Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

The most common weapon of fuedal japan was without question the spear called the Yari. Samurai used it sometimes, but it was the weapon of the masses. Other weapons that might be considered would be naginata and its variations. I believe there was a variant of the naginata used by cavalry, essentially a short blade on spear, perhaps a halberd might be able to represent this?

The Sohei also used the naginata, im not sure what the best weapon to represent a naginata would be, it is obviously a reach weapon with tremendous damage potential.

A Brief History of the Naginata, shamelessly taken from a shogun totalwar forum.

The Naginata is a weapon with a rich history, utilized and refined from the Nara Period (710-784 A.D.) to today. Employed initially by the Bushi, it later found itself the specific weapon of the Sohei or Buddhist monks. It is the school of the spear and, as such, is a shafted weapon. The length of its oval shaft varied, from 5' to 8', depending on battle conditions and personal requests. The most striking feature, however, was the blade; it could be anywhere from 10 inches to more than 2 feet, and was sharpened on a single side, fashioned in the manner of either Sakizori or Uchizori. As with most shafted weapons, it was most devastating when utilizing sweeping, circular motions. However, thrusts with the blade and also the heavy ishizuki on the butt end were acceptable tactical alternatives.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That's precisely what was wrong (double-spec). Thanks! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I doubt it was. He's already said that he'd overlooked the #mounted command, which changes the way enc is calculated. I expect that the 'proper' value of 5 is what you'll see in v2.00.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

I mostly have problems with the cost of the 2 big mages and apprentice. They are too cheap by 15 to 20%, in my opinion.

The race is really cool looking, and have a nice background though.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

On the subject of Nipponiese bows:

The bows are large and impressive looking, but that doesn't make them superior to european longbows.

As has been mentioned here, the japaniese bow wasn't expected to pierce a samurai's breastplate.

The Welsh longbow, on the other hand, was the bane and terror of knights, and european bodkin arrows did punch through heavier armour than the japaniese ever used.

The japaniese samurai culture didn't evolve in the same surroundings than european warfare. Samurai sword-art is graceful and their archery and artform. This doesn't make them superior to their european counterparts.

Longbows are a pretty good representation for samurai archers, even though their penetration power propably is too high.

Light armour and high attack skill (not that much defence) and high speed would seem a good modelling for samurai swordsmen.

Naginata and the spear of course are also traditional samurai weapons. Good against mounted opponents, especially the naginata.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Pocus, can you explain why they should be more expensive? In terms of magic paths, 7 for 310 and 4 for 200 is actually a pretty poor cost/magic ratio when you compare it standard mages of the other nations.

Mahotsukai Master: 7 magic levels, 310 gold. High Stats, sacred.
Mahotsukai Adept: 4 levels, 200 gold. High stats, sacred.

Compare to a sampling of other national mages:[list] Jotun Skratti: 5 magic levels, 250 gold, giant level hp, very high stats.
Dwarven Smith: 4 levels, 180 gold. High stats, smithing bonus?
Arco Mystic: 5 levels, 180 gold. Low stats.
Theurg: 180 gold, 5.5 levels (counting priest levels as half). Standard stats. Sacred.
Arch Theurg: 380 gold, 9 levels. High stats. Sacred.
Marshmaster (C'tis miasma): 280 gold, 7 levels. Low stats.
Royal Navigator (Marignon CotS): 200 gold, 5 levels.
Pan: 350 gold, 6 magic paths, attracts maenads, giant level hp, recuperation, high stats.
Crone of Avalon: 230 gold, 6 paths. Low stats, sacred.

I was actually considering lowering the prices for Ashikaga's mages by 10-30 gold.

The encumberance slip has been noted and changed along with the hooves and #mounted problems.

[ January 30, 2004, 18:11: Message edited by: Potatoman ]

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

It also depends on the strength of the mages in the nation itself, are they capital only and so on.

The mages I feel are about where they need to be for what they bring to the nation (2 in 3 Paths and a random, thus they are great searchers, have good path picks.

Sacred Mages also take special consideration because of Blessing Effects.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Sacred mages have half upkeep, and should generally cost about 70% more than a similar non-sacred mage, IMO. Mages with higher levels in fewer paths should also cost more than mages with lower levels in many paths, for the same number of total levels. That's one reason I consider Celestial Masters overpriced, even though they are sacred; they are spread too thin to be useful in any path. If they had 2 linked randoms it might be OK.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Two things about the Japanese longbow and Armor threads:

1. The armor was much better than many are giving it credit for. It was mostly composite laminate--very lightweight and very very strong. This stuff was easily the equal of heavy chainmail--with less encumbrance. Definitely not the equal of plate or full plate though.

2. The world's longest bows also had the world's longest arrows. This means that a 42KG draw (~100 lbs) would propel the arrow for longer than an equivalent English Longbow--so it actually had higher velocities, could travel longer distances, and hit harder.

I'd also like to clear up the ideas people have as to the awkwardness of the bow--nope, not awkward. The asymmetrical location of the grip makes it easy to use, even when mounted. Additionally, the reason the bow rotates around the wrist is because the bow is slightly off kilter to counter bow-arrow torque and provide higher accuracy. A good release will rotate the bow around the wrist.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">70%?!! Why? Sacred can be useful, but not so much so to almost double the cost of the unit. Also, a lot of players will use their mages primarily as researchers and this would severely hamper trying to build up a strong research base quickly. At 200/310 gold, the Ashikaga mages are already quite pricey. I'm not saying they aren't worth the 200/310, just that they aren't worth more than that. IMO.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

You don't use your most expensive mages to research, you use your cheapest mages for research. The ninjas work just fine for research and can switch to battle duty when needed, you'll only build the mages when you need a battlefield or ritual presence.

Sacred is a large consideration. I don't know if 70% is the right number, but it is definitely a factor.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Japanese Monsters you might want to incorporate:

Oki--giant hill-troll types. They eat humans. Big and dumb.

Tengu--big nosed goblins. Very big egoes. Small, not powerful, but high morale.

Kappa--amphibious frog people, nature/water magicians. High culture.

Fox-Men--shape shifting nature spirits, tricksters, magicians. Powerful and dangerous.

Crazy Women--like bansidhees, crazy women had long hair, screamed and wailed, and were evil spirits of death and jealousy.

Shinto Spirits--wide and varied nature spirits. Mountains, stones, trees, rivers, kind've like elementals. Powerful but remote.

Lone Buddhist Magician--very powerful mages in stories. Wide variety of magics, but whatever they specialize in they are good at (3'rd or 4'th level random magic type?). Always alone, without other commanders or troops--don't know if this can be done.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes, actually, it is that useful. How long do your mages Last? Mine tend to Last 20 turns or so, average, I estimate. Let's compare two 100 gold mages, with level-2 water magic. One scared, one non-sacred.

Normal: Total cost after 20 turns is 233 gold.
Sacred: Total cost after 20 turns is 166 gold.

So the sacred one is much cheaper, and gets whatever bless benefits you may have (possibly reinvigoration, air shield, life after death, quickness...). Much cheaper and potentially much better!

On the other hand, giving a 70% cost hike to sacred mages:

Sacred, 70% more expensive: 283 gold after 20 turns.

That makes the sacred mage only 22% more expensive after 20 turns. With automatic quickness, air shield + shock resistance, or reinvigoration + 4 protection, a sacred mage is worth far more than 22% extra.

For research, 70% is a bit overpriced, of course - the breakeven point is 70 turns, which is too long. A 60% premium gives a 45-turn breakeven point, which might be a little more fair, considering the normal game length. But generally, as Zen mentioned, it is the cheapest mages that are used for research.

Making mages sacred without increasing the price more than a trivial amount gives the nation a huge advantage, unless the mages are inherently worthless (like Celestial Masters).

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

If I gave the impression that the Yumi was inferior in any way shape or form to a european or middle eastern bow that was not my intention.

I also did not mean "akward" in the way most people think. Not ever firing one, but knowing a little bit about physics it is hard to believe that drawing this bow back did not put unequal pressures on the wrist.

The Yumi is probably the most versatile bow of the era, allowing the user to fire in many different stances and positions. Firing a long bow while crouched was certainly not an option, but was very possible with a Yumi.

Any discussion on armor would probably be futile. The fact is the armor the japanese used changed so dramatically, from iron, laminated scale, to bamboo and then back heavy iron/steel european style clam breast plates. The later functional japanese armor was bullet proof for the era (breast piece was), as matchlock arqubusiers were being used during the period by some armies.

I suppose this means, depending on the era, you could have them lightly armored, medium armored or moderate to heavily armored ;p

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">It stems from their ice & fire immunity. Even more powerful with a bodyguard of Yamabushi monk which happens to be double-immune too (handy!). No friendly fire from area spells cast, ability of fighting under a firestorm (or just wait for your enemy to turn into cinder), immunity to the not uncommon murdering winter (and the rarer Flames for the sky) which is an equalizer against mages (one of the sole method of countering armies of 50+ mages of an enemy). I also note that they have a very good precision (13) compared to Abysia mages (7) which dont suffer from friendly fire, but are useless for evocation magic. Not yours, by far.
I strongly suggest you reduce to 50% their resistance, its too abusable really.

You failed to compare them to a mage with a fire immunity : the warlock, 270 gp, NOT holy, and 6 paths. Or the Grand Master, No immunities, 270 gp, Holy, 6 paths. Your is better, hands down!

secondary subject : Holy cost compared to non holy would be at +50% I would say.

(Its constructive critic, I dont intend to turn down your very good mod.)

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">As always, Cherry, a well-reasoned reply. Thanks. It's much clearer now. I also liked the typo "one scared". I do actually have a mage with Battle Fright. heh

BTW, my mages Last well past turn 50 as I keep them researching and making items prior to that. I rarely send theme mages into combat. I use summons with magic skill for that. I also play on the Orania map, with indies at 5-7, so I have more time to develop.

With regards to using the cheap mages for research, I don't. Not until I can hire sages. The only theme mages I buy are the best ones. Each player has their own style. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Actually, same here, since I always take drain http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif But I'm anomalous, I think. And even drained cheap mages are good researchers once they hit level-1 and get an owl quill and skull mentor...

Which reminds me of a new magic item I'm going to add, the "Cerebral Accelerator". A helm, it doubles a mage's total research output... BUT AT WHAT COST??? Bwahahahaha!!!!

Edit. Note: I got the idea from Vernor Vinge's "A Deepness in the Sky", in which a virus is specially bred to infect people with a specialized form of autism, for use as intelligent slaves, or "thinking computers".

[ January 30, 2004, 20:24: Message edited by: Saber Cherry ]

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

I'd hate to see your army when you play with Pythium or Pangaea http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

While it's not an 'only' thing. You can use whatever you want for researchers, you shouldn't be lowering the cost or not adjusting it to it's appropriate level because of research unless that is the nations only mage then it could be a factor. You shouldn't base a nations research only on it's top mage, even if people want to play that way http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I strongly suggest you reduce to 50% their resistance, its too abusable really.

secondary subject : Holy cost compared to non holy would be at +50% I would say.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">With resists lowered to 50% for fire & ice, what would you set as their cost? I'm thinking of 475 & 300, respectively.

BTW, great point about the abuse of using the monks as bodyguards for the mages.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I take drain-1 too. For me, it's usually skulls and lanterns. I tend to find more imperative uses for my air gems.

Zen has his style, and you and I have ours. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Just have them get Feeblemind and Mute (so they are worthless for anything) and make the item cursed (This would be great for R'lyeh, Squiddies just having 'brain food' sitting around feeding them psychic energy).

Reminds me of Stephen King's the Tommyknockers with the dog ;P

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Welsh - tall men - long arms - long draws possible.
Japanese - short men - short arms - short draws possible
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ January 30, 2004, 22:43: Message edited by: Kristoffer O ]

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sigh. And the stereotyped myth continues ...

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Sorry, I also like the unconventional hull penetrating myths better http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sigh. And the stereotyped myth continues ... </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">We know what the japanese look like, they are small blue gnome like people living in mushrooms.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Gah! Too much anime! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

I'll bet the WW2 Japanese fighter pilots, who had to be 6' tall or better, must come as a surprise to you? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

(Yes, I spend many hours a week watching the History Channel -- when I'm not playing Dom 2.)

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Gah! Too much anime! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

I'll bet the WW2 Japanese fighter pilots, who had to be 6' tall or better, must come as a surprise to you? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

(Yes, I spend many hours a week watching the History Channel -- when I'm not playing Dom 2.) </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Swedes are at least 7' so I'm not bothered.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Quote:

I'll bet the WW2 Japanese fighter pilots, who had to be 6' tall or better, must come as a surprise to you? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif (Yes, I spend many hours a week watching the History Channel -- when I'm not playing Dom 2.)

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That's complete crap http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif The japanese couldn't suit up thier ENTIRE air force with 6 foot tall Japenese. Don't believe everything you see on TV - It's possible though that maybe there was some sort of special unit maybe using some foreign design - or something.. that merely required different pilot dimensions. I mean really, other than the size of the cockpit(which were designed by japs), there's no reason to have tall pilots.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Aren't Swedes under 9' considered runts? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

BTW, is that 7' the height or size of ego? Or both? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, I believe the height remark space is actually true. I lived in Japan for years, and the older the generation the shorter the people. According to statistics, the average height of a Japanese man was 5'4" before WWII, and it has steadily gone up ever since. One theory is better nourishment, another is the interracial mingling with Americans and Europeans that has increasingly taken place.

As for the Short Draw, that is not correct. The arrows are extra long, with the space between teh bow and the bow-string at the nocking point to be relatively narrow. The arrow is drawn back behind the ear, whereas with a European-style bow the arrow is drawn back to the cheek. The string keeps contact, and keeps pushing the arrow, for a longer distance, thus keeping the acceleration going for a longer time, thus giving the arrow a higher launching velocity. v=a*t. This is why the arrow is so effective at hitting small targets at over 120 meters. 100 meters is the regular distance event that even beginners participate in. 120 is the special seated event at Sanjusangendo temple. Long distance events will send arrows (fairly accurately) up to 300 meters. Fairly accurately meaning elephant sized targets--not eye-sockets.

It's a great bow, but just to put it in perspective, modern compound bows are much more powerful and accurate--unless you are talking about the mythological bows of the Heike era.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Japanese Magic Items

Heike Bow -- the 7 man bow that sank ships. Make it do double strength damage?

Grass Sword -- this is one of the three gifts of the Sun Goddess to the Imperial Line. It is a very powerful sword. Not much is known of it, other than it cuts enemies down as if they were grass. Multiple enemies hit each time it is swung?

Sun Mirror -- this is a charm device. It is another of the three gifts of the Sun Goddess. Everyone who views it is under the power of the wielder.

Brass Bell -- demons, spirits, conjured troops are banished by it's sound.

Kappa Cup -- the commander with this can take his troops under water.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'll dissect your "rebuttal" sentence by sentence:

1. No crap. Check it out for yourself. It's easy enough to do. When you have a documented counter, then come back to me and tell me I'm full of it. Otherwise, be civil and mind your tongue.

2. I never said their whole air force. I said fighter pilots. Ever heard of the "Zero"? (The A6M, to be precise.)

3a. Newsreel footage, shot by the Japanese themselves, along with veterans who are still alive today.

3b. The Japanese did not use foreign designs. At least not until after 1943 or so, and then it was their own heavily-modified (improved) Versions of the German jet and rocket fighters. It's a little appreciated fact in the West that the Japanese had the world's most advanced air force in 1941, even over the Germans.

4. Sure there is. Pride. The Nazi SS originally only accepted tall, blonde, blue-eyed (etc) recruits (from "pedigreed" families). As the war progressed, they had to lower the standards -- a lot. The Japanese wanting tall pilots had to do with the logic of politics rather than the logic of engineering or combat.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">True, but misleading. Averages do not mean anything when taken in an inappropriate context. The average American male height is 5'10", yet there are 7'6" basketball players, and any BB player under about 6'9" is considered short. A population average is meaningless when discussing special Groups. Japanese fighter pilots were elites. There were considered, at the time, modern samurai.

With regards to medieval samurai, also bear in mind that nobles ate better than commoners, and had better housing, health care (such as it was), and bloodlines. The average peasant in Europe or Japan was short, but the nobles often were not. There are plenty of tall medieval suits of armor in museums. Someone had to fit in them when they were made ...

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sounds just like Sea King's Goblet ...

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

A little remark also : encumbrance amongst the munted units in the mod is uneven, Daimyo has 1 and Horse Samurai 3.
Mod guidelines suggest a 5 for mounted troops : is this change a design decision ?

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I strongly suggest you reduce to 50% their resistance, its too abusable really.

secondary subject : Holy cost compared to non holy would be at +50% I would say.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">With resists lowered to 50% for fire & ice, what would you set as their cost? I'm thinking of 475 & 300, respectively.

BTW, great point about the abuse of using the monks as bodyguards for the mages. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">they are sacred but are not priests, so no need to increase by the whole 50%, in my opinion. IF you reduce their resistance to 50%, something around +70 gp for the master, and +40 gp for the apprentice would seem right, but here too we will need some time to get the right feeling about them. I suspect the high accuracy is a tremendous advantage, combined with their quickness from spell and holy quickness (dunno if it stacks in fact). They can transform themselves into sharpshooters on steroids http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

I don't know if it is correct to say the Japanese airforce was the most advanced in the world in 1941.

I mean, the Zero was a good plane when compared to the clunkers the Americans were using. The german me109 for all its glory is about as highly over-rated as the Zero.

Once the Americans got some planes that could climb and handle somewhat decently the advantage in manueverability the Zero enjoyed was gone, as was the aura of invincibilty of the Zero. The Zero became a death trap for its pilots who were sitting ducks for faster American planes that simply climbed away from the Zero only to turn and strafe them.

In 1941 I would say the British had the "best" fighters in the world.

The Zero was the most manueverable plane of the time, but it was like flying a card board box, no pilot protection, no armor for the tanks. When they got hit they went down.

Lets compare and contrast the Hurricane and the ME-109.

Armament, the 109 wins hands down. Manueverability, technically the ME-109 was more manueverable, however due to being a difficult plane to handle very few German pilots ever pushed the plane to its limit. This afforded the Hurricane a win in the overall manueverability due to the fact that an average British/Canadian or American pilot in a Hurricane could get more out of the plane than a German in a 109. The Hurricane also had better cockpit visibility and a higher top speed. However because it used a carborator it had a tendancy to choke out in high G dives, whereas the 109 used fuel injection which defeated that flaw in the Hurricane. The 109 also had a tiny fuel capacity and no ability to carry external drop tanks if memory serves.

In the end most people agree the Hurricane was the best early war fighter in all theaters due to a WIDE range of things.

Liken the Hurricane to a Leopard, and the Zero to a cheetah. Highly specialized versus a more well rounded package. The hurricane was around the entire war and was one of the top fighters throughout the war, the Zero on the other hand went the way of most specialists in evolution, extinction. It was replaced by faster, heavier armored better climbing planes eventually. The Zero was used throughout the war, but it was by no means the top plane in the Japanese airforce by wars end.

However, if you mean the fact that the Japanese were the first to really key on the Aircraft Carrier as the key to naval combat and aerial power projection then you are dead on and sorry for my tangent ;p

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Some days ago I expanded the modding guidelines . Mage costs and resources will be added.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Potatoman,

I have created, using GIMP, a .tga "flag" icon with an authentic japanese clan mon, in the same color of the mod's normal banner, but using one of Unwise's white kite shields as the background. Wasn't quite as hard as I originally thought it'd be. The mon image could probably use a bit of touch-up work by someone who's better with paint programs than I, but it's serviceable for now. Please let me know if you'd like me to send it to you. I can also send you my modified Version of the mod's .dm file, if you'd like to see the changes I've been playing with in my game. (I'm on turn 33 now, having wiped out Ulm a couple of turns ago after a series of bloody battles.) The file also includes numerous typo edits and such.

The great thing about the Dom 2 mod system is that you can apply a change to a mod like this and have it take effect without having to start a new game. All you need to do is exit the game and reload.


Cheers!

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Some days ago I expanded the modding guidelines . Mage costs and resources will be added. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">haha, at least the proof that Caelum High Seraph are largelly underpriced. They should cost at least 250 gp, and add to this flying and frost immune. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">BTW, I just noticed in the modding doc that in 2.06, regardless of the resist % that you set, it will give you 100%. So we must wait for patch 2.07+ before the ashikaga mages can have only 50% resist. Until then I suppose people will try to abuse them. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Arryn is correct, modding resistances under 100% is not possible in 2.06. I commented a few pages ago that the nobody would be totally immune to fire or cold when it was possible to do that. Resistances of all the Monks will be about 50-75% for the next Version.

I'm slightly incredulous about the steep cost increase for sacred units, especially when standard Dominions nations give sacred status on to otherwise decent units for practicaly no cost increase- just look at High seraph, any Theurg, or Masters of The Way. Both Mahotsukai Master and Adept have lost their sacred status, and their costs have been reduced.

Arryn: awesome. Sure, send them to my e-mail at popkon_thepotatoman@yahoo.com, and I'll take a look. If the flag is nice it'll be included as an option in the next Version.

The fastest way to test changes in a mod is to set up two games, one with the mod and one without. Loading the unmodded game, exiting to the main menu, then resuming the mod game forces Dominions 2 to re-load all the mod information from the source files.

Work continues on the mod. At the moment, National heroes and summons are under construction. Unfortunately, heroes cannot be renamed and their magic skills cannot be cleared (though the other skills can, in fact, be wiped by creating a new monster using their #.) Anyone found a way around this?

[ January 31, 2004, 22:00: Message edited by: Potatoman ]

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">If you're going to double the cost of High seraphs then you had better also make the Caelum military useful beyond attacking light infantry and militia independents.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Medieval Armor Sizes

This page shows several suits of European armor from the middle ages, average height is 6' solid:

http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/a/armsarmor.html


This page shows several suits of Japanese armor. All the armor from before 1920 is below 5'6" in height. The armor from 1940 and since grows larger in size. The one complete set from the middle ages is 4'8".

http://www.jcollector.com/directory/...ord:Armor.html

My earlier remark about height was not meant to be a part of the fighter pilot thread. I know very little about zeros and the pilots who flew them. I do know something about Japanese literature, and I can say that the short stories and novels published during and early after WWII all spoke of the Americans as Giants.

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

hehe, you never saw a group of Temple Guards in icy weather? They mow down nearly any other mundane unit, and I dont even speak of their magic weapon, rather handy against etheralness...

Caelum units are fine, because they have to be a compensation for flying, which is a very big pain in the rear for any nation fighting them. It gives them the most valuable ability of 'forking' several objectives, that is the capability of having many targets of interest in range, thus hardening considerably the task of the defencer.

In a previous pbem I fought a Caelian player during 40 turns, and it was not a pleasure, all your provinces are in range of any of his armies!

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Haha! They are supposed to be http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

If it comes to heroes, I would like to see Lone Wulf - Assassin with son from that old B-movie Shogun Assassin http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif . Make him an Assassin, give him multiple attacks (for the the boy in his cart), give him very high attack and defense values but low protection.

Anyways, your mod is great. Keep it up!

[ February 01, 2004, 10:34: Message edited by: PrinzMegaherz ]

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Any news about this mod? New updates or something?

It's great mod btw. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

Thanks, Daynarr. Actually, v2.0 of the mod is as done as I can make it right now without improved modding tools, so I'm really just waiting for the next patch to release Version 2.

So far Version 2 allows 21 units total (7 more than v1.02) including national heroes, a national summoning tech tree of Tengu & Oni, and some extra balancing on existing units (much of it was suggested in this thread).

Re: Ashikaga Shogunate mod v1.01
 

A little history lesson for people.. (not towards Potatoman, who I'm sure knows all of this)

The time period that Potatoman has based his mod on, the Sengoku Jidai (in English, the Warring States Period), Lasted for about 100 years, from the 1480s to 1600. In most people's minds, the Sengoku Jidai is even more closely associated with the Last part of that time period, with the 3 Great Unifiers of Nobunaga, Toyotomi, and Ieyasu.

Most of the suggestions you are giving Potatoman, regarding such things as the bow, mounted troops vs. unmounted troops, etc., are historically inaccurate. While it is true that in earlier times the samurai was a mounted archer (say, at the end of the Heian period where the Heike Monogatari (the Tale of the Heike) is situated, by the latter parts of the Sengoku Jidai period, the samurai was a foot soldier, much more akin to the Kurosawa film Versions. While the debate about mounts and bows is interesting, I'm afraid it doesn't really impinge on Potatoman's mod, historically. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

For a good cinematic representative of Sengoku Jidai samurai, Ran is a good example. I think this is the feel, at least militarily, that Potatoman is trying to capture in his mod.

Regarding the bow specifically, it really is intereting. There is the daikyu, the asymmetric bow mainly meant to be used from horseback. That is the bow that most here have been discussing. However, there are mentions earlier of something called the o-yumi, or great bow. The funny thing is that no actual remains of it have been found. Apparently, it was a huge crossbow used as a siege engine that Japan imported from China after the Taika Reforms of 645. Basically, it sounds like a ballista to me.

Having taken 3 Japanese history courses Last quarter, and graduating with a degree in Japanese at the end of it, tends to fill your head with some of the most interesting trivia. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Bayushi Tasogare
Japanese 'Buff'