Dasaavawar

Woodhenge. https://www.historicmysteries.com/woodhenge/?fbclid=IwAR0tuEj49eEnM3Oi40olAEfvImqIn1f8bkaAX9QkoNBqd6Rhu1ocd6uCBVU

Kievan Rus wonder: Saint Sophia Cathedral at Kyiv (1011-1036, aprox.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Sophia_Cathedral,_Kyiv http://www.smarttravel.ee/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Kiev-St-Sophias-Cathedral.jpg Lemme know if there are some buildings I can model.

I'm familiar with Sketchup modelling (architecture; I did many models back in the high school) and I'm also a junior programmer (2 years of experience with functional programming, mostly python libraries). I have worked on some computer vision and data science projects for my scientific career (however I'm still not sure about how this could be any useful in a video game). I would be glad to apply and make a contribution. ^^

Under that order of ideas, then I think it's moment to decide which of the 3 possible Russian factions to develop (at least first). In my humble opinion, I still think the Kievan Rus should be the (first) Russian faction to be developed. (It's the one that matches more the time period of the mod). But obviously this would be matter of the a group decision, not mine. What do you think about that? Also, there are still many things left for this mod; Norse wonder and Norse priests (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothi#Mainland_Scandinavia), proper Anglo-Saxon boats (the current ones are the same as Gauls / Britons boats), Norse store wagons (with Icelandic horses!), Carolingians horse stables and arsenals, Norse aresenals, more heroes, hero portraits for all factions, etc. Maybe this is also the chance to fix all of those other details.

I. 1. Make the farmstead and the corral one (small) building (yurt), (just like Norse in Millennium AD). 2. Consider building a very basic dock where they could train at least; 1 fishing boat, 1 merchant boat, 1 light (very light) warship / transportation boat. 3. Give them Ovoos as special buildings. II. (Walls and 3rd phase buildings, maybe they should unlock fortresses in the 2nd phase?) Ideas for walls*: *I remember having read that nomadic civs wouldn't were supposed to have walls. However, just looking at those ruins, the first thing that I thought about was walls. And well, those walls are... still standing up... Maybe their walls should be shorter and without the possibility of garrisoning units. http://german.xinhuanet.com/2020-06/01/139103707_15909720519851n.jpg http://www.transoxiana.org/14/Images/obrusanszky_04-tongwancheng_tower.jpg **Ideas for a fortress: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-05/31/139103031_15909222690181n.jpg http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-05/31/c_139103031_6.htm Idea for a Wonder (it requires a reconstruction): https://nexusnewsfeed.com/article/ancient-mysteries/dragon-artifacts-found-in-mongolian-tomb https://www.archaeology.org/issues/365-features/top10/8248-mongolia-xiongnu-tomb http://www.kaogu.cn/uploads/soft/Chinese Archaeology/12/20151119A study of Xiongnu tombs.pdf https://edspace.american.edu/silkroadjournal/wp-content/uploads/sites/984/2017/09/Investigation-of-a-Xiongnu-Royal-tomb.pdf https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/archaeology/mongolia/xiongnu/xiongnuarchhist/xiongnuarchhist.html **The hand-drawn last image is the only thing I was capable to deduce from those ruins, lol

I think at this precise moment it's good to simply focus in one of all these possible (Russian) factions. I think it's also important to don't be too ambitious with creating a huge number of factions but instead to work focused. (I neither would like to see many clones of a cool faction (as it's currently happening to the planned Greek factions), 2 to 3 Russian factions should be more than enough).

I suppose Kievan Rus (879–1240) should come before the Moscovite Rus (1263–1547)? Anyway, matter of fact I suppose these 2 factions could share many buildings together . Just as current Greeks do in the main game. (You could also add Merovingians with the already Carolingians buildings and Continental Saxons - Frisians with the already Anglo-Saxon buildings). (And grant them different specific things, like different wonders lol). I'm completely interested in these new civs. Lemme know what I can help with.

The fall of Rome...

Special building: Has a healing aura just like temples. Requires a temple to be built, (can't train healers or research temple technologies). Yurt-sized (three variations). Shared technology with Huns. Maximum of 3 for each civic center. Cannot be packed. Cheaper than a temple.

What do I have to do if I want to give a try modeling those?

I was thinking in something similar for differentiating civs in three main axles of categorization: "Barbarian civs" = Iberians, Gauls, Britons, Suebians, Xiongnu, Scythians, Huns, Yayois, Thracians, Dacians, Norse, Lusitanians, etc. *"Medium civs" = Greeks of all sorts, Macedonians, Ptolemies, Seleucids, Carthaginians, Kushites, Garamantians, Anglo-Saxons, Zapotecs, Judeans, etc. *(medium sized, medium lifespan, Kingdoms, City-states, "halfway civs") "Empire civs" = Romans, Persians, Indians, Chineses, Franks, Byzantines, Umayyads, etc. T1. Barbarian civs = No army camps or military colonies. Unlock civic centers in P2 (Cheaper civic centers). Can build storehouses, farms and farmsteads anywhere in the map. Also rely on small storehouses and resource wagons (for all resources). Few special buildings (No libraries). Can replenish their troops quickly (can train certain units like Celtic spearmen / Iberian spearmen / Scythian archers (and other equivalents, maybe naked fanatics for Gauls aswell) from houses after a certain technology). Don't require a technology for training women from houses. Can build docks anywhere in the map. Cheaper technologies. Small cheap houses that only grant 5 population bonus. Few mercenaries (and just ethnically / geographically related with them; Vettones, Batavians, Galatians, Celtiberians, Alans, Helvetii, Belgae celts, etc). Weak navy (more focused on transportation and confusing large ships) (more small cheap warships) (few exceptions like Norse). Tribal and more religious / healing technologies *based on Shamanism, Animism, Paganism, Tengrism, etc. Fortresses can just grant "Will to fight" technology and train heroes. More useful wonders. Few to no slaves. T2. Medium civs = Unlock military colonies and army camps in P2. Unlock civic centers in P3. Special buildings (Libraries, Gymnasium, Syssition, special temples, etc.). Medium sized houses that grant 10 population bonus. Can build docks only in terrains under territory influence (whether of military colonies, army camps or civic centers). More balanced navy (with some exceptions). Can build some small storehouses and resource wagons after P2 and after a certain technology. More mercenaries. More mercenary technologies. More useful fortresses (same as T1, but can also train the same units from military colonies and army camps after a certain technology). Have access to slaves. T3. Empire civs = Unlock military colonies and army camps in P2. Unlock civic centers in P3 and after an specific technology that extends 20% of territory effects for all buildings (more expensive civic centers, but a larger civic centers with more population bonus). Same special buildings as T2. More special buildings; academies, courts, senates, palaces, etc. Medium sized houses like in T2. Have access to larger sized (but more expensive) apartments with 20 population bonus in P2. More political units (senators, ministers, ambassadors, royalty, etc). Can build docks only in terrains under territory influence (whether of military colonies, army camps or civic centers). Can build some small storehouses and resource wagons after P2 and after a certain technology. Have more technological requirements and more expensive technologies. But also access to a wider variety; more political, economical and diplomatic technologies. Even more mercenaries. More useful fortresses (same as T1, but can also train both the same champion units from Barracks and mercenaries. Offer other forms of bonuses). Wide use of slavery. ***Of course, not all civs selected in each of these types should match perfectly and rigidly each of those descriptions (for example, Athenians should have access to their Platonic Academy, Huns should have a wider and richer selection of mercenaries, Mauryans should continue with their worker elephants, etc.). And there should be variety even in civs of the same type. But those axles could work instead as a form of classification for the main nature of each civ.

Socrates as a hero is a little strange. (He could instead have a function more similar to Han dynasty's ministers). Are the rest of the gang (Aristotle and Plato) coming with him aswell?

I played them last night against Norse. (Easy win spanning dozens of archers). Really cool civ. And most of the buildings seem also "game ready". I hope to see one day this faction in the official game. Congratulations

The first pic looks like something in the British Islands or Northern Europe. Probably you will find this interesting; a Celtic burial mound: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/12/24/the-hochdorf-chieftains-grave-intact-and-richly-furnished-grave-of-an-early-celtic-chieftain/

Well, many sacred places are rebuilt and used as the actual Wonders. I can only think of ruins, megaliths and burial mounds.

(I tend to agree that this faction should represent both Rashiduns and Umayyads). Idea for houses and civic center: *from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qusayr_'Amra Walls and tower walls: *from: https://www.everycastle.com/Qasr-al-Hayr-al-Sharqi.html *Another door: *from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque_of_Amr_ibn_al-As Defense tower: *from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Mosque,_Ramla Fortress: *from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasr_Al-Kharanah Special building (Palace): *from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umayyad_Palace Temple (Mosque): *from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Mosque_of_Kairouan Other interesting mosques from this period: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque_of_the_Companions,_Massawa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidi_Okba_Mosque https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Zaytuna_Mosque https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quba_Mosque Wonder (Umayyad Mosque): *from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umayyad_Mosque (although these mosques tend to be huge).

In addition to the other things stated. I have to admit I like the way how they are limited in the Delenda Est mod. I remember playing with the Epirotes at A25 last time. Population restriction: It requires to build a fortress to get space enough for training 5 Elephants. Additional; There should be an upper limit to the number of elephants you can train. Maybe 15 per civic center (or another digit multiple of 5 closer to this number). (This would include Elephant heroes too). (This number could be different for each civilization (up to 25 for Mauryans)). In the case of Seleucids and Ptolemies; building a military colony would also increase your room for training Elephants by 5. But this wouldn't interfere with the maximum number of possible Elephants strictly determined by the number of civic centers you have built. Or, if you prefer, it could additionally increase the maximum number just by 5. (Not as much as a civic center). (This would make military colonies to be a mix both of fortresses and civic centers, at least when it comes to Elephants mechanics). (This could be applied to Mauryan palaces too). Training time: Since Elephants have a lifespan similar to humans and it takes them like 15 years to reach adulthood. (It's like 5 years for horses). They should increase their training time too. Something from 45 secs to 60 secs. (without bonuses). (Let's ignore that it takes 20 years for humans to reach adulthood aswell). And of course, the main reason why this topic was created: Elephants still need to be less effective than artillery and siege weapons... (Right now, if you play with a civilization that has Elephants, you basically have no reason to build any siege weapon). Maybe make them slower and less harmful (at least against buildings and walls) in each of their attacks?

for Batavians: Gaius Julius Civilis: was the leader of the Batavian rebellion against the Romans in 69 AD. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Julius_Civilis for Alemanni*: Gibuld: the last known king of the Alamanni before the defeat of the Alamanni at the battle of Tolbiac in 496. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibuld *** "Walafrid Strabo in the 9th century remarked, in discussing the people of Switzerland and the surrounding regions, that only foreigners called them the Alemanni, but that they gave themselves the name of Suebi." * from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alemanni

I don't think I should have won that battle. My point is more about concerning how cheap it's to train Elephants compared with other units and all they have to offer. And how they should be more limited in their population. Food: Wild African Elephants consume around 300 lbs of food each day (150kg). Compare this with the average ration for domestic horses of around 20 lbs each day (10 kg). Does it means Elephants should require 15 times of the amount of cavalry's food to be trained? Well no, but they surely should require significantly more than just twice of that amount. Population available: By requiring more of it, it means for your faction (or enemy faction) to simply build more houses or just get used to fewer elephants. (Probably they should be more expensive in terms of both wood and metal too, only having a bonus for civilizations that are in disadvantage and used them in large proportions like Mauryans). (That would have reduced at least half of his Elephants army and would have granted me a more balanced battle or chance).

From my last battle: Me (Romans) vs Him (Carthaginians). (Punic wars!) (My fav civ is Carthaginians, but we were playing on random selection). Map: one of those Oasis maps (flat terrain, plenty of metal). (In the western front): I remember having like 70 champion cavalry, 12 priests, 6 battery rams and some basic infantry in this front (around 30 javelineers and 20 basic swordsmen). (I had many both defense and attack upgrades at the blacksmith). I tried to capture his fortress that was close to 2 defense towers. Then around 40 of his elephants come (along with around 10 javelineers, I guess), they surround my horses and kill them in less than 2 minutes. (They also crushed the rest of units as if they were flies). I was capable to kill just like 6 elephants, nothing else. Carthaginians War Elephants: Cost: 270 food. 180 metal. And requires just 3 of population available... (But it surely requires at least 20 javelineers to effectively kill just 1 elephant). Compare this with some of my Roman units: Roman basic swordsman: 50 food, 40 wood, 10 metal, 1 population available. Roman Skirmisher: 50 food, 50 wood, 1 population available. Roman elite infantry: 80 food, 60 wood, 80 metal, 1 population available. Roman Champion cavalry: 150 food, 80 wood, 100 metal, 1 population available. Consider for example that you need 600 food to unlock champion cavalry. Elephants have no requirements other than their stables (That are neither too expensive compared with horse stables). You could use that food in training 2 elephants. That is significantly more useful than training 4 champion cavalry or 7 elite infantry. If you play with infantry based civilizations, and you see 15 elephants coming, then you have no chance to stand against them... Elephants are like heavily armored and faster battery rams capable to kill your soldiers with few attacks and in matter of seconds. (They require balancing).

Elephants are too OP. Everytime I play with a friend and this guy introduces like 40 Elephants in the battlefield, I know I'm already defeated. They should be more expensive at least in terms of food (from 4 to 5 times the cost of horses, around 600 to 800 of food) and require more population available (and probably a lot of others things).

I think this unit could be very OP at least when it comes to map exploration. They should be somehow limited whether by a maximum number or by a resource cost. But I'm still excited to see Eagles, Falcons, Pigeons (maybe these could find a purpose in markets) and other species of birds as special units! (As far as I know, even Norse could benefit from exploration birds in the form of Ravens). Now, I think those birds use to fly higher and are hard to kill despite of being weak (they should move faster and just have a chance to be killed by archers and javelineers). (They still would require more animations). And probably they should have at least one human unit that would command them.

The water looks darker and deeper. Should units avoid walking on it and just walk on its borders (females)?

Another possible special building for them: Library: (Library of Celsus). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Celsus

From the English version of Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_at_Uppsala "The temple was destroyed by King Inge the Elder in the 1080s" (So that's just like 20 years away from the end of the Viking age....).