Mod: Better Independents

[Edi]

Just name the tinkered version with some identifier that distinguishes it from mine and it's all good.

[Sombre]

If you want a cleaner solution I still think No Indy versions of maps are the way to go. Very quick to do new ones. With them you only get indy units through sites, which makes finding indy sites like brigands lair or mermen village or whatever a bit more interesting as well as stopping the AI building indy armies pretty much completely.

[Edi]

That depends on what you're after, Sombre. The biggest problem with NI maps is that it is absolutely impossible to recruit any kind of commanders or mages (such as shamans, druids etc) that would allow diversification of magic. I wanted to retain those and the better units while eliminating the chaff and that CANNOT be done without modding it. As well, the mod can be used with all maps but map files have to be made for each map separately.

The NI maps are good for those who like them, but they are not my cup of tea nor as flexible a solution. The mod can be made clean with actually far less work than making NI maps every time you need one, it just takes a little more ONCE, but just for the sake of enabling one militia and disabling one light cavalry, I'm not going to do that. Not worth the time it takes.

[Sombre]

NI maps require far more work? I don't see how. All the NI maps require is copying the map's original text file, adding in a single copy pasted chunk of code and renaming the map.

You're right that they're different though. I like the fact that you can't get poptype mages with NI maps, so it's not a problem at all in my eyes.

[Edi]

I'm going to have to apologize due to the update. It seems like the commented out lines are actually being read and used, so there are now units that should be available, but are not.

I'll make another update in the next few days and rename the mod to "Better Independents", which is what it should be. I can also make a true "No Independents" mod where there really will not be ANY indies at all, but that requires redoing some nation army lists, so it's a very low priority one for me right now.

[Mr_Matt]

I got a quick question Edi.

If the indies cost 9k each then what happens if your using R'lyeh with their enslave mind commanders and get a couple indies from battles? Would that give you a ridiculous amount of upkeep?

MrMatt

[Edi]

Yes, there is that. The point is that you should not use enslavement against indies or you will suffer the consequences. I can't fix things perfectly. Using inflated resource costs causes the AI to still try to build them, stuffing up recruitment. Inflated gold cost makes them impossible to recruit, but if you hit one with an enslavement spell, you're suddenly paying 600 gold upkeep on that unit.

So, save enslavement against AI armies, they will only have the unmodded units in them.