MA Ulm in CBM 1.9x

[Knai]

Originally Posted by shatner

+++Changes - An Overview+++
The larger changes from this mod are as follows:

1) Blacksteel troops and commanders given lower encumberance and superior, magical weaponry

2) Non-blacksteel troops made no more than half as expensive as blacksteel troops (both in terms of gold and resources)

3) The arbalest was changed from a slow-firing, high-damage weapon to a rapid-firing, low-damage weapon (3 shots/round, 5 dmg each)

4) Master Smiths were given a 100% AEFS as well as 10% A, 10% F and 10% S. This is so they are more magically powerful and diverse among themselves. This is also so MA Ulm is better capable of getting access to a few but crucial A2 and S2 casters. Price raised to 195 gold.

5) Master Priests were given 210% ADN. This is to help diversify Ulm's casting capabilities, especially in the realm of forging better thug and super-combatant equipment. Price raised to 210 gold. As for magical weapons, that seems out of place for Ulm, and cuts into the niche of the Guardian.

6) Ulm lacked a recruitable caster who could reliably summon Iron Angels (a conj 8, E5S2 spell), its late game SC chasis. The Black Priest was changed from E1H2 to E3H2 1.1 FS so that 50% of them could be equipped with boosters or minimally empowered to be able to cast this crucial spell. Price raised to 210 gold.

7) The Black Halberd was improved to make the Guardian and Lord Guardian more desirable to recruit

1) That doesn't mix well with the magical black steel equipment. I'd favor something along the lines of Reinvig 1 as a trait for all Ulmish units that use Black Steel armor, as they are already established as hardy in the description.

2) Seems about reasonable, though going under 10 gold is questionable.

3) Unless it was renamed, this makes no sense. Arbalests are essentially defined as crossbows with a high draw weight, that effectively require a cranequin. That shouldn't be faster than a bow or sling, period. Moreover, 3 ranged attacks per troop is arguably excessive, though the low damage mitigates that some. Still, with flaming arrows up this makes Ulm completely ridiculous, even relative to nations with impressive archers (e.g. Man).

4) Is this in addition to what they already had, or instead of it? If it is instead of it, the lack of guaranteed earth is questionable, if it is in addition to what they already had then they are probably too cheap even with the increased cost.

5) This removes the cheap mage-priest entirely.

6) This seems pretty reasonable, applied to Vanilla. CBM changed the spell requirements, so it is already under control.

7) Trimming the price a bit seems like a better way to handle this, particularly as their whole "magical weapons" schtick was given to every Black Steel soldier (which I'd recommend against).