Khand faction plans news - An Edain SubMod for Battle for Middle-earth II: Rise of the Witch King

Khand

Khand faction concept:

For Khand we decided to orient our inspiration on a culture similar to the mongols of Genghis Khan.
We so decided to make them as a nomadic people which live in tents and etablish camps. They will own a gameplay based on the aggressive tactic. This faction will be one of the hardiest to play, the player will need a really strategic if he want to have a chance to win.

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Design appearence:

Khand strength will be the cavalry, for this reason they own leither armors wich allow them to rides and moves quickly.
Concerning the buildings, Khand is a nomadic people, they will so own a design based on yurts (mongol's tents).

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Buildings:

Like said before, these buildings will own yurts appearence, and Khand is an agressive faction which need to win ground domination. This is for this reason that they will be built their building faster that the other factions of the game but, their buildings will however have less health.

Buildins list:

• King's Yurt (castle keep):
  This will be the building were the player can train the different heroes of Khand.

Greater Khand Upgrade: The King's Yurt receive two statue on his front which reduce the cost of the heroes by 30% and give a leaderchip to the allied units into the caslte/camps giving them +20 armor.

• Yurt of the Warriors (Castle/Camps):
  Allow to recruit regular infantry.

Greater Khand Upgrade: Allow to recruit regular infantry and Khan's guardsmen and it win a defence bonus and slaved guards which will protect him against the nearby ennemy.

• Rider's Yurt (Castle/Camps):
  Allow the player to train scout riders.

Greater Khand Upgrade: unlock the recruitement of the heavy riders and horsemen saboteurs. It win also a defence bonus and slaved guards which will protect him against the nearby ennemy.

• Workshop (Castle/Camps):
  Allow the player to buy upgrades like heavy armor, forged blades and barbed arrows.
  Greater Khand Upgrade: unlock siege weapons recruitement and it win a defence bonus and slaved guards which will protect him against the nearby ennemy.

• Horses breeding (Settlements):
  Economic building which reduce the cost of the cavalry.

• Goat breeding (Settlements):
  Economic building which reduce the cost of the infantry.

• Rest camp (Settlements):
  The rest camp is a extern building which can be build on the settlements plots.
  The goal of this buildings is to heal the nearby allied units.

Greater Khand Upgrade: Extend the camp with some rest yurt and unlock the special ability of the building.

Ability:
- Strength recovery: When this ability is actived, all the nearby units move 15% faster for 20 secondes. (This is a way to send reinforcement to the battle, like that you are able to reply your troops heal them and send them again on the battlefield faster).

• Watchtower (Castle/Camps/Settlements):
  Build a tower with a slaved archers which will shoot the nearby ennemy.
  She can be built ont the fortress plot or on the settlement.

Greater Khand Upgrade: A yurt spawn on one side of the tower and spawn slaved guards which will attack the nearby ennemies to add protection to the tower.

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Economic system:

The economic system of Khand will be unique.
We wanted to put special emphasis on the fact that Khand is an aggressive faction and and find a system to encourage their player to attack.

We so opted for this:
Khand have an economy very weakly generated by the buildings, the only way for them to win a big amount of money is to kill ennemy units to strip them of their treasures, each time that a ennemy units is killed by the "Scout Riders of Khand", the player win a small amount money.

The only economic buildings of Khand will be buildable only on settlement. They will be two.
Horses breeding: Economic building which reduce the cost of the cavalry.
Goat breeding: Economic building which reduce the cost of the infantry.
We decided to base them on the breeding, to show againt that they are nomadic people which need to have the possibily to move their foods.

(The Khan's Yurt will also be a building which generate money like all the others castle keeps of the game.)

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Units:

The units of Khand will be classed medium, not too heavy, not too ligh. They will be unit with a better attack that the others units of the game but with a weaker armor.
The idea is to promote ambush attacks, if the player positions his army correctly, he will then have every chance of winning, but each unit will have to stay to his own goal.

Khand will be the only faction which start with two horde of riders. We made that choice to allow the player to extend his map control from the start of the game.
Like the buildings of Khand own a small health this will be easy for the ennemy to destroy them (the player must so keep defensive positions near to his buildings).

The strengh of Khand will be the riders which will allow to keep the maps control if they are used with the good way.
In the first time the rider units of Khand will be locked in their bow stance, they will so be really effective against the units at the start of the game but they will be weak against the buildings and this will be hardfull for the player to destroy a enemy building.

After some time, with the unlocking of the "Greater Khand" by the capacity of Ûbesêsh the player will unlock the training of some new types of heavy and tactic units.

Units list:

• Khand Fighters:
  They have a regular swordmen goal, they can be upgraded with forged blades and heavy armors.

Abilities:
- Ambush formation: Win +15% attack but lost 15% defence.

• Khand Spearmen:
  They have a regular spearmen goal, they can be upgraded with forged blades and heavy armors.

Abilities:
- Ambush formation: Win +15% attack but lost 15% defence.

• Khand Archers:
  They have a regular archers goal, they can be upgraded with barbed arrows and heavy armors.

Abilities:
- Ambush formation: Win +15% attack but lost 15% defence.

• Khan's Guardsmen:

  
  

  Historical summary:

  "The Khan's Guard is compounded by the strongest warriors of the Khand lands.
  During his Khand conquest, Ûbesêsh decided to keep the best soldier of each Khan that he defeated and to bring them together in four hordes having as a goal to support the morale of allied troops and to protect Ûbesêsh himself."

  
  Elite infantry with a good defence, they are already full upgraded when they are recruited (like the others elite units of the game). They are limited to 4 hordes by game.

Abilities:
- First Swords: All the member of the Ûbesêsh's Guard was before, the best fighter of their Khan. All the nearby units are inspired by these strong warrior and win experience +15% faster.
- Shields Wall: Improve the armor against spearmen and archers by 50% but reduce the movement speed by 50%.

• Scout Riders:
  The scout riders are accessible from the start of the game, they are cheap mounted archers useful to disperse the enemy troops. They can be upgraded with heavy armor forged blade and barbed arrows. They become able to switch between melee/distance when Ûbesêsh is level2.

Abilities:

- Toggle weapon: switch between distance/melee. When they are in melee stance, they win +25% armor.

• Heavy Riders:
  The heavy riders are really usefull to broke the enemy line, they use a shock tactics to trample all the units which are not anti cavalry units.
  They are armed with a melee weapons and round shields.

Abilities:
- NoLevel = Heavy units: The heavy units are already upgraded with forged blades when the player recruit them.
- Heavy horsmen (passive ability): All the 1 minutes , the heavy riders are able to charge a spearman horde without receive any damages. However when this ability his actived the riders lost 50% of their rapidity for 25 secondes
- Unlocked by SpellBook = Weather resistance (passive): All the Khand units are now immunised against the severe weather and become more resistant to element like fire.

• Horsemen saboteurs:
  The Horsmen Saboters are mounted units are mounted units very strong against building, and can slowly damage the different gates of the game. Their attack consist to throw flamming torches on their targets to burn the ennemy buildings.

Abilities:
- Door burner: This unit is able to attack gates.

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Faction Expansion System:

Like said before Khand will be a nomadic faction but: If Khand want to defeat the free peoples of Middle Earth and asiege their city, the faction will need better units, building and some siege weapon. We so decided to install a system based on the central hero of Khand "Ûbesêsh".

Ûbesêsh will own a power called "The Greater Khand", this power will work exactly like the Sauron's Influence ability for the mordor building but here, the ability will bring more advenced improvement (you can't look each building improvement in the buildings section).

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Heroes:

Like in the other faction each hero will own a task, I wanted to make a hero emblematic for Khand a hero based on the great "Genghis Khan". I so opted for Ûbesêsh to be the central faction hero. A true leader which will guide his people and decide of his evolution.

Heroes list:

• Ûbesêsh, the great Khan of Khand:
  

  
  

  Historical summary:

  "Ûbesêsh is the great Khan of Khand.
  At the beginning, Khand was a land populated by Variags, all belonging to different tribes leaded by different Khan they all had a life of marauders.

  Ûbesêsh being one of theses Khans, he beholded the fact that the Khand peoples could never spread as long as these tribes bickering would perpetuate.
  He decided to invade the lands of Khand, and to submit all the other Variags tribes. Among the Variags of Khand, tribes follow the strongest of them, he deafeated every Khans in a fight to the death in order to prove his fighting ability.
  A Khan is strong, if a Khan shows a sign of weakness, his people are abandoning him.

  Ûbesêsh thus became the only Khan of the Variags and managed to unite them all under one same banner that he called "The Greater Khand". Ûbesêsh was shortly after named "The Greater Khan" and decided to give up this life of marauders, he wanted more for his people, now he was not only pillaging the city but keeping it as a real point of defense, a location where intall themselves.

  Ûbesêsh was a great warrior, but he was also the greatest strategist that Khand has known. He brought the siege weapon to Khand to allow his armies to invade the strongest cities, he brought the military art to allow this soldiers to win in in any battle condition.
  He had three sons, his elder Utanvâh, heir of his throne and two twins Enkhsaïkhân and Batsaïkhân

  Having conquered the totality of Khandish lands, Ûbesêsh turned his gaze to another lands and decided to invade the different kingdoms of Harad but, Sauron persuaded him to join him in his war against the free peoples of the Middle Earth ending the nascent war between Khand and Harad."

  He have a mass slayer goal to show the great fighter than he is.
  He is also the central hero of the faction and he is a really important element to allow the faction to develop oneself, and unlock some vital upgrades.

Abilities:

"BASIC PALANTIR"

- Level 1 = Mount/Dismount and Toggle Weapons: Ûbesêsh mount on his horse and take his bow.

- Level 2 = Cavalry Tactic (passive): allow all the Scouts Riders to unlock their ability "Toggle Weapons" which allow them to switch between bows and swords.

- Level 4 = The Rider King (must be on his horse): When it is activated all the riders units nearby to Ûbesêsh in a small area mover faster and don't receive any damages when they crush the ennemies spearmen.

- Level 6 = The Greater Khand: Ûbesêsh decide to extend the Khand kingdom and train a real army able to take the enemy cities of Middle Earth. The faction unlock new buildings, siege units, and become able to research Heavy Armor and Forged Blade.

- Level 8 = Arrow Volley: Ûbesêsh command and arrow volley in a small area, this arrow volley decreased the health of enemy units to 25% to make them vulnerable to cavalry charges.

- NoLevel = Legend of Khand: Ûbesêsh made a long travel to become the great Khan that he was, to to increase his reputation and gain the respect of the Khand's people, he took symbols on each Khan that he defeated as his personal props.
This button allows the player to switch between the "basic palantir" and the "Legend of Khand palantir".

"LEGEND OF KHAND PALANTIR"

- NoLevel = Legend's of Khand: In order to impose his image of strongest Khan, Ûbesêsh decided to deprive each of the great Khans that he killed of his main prop for his personal use. This button allows the player to switch between the "basic palantir" and the "Legend of Khand palantir".

- Level 3 = The Sword of Jírghâl (passive): Jírghâl was a Khan known to be a robust fighter using handling a two-handed sword. A sword able to cleave an armor in half. One day, Ûbesêsh challenged him to a duel and killed him, after the fight, he grabbed the Jírghâl's sword still bloody and brandished it in front of his army.
When this ability is unlocked, Ûbesêsh win permanently +15% of damage.

- Level 5 = The Helmet of Engkêh (passive): The Khan Engkêh was know for his army which was the greatest of all the Khans lands. In order to recognize his generals on the battlefield, he gave them a feathered helmet, with additionals protections on his sides, this helmet was more resistant that the Viarag's regular helmets. When he came to beat Engkêh, Ûbesêsh kept his helmet as the symbol of his victory, he distributed the remaining helmets to his personal guards and gave one of them to his first son.
When this ability is unlocked, Ûbesêsh win permanantly +15% armor.

- Level 6 = The Cloak of Öljei (passive): Öljei was a Khan known for his wealth through the trade he held with Harad. The Golden King himself had given him a big black cape as a sign of friendship, when he learned about Öljei's death, he entered in a great fury and decided to declare war on Ûbesêsh. After the war, the Golden King and Ûbesêsh reinstate the business between their two kingdoms and Ûbesêsh had several of these capes imported for the members of his personal guard.
The cloak of Öljei is a symbol of wealth, when this ability is unlocked, all the buildings near to Ûbesêsh research their technologies and upgrades +25% faster.

- Level 10 = The Mask of Khêsigh (passive): Khêsigh was a cruel Khan who was known to slice the heads of each of his enemy Khan. When he was taking a city he destroyed and burned everything on his way, he never left any prisoner, he was pitiless. The fear he spread through Khand was such that no Khan dared to declare war on him anymore. Under his red mask, no one never seen his face, the people of Khand called him "The Son of Demon". This, until the day where Ûbesêsh defeated him in a fierce fight, this day, Ûbesêsh made the most dificult combat of his all life. He then seized the Khêsigh's mask and put it on his face. He was later called "The Demon's Slayer".
When this ability is unlocked, Ûbesêsh scare the enemies and reduce the attack of the nearby units and heroes by -15%.

• Ûtanvâh:
  

  
  Historical summary:

  "Ûtanvah is the first son of Ûbesêsh he has two brothers and only the strongest of them can become the new Khan at the death of their father. Ûtanvah want so to proof his value by his fighter abilities, from an early age he began to practice the handling of the swords. He is now a real swords master which want to defeat the best warriors on the west such as Boromir or Eomer that are reputed even in the far Khand.
  He is also a formidable archer able to reach a fatal arrow at a very distant target."

  
  Ûtanvâh is the hero killer of the faction.

Abilities:

- Level 1 = Toggle Weapon: Allows Ûtanvâh to switch between bow/swords

- Level 3 = Blades Master: Ûtanvâh win +50% damages during 20 secondes (only on the swords stance).

- Level 5 = Mount/Dismount: Ûtanvâh mount on his horse.

- Level 7 = War Cry: Scares the nearby enemy units and make them run away.

- Level 9 = Barbed Arrow: Ûtanvâh own now barbed arrows which inflict better damages to his targets.

• Enkhsaïkhân:
  

  
  Historical summary:

  "Enkhsaïkhân is one of the twins of Ûbesêsh, the two twins are less good fighters than their brother Ûtanvâh but, they are good strategists like their father.
  During the time that Ûtanvâh learnt handling of weapons, the twins learnt the military art.
  Having grown up together, the two twins took the habit of always acting side by side."

  
  Enkhsaïkhân is a scout hero.

Abilities:
- Level 1 = Mount/Dismount: Enkhsaïkhân mount on his horse.
- Level 2 = Twin of Batsaïkhân: when Enkhsaïkhân is near to Batsaïkhân he win +15% armor.
- Level 4 = Burglary targeted: Enkhsaïkhân burgle the building targeted by his brother. Click on the target building to steal its money.
- Level 7 = Bird of prey: Enkhsaïkhân call his bird on the battlefield for some time to spy.
- Level 10 = Assassin's plans: Enkhsaïkhân choose an enemy hero as target and mark it.

• Batsaïkhân:
  

  
  Historical summary:

  "Batsaïkhân is one of the twins of Ûbesêsh, the two twins are less good fighters than their brother Ûtanvâh but, they are good strategists like their father.
  During the time that Ûtanvâh learnt handling of weapons, the twins learnt the military art.
  Having grown up together, the two twins took the habit of always acting side by side."

  
  Enkhsaïkhân is a scout hero.

Abilities:
- Level 1 = Mount/Dismount: Batsaïkhân mount on his horse.
- Level 2 = Twin of Enkhsaïkhân: when Batsaïkhân is near to Enkhsaïkhân he win +15% armor.
- Level 5 = Burglary plans: Batsaïkhân choose one economic building of the enemy as target and mark it with an arrow. Click on the wanted building to activate.
- Level 7 = Cavalry charge: call a cavalry charge in the target area to damage the nearby enemies.
- Level 10 = Assassin's arrow: Batsaïkhân make a great damage to the hero targeted by his brother.

• Tûvshinbât:
  

  
  Historical summary:

  "Tûvshinbât was on the side of Ûbesêsh from the beginning of his reign, he is a part of his oldest soldiers.
  Tûvshinbât was a experimented warriors but also a good commander having more than once proved his bravery.
  When Ûbesêsh planned to invade all the Khand's lands, he graded Tûvshinbât to the rank of infantry commander, after some battles Tûvshinbât become the main battle advisor of Ûbesêsh.
  After that Ûbesêsh became the Greater Khan, Tûvshinbât was appointed chief of the Khan personal guardsmen and swore to protect his Khan until death.

  Tûvshinbât is also known to have defeated several half trolls and saved his men during an ambush. A feat that earned him the title of «The scourge of Half-Trolls»."

  
  Tûvshinbât is the support hero of the faction, he can rescue units and heroes in difficult situaton.

Abilities:

- Level 1 = Great Captain (passive): Tûvshinbât is a great captain which proved his value many time, his presence strengthens the courage of nearby troops. Provide a leadership which give a bonus the nearby allied units giving them +15% armor.

- Level 3 = Piercing Spear: Tûvshinbât throws his spear on the target unit with enormous strength, and take his sword and axe. He lost -15% of damage but he win a radius attack effect.
After firing his spear, Tûvshinbât can retrieve it off the ground where he fired it to return to his spear stance.

- Level 5 = Train Units: give experience to the target units.

- Level 8 = Khan Protector: Tûvshinbât has sworn to protect Ûbesêsh. During 20 secondes Tûvshinbât become invulnerable, if Ûbesêsh is near to him when the power his activated he become also invulnerable during 20 secondes.

- Level 10 = Scourge of Half-Troll: Each time that Tûvshinbât defeat an enemy monster, he win a bonus during 10 seconds, he win +75% damages against monsters and move +15% faster.

• Sükh, the Black Shaman:
  

  
  Historical summary:

  "When Ûbesêsh born, his father Ûmbaatâh found him weak and wanted to get rid of him. But Sükh, the Black Shaman of the tribes predicted a great future for him, declaring that Ûbesêsh would be the grestest Khan that the Third Age has known. In front of the words of the Shaman, the Ûbesêsh's father decided to spare him and give him a chance.
  Sükh continued to serve the Ûmbaatâh until his death, then, it was the turn to serve Ûbesêsh.

  Sükh used the Black Shamanism to protect the people of Khand against diseases and to heal the wounded warrior in battle.
  He also communicates with Thângrû the spirit of the weather, thing which earned him a place in the war council, because Ûbesêsh always plan his battle tactic according to the weather conditions so as to never be surprised on the battlefield."

  
  Sükh will bring a magic support to the Khand faction. He can be summoned by one spell of the SpellBook. He is a speacial hero which work exaclty like erestor in Imladris but with some additionals bonus.

Abilities:

Regular abilities (abilities which have always an effect on the nearby troops ad buildings):
- NoLevel = Shamanism: The nearby allies are slowly healed all the time where Sükh is near.
- NoLevel = Sükh, old wise of Khand: The chose building research upgrade 10% faster all the time where Sükh is present.

Building abilities (abilities which depend of the cibled buildings):
- Troops buildings = recruit 10% faster
- Economic buildings = win 10% more money

Sükh is not a puissant wizard, he is just a simple shaman, and for this reason he have the look of a poor wanderer.

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Siege System:

Even extended, Khand is not a faction based on the siege technology. They will so own light siege weapons like balista (smaller that the isengard one), and other thing based on the fire. However I wanted to make a sort of reference to the fact that their are based on the breeding. I so decided to add one upgrade for the siege weapon: Khand will own the possibility to upgrade his siege weapons with animal skins which will add armor against fire (effective against fire arrow during a siege).

Siege weapons list:

• Siege Ballista:
  The Ballista will be the only distance siege weapon of Khand. It will be a light ballista with less damages that the other distance weapon of the game, but it will be cheap and take less commandpoints.

• Battering-Ram:
  It is a melee weapon greatly effective against the buildings.

  Upgrade:
  - Animal skin: add resistance against fire damages.

  

• Siege shelters:
  It will own the same goal that the Gondor Siege Shield: Moddb.com , it will protect the nearby units against the arrows.

  Upgrade:
  - Animal skin: add resistance against fire damages.

With the upgrade Animal skin we want one time again how Mongolian was strategist and able to win battle with weak units but best preparation.

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SpellBook Explanations:

The SpellBook of Khand will be a mix of contexts it will reflect the Khand Culture (based on the mongol one) and show the Mordor Influence on these land.

Spells list:

Lands of Khand: create a marsh area where all the enemy units are slowed (defensive spell).

Marauder units: All the corpse is treasure in the eyes of the soldiers of Khand. This power allow the Khand units to win money every time than they kills units (aggressive spell).

Messenger from Mordor: Sauron send his Mouth to support the leader of Khand's determination. When this spell si activated, the Greater Khand ability of Ûbesêsh reload instantly he regain the half of his health. The spell can be activated clicking on Ûbesêsh (defensive spell).

Greater Khand Army: Ûbesêsh, influenced by Sauron decide to train a big army able to invade the free people of Middle Earth.
Spawn a group of dwelling yurts in the target area. Each group of yurts will produce a little amount of money, add commandpoints and reduce the recruitment time of the Khand units. Only three groups of yurts can be called on the battlefied (aggressive spell).
- One groupe of yurt: -25% recruitement time
- Two groupe of yurt: -50% recruitement time
- Three groupe of yurt: -75% recruitement time

Mordor influence: Sauron decide to send one of his servant to lead the armies of Khand. Allows the recruitment of Ûvatha, the Black Horseman to the Castle Keep.

Sükh, the Black Shaman: Summon Sükh, the Black Shaman to the target location for a small time. When Sükh is summoned, he stay to the targeted area as long that the spell is used again. The player can then move Sükh choosing another location each times the power is reloaded (defensive spell).

Weather resistance: The Khand soldiers are used to severe weather of their lands and are trained to cope with it. All the Khand units are now immunised against the severe weather and become more resistant to element like fire (defensive spell).

Wrath of Khand: All the units in the target area win +65% attack (aggressive spell).

Mordor support: Sauron send three Nazguls to support the Khand troops in the battle. Call three Nazguls mounted on their fellbeasts on the battlefield (aggressive spell).

Hawks of Khand: Khand spies send their best falcons to spies the enemy. The big target area is permanently revealed. If the player want to move the falcons, he must select them and use their ability "Spy this land" to the wanted area, the ability need a certain time to be reloaded (defensive spell).

Anger of Thângrû: The powerful spirit of the weather unleashes the sky over Khand's enemies (aggressive spell).
This spell allow the player to choose between three effects:
1) Sandstorm = Invoque a sandstorm in a big target area which imobilise the enemy units on the ground during the time when she is invoqued, she making them a little damage.
2) Thunderstorm = Invoque a thunderstorm in a big chose area which paralyse the enemies and inflict them good damages.
3) Lands of fire = Inflict a good damage to the ennemies in the target area and leave a zone in flame for a certain time which will damage all the units that come in this zone.

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As you had the opportunity to see it, the Khand gameplay will rest on the map domination. and this is for this reason that the faction have two way to heal his troops, the Shaman and the rest camp. After, this is a choice of the player: he can put the shaman on a rest camp and decide to make one point on the map where the units are quicly healed or he can make the shaman on another building and decide to heal the units slowly but with a easier access.

This is also for this reason that the faction have many spell based on the vison range, because it is imperative to see the enemy to etablish a good strategy.

Many power are from the Mordor land because we wanted to show the strong corruption brought to Khand by the Mordor servants of Sauron.

The Lands of Khand spell is based on an hisorical battle of Genghis Khan where he win thank to marsh secret, the Battle of Mohi.

"Thângrû" is a reference from "Tengri", the mongols god of the weater. This is also for that than some other spells are based on the weather.

We decided to don't call directly the Mouth of Sauron on the battlefield because the faction have already too much heroes, but, we wanted still make a reference to him because he was the spokesperson of Sauron in these land.

All the models are still not finished and this is for this reason that some pictures are missings.