Competition winners:
Well, the competition has been concluded, and the prizes have been put into the latest patches. Here are the winners and their prizes:
3rd Prize: Kickboxer249
Who chose to have a Swizt village renamed Slaither.
2nd Prize: David_The_Crusader
Who chose to have a follower called Davenson implemented. Davenson wears heavy armour and carries the unique flaming greatsword 'Davenson's Fury'.
1st Prize: Moshedz
Who chose to have a Sudwan Lord called 'Lord Moshedz', who wields the new 'Ranger's Bow'.
He also had a Sudwan Castle renamed 'Ranger's Keep'.
Thank you to everyone who entered the competition, and who knows, there may be another soon!
Mini Factions:
So, far only two Mini-Factions have been put into the game. This doesn't mean they aren't special though. They have their own complete troop trees, and as such, if taken on into the player's party, they can be valuable assets to any army, especially in the early to mid game or when at war with another faction and men are scarce. They will roam the landscape in parties in different areas of the game world, much like the player. These parties will do their best to rob, raid and kill. Merchants and Farmers, even Players and Lords may need to watch out! When one these Mini-Factions reach a certain strength, groups of that faction will converge on one location and build themselves a base! This base will appear on the map and will function as a home for the Mini-Faction, with their units fighting to protect this home and rob all who come near. The player has the ability to attack these bases and clear the area of the Faction, but they'll be back, as soon as they can regroup. They also show up in the text box in the bottom left corner of the map when they are defeated or win a victory.
The Factions:
The Shaak Tribes:
The Shaak Tribes were the Hondic Hordes' greatest competitor a century ago, but when the Hordes united and settled into castles and towns, the Shaak could no longer compete. This doesn't mean they're any less dangerous though. Fast, violent and numerous, the Shaak will not hesitate to attack an enemy, even if the odds aren't stacked in their favor.
They follow a tribal culture, revering war and blood, and hating clothes. The Shaak wear nothing other than loincloths and headdresses into battle, believing that if death is their destiny, it is unavoidable. They fight with basic but brutal weapons, spears, shields, clubs and bows remain deadly to the cavalry of the Hordes, especially when wielded as skilfully and fanatically as the Shaak use them.
Shaak parties are always lead by a Warchief, who will not stop commanding his men until he too has fallen. The parties will also usually contain Warriors; who are strong in close combat, cracking skulls with their spiked clubs, and also Hunters, who bring their fast and deadly bows to rain death down upon their Chieftain's foes. The party will largely consist of Tribals, who are fast, and numerous spear troops, meaning a cavalryman must always be careful around the Shaak.
The Shaak will only settle when many Warchiefs meet and create a war-camp, the perfect place to prepare larger scale raids on the local populace.
The Shaak can be found roaming the Hondic Steppes, especially around the plateaus in the north.
The Saxe Raiders:
The Saxe were a people who used to inhabit the coastal regions between the Kingdoms of Sudnaw and Anglior. But when the two great Kingdoms went to war, the Saxe were forced from their homes, and forced to live as outlaws, raiding and looting around their own homelands to try and support themselves. After the war was over, their old lands had been given to the Angliorans as a part of the peace treaty. When the Angliorans refused to return the land, the Saxe had found their new calling; the death of all Anglior.
The Saxe have a very militaristic outlook on life, and their units reflect this. Their soldiers are hybrids of the units of the two Kingdoms, emphasing the strength of shield, axe and sword. They can prove effective in both offense and defense, and suffer no particular weakness at the hands of any soldier. Their special weapon is the Francisca, a two handed axe that can be employed as a deadly weapon up close, or a throwing weapon with the potential to cause serious injury.
The Saxe have a feudal system, where men are drafted in large numbers into their raiding parties, and are equipped with leather armour, axes and shields. Their professional fighting force is where their true strength lies though. Accompanying every party will be skillful Archers and deadly Spearmen, meaning that even cavalry can have a hard time fighting the Saxe. Each of their parties is led by a Warlord and his Huscarls, who wear heavy armour and utilise sword, shield and the deadly Francisca.
The Saxe Warlords will convene in forests, where they will create a Wooden Fort to protect their people and their belongings.
The Saxe can be found roaming the forests of Anglior, the perfect place to hide from their greatest foes.
