11 unique factions full of new heroes, spells, and abilities. Hundreds of new maps. A brand-new campaign. A thoroughly reworked and expanded War of the Ring mode - and much more!
Variags of Khand
(view original)
Post a comment
Description
Thank you all for the successful stream, here's our gift to you.
~RiderofRohan.
Finally! <3
Nice!
Will they have variations on armor and weapons ? Lamellar armor looks very good btw
Lots of weapons but the armor more or less will be the same throughout.
I'm not really happy about this design, because it doesn't look like warriors from far away lands. While Haradhrim and Easterling differ signifacantly from those units of the good factions, this unit looks more like Men of Gondor or Men of Dale.
The things that I'm most unhappy about is the helmet and the axe. The axe just looks like a tool of Mineworkers and so something a regular dwarf might use, but not a battle axe. And the helm lacks a kind of uniqueness as there are many helmets with similar elements.
Maybe it would be good if you gave information, what kind of Variags you imagined when creating them. They don't look like the usually assumed axe wielding berserkers to me at all, neither like riders. So, what is their concept and role?
I mean I get it when people criticize, but this comment feels like a high school art class examination. There is a limit to what can reasonably be expected as justification for a certain design, and so I think the answer, sir, is 'because RoR liked it'...
Lamellar armor is totally eastern style and shield has a sun image on it which is symbol of Khand as used in a mod Third Age Total War: DaC and I am quite happy with that. And helmet could be different then this but its not Gondorian style as you said and of course we dont know this is their final look because these guys like to redone their jobs in time. Only thing I can agree with you is weapon thats all dude other than that its looking eastern enough
The unit's design is based on the artwork from Rome 2 Total War: Gamewallpapers.com
The weapon he uses is a "dagger-axe", and it is actually an eastern weapon. I also believe that they will carry swords as a variation, but I'm not 100% sure about that so correct me if I'm wrong RoR.
He does look like a warrior from a "far away land". The helmet, the lamellar armour, the axe, and even the general concept looks totally original to me.
Even Tolkien never gave clear informations about them. The way AotR team designed it is original and gives more flavour to Mordor's roster. I think it was a good idea to make something different. If you look at TATW, you'll see there are some similarities between them :)
Plus we lean towards the theory that the Variags were descended from migrated Northmen or even Numenoreans, which this helmet and other subtle elements allude to - chainmail, skirt and sleeves, color palette etc.
I didn't know that! Thank you for that interesting information :)
The axe is a "dagger axe" a type of polearm used by the chinese, they have more diverse weapons, I just went with the most unique one for the render.
The actual armor is based off many eastern/asian armor designs but most notably is the eastern cataphract armor as Fredius pointed out.
Since they'll play an elite infantry role for Mordor, and serve as a direct contestant to Anorien swordsmen, I did try to integrate some of the Gondorian's look but made it heavily eastern and evil. The cone helmet is in my opinion pretty different from the rest of the stuff we've currently done (mind you the Men of Dale from HD Edition aren't used here) and the current MOD helmet is based off the films.
Thank you, that explains most of it.
Something that would nonetheless improve the unit in my opinion would be a slightly different beard as in this portrail of the Variags: Vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net
There will actually be some bearded variations.
They remind me of TATW's Variags for some reason. But if it's a polearm, wouldn't give them some versatility against cavalry as well?
Well elite infantry can fair well against light cavalry even in bfme 2.
Good to hear! Time to skewer some horsemen!
yeeeeeees!
I honestly think that model and skin are great, but that weapon look a bit too odd. Some greater axe or maybe elegant sword in style of eastern culture or maybe some spear/pike axe. I have never imagined tough warriors as Variags to carry such weapon, but it is just my opinion. :)
In general good job. :)
I like the design, but I also think a sword would be better.
Not especially in my humble opinion. Eastern nations favoured axe and axe like weapons as much as scimitars :)
It's fair to assume Khandish warriors could have used those weapons in Tolkien's world.
I have read all the comments so far and I would like to share my opinion on this topic. First thing that came on my mind when I saw the weapon was Scythian Warriors. As a Horsemen and Nomadic Steppe people of the East they do look quite Oriental in their look. As for the weapon, yes it was indeed used by Nomadic Horsemen Tribes and some other variations of that passed or came from China (ex Halberds S-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com)
Is it practical ? Hell yeah it is!! As a rider is light, easy and fast to use and you are able to both shred footmen wide open and knock off their horses other cavalrymen. So RoR I expect you to make them Elite Cavalry than Infantry and do them justice. Keep up the awesome work AotR Team !!!
Some Pictures over here
Modrodnovery.com
S-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com
S-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com
Periklisdeligiannis.files.wordpress.com
They're infantry only, as far as I know. Your idea sounds awesome though. Or to satisfy everybody, I don't if it's possible to give them a switch between foot and mount. That might sound like a good compromise, but it's hard to code and animate apparently.
I know, and basically your idea is cheeky great, it can be done so that they switch between foot and mounts. On the Animation part, I believe that Gondor Knight fits fine, if the team decides to do so
Tour pictures that represent scytian and saka cavalrymen are representing their equipment during the 3 bc till 2 ad which are one of their favorite arsenal at disposal. To be precise, this narrow headed chisel is widely used for breaking the riders armor which is ofcourse made od 3-5 layers of bronze plates. This weapon after was recreated in the famous venetian hanmer during the veneto-turkish wars in XVII century but their origin is from Central Asia and China particular during the Han dynasty and the period of the Three Kingdoms :))
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH It's part mongolian part viking! excellent look, so will we be seeing those famous chariots of Khand?
Will this be the only Variag unit ?, Mordor already have elite horsemen (Rhun Cataphract), so replacing the haradrim riders with a good horsemen from Khand will be a good idea, since Harad may have their own faction in the future
Yes, not promising anything, but Rider is considering it. We have so many ideas though XD
The kataphract will not be the Mordor elite so everyone knows. That's the Morgul Vanguard. The Kataphracts will be inn units. And as Hoar said, we're considering Variag cavalry.
Epic!
Very neat! I have seen plenty of speculative designs for Men of Khand, most recently this one. But I gotta say: in the Return of the King book all it says to describe whatever armor and clothes they might wear is 'Variags who hated the sun'. Yet every art I have seen of them depicts them with a shining sun for a coat of arms. Personally, I think it makes more sense to use a cloud or a moon or a rain-shower as their coat of arms but other than this tiny nit pick I fully enjoy this model & texture and I cannot wait to see this mod up for download