Greetings! Today I will be going over a detailed description of the changes for the Islamic kingdoms in the Middle East; specifically, the Shahdom of Kwarezm, the Seljuk Sultanate, and the Fatimid Caliphate. Please note: I realize that quite a few of my changes will be "historically inaccurate", but I prioritized the campaign balance and enjoyment side of things in my mod.
Universal changes, (affects all listed factions):
1) The Hashashim now recruit with a full battalion size rather than a half size, (approximately 120 men on ultra unit size rather than 60). Given their small size before, they were not truly effective units in combat. Now, they are certainly a force to be feared.
2) Saracen Militia have an improved attack stat, now 3 up from 2.
The Shahdom of Kwarezm:
Admittedly one of the least changed factions in the game. Due to the fact that they start right next to the Mongol invasion, I did not put in much effort into bringing them up to snuff, so to speak. However, if anyone wants to make a case for them to be given a bit more love, I am certainly open to hearing it.
1) Daylami Light Infantry have improved combat stats; 4 attack up from 3 and 3 charge up 2. They are also no longer restricted by area of recruitment, or AOE; any place you can build the appropriate building in Castles will now train them.
2) Armoured Horse Archers now have an improved missile attack, 4 up from 3.
The Seljuk Sultanate
Admittedly my favorite Islamic faction, and one my favorite factions overall in SS 6.4, these guys did receive quite a bit of love in the mod. In my defense, the faction always struggled or was wiped out in AI vs. AI conflict, so I wanted to help improve them. Now, in AI vs. AI, they will do well about 50% of the time, which I feel is rather balanced. Many of the changes revolve around giving the Sultanate more readily available infantry forces besides peasant militia than they could previously field.
1) Dismounted Sipahi Lancers are now recruited from the Drill Square in castles rather than the Fortress, making them more readily available for training. Their cost and upkeep is still the same, (they are a little on the pricier side), but they do still get free upkeep while stationed in castles than can recruit them.
2) Hasham now have a recruitment pool of 2 instead of 1 at the Armoury barracks in the castle, making them a little more common once you can recruit them.
3) Heavy Spearmen are now available for the Seljuk Sultanate at the Barracks level of barracks in castles from the outset of the campaign instead of the Full Plate Armor event, (about 1400), that all other Islamic factions have to wait for. The earliest other Islamic factions can get the Heavy Spearmen before the Full Plate Armor event is by upgrading to the Armoury level in castles. This boon helps the Seljuks to field a more sturdy front line than simply spear militia in the early campaign and hold the line against their neighbors.
4) Janissary Archers are now available after the Half Plate Armour event, (early 1300), rather than the Full Plate Event (about 1400). They now recruit from the Militia Barracks in cities rather than the Royal Barracks, making them far more readily available in the campaign. Their melee attack was increased to 5 from 4, and their defense was increased to 13 from 11.
5) Janissary Heavy Infantry are now available after the Half Plate Armour event, (early 1300), rather than the Full Plate Event (about 1400). They now recruit from the Militia Barracks in cities rather than the Military Academy, making them far more readily available in the campaign. Their attack was increased to 11 from 10, and their defense was increased to 16 from 13.
6) The recruitment pool was increased for Ottoman Infantry from 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 for the Archery Range and Marksman Range in the castle line respectively, making them a far more frequent appearance on the campaign.
7) Turkish Archers are no longer restricted by area of recruitment, or AOE; any place you can build the appropriate building in Castles will now train them.
8) Turkish Javelinmen are no longer restricted by area of recruitment, or AOE; any place you can build the appropriate building in Castles will now train them.
The Fatimid Caliphate
This faction did have a few tweaks, although it was a balance between some buffs and some debuffs. They are still an extremely powerful faction, but I had to do something so they did not dominate the Middle East every single campaign AI vs AI. Now they dominate about 50% of the time, which I feel is far more balanced.
1) Arab Infantry are no longer restricted by area of recruitment, or AOE; any place you can build the appropriate building in Castles will now train them.
2) Mamluk Archers had their melee attack reduced to 4 from 5, and had their melee defense reduced to 11 from 12.
3) Nubian Spearmen are no longer restricted by area of recruitment, or AOE; any place you can build the appropriate building in Castles will now train them.
4) Tabardariyya had their melee attack reduced to 9 from 11.
5) When the Fatimid Caliphate starts the campaign, they no longer start with the regions of Antioch, Aleppo, and Damascus or the armies they once had garrisoned in them. These regions now start out as rebel-owned, meaning it is now a race between them and their neighbors to claim them. The Fatimid do keep the generals they once had in those cities, which now start in random locations in their starting regions.
Now, I am sure there will be some people who are upset with my decisions in debuffing the Fatimid Caliphate, but I assure you it was necessary so that the neighboring AI factions had at least a chance against them. Before my changes, playing as them was ridiculously easy; now, it's more of a challenge. Rest assured, out of all the changes in my mod, they were the only faction to receive mostly negative changes. Mod is available here: Moddb.com
