[MOD] Brothers in Oath - A Swiss Confederacy Mod [First Release Out Now]

[Se_B_O]

Dev Update 28.12.19

CK3
So there have been a few things going on since my initial post. First we have the announcement of CK3 which is actually a very good thing. I will continue with the development of this mod until CK3 is out and then also try to migrate. It is also good that we know now that no new features are coming to CK2 so the modding can be more destructive in terms of what vanilla stuff I replace or change.

Progression
Well first when I started to post about the project I was very motivated by the positive reaction of all you guys. Big thanks to you all. I also thought I would get more off time from my studies. As it turns out changes to the curriculum resulted in requiring us to make 4 games this semester, which really threw a lot of my work schedule off and yes the mod did suffer from it.

Well the mechanics for the emperor are currently a huge construction site. The Screenshots are very ugly, because there hasn't been any interface modding been done to it.

Spoiler: HRE Dev

So the Mechanics of the Emperor as it stands at the moment will be:

• You can gain Grace via Money or
• Supplying Mercs to the HRE
  • Supping Mercs will affect your vassals opinion
• You can get Boons at the moment just one: Direct Domain
  • At Level DUKE and above you can demand to be a direct domain of the emperor.
  • This will remove any liege you might have and place you in a protected status that will give you buffs on your trade route value, tax income and you can spawn defensive armies if needed.

However at the moment offmap power modding is just not progressing as I wish it should. So I might put the further development on hold in the HRE department to advance the mechanics that are much more relevant to the gameplay. It would probably allow me to implement the emperor with more features later.

I will redirect my focus on to the Confederacy mechanic that will allow you to create more durable alliances and even deepen them to the extent that your alliance will create a title.

History
The filling of history and populating the world is still the monumental task. I have at least one other helper in that department but more would be surely appreciated.
We currently have a very simple excel tool that simply helps with the history editing, so people whit out any code knowledge can help out in creating more content.

Looking for Group
So yes I am currently looking for some more people to maybe participate. I'm very open to anyone who likes to participate we are looking currently for the following skills

• History Writer / Researcher
  Filling the Map with Characters and Titles
  
  
• Interface UI Artist
  Creating some more Icons and Art for events and interface graphics

I'm open for everyone who wants to help the mod team So even if you don't really have the skills all help is appreciated. If you're interested just PM me

I wish you a happy new year and I will be back in February 2020 to show you the progress and update you on developments.

 

[Se_B_O]

Dev Update 14.04.20 - Aaaand woosh it's April

No excuses. Just priorities. I think thats the way I can summarise the last few months that did damage the progress on the Mod.

First of all: I'm still working on it and it will progress, although it progresses slowly. I have some help with it but I noticed that I don't need many people at the moment.

I took up some contract work in December that really took out a bite of my time, as well as another Game Project which is close to release. (I'm under NDA here so I can't really talk about that)

Were will the Mod go from here?
I'm not particularly concerned about the release of CK3, because I'm quite ceartain that the features given at launch will not suffice to port this mod. I will take a look as soon as I we have more information.

Two priorities are currently on the top on my list that are mechanically missing to get the mod up and running for a release version.

• Basic Merchant Republic Tradepost Mechanics
  Because we don't have a lot of coast here the Merchants need a different System were they can build Tradeposts.
• Mechanics to form a Confederacy
  This is the last needed feature to get out a Mod Alpha. Together with a Confederacy Event Chain starting in 1280.

Tradeposts
To spice things up I will readapt some features of the Base Game. Mines! Merchant Republics will be able to build Tradepost Mines mainly salt on a few locations on the map. Also they are allowed to build Tradeposts along any of the North South Traderoute.

This will make the cities very powerful in terms of wealth. The Local counts will also be able to build Tradeposts along the trade route but only in larger provinces.

Tiers of Alliances, Confederacies
Dukes and Higher of the Allemanic Cultures will be able to enter Alliances that are not based on dynastic ties. These Alliances will mainly function similar to tributaries (Except of corse there are no payments). So the initial Alliance will be a Diplomatic Targeted Decision.

• Form Sworn Alliance
  • Be at least a Duke
  • Same Religion as the Target
  • Decision Taker must be Common Assembly or Republic Government

The sworn Alliance is primarily a way of the republics to get some more stable friendships going. They will be called to all defensive wars and will protect the comparatively weak Common Assemblies against the powerful feudal lords. If the Alliance is successful it can be formed into a confederacy via decision.

• Form a Confederacy
  • Be at least a Duke
  • No Alliance Partner has a negative opinion of you
  • Has 1000 Prestige
    
  • 200 Gold

This will kick off a small Chain that will generate the title of the confederacy (You will be able to choose) and the agreement of every member of your Sworn Alliance.

 

[Se_B_O]

Happy Swiss National Day!

I crunched myself hard and the Mod is still very much Work in Progress but I wanted to get you some insight on how things stand and from my opinion it is already playable enough.
I'm currently super tight time wise (going to some family celebration).
Happy for any Feedback for this very scruffy first version

Steam Workshop::Brothers in Oath - A Swiss Confederacy Mod

steamcommunity.com

 

[Se_B_O]

Dev Update 14.09

Heritage Traits and the Guildrepublic

First of all I'll like to thank you all here and the people on Steam very much. The echo was great. Now to get down to business, because the next update will be all about it...

I plan to get into the next update not only the guild republic but to just pack it in with the monastery. So this way I can get out all the new governments.
This update will also overhaul some things about the mod that are currently a bit off: For example you are currently taken as seriously as any other noble even though you might be a dirty commoner. For this the next update will add:

Heritage Traits
The traits work a bit like the caste in vanilla but are not set as such. They are patrilineal traits that always be inherited by your offspring. Every character in the game has a heritage trait. These are:

Spoiler: Commoner

General negative to diplomacy plus you will not be liked by the nobles. This trait is the deciding factor for the Common Assembly Government. A noble will never be elected. Sadly marriage will currently not be affected by this trait (Need to figure that thing out)

Spoiler: Low Noble

Just your garden variety of the nobles. If you rule as a feudal lord you are a Low Noble. You won't be liked by the commoners though.

Spoiler: High Noble

These are the Imperial Noble types... Very important people. Huge bonus to prestige and diplomacy, but there are just 3-4 Dynasties that even have this heritage.

All Heritage Traits will be updated (specifically the nobles) if you ascend in your rank for example if you become the King of Alemania.
I will work with Traits in the new governments as well so to give the monasteries and guildrepublics something to do.

The Guildrepublic

Now the thing most people asked about. How will the guildrepublics work?

Well... I was long torn about using the standard merchant republic as a template but I decided against it. So the guildrepublic will use the election system similar to the common assembly. In a GR the influential families exchange the rank of mayor between them. They own a unlanded county title and are building trade-missions, a bit like the regular republics.

Important this is now just the description of the GR how I'm currently developing them some aspects might change due to not being feasible in the modding system CK2 provides.

Guilds
The guilds will work with the society system, so it will be possible for every character to ascend the ladder from craftsmen to guildmaster. The societies represent each a skill set so every character might find a way to get something out of them.

• Guild of the Tailors
  For Characters with a focus on diplomacy
• Guild of the Smiths
  For Bonuses to weapons, troops and general combat
• Guild of Saffron
  Merchants and Administrators welcome
• Guild of the Innkeepers
  A Guild for characters with a focus on feasting / intrigue
• Guild of the Constaffel
  A Guild for very educated characters

The guilds run roughly along the line of the historical guilds, but I'll take some liberty in naming them.

Succession by Guild Council
The mayor of a guildrepublic will be elected by a council of all the guildmasters in the realm. Their vote will be based around the characters guild-currency and rank. So you might want to help your local guildmaster to an early retirement.

Some might catch that joke

To get elected you need to be a guildsman, so you will need to join a guild.
There will be some abilities available to you as you ascent the guild ladders, as a guild republic family you can establish trade-posts where ever you want. The profit of the trade post will depend like the earlier TP on the provinces value. As an experienced guilds man you'll be able to boost that significantly thereby helping you and the owner of the province.

Abbey Lordship

The playable abbeys will work a bit like tribes with elder council selection. The problem was always that there is no way for them to keep up dynastic succession. This will be an easy thing to change: Every Member of an Abbeys Court will be changed to a new Dynasty unique to the abbey.
As the Abbot you'll be able to groom an heir but the eldest members of the Abbey will elect the new abbot upon your death. Monasteries will not be able to muster a huge army by themselves but can freely ally with any noble granting them piety by being the protector of an abbey.


(I renamed that from the Monastic Clausura as this term didn't make any real sense)




Crusader Kings III
As it is pretty much unmissable CK3 is also out now. This is twofold for this mod. I kind of like all the new modding features and the much easier access to some stuff I'm currently struggling with in CK2 but on the other hand some very core features of the game I need to make the GR's work are missing.

I also like the new Map and how it is divided up with the baronies now on the map. I'm currently a bit torn I know some of you would like me to continue this project in CK2 but some things I want to achieve are just that bit more difficult to do in CK2 than 3. Much of the work can be reused in CK3 anyways, so I keep an eye on CK3 and will continue to work in CK2.

For the timeframe: I'll push the trait update soon to the Mod... For the Guildrepublic this will take some time. There will be hopefully a playable version later in Q4