800s, not long before Napoleons African Campaing and the Scramble for Africa. That way we won't have just a huge bunch of European nations in the late game, and still have time for some Zulu intervention (they have 100 years to compleate their conquest in game, and they will at the same time have to handle Dutch/Boers).

One idea though. Instead of having European nations with just one city, is there any possibillity of having them there as civs you can trade with, while they don't have a single city on the map? That would make it even better for the African civs, with the only European civ active on map being the Dutch/Boers, and they are historically accurate, so that would fit in.

Also, some possible respawns to represent later civs (these will not be playable):
Arabia -> Oman (Arabia will probably be killed off by the Turks anyway)
Sassanids -> Mongols (name change to Timurids and Safavids later on) (That would make the mongols an own civ without having to include a new nation, and since they had little impact on Africa, they will not be playable either. So then we include a major civ in historical importance overall withouth having to create a playable, new one, and this would give the Turks a challange to handle to... a competitor to the areas of Persia)

 

One way to do that would be to give each european civ one city (a one tile island, perhaps north of the mediteranean), and you would give them scripted techs at different times in history. But I have to say it wouldn't look very nice on the map...

 

I was also thinking about this. If we can come up with some code, I could probably use it in M&A.

I know there's an "isAlive" routine somewhere in python; you could probably rig it like this:

-if iciv is in this set(),
----------if year is greater than some number
-----------------set contact with certain civs
-----------------return true
-else do what the normal code would be

 

Well I think I can actually help with some of the historical input on this one!

Firstly in response to Nintz's comment about what to due in many of the jungle region throughout the continent I have a suggestion. Instead of,or in addition to, regular bananas as a resource what about making a plantation improvement similar in function to farms? When a technology enabling this function should become possible is debatable. That being said the Portuguese did start importing bananas to their colonies in the 1500s using similar methods to the locals.

Also the Banana is a staple crop in large parts of east Africa, especially Uganda, but these bananas are of a highland variety and do have the possibility of being grown in more forest like environs. These bananas were though to have been introduced into the region between 200-600 CE

As for Corporations one that represents Portuguese traders would be definitely appropriate as the Portuguese did represent one of the most extensive sources of foreign commerce in Africa. Also the idea of the Sufi company from SoI would also be appropriate given the Sufi's role in spreading Islam in Africa.

Also someone did mention the inclusion of Oman in Africa. If they can't be included as a country perhaps as a corporation could be considered as they sultan of Oman did control a large portion of the Swahili trade.

As for UU and and HV perhaps for Kanem Borno the UU could revolve around the Turkish mercenary corps that Idris Aloma hired to modernize his army. Also for a HV condition for Kanem something revolving around holding salt and gold might work.

Anyway just some thoughts.

 

Nice to see some discussion atound this

I believe Oman will be a little too much, but Arabia respawn could work well, I believe ^^

 

Will this mod be done in RFC style or SoI style?

 

Here's some ideas for Morocco

For their UU what about the Black Guard. These men were slave soldiers assembled in Morocco to act as a personal army for the Sultan and represented one of the best organized fighting forces in West Africa.

As to their UHV one of Morocco's great achievements of this period was the conquest of the Songhai empire in west Africa in the late 1500's. Although the Moroccan's were unable to hold on to their conquests there, the conquest of Songhai ended one of the largest Muslim empires in the world. Maybe having Morocco to conquer and hold west Africa till some period would be appropriate.

Another possible suggestion for Morocco's UHV would be to ensure their are no Portuguese are Spanish cities in west or North Africa until some point. The Iberians and the Moroccans were constantly at odds and had frequent territorial disputes. The Portuguese did hold parts of North Africa from time to time and represented one of the largest threats to Morocco.

Two suggestions regarding technology that I have are "India Trade Routes" or "Camel Trading" or both. These names could be an RFC Africa version of the technology corporation's in that they could increase the number of trade routes present in cities, while being historically correct for Africa. Also Camel trading could allow trade or movement across deserts, which could be made impassable for nations without this knowledge. It was the Arab introduction of Camels to the region that enabled much of the Trans-Saharan trade to exist.

Also for city names do you need help with their placement of the map or do you just need more ideas for civ specific city names?

 

At the moment there are no European nations in (set aside the Dutch, who here represent the Boers), so Portugal goal might be hard. Agree with West Africa UHV for Morocco though. Maybe something along the lines of 'Be the only Muslim nation in West and North Africa by year XYZ (being hard as the Ottomans/Turks will move in, and then you have the Mamluks too so you basically have to take care of both these nations), and then one could be 'Control West Africa by XYZ'.

We could maybe include one more nations simply named 'Europeans' being very much like the Independents from RFC, and this would allow for some representation of European intervention, and actually make goals such as 'Ensure there are no Europeans in XXX by YYY'. These would of course be stronger than other Independents, but still not be a Nation that way.

Agree with Black Guard UU.



Then we go for discussion of Swahili:
UU could be Siyu Warrior, being some kind of Musket-equipped unit:

Then for UHVs, they were trade-related, and controlled all of East Africa, so maybe something along 'Have X coastal cities by Y AD', 'Control X amount of resource Y by Z AD' and the last goal (who RFC style takes the civilization further than ever in Real Life) 'Control Oman by X AD', thus providing a little twist on history.

What's your say on this?

 

I like all of your suggestions for Swahili's UHV veBear! For the resource goal perhaps either gold or ivory would be best. I would say Ivory as Swahili ivory was well known even in India and China. Allow cloves and other spices were, and still are, important many of them only were produced in large amounts after the 1600's if that matters to the UHV timeline.

Also a showdown for UHV between the Turks and Moroccans would actually be a good thing IMO. For example the Turks wanted to seize control of all of north Africa but only really managed to get as far as Algeria.

So one condition for the Turks could be control all of North Africa in XYZ, and similar conditions could represent the eventual Turkish conquests in Egypt and Sudan.

Your idea for the Europeans is also a good one if feasible, especially considering the case of the Swahili who came under direct attack by the Portuguese in 1503 and 1505. These attacks by Portugal were even successful in sacking and holding, if shortly, cities like Kilwa and Mombasa.

 

I like your condition for the Turks there. I am also interested in hearing more suggestions for those

Ivory for Swahili sounds great.

 

Looks like a great mod and concept. I'm glad someone thought about this. How many turns/years is the game?

 

500 to 1800 AD, so as to leave out the period of only Roman Dominance in North-Africa and no real action south of it before 500 AD, and the European Imperialism post 1800 AD.

Dunno if Anything is still going on though... I hope so.

 

there is a good example in how to deal with off-map civs in Sword of Islam. embryodead just made it impossible for the Portuguese civ to die. the information is in the Sword of Islam technical documentation thread. I think this method would work well for the colonizing civs in this mod.

 

Yup, that sounds good for the European Nations. ^^

 

I hope the mod is still being worked on and wasn't left behind.
It looks like by the mid-game, Arabia and the slice of Asia will get quite crowded.

 

When are you guys going to have the first version out?

 

I really don't know if there will be a first version at all, but I do hope so. It would be such a great mod...

 

Is this mod still being worked on?

 

I hope so

 

I hope it too