Black Company Mod

[Uh-Nu-Buh]

I've been working on The Black Company Mod ever since 2.08 came out. I am close to releasing the first beta. This mod is loosely based on the fine fantasy series by Glen Cook. I have tried to make the units a bit more expensive than they should be, except the basic infantry.

At this point I'd like any feedback people might have before I release the mod to the general public. E.g. units I should have added, obvious changes, etc. So far I have:

Black Infantry--basic, cheap, foot soldiers. Lightly armored but well armed--and able to throw two javelins at a time.

Black Captains--healers, leaders, warriors with a smattering of battle magic. Black Captains continually study history to learn strategems and craft. They exude confidence and morale. Expensive units.

Forvalaka--expensive, powerful, were-leopards. Faster than water mages on acid, regenerate, no armor, 4 clawed whirlwind attacks. Patron is the Shapechanger.

Limper Infantry--expensive, super-heavy infantry. Slow like their patron, but extremely dangerous infighters.

Boomers--mages taught one spell, and one spell only: fire ball. Artillery units, expensive, no armor, low hit points. Patron is The Howler.

The Taken--powerful immortal battlemages. Extremely expensive. Also unholy priests level 3. Very good leaders of men and magical beings.

The Limper--hero unit, immensely powerful Taken. The Limper was once a pretender god himself, but through vicious physical and spiritual torture, plus overwhelming magical assault and unbreakable oaths, he was subverted to the will of the Empire. A poor leader, but he retains his terrifying presence, and his unspeakable black arts are as puissant as ever. Heavily armored, tough and indefatigable. Maniacally insane. Fire/Death 8/1. Unholy 3.

The Howler--hero unit, immensely powerful Taken. The Howler was also once a pretender. A flying unit, his howls fill the enemy with fear. Air/Fire 4/4. Unholy 3.

The Shapechanger--hero unit, immensely powerful Taken. Once a pretender, now a slave to the Empire. The Shapechanger was at one time an incredibly powerful nature mage who specialised in shape changing, but is now unable to control his?/her? shape any longer--and is constantly continually writhing between humanoid forms. A great general, and a powerful warrior him/herself. Nature 1. Unholy 3.

[Leif_-]

You'll need a shaman / hedge-wizard class - and One-Eye and Goblin as national heroes.

[rabelais]

I like the Hedge Wizard idea, does well with Ulm's device oriented weak mages.

I think the Lady and SoulCatcher need Awe,

and if you put the Dominator in... well, damn! ...makes the PoD look like the Avon Lady.

Foraklava should have decent natural protection....

Murgen might come with an Astral Window ability.

Sounds like fun,

Rabe the Stone Soldier

[Uh-Nu-Buh]

I think I was trying to wrap the leaders up into one tidy package, making the Black Captain be both hedge wizard and Leader. I will add a hedge wizard that is fire 1 and random 1.

As far as The Lady and Soulcatcher--The Lady would be one of the Pretenders, as would The Dominator. I am unsure of how to do new pretenders. Soulcatcher, otoh, is too subtle to do well. I was thinking of doing her as a mage-succubus type, with her units being succubi as well. That would simulate "taking" in that she and her minions could turn enemy leaders.... Maybe make them stealthy and assassins, and during assassinations turn the enemy leaders? And very expensive....

One Eye and Goblin are problems in and of themselves. They are extremely powerful hedge wizards that keep their power under wraps so as not to draw the attenton of the Taken--they don't want to be taken themselves. They are also very subtle. And adding them would mean even more Hero units, in an already hero top-heavy mod!! Maybe that would be a good thing.

[Bowlingballhead]

Ack! A Black Company-inspired mod WITHOUT Soulcatcher? A travesty! An absolute, utter, complete travesty.

She's a hero with lots of astral magic, and probably death thrown in there, too. Give her the Abboleth's 'enslave soul' attack. To make her faithful to the book you'd have to throw in regen and immortal, but you're starting to talk about something really ridiculously nasty now. At least there's no reason to give her physical stats above those of a common soldier.

Of course, when you try to make a cult-favorite like Black Company, somebody's bound to disagree with your interpretation. No help for it.

[Coffeedragon]

As you get the Heroes for free, won�t this Mod be vastly over-powerful?

[Bossemanden]

Maybe force Luck -1 to ensure that hero units arrive slowly...and that bad things happen (or the Rebel).

[Catquiet]

Originally posted by Peter Ebbesen:

quote:

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Originally posted by Coffeedragon:
As you get the Heroes for free, won�t this Mod be vastly over-powerful?

Any mod that tries to be faithful to the heroes (and Villains, if you can tell the difference) of the Black Company will be vastly powerful per definition.

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Maybe you should split it into two nations. One for the Black Company : good troops and good heroes. One for the Empire : average troops and amazing heroes.

They weren't always on the same side.

[Bossemanden]

Originally posted by Catquiet:

quote:

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Originally posted by Peter Ebbesen:

quote:

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Originally posted by Coffeedragon:
As you get the Heroes for free, won�t this Mod be vastly over-powerful?

Any mod that tries to be faithful to the heroes (and Villains, if you can tell the difference) of the Black Company will be vastly powerful per definition.

---

Maybe you should split it into two nations. One for the Black Company : good troops and good heroes. One for the Empire : average troops and amazing heroes.

They weren't always on the same side.

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Now that sounds as an idea.

[Peter Ebbesen]

Originally posted by Catquiet:
Maybe you should split it into two nations. One for the Black Company : good troops and good heroes. One for the Empire : average troops and amazing heroes.

They weren't always on the same side.

That would be neat - even neater as themes.

Basic nation: The Lady's Empire.
Theme#2: Black Company [For Empire]
Theme#3: Black Company [Vs. Empire]

.....But that is a hell of a lot of extra work.