[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Simmy Sims:
Alchemist (three random elemental skills, receives the same bonus to alchemy as the Master Alchemist pretender, cost 120 gold & 1 resource)

Three fixed magic picks cost at least 140 gold on most units. Three random, elemental magic picks plus a bonus to alchemy that only an Ulm specific pretender gets is going to have to be more than that. That much magical versatility makes this mod _more_ magically powerful than the base T'ien chi.

Harquebusier (same armor as Imperial Archer, carries short sword & harquebuse [damage 18, armor piercing, precision -3, range 25, ammunition 15], attack, base defense, precision & morale 10, cost 10 gold & 17 resources)

Even with an effective precision of seven, this is probably far too damaging. It wouldn't do that much more damage than an Arbalest.

Comments: I'm not sure about balance here. Priest power is average, with the disadvantage that there is no cheap Temple-only level 2 priest.

Level 2 independent priests are so common that this isn't a real disadvantage.

Mages are weak, although there are some interesting options. The Alchemists are like stripped-down Versions of Arco's Mystics, giving some magical versatility.

Arco's Mystics are some of the most powerful mages available to any nation. A better base cost would be Master Smith's, plus some for the versatility, then plus a few hundred or so for the unique ability that is only available to the Master Alchemist and an artifact. Three random elementals is very powerful. The chance of getting 2 in one path is 1/16, while three is 1/64.

Regarding the gunpowder weapons: the two guns are armor piercing for obvious reasons - bullets can pierce armor pretty easily, no bullet-proof vests in the medieval world.

Modern bullets propelled by modern fast-burning powder can penetrate armour quite well. Medieval bullets, powered by slow burning black powder won't be nearly as effective. Black plate should probably be enough to stop them since some Gothic armour available at the end of the medieval era was bulletproof.

Harquebuse ammunition is the same as the sling because the ammo size is about the same.

Are you counting the powder for the shots?

The repeating crossbow is based on an actual Chinese weapon - its bolts are smaller and so aren't armor-piercing and have shorter range, but it can rapid-fire like a medieval machine gun (Okay, its not quite that good).

You might want to compare the repeater to a shortbow for terms of how much damage they would do. The repeater is going to have a much smaller draw than a shortbow if it can be fired that quickly, so it would probably be less damage than 10.