Mod: Warhammer MA: Empire

[Sombre]

I was going to do Dwarfs, Chaos Dwarfs or Dogs of War as my next project, but I've decided to start off the Warhammer Empire nation instead, mainly because I need a break from doing non human sprites for a while and Dogs of War is such an eclectic nation that it would require more in the way of graphics.

So anyway, Empire it is, at least for now.


THE EMPIRE


THE NATION SHOULD

Be tactically flexible
Make full use of resources and production
Have strong religion
Be restricted by its humanity
Represent the incredible diversity of the Colleges
Have very useful and cost effective PD
Be split evenly between North and South creating two interesting balanced nations


WEAPONS

Crankbow - 3 crossbow bolts per turn, not that much ammo, bit innacurate.
Hand Crossbow (ranged) - A single shot medium/close range missile weapon.
Hand Crossbow (melee) - A single shot AP melee weapon.
White Wolf Hammer - Solid two handed hammer with charge bonus.


ARMOUR

Empire Full Plate - High quality full plate.



------ EMPIRE SOUTH ------


RECRUITS

State Spearman - Spear, Shield, Iron Cap, Plate Cuirass.
State Halberdier - Halberd, Iron Cap, Plate Cuirass.
State Swordsman - Broadsword, Shield, Iron Cap, Plate Cuirass (improved skills, higher cost)
State Crossbowman - Crossbow, Dagger, Leather Cap, Plate Cuirass.
Greatsword - Greatsword, Empire Full Plate, Iron Cap.
Greatsword - Greatsword, Empire Full Plate, Iron Cap.
Nobleborn - Horse, Plate Hauberk, Iron Cap, Hand Crossbow (melee/ranged), Broadsword.
Free Infantry - Shortsword, Dagger, Studded Leather, Reinforced Leather Cap.
Archer - Shortbow, Leather Cap, Leather Armour, Dagger.
Reiksguard Foot - Broadsword, Shield, Empire Full Plate, Full Helmet.
Inner Circle Reiksguard Knight - Warhorse, Lance, Broadsword, Shield, Empire Full Plate,

Full Helmet.
Order Knight (generic) - Warhorse, Lance, Broadsword, Shield, Empire Full Plate, Full

Helmet.
Flagellant - Sacred, Flail.
War Wagon - High rcost. Various ranged and melee weapons, trample.
Steam Tank - V. High rcost. No cannon, but tramples and uses steam weapons + 'fire' shield, extreme prot.
Marksman - Carries a crankbow.
Outrider - Horse, Arbalest, Short Sword, light armour.


COMMANDERS

Scout
State Captain
State General
Elector Count - Expensive, summons state troops, not a bad general
Reik Captain - As knight, standard, 80 ldr.
Grand Masters - One per Southern order, they are unique summons who in turn can use 'summon allies' to gather Inner Circle knights of their order. Probably require house
rules. The Reiksmarshal Kurt Helborg is particularly powerful.
Initiate of Sigmar - H1
Battle-Priest of Sigmar - H2, 40 ldr, extra holy spell or two
Theoganist - H3, old, not a leader
Witch Hunter - H1, stealthy, inquisitor, increase unrest
College Adept - 1 Random pick, used to summon College Wizards



------ EMPIRE NORTH ------


RECRUITS

State Spearman - Spear, Shield, Iron Cap, Plate Cuirass.
State Halberdier - Halberd, Iron Cap, Plate Cuirass.
State Swordsman - Broadsword, Shield, Iron Cap, Plate Cuirass (improved skills, higher cost)
Greatsword - Greatsword, Empire Full Plate, Iron Cap.
Free Infantry - Shortsword, Dagger, Studded Leather, Reinforced Leather Cap.
Archer - Shortbow, Leather Cap, Leather Armour, Dagger.
Huntsman - Longbow, Leather Cap, Leather Armour, Axe, stealthy.
Hunting Hound - Summoned by Huntsmaster, stealthy flanker.
Kossar - Ringmail, Reinforced Leather Cap, Axe, Composite Bow.
Ungol Horse Archer - Ungol Horse, Furs, Composite Bow, Falchion.
Winged Lancer - Ungol Horse, Lance, Shield, Falchion, Plate Hauberk.
Teutogen Guard - Empire Full Plate, White Wolf Hammer, Half Helmet.
Inner Circle White Wolf - Warhorse, Empire Full Plate, White Wolf Hammer.
Order Knight - Warhorse, Lance, Broadsword, Shield, Empire Full Plate, Full Helmet.
Warrior of Ulric - Sacred, Greatsword, Ringmail, Iron Cap.
Wolfkin - Sacred, Furs, Axe, Broadsword, stealthy.



COMMANDERS

Scout
State Captain
General
Elector Count - Expensive, summons state troops, not a bad general
Hunt Master - Horse, light lance, spawns hunting hounds
Boyar - Ungol Horse, Plate Hauberk, Composite Bow, Falchion
Ice Mage - Water and possibly air magic from Kislev
White Wolf Seneschal - As White Wolf Knight, standard, 80 ldr.
Grand Masters - One per Northern order, they are unique summons who in turn can use 'summon allies' to gather Inner Circle knights of their order. Probably require house rules.
Initiate of Ulric - H1
Battle-Priest of Ulric - H2, 40 ldr, extra holy spell or two
High Priest of Ulric - H3
College Adept - 1 Random pick, used to summon College Wizards



SPECIFIC KNIGHT ORDERS


SOUTH

Reiksguard (Special polished armour gives +1 def)
Blazing Sun (Morning star rather than broadsword, partial fire res)
Griffon (Higher morale and mapmove 3)
Hunters of Sigmar (Forest survival, axe, slightly worse armour, supplybonus)
Black Bear (+1 str)
Sigmar's Blood (Sacred)
Gold Lion (Wasteland survival)
Encarmine (No lance, no shield, two swords, very skilled, high upkeep)
Hammers of Sigmar (Sacred, no lance, holy hammer, shield, no helmet)


NORTH:

White Wolf (No lance, no shield, no helmet, use white wolf hammers, +1mr, berserk 0)
Panther (Falchion rather than broadsword, wasteland survival, animal awe)
Templars of Everlasting Light (Standard effect)
Sacred Scythe (No lance, anti undead scythe)
Knights of Morr (Increase unrest, fear 0, no lance)
Broken Sword (No lances, better sword skill)
Wolves of Ulric (Sacred, similar to white wolf)
Gryphon Legion (Not really a knight order, but the Kislev equivalent, upgraded winged lancers)


MAGIC COLLEGES

Schools

Fire - Bright - F+ - Evocation
Wizard - Higher precision, lower research
Lord - Strong fire shield, starts at higher leadership


Metal - Gold - E (F) - Alteration and construction
Wizard - Alchemy (?), higher upkeep
Lord - Forgebonus


Shadow - Grey - AD - Enchantment, alteration
Wizard - Stealthy
Lord - Flight, spy


Beasts - Amber - N+ - Conjuration
Wizard - Forest survival, shapechange to wolf
Lord - Shapechange to giant bear, useful summon allies ability in this form


Heavens - Celestial - Equal AS - Evocation and thaum
Wizard - Research bonus, prevent bad events
Lord - Better bonuses


Light - Light - FS - Alteration and Evocation
Wizard - Heal, Auto communion (pythium copystats)
Lord - Better heal?


Life - Jade - N EWA - Alteration, Evocation
Wizard - Decrease unrest? Heal?
Lord - If possible, increase growth scale (lord of fertility)


Death - Amethyst - D (W) - Alteration, Enchantment
Wizard - Drain life attack
Lord - Armed with Soul Slaying scythe weapon


Each school will have 2 summons available - one for a standard Wizard such as "Bright Wizard" and one for a college lord, "Bright Wizard Lord". The standard wizards will basically be 2 in one path then have some kind of secondary path, or a chance at lvl3 in their main path if from a focused school like Bright.

The Wizard Lords will be lvl 3 average, but some lvl 4. They will kick ***, but they will all be old.

The whole thing will be started off by the College Acolyte recruitable which has lvl 1 random in NEFADS.

N1 summons Amber, Jade
F1 summons Bright, Light
A1 summons Grey,
D1 summons Amethyst
S1 summons Celestial
E1 summons Gold

The summons will have to be researched and will be found with one version in each of the schools favoured by the mages, at level 3 and 6 perhaps?

[Sombre]

A little preview of my very first empire unit - a member of the elite Reiksguard Foot.

[Burnsaber]

Jade Wizards should also probably have forest survival.

About Witch-Hunter:

I think they shouldn't be spies, scouts, perhaps. Spies are coolheaded folk who don't attract attetion to themeselves. Witch Hunter preaching with foam-coming-out-of-the-mouth and burning womenfolk attracts attention. Besides if they're spies they might have a bit too much going on. Summon, patrol, spying, preaching? He'd just cost too much gold to do any of those things because of his diversity. Even if he's a mere scout he still has the stealthy inquistor combo going on.

If you want a spy unit, how about agitator? I got a inspiration to write a improptu description:

"In the busy life of well populated Empire cities, many charismatic characters earn their living by making loud speeches against/for political issues (depending on which side pays them more). Many of them end up shouting speeches that are wiewed to anti-nobility and thereby, heretical. They are captured and put to the rope. Sometimes, an especially charismatic invidual might be saved form the rope, if he starts saying the right things about the Holy Empire.."

[zepath]

I'm anxious to see this one come about. The Empire is my (second?) favorite WH Fantasy nation.

[Autochthon]

Let's see what we can add here...

Flagellants! We loves them - and maybe Flagellant commanders? And they seriously need Berserk. I dunno why the vanilla Dom3 Flagellants don't...

Standard Bearers. I've never seen an Empire Army in TT w/out being fully decked out w/SB + Musician for Morale bonuses.

Greatswords. Yeah, baby!

Warrior Priests are Sacred Priest (H1?) Commanders w/Leadership.

Light Mages would have to be Holy as well.

Grey Mages should have Glamour instead of Flight. Also should have Cause Unrest and/or Assassin Order.

Amber Mages w/Shapeshift, Stealth, all Survival abilities.

Jade Mages w/Supply, Poison Immunity, Rejuvenation.

Celestial Mages w/innate Luck? Or just leave as A/S Magi.

Gold Magi should have higher Resources Cost to offset Forge Bonus

Priest of Sigmar has H2S1, while Priest of Ulric has only H2 but higher Str and Atk and Sacred?

Can't be Empire w/out Artillery, either.

Shortbows and Crossbows too - but no Comp. Bows or Longbows.

Knightly Orders provide mounted Sacred units.

Are we including Allied contingents too? Or is that too much?

Here's a brain-bending idea for you...

Instead of having an Empire faction, why not have seperate factions for each Electorate and replay the Time of the Three Emperors?

We could do this because there is enough variety between factions. The Northerners worship Ulric and tend towards melee-heavy armies. The Westerners favor Sigmar and favor newfangled weapons like artillery, magic and cavalry. Finally, the Easterners love Taal, and their forces reflect this by being fast and mobile, with lots of skilled archers and light infantry.

Oh right, the Magisters weren't around. Damn space/time continuum...:P

[Sombre]

I had already decided to split The Empire into two nations, combined in one mod. The divide is basically Northeast / Southwest, I've decided to call one Empire South and one Empire North. Empire North gets the cult of Ulric, Middenlanders and Kislev allies. South gets more stuff from Nuln, the Reik etc.

I'll update the first post with extended army lists. They still aren't finished.

The sprites are actually proving harder than anticipated, because I don't feel happy only slightly modifying vanilla ones. I want them to look distinctive. I will use some vanilla sprites as a base/placeholders at first, but sometimes it's hard to find suitable ones.

[Aezeal]

2 points..

1. STEAMTANK

2. with the new warhammer world map in progress (ye olde world thread) I think your mods would be the best ones to play on that map..
--> the old world is a fairly small part of that map where a lot happens
--> splitting the empire in 2 means MORE players on that small part
so I would ask.. please create (next to this idea maybe) a race which would be the empire as one race..

[Sombre]

1. How is that a point? What about the steam tank?

2. Like Greenskins, the Empire army list is too large to cram everything into one nation. Once I'm finished, someone can combine the two nations into one with great ease. It's just a matter of a few lines of code and a bit of copying and pasting. I'm not going to do it personally because I think it's a bad idea. It would be like putting the units and commanders from EA Ulm, MA Ulm and LA Ulm all into one nation. Just too much stuff.

[Humakty]

Couldn't you divide the magicians between the two empires ?
True the magical game will be less random, but it would avoid a maybe too powerfull late game ?

[zepath]

Humatky: That is an interesting question. With the Colleges of Magic located in Altdorf, will the battle wizards only be made available to Empire South? Perhaps you could include them all in the Empire North nation with slightly inflated prices to represent the additional resources required to enlist college-trained wizards from the south.