Ideas for 1001 Arabian Nights-themed nations

[Wrana]

Firstly, to Renojustin:
Well, MtG's ideas are strange to say the least. However, there were at least 2 fantasy strategy games with strong Nomad faction of Arabo-Persian kind. I mean Master of Magic (of course!) & Age of Wonder. As for melee unit - ghazi will probably be fine name for these!
-- Historical near-OT warning --
Actually, Arabs of early era often used melee infantry (which we can know from Byzantium military textbooks), fighting in falanx-like formation. Their military is also often depicted riding 2 on 1 horse (which was actually a way to transport foot archers, & can be translated to Dom3 engine by having said archers with map move 3). What they didn't had are composite bows, at least of Mongolian or Turkish quality, so their early cavalry should probably have just shortbows. Also, Arabian cavalry preferred melee (charge) attacks, which led to their defeat by Frankish heavy cavalry of Carl Martell.
The main "fantasy races" in folklore of the region were often named as "daw, jihn, ghul, and peri", in that order, at least in Persian sources (I have no English version, so probably spelling may differ). Daw were servitor race, relatively stupid, but strong and able to shapechange. Jihn we know. Ghul were maneaters with some magic skills, but often depicted as having no armsor legs. Peri were a race similar to Dominions Vans/Thuatha, but, according to Persians "made by Creator not from clay, but from fire", their women were said to be most beautiful & they lived in their own cities.
At the time of Crusades we see appearance of Hashishiin mentioned above. Also, at that time Arabians began use of Turkish mercenaries & slave warriors, which introduced their composite bows (though these also were not "light cavalry", being armored in chain mail!). As war against non-beleivers became less popular among civilised citizens, the special ghazi were introduced - they lived in their training camps at the borders and helped to defend these against Frankish barbarians (i.e., Crusaders ).
Later still, Turks mentioned above became rulers in the region. The best known is, of course, Osman Empire with its Janissaries and Sipahi. (Mongol influence I never heard of, unless you count that Tamerlan actually saved Constantinopolis by crushing Bayazid the Lighning's army at Ancara... )
---end of near-OT---
According to this I would make first era based on lightly-armored troops, supported by recruitable members of genie races. The medium period will include medium-armored horse archers, sacred ghazi & probably some armored infantry, though the latter was not numerous. Plus sacred Assassins, of course! The late period should include mail-armored cavalry and Janissaries of Osmans. Of course, heat preferrence, as was already mentioned. Camel caravans I would make recruitable animals with negligable combat ability but providing supplies. As for eunuch assasins - unfortunately, Dominions engine doesn't allow poisoned coffee as weapon...
I would also move this discussion into Mods area unless official version is going to be produced soon...

[sector24]

Good post, Wrana! It was my understanding that the Mongol "influence" was to break up the hashashin as an organized force and relegate them to independent assassins for hire, bandits, or dissolve their members into more standard military (paramilitary?) orders. So basically somewhere in the timeline the assassin concept would either go away or the assassins would be inferior or lose sacred status or whatever they had in an earlier age.

However, I must admit my understanding of that time period is somewhere on the "wikipedia" level, and not the level of legitimate knowledge or understanding.

[Aezeal]

I'd start with one age, and I think EA would be best to really fit 1001 night stuff, high magic potential.

Maybe fashion it a bit like LA patala, humans ruled by magic beings is nice, the magic beings also being the sacreds.

I'd love to help but I'm no good with graphics so I doubt I can be of much use unless you want to let me make the stats etc

[Wrana]

Thanx, sector24. Yes, losing of assasins' sacred status in late era would probably be in order, though I also have few knowledge in history of these organizations. I'll probably find something out, though. (and Mongols should also probably get a MA faction of their own, but to correctly depict their army organization we would probably need additional commands... )
To Aezeal: I'd probably start on this when my Bogarus splitting mod will be finished at last. For now, it requires finding out most balance issues, bribing some artistically inclined friends for graphics and - maybe - adding some few units. In any case, help in resolving balance issues will be appreciated. And if you really want to help, you may begin with reading Arabo-Persian folklore...

[thejeff]

Sacred assassins aren't really useful, other than being a bit cheaper on upkeep. They can't bless themselves during an assassination, so there's really little point.

Priest-assassins, on the other hand...

[Argitoth]

Agema said:
I don't think Blood would be thematic, they weren't into sacrifices to the best of my knowledge. I'm not sure heat resistance is so appropriate either, or reduce it to 25. Certainly make them Heat 1 or 2.

Completely agree. I was going to post this just now.

[Aezeal]

not to much folklore just do things which are most appealing

EA: nomads (desert dwelling) ruled by Djinni etc

general nomad stats
prefer heat 1
normals stats except for: attack skill, defense skill: 12, MR: 11)
wasteland survival
all infantry strat move 2 (cavalry strat move 3 (maybe camels only 2) and carpets as all flying creatures)

Troops
Nomad warrior (scimitar, chaff)
Nomad horse warrior (light cavalry, no lance, scimitar)
Nomad horse archer (ligth cavalry, short bow)
Nomad camel rider (medium cavalry; supply bonus 2; no lance, scimitar)
Whirling dervish warrior (2 attacks, medium infantry, high attack/defense skill)
Whirling dervish rider (2 attacks, medium cavalry, high attack/defense skill)
Whirling dervish warrior on flying carpet (2 attacks, medium infantry, high attack/defense skill, flying)

Roc rider: flying large creature relative high HP, strength etc, leaves roc when rider is killed

Djinn sacred troop, magic being, flying
Jann sacred troop, magic being, ethereal; cap only

Commanders
Nomad scout; mounted scout, map move 3
Nomad Wazir; 0 command, 2 S, researcher mainly (sage like)
Nomad Sheik; commander
Efriti sacred commander, magic being, F3E1, flying
Marid sacred commander, magic being, A3S1, flying
Efriti Sultan commander, magic being F3E3A1H1 ?100%FEAS; cap only, flying
Marid Grand-Wazir commander, magic being A3S3E1F1H2, 100% FEAS, 10% S, flying; cap only

weaknesses: only horse archers, weak priest, no heavy infantry or cavalry
Strength: strong magic, strong sacreds

To be continued

Note
assassin saved for MA/LA
courtesan if needed probably LA, maybe MA
MA/LA no nomads any more
MA/LA not ruled by the magic beings anymore, maybe a few weaker amongst the commanders in MA, certainly not as sacred troops, maybe sacred summons though, the dervish could remain as sacreds then (their ancient and sacred "desert roots)
LA probably only as summons

no death or blood this age

PM I only wanted one of the sacred troops to be recruitable everywhere (the weakest I guess flying is weaker than etherealness right?)

[Swan]

maybe they could have a special unit like a water diviner that search wates site as a level 9 water mage

[Aezeal]

hmm I had watermages in my draft but in the end I would have to agree that desert =/ water.. and I don't think waterdivination is that easy to do, not as usefull if you have way to spend the gems

[Renojustin]

Won't anyone think of the eunuchs?!