127 replies to this topic

[Nertea]

We've made a number of changes to Gondor's arsenal of spellbook powers, removing duplicates and some of the others.

First, Elven Wood has been replaced with a new power called Remnants of Numenor. This power similarly creates an area of overgrown ruins for your troops to fight in. However, instead of giving a large bonus to armor, it gives a large bonus to experience gain rate and a small one to armor. This lets you level your troops quickly in the early game, reducing the money you might spend on Banners.

Rohan Allies has been replaced by Fealty of Dol Amroth. This new power is similar, summoning cavalry, but instead calls on Prince Imrahil and two units of powerful Knights of Dol Amroth. Besides giving generally potent units, Prince Imrahil can use Righteous Fury - a single target damage power to prey on monsters or heroes. He also comes with two passive abilities - Prince of Dol Amroth for leadership and Imrahil the Unscathed, which passively reduces the damage of all enemies attacking him in melee by 40%. Use these units wisely though, as they're only around for two minutes.

Elven Allies is gone as well, replaced by a passive spell called Light the Beacons. To explain this I'll need to tell you about the new building Gondor has acquired: the Beacon. The Beacon is built on economy plots like the Farm, and passively provides a bonus to armor and fear resistance. When you purchase Light the Beacons, they become lit and now you're in business. Each beacon can purchase Call for Aid for 500 resources, summoning a random unit from Rohan or the Southern Fiefdoms to your aid. These units are permanent and can all use formations and be upgraded with Banners. You might get Knights of Dol Amroth, a unit of Rohirrim Archers, some Spearmen from Pelargir - or one of many more possibilities.

The last major change is to the Army of the Dead. No longer does the green tide eat armies for breakfast - it functions in a slightly more interesting fashion. They don't do any damage, but instead apply a massive reduction in armor, fear resistance and damage whenever they attack an enemy. In addition, they also broadcast uncontrollable terror. Alongside the reduction in fear resistance, this means that often even high-ranked units will run away! During this time, your enemy's army is completely vulnerable to a charge by Gondor's finest.

This about concludes the changes to Gondor. I'll get on to Isengard changes in a week or so.

[{IP}Solstice]

Good job nertea, finally no more green brocolli elven woods

[Fudge]

AMAZING

[Yarrum]

That's awesome. Just curious though; while I can see that they've been edited, why are you using your OSP Knights instead of the ones made specifically for the mod? Yours look great, but I've always felt that they look a bit too Total War-ish for Battle for Middle Earth.

[Námo]

The last major change is to the Army of the Dead. No longer does the green tide eat armies for breakfast - it functions in a slightly more interesting fashion. They don't do any damage, but instead apply a massive reduction in armor, fear resistance and damage whenever they attack an enemy. In addition, they also broadcast uncontrollable terror. Alongside the reduction in fear resistance, this means that often even high-ranked units will run away! During this time, your enemy's army is completely vulnerable to a charge by Gondor's finest.

Spot on. Beautiful implementation.

Will the terror emanating from AotD also affect some of the Gondorian troops and their allies?

[Nertea]

Old knights, new knights. These ones are better and have lost the immaculate TW-style textures.

Will the terror emanating from AotD also affect some of the Gondorian troops and their allies

I don't think that's even possible, and would be rather bad for gameplay if it was.

[Námo]

So, negative leadership isn't possible? Could have been fun in some cases.

However, I concur on the the gameplay aspect.

[Spartan184]

Negative leadership is possible, thought I'm not sure what Nertea means.

Edited by Spartan184, 13 July 2011 - 06:45 PM.

[Nertea]

I assumed you meant the uncontrollable terror aspect, sorry.

[{IP}Solstice]

I like what you did to the army of the dead so now everything is less op'd, now we'll just have to wait and see what isengard gets

[Arthadan]

Another inspired update. You have carefully thought the improvements and it pays off. Most fitting new spellbok and the implementation of the Army of the Dead is just ace.

however, I heartly agree about the Total War look of Dol Amroth knights. I think is the closed helm with neck protection and the hand guard of the lance. Having them fighting side by side with the Dark Ages-looking Rohirrim would be quite strange.

Have you considered a helm closer to Games Workshop's version (less pointy and with smaller wings)?

[Legs]

Are those Blackroot Vale bowmen?

[Swan_Knight93]

First of all I would like to say that this mod is absolutely amazing. Defiantly the best one out there.
But I really think that the swan knights should be designed to look like the Games Workshop Swan Knights. They would fit better in the overall look of the Gondor army because of the similar design concepts of their helms and armor.
Your knights look good but they also look like they would fit better in medieval Europe than in the world of middle earth as depicted in the New Line movies.
I know you guys will continue to do really great stuff
Great Job and keep up the good work.

[Lauri]

So, how many of you are acctually looking at the screenshots when making remarks about the Knights of Dol Amroth? Instead of the renders I mean

Because I see nothing wrong with them on the screenshots. Yes, they're very medieval'ish on the renders, but they are too awesome any way

Edited by Lauri, 14 July 2011 - 04:07 PM.

[Swan_Knight93]

I'm not saying that the current knights look bad. I'm simply saying they don't look like the design look like it would have been created by the same culture. The culture of Gondor.

[Yarrum]

I think that the biggest issue with Nertea's Swan Knights is the fact that their helmets are closed. While the helmets look great, they break from the visual continuity set by WETA in giving good characters open-faced helmets and giving closed ones to orcs and other assorted baddies. That, and the fact that, in my opinion, the horse barding on the old Rhovanion Alliance knights looked much better. The current ones look like an almost exact copy of the Scottish faction's general's bodyguard in Medieval 2 Total War.

[Lauri]

Ah, so the Archers of Blackroot Vale designs are okay?

Good to know

[Spartan184]

Whats the big deal? Who cares they look awesome.