Well, what do you know? It's Legacy of Rome dev diary day again! Today's topics are Liege Levies and Retinues.

In patch v1.07, you raise fewer, larger levies from your direct vassals (we call these "Liege Levies" for lack of a better term.) These levies are now handled separately from actual Holding levies; you only get regular holding levies from your own Demesne. The opinions of vassals of vassals are thus now mostly irrelevant; you only need to worry about the opinions of your direct vassals. Another benefit is that you don't get tiny little armies all over the place when you mobilize your realm. Liege levies also fix a fundamental balancing flaw in that you can no longer just keep raising little levies from all vassals as a war drags on (due to the portion of holding levies that was reserved for the liege.) The new Liege Levies do not reinforce at home while raised.



That's it for Liege Levies. Now, the concept of Retinues should be familiar to those of you who have played Sengoku. Basically, Retinues are your household guard; your elite core of professional soldiers. At the start of the game, most rulers are not able to employ Retinues, but it becomes possible as their total manpower (based on all the levies in their realm) and average Military Organization (a new technology) level increase. Over time, the Retinues turn into proper standing armies. The downside is that, as your Retinue capacity increases, your normal levies decrease in size. However, even at max tech, levies will still account for the majority of your armies.

There are many types of Retinues available for hire - including several unique cultural variants - though they always come in 500-man regiments with a commander of your own culture. Retinues reinforce in the field, like mercenaries, and when you first hire them, they start with 1 man. Unlike armies in other games, for example Europa Universalis, Retinues only cost maintenance while they reinforce. You are of course allowed to declare war even if you have Retinues (which are always standing on the map.)



So, why did we choose to add the Retinue system to the DLC? Why should you spend $6 on Legacy of Rome rather than a Latte and a slice of cake? There are many reasons, including these:

• Retinues make arranging your flanks and balancing your armies far more tactical
• Having a dependable standing army ready is strategically preferable
• They fit nicely into the overall military system in patch v1.07 with Liege Levies, etc
• History saw levy based militaries transform gradually into more professional forces

I should mention again that the whole Retinue mechanic requires that you own the DLC; if you don't, the new Retinue tab will be grayed out in the military view and the AI will not use Retinues either. However, if the host in a multiplayer game owns the DLC, all players will be able to use Retinues.

I think that will do it for today. Next week, I plan to talk about the new Leader traits and cultural buildings. Until then!

 

[brxbrx]

First of all, these new faces are not limited to Byzantine/Greek characters alone and they were never a part of the original Legacy of Rome DLC plan to begin with. This is the separate work of the talented artists at Paradox South, and they are an entirely optional graphical addition to the game for those who want it. It's not a question of us taking something out of the DLC and deciding to sell it on its own in a bid to make more cash. In fact, we did the exact opposite with the Factions system which we took out of the DLC and included with the free upcoming patch.

Considering the amount of free content that will be in the patch and the fact that Legacy of Rome is only $6, I don't think we're being tight.

Around here, tight used to be slang for cool.

So by that definition, you're being very tight.

 

[Federalist girl]

Yeah, from the sounds of it, it really looks like the original poster was using the slang "cool" definition.

That said though, the elaboration from Goosecreature about the larger scope of the portrait pack is awesome. I look forward to it.

 

[SewrRatt]

People can't be tight though. Things are tight.

 

[riknap]

Yeah, from the sounds of it, it really looks like the original poster was using the slang "cool" definition.

That said though, the elaboration from Goosecreature about the larger scope of the portrait pack is awesome. I look forward to it.

and semantically, he did say "that's tight though", which implies a negative definition of tight meant

still, it's all good and all, since we got a good response from Pdox out of it :laugh:

 

[Dartheal]

Has it been announced when it will be released or any speculation when it will?

 

[Sleight of Hand]

To clarify my remark, I meant that it's pretty unfair to expect people to pay for a DLC pack focusing on improving the Byzantines, only to then expect them to pay for a separate pack improving their portraits. However, it has been confirmed that the portrait DLC pack will improve other culture groups and is thus not specific to the Byzantine culture group. So, I consider that okay and obviously a lot of work has to go into that sort of thing regardless, but I would still have resented being asked to pay for two DLCs when, in my opinion, all of the Byzantine-specific stuff should have been put into a single DLC -- especially as we've been told that its content will be noticeably less than SoI's.

I hope that clears things up, and yes I realize that I do not have to pay for any of this stuff.

These are just my opinions and I will certainly buy both of these DLCs anyway, so please don't pounce.

 

[Adelhard]

Should your direct vassals get upset when you put your retinues in their realm instead of your own dimense?

 

[Warhammer]

1&3) Based on the discussion so far, they are stronger since you can customize what exactly you want to place in them (e.g. make an all heavy cav retinue for all you want, and rename it as the Frankish Bulldozers if you wish). This is opposed to the relatively inflexible levies wherein building types determine unit composition via addition only (which means one fully upgraded holding's levies from one culture is exactly the same with that of another, barring the martial stat of marshals)

2) Based on the screenies and previous sengoku experience and some extrapolation, once you hire a retinue company (say a 500 man Gendarme unit), it starts at one man who may or not be commander and it slowly grows to the 500 man specified. Based on screenies, we can assume the ratios of hireable retinue variations are fixed (presumably modable though)

4) if your entire retinue gets wiped out (to zero men) in battle, then it ceases to exist. if your retinue is down to one man, then it still "exists" and it will slowly cost money again to reinforce it until it is at full cost. E.g., it costs 80 gold to hire a 500 heavy cav retinue, and it takes 12 months for it to fully reinforce, and maintenance is 2 gold a month, then the actual cost to have a newly hired retinue is 104 gold while having it return to full strength is only 24 gold. The 80 gold is a one time payment

Hmm i see, interesting info. I guess retinues will be something you actually have to care for instead of just throwing it away like the usual levies and have to actually 'grow' them over time.

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

Has it been announced when it will be released or any speculation when it will?

All we know is Q4 2012

 

[Mixxer5]

To clarify my remark, I meant that it's pretty unfair to expect people to pay for a DLC pack focusing on improving the Byzantines, only to then expect them to pay for a separate pack improving their portraits. However, it has been confirmed that the portrait DLC pack will improve other culture groups and is thus not specific to the Byzantine culture group. So, I consider that okay and obviously a lot of work has to go into that sort of thing regardless, but I would still have resented being asked to pay for two DLCs when, in my opinion, all of the Byzantine-specific stuff should have been put into a single DLC -- especially as we've been told that its content will be noticeably less than SoI's.

I hope that clears things up, and yes I realize that I do not have to pay for any of this stuff.

These are just my opinions and I will certainly buy both of these DLCs anyway, so please don't pounce.

Yeah it would be ok if Byzantine portraits (and only Byzantine!) would be in Legacy of Rome, while others would stay as separate pack. It's little like day 1 dlc to Mass Effect 3.

 

[Dartheal]

Yeah it would be ok if Byzantine portraits (and only Byzantine!) would be in Legacy of Rome, while others would stay as separate pack. It's little like day 1 dlc to Mass Effect 3.

They've been doing separate portrait packs since the game came out, why would Rome's be any different?

Also Q4? If they release it on October 3rd, I will graciously accept it as a birthday present. Then again, that's next week so I highly doubt it. xD

 

[Mixxer5]

They've been doing separate portrait packs since the game came out, why would Rome's be any different?

Because they're releasing portraits which are related to another dlc? And it won't change sales too much- if someone want to buy new portraits, he'll buy them anyway, but if someone isn't interested Legacy will be more complete thanks to it.

 

[Alerias]

People can't be tight though. Things are tight.

Nonsense. Some ladies are quite tight

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

Lets get back to the game and this expansion !

 

[Puking Panda]

Not sure if this has been answered already but how will a catholic Byzantine emperor work, because I really like playing as catholics.

 

[Alerias]

Not sure if this has been answered already but how will a catholic Byzantine emperor work, because I really like playing as catholics.

We dont know all the details but much of this DLC isnt tag or religion specific;

LEGACY OF ROME DLC

Retinue system. If you don't have the DLC, you won't see the new interface and you cannot hire retinues (and neither will the AI.) The technology that controls the max size of your retinue and relative decrease of normal levy sizes simply does not have this effect without the DLC.
Orthodox Councillor models
Major Decisions for the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Events


Oh, and we're taking another tack with the DLC this around - if you don't own the DLC, the AI won't be using the new mechanics or events either. Also, from now on in multiplayer mode, the host will control which DLCs are active.

PATCH 1.07

Faction system. Replaces many existing plots and normal revolt mechanics with factions.
Personal Improvement Ambitions
Orthodox Patriarch system
Have both a Plot and an Ambition at the same time
Revised levy raising. (You raise a single, large levy from each direct vassal. The opinions of vassals of vassals are irrelevant.)
Leader Focus on Combat
More Cultural Buildings
Improved AI
Bug fixes (of course)

A Catholic byzantium would still get its cultural buildings and levies, since those are for all. "Orthodox Councillor models" are likely solely for the Orthodox, and the Orthodox patriarch mechanics as well. The only wildcards are "Major Decisions for the Byzantine Empire" and "Byzantine Events". Those are clearly tag-tied, but we dont know yet if theyll have religion checks or not. What we do know is that theres a Byzantine event to "Heal the schism", which is likely perfect for your needs.

 

[Bad_Haggis]

Can you rename retinues?

Plus can they be modded for other countries, ie I would like to set up a clan system of retinues in Scotland.

 

[Adelhard]

Should your direct vassals get upset when you put your retinues in their realm instead of your own dimense?

I honestly think vassals should raise an eyebrow when their liege stations his retinues besides their bedchambers.

 

[NewbieOne]

Well, what do you know? It's Legacy of Rome dev diary day again! Today's topics are Liege Levies and Retinues.

In patch v1.07, you raise fewer, larger levies from your direct vassals (we call these "Liege Levies" for lack of a better term.) These levies are now handled separately from actual Holding levies; you only get regular holding levies from your own Demesne. The opinions of vassals of vassals are thus now mostly irrelevant; you only need to worry about the opinions of your direct vassals. Another benefit is that you don't get tiny little armies all over the place when you mobilize your realm. Liege levies also fix a fundamental balancing flaw in that you can no longer just keep raising little levies from all vassals as a war drags on (due to the portion of holding levies that was reserved for the liege.) The new Liege Levies do not reinforce at home while raised.

But that's how it actually was. Rulers had to get those tiny little levy bands together into larger groups and march them to the meeting place. In Eastern Europe an entire score of public offices existed in connection. I guess you don't need to see the details but at least the vassal should need some time to gather up his guys instead of spawning 10K in his capital in an instant. Plus, make sure the supply limit of the province isn't exceeded immediately.

There are many types of Retinues available for hire - including several unique cultural variants - though they always come in 500-man regiments with a commander of your own culture. Retinues reinforce in the field, like mercenaries, and when you first hire them, they start with 1 man. Unlike armies in other games, for example Europa Universalis, Retinues only cost maintenance while they reinforce. You are of course allowed to declare war even if you have Retinues (which are always standing on the map.)

What does it mean, your own culture? You as in the player's character or the vassal ruler that actually has the retinue?

 

[Comm Cody]

If you are Polish, your commander of the retinue will be Polish.

The Commander however is a randomly generated character.