I Like Books With Pictures...

[molly bloom]

And I'm sure the rest of you do, too.

However, I mean the Osprey Men At Arms series.


I couldn't recall seeing any threads about these books and they're a great resource for the modeller or the dedicated wargamer or anyone interested in Civ's Unique Units or wargames in general.

I managed to pick up a few secondhand (50 pence each- a bargain) and felt I had to spread the gospel of Osprey where it would be best appreciated.

They do a general collection, ranging from the Ancient Middle East, Graeco-Persian Wars 500-323 B.C. and the Roman armies under Julius Caesar, Trajan, Hadrian and Constantine, through to the Landsknechts, the armies of Islam and right on up to Grenada 1983 and Russia's invasion of Afghanistan.

They also do an elite series, with the Samurai, Zulu, French Foreign Legion and so on.


They're a great resource if you're looking to create a new Unique Unit or replace one and a good read too.

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/

A new, model army :

[Will9]

I believe their are many problems with the UUs. The redcoat doesn't properly represent England. For one it's British. I think that the mounted longbow should be England's special unit. They were used throughout The Hundred Years War for arrow covor to knights after they charge. Also, Musketeers only represent a short period in French history. A better unit would be Crusaders, or Templars (please no Da Vinci Code coments). Although the Templars were stationed thoughout Europe the were mostly French. Richard the Lionhart might have been the king of England, but so soon after the Norman invasion England was very French. Their are even more problems, but I don't have the time comment on them.

[Badtz Maru]

Originally posted by Will9
I believe their are many problems with the UUs. The redcoat doesn't properly represent England. For one it's British. I think that the mounted longbow should be England's special unit. They were used throughout The Hundred Years War for arrow covor to knights after they charge. Also, Musketeers only represent a short period in French history. A better unit would be Crusaders, or Templars (please no Da Vinci Code coments). Although the Templars were stationed thoughout Europe the were mostly French. Richard the Lionhart might have been the king of England, but so soon after the Norman invasion England was very French. Their are even more problems, but I don't have the time comment on them.

Yeah, I found it odd that the longbowman was available to all cultures, when it really should have been an English UU since they were really the only ones to make heavy use of them. They even made the tech require Feudalism, which is accurate for the English longbowmen because the only reason they were able to afford to train so many of them was their feudal system - but I don't think any other civilization had a tradition of yeoman longbowmen who trained themselves like the English did.

Of course, what would replace the longbowman for the other civilizations? If you wanted to make it more realistic, I guess they could make a basic longbow unit available to all civilizations, at a significantly higher cost than the current one, and give the English a cheap Yeoman Longbow unit.

[Will9]

Originally posted by Badtz Maru

Of course, what would replace the longbowman for the other civilizations? If you wanted to make it more realistic, I guess they could make a basic longbow unit available to all civilizations, at a significantly higher cost than the current one, and give the English a cheap Yeoman Longbow unit.

That seems like a good idea.

[Common Sensei]

I would like for unique units to be associated with a leader instead of the civilization as a whole.

For example, Washington might get Minutemen, and Elizabeth would get the aforemention Yeoman Longbowmen.

It would be daunting to come up with units for each leader that were sufficiently distinct, though.

[Will9]

Originally posted by Common Sensei
I would like for unique units to be associated with a leader instead of the civilization as a whole.

For example, Washington might get Minutemen, and Elizabeth would get the aforemention Yeoman Longbowmen.

It would be daunting to come up with units for each leader that were sufficiently distinct, though.

The Longbow was no longer used by the time of Elizabeth, but I don't think she should even be in the game. If she was replaced by Henry V it would work. It is good idea, but many leaders would have to be replaced.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Will9


The Longbow was no longer used by the time of Elizabeth,

Actually it was still in use, as was the arbalest.

There was a pamphlet written towards the end of the sixteenth century arguing for the replacement of the longbow with the arquebus and so on.

The problem with Civ is that it contains to conflate and confuse English with British. Why it couldn't have been the British rather than the English, I don't know, especially as they hardly seem likely to introduce the Welsh or Scottish as separate civs.

Elizabeth I don't think she should even be in the game.

Well I don't see why not. What are your reasons for not wanting her ?

[Bushface]

Do seadogs chase catfish ?

[molly bloom]

No, but their blankets get wet in their seabeds....