Carltonus

That makes more historically-accurate sense. Does the rest of the community have consensus? "Xìan" (縣, Gwēns/*ɡʷeːns) and "Jùn" (郡, Gluns/*ɡluns) are ones to be put in the phase_town_generic.json and phase_city_generic.json files, respectively, for the "han" parameter. Knew that both characters mean the capital, as that would only apply to Chang'an (Xi'an) if within 0 A.D. timeframe... What can you come up for the empire phase for your mod, @wowgetoffyourcellphone. Should be another one-character, maybe two.

Don't forget the full Gate of All Nations model, @wowgetoffyourcellphone. If that will not be the future Wonder, will it be another special building for the hiring of the champion hoplite and skirmisher, an Atlas-only special building with the same purpose, or something else? The first two would work for the so-called "Hall"...

Hold on for a moment! The names of the two phases should be attested in ancient Chinese literature, whether one-character or two-character. We should not be using anything anachronistic, as in after the Han dynasty. Note that Cūnzhuāng (Sun-srang) is not first attested in Old Chinese, but in the poetry of Wang Wei (Tang dynasty), too late to be used here. Is Xiāngzhèn (Qang-tin(s)) attested in the older literature? Xiàn (Gwens), Jùn (Gluns), and Dū (Ta)/Jīng (Krang) seems more fitting for this era.

As the Han Chinese faction is being included with the next alpha, let's also propose the names of the town and city phases for the notification and phase-up tech. One that has been neglected for some of the other factions... For the town phase, how about Chéngshì (城市, Dyeng-dyu)? For city, Dūshì (都市, Ta-dyu). Can't find a better one for the former though.

Thureos came later during the Hellenistic period, in my current knowledge; any accounts regarding them before/around the time of Alexander? Iphicrates was around 4th century BCE. Believe that "Light Peltast" would be a better name for the proposed champion skirmisher with the oval wicker shields.

"Ptolemy"? The champions of the Ptolemaic faction are agema pikeman and spear cavalry. Athenians have three, with one requiring an inconsistent technological research item in the council hall (prythaneon). Since the discussion here is about the Athenian champions, we should also take into consideration the marines and Scythian police. Who agrees renaming the "Iphicratean reforms" tech to one for unlocking the marine units (epibates and Cretan archers)? Land-only maps should also be taken into account, so (1) Cretan archers should also be hired in a structure other than the port and (2) marines should also be trained in the gymnasium. The upgrade should be explicit, recruiting from triremes (and port, for balancing). The Iphicratean reforms (reiterating, if be retained) should unlock the present "epilektos" and a champion skirmisher; both light and fast. Any thoughts for armored marines and the logades (armored hoplite), slow and sturdy? Finally, the Scythian police. Which the community prefers: Clubmen ("macmen")/axemen (sagaris), or archer? Any auras to represent their policing duty?

Would wish to support scrapping the Iphicratean reforms tech outright in light of @Thorfinn the Shallow Minded's view of "the height" of Athenian civilization, but no consensus among the other community members seems to have been reached. In this case, what alternative technologies and champion units can replace the Iphicratean influences? Coming back to this, the reforms (if retained) should actually unlock a champion light hoplite like the present epilektos, as well as a champion skirmisher akin to the theureophoros a few alphas ago. Marines should be a whole different story, separate tech to unlock (light/armored fork?). Image references: When secondary weapons are a thing, the champion light peltasts can double as a hoplite. Don't forget to replace the thureos with oval wicker shields.

To be honest, the Old Chinese romanization should be the one put in the specific name parameter of the xmls, and pinyin (or other romanization) mixed with English/transifex in generic.

We have not seen any news yet from the original modeller of the palace. The feature freeze is in a few weeks, just to let the both of you know. Anybody else who is willing to finish the palace just in time for the above?

Are the drawings of the red sun and the soldiers moving from side to side like the other 0 A.D. backgrounds? Those would be much appreciated. A scenery of ancient Wa can be part of the middleground to complete it.

In the long-run, of course! To summarize: Cassivellaunus would be the same class as Boudicca, on chariots; same goes for Mandubracius and who is going to be the third one, both that may be swordsmen on foot and horse, respectively. All that with little to no change in gameplay or statistics, if that is what you mean...

If I can recall, isn't the cape model unified for all factions? Still rooting for an unarmored Boudicca. Historical attire, gear, and temple structure aside, the next issue that may have to be taken seriously is the Brythonic heroes being out of the current 0 A.D. timeframe. Sure, the current three can be put as Atlas-only units or preparation for the so-called "Part 2/Empires Beseiged". Those (at least) three during Caesar's invasions, anybody?

My initial suggestion was that the Battersea shield be a prop addition to the Brythonic temple or other structure. But since you insist in a combat use, let it be equipped to a proposed hero before or during the time of Julius Caesar's invasion, if any.

Thought the Battersea shield was made around or before the time of Julius Caesar's invasion of Britain? Isn't that used as a votive offering?

The Britons and Gauls wiki pages have been updated. Let me know if there are parts that need correction and/or expansion. Kindly expound.

The Judean fortress is currently a re-texture of the Persian (Achaemenid) counterpart... so Kathy had not done any major changes to the texture files. "And the swine... you shall not eat", yes, the template file for the Judean corral obviously has not been modified yet. What permissible animal can be a substitute for the pig, or just remove it from the template altogether. In short, the faction still has placeholders until balance of (game) mechanics and history/culture are in harmony.

Just the messenger here, nothing else. The only feature I have contributed currently is the proposed specific name for the building. Thanks for the offer, if only I had another computer with the space for such creative tools... expecting one sooner or later!

Don't think this will be implemented in the next alpha, since @Stan` is busy with more finishing work. It's been "a couple of months" since they posted the above. Time to concede with my first sentence above? Anyways, my impression on the current state of the palace model is... nearly done.

Ongoing discussion regarding the Tarantine cavalry: In short: the Ptolemaic mercenary cavalry javelineer could be corrected in the next alpha, most unlikely 25.

No response yet, think it would be too late already. The Ptolemaic mercenary horse skirmishers will still be Thracian for the next alpha. @wowgetoffyourcellphone, do you have samples of your take on the Tarantines in your mod?

Unfortunately, its Old Chinese trascription would be something close to "qrum lang", or in the IPA, /*q(r)um laŋ/. Either "Yavana" or "Yona" is the best you can get close to given the features we already have.

Great that the Macedonian and Ptolemaic archers have been remade. The Syrian archers still need their helmet and scale armor revamped. The Thessalian and Odrysian placeholders for the Seleucid hetairoi and Tarantine cavalry may need to be taken into account before the new alpha is out.

For now, @wowgetoffyourcellphone's basic rank Ptolemaic and Seleucid mercenary cavalry spearmen in Delenda Est should be a viable placeholder instead of the basic rank Thessalian spearman actor. Has anyone made the changes?

While waiting for a willing modeler in order to finish the veranda (is it necessary?), let us pick the specific name for the new wonder. Am thinking of "Basíleion tôn Aigôn". Are the cases used correct?