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The Vikings have landed on the shores of Field of Glory II from Byzantine Games and Slitherine. In this fifth DLC add-on for the tactica...

Field of Glory II - Wolves at the Gate DLC Field of Glory II - Wolves at the Gate DLC

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

Field of Glory II



The Vikings have landed on the shores of Field of Glory II from Byzantine Games and Slitherine. In this fifth DLC add-on for the tactical turn based ancient warfare sandbox, the timeline is extended much further into the future, all the way up to 1040 AD. The base game "only" covers 280 BC to 20 BC, for reference. You can read our original review here. Since it's release, other DLC have covered the highs and lows of the Roman Empire (both East and West), with other packs focusing on the earlier powers of the Mediterranean and Middle East like the Greeks and Persians. This pack moves us firmly into the so-called "Dark Ages" of history, when the lack of a civilizing influence from Rome led to barbarians and heathens running wild across Europe. As any history buff knows, this concept is rather passé these days, but it still makes for a pretty good theme for a wargame. 




If you're reading this, you probably have a pretty good idea of what Field of Glory II is like, so I'll get to exactly what's on the tin of this latest DLC. Wolves at the Gate expands FoG II by adding:


  • 19 new factions
  • 55 new units
  • 76 new army lists
  • 6 new Epic Battles
  • 74 new Quick Battles
  • Expanded Custom Battles module.
  • Expanded Sandbox Campaign module.
  • 6 new historically-based campaigns.
  • New Allies feature added in accompanying game update.



You can get the full list of factions and armies from the product page, but I'll list off a few that might get your attention. The Vikings are most definitely here, and I played a few battles with them. Huscarls and Berserkers give them quite an offensive punch, though their other infantry are a bit rubbish. Also, don't expect too much cavalry support. Some of the battles I played in this era were purely melee infantry affairs, with not an archer or mounted warrior in sight. This was quite different from the last DLC I played, Age of Belisarius, which featured the exact opposite, with mounted archers dominating the battlefield. There are many other armies representing northern Europe on hand as well. The Franks, Anglo-Saxons, Lombards, Scots, Irish, British, Visigoths and more have all come to play. There is also plenty of new content here for the east, with the Byzantine and Arab rosters being filled out with multiple armies. Going even further east, some Indian factions are represented and featured in a full campaign. Here's the full list of new campaigns so you can see some of the major historical figures who fit into this era:


  • Arab Conquest
  • Basil II (Byzantine Resurgence)
  • Charlemagne
  • Mahmud of Ghazni
  • Wolves from the Sea 1(Viking Age from Viking point of view)
  • Wolves from the Sea 2(Viking Age from enemy point of view)


  • I tried a sampling of the campaigns and found them all to offer some different flavors of combat. If you have played any of the previous campaigns in Field of Glory II, these work the same way. You go from battle to battle with some small choices in between that change the scenarios a bit. There is also, as always, a sandbox campaign mode that plays similarly but lets you take your nation of choice and go up against a variety of historical enemies in randomly generated battles.


    One new feature that was patched into the game alongside this DLC is the "Allies" feature. This lets you mix in units of historical allies with a given army roster in custom battles. This means even more variety as you can spice up your favorite faction or army with some new units. If you like ancients warfare games, this is really a one stop shop. I can only assume, based on Field of Glory I, that there is plenty more DLC coming that will add more and more factions to the game. Just about any match-up you can imagine is either in the game already or will be before long. 

    I thought I'd end the review with a little recap of how the Battle of Clontarf went for me. This is one of the epic battles included, and one that I had never heard of before. The battle featured a mix of Vikings and Irishmen fighting for control of the Emerald Isle. It was an infantry only battle, which was actually tactically interesting, as my standard strategies involving archers and cavalry were not options at all.



    The battle lines are drawn up. A roughly equal number of infantry on each side are facing off across mostly flat ground. I'll need to look for any advantage that could give me some leverage.



    I'm commanding the forces of Brian Boru, the man credited with breaking the hold of the Vikings over Ireland by decisively winning this battle. Hopefully I can match up to my historical counter-part!



    The fighting begins, but both sides have a large reserve of infantry not yet committed to the line. I try to position my men to take advantage of a couple of dips in the terrain. Units fighting uphill will always have a harder time of it. 



    Now the fighting is raging in earnest, units begin to waver and break all down the line. On my left flank I see an opportunity. A morale check cascade causes multiple enemy units to waver, and I have several strong infantry units on the far edge of the line. If I can hit the enemy just a couple more times they should go from bending to breaking.



    Success! The enemy's right flank flees the field and my strongest units are positioned to roll up the line. Although my center and right flank wavers off-camera, my forces manage to hold. Catching the entire enemy line in the flank as I'm about to do above is essentially game over. With no strong enemy reserve on hand to blunt my advance, my forces hack their way down the line, routing the enemy units one after another. The Vikings are driven from Ireland!

    Field of Glory II continues to entertain me even after a couple of years of playing off and on. I really wanted to enjoy the fist game in the series, but could never quite get into it. The sequel however gets me hooked every time I fire it up. I always want to take just one more turn, and see if this time I can finally crack the enemy line, or find out whether my flank can hold long enough for my overall strategy to come together. Wolves at the Gate doesn't fundamentally change anything about the game, but it does offer a new series of campaigns and scenarios to play around with. This game really is a massive sandbox, and more toys always makes the sandbox more fun!

    The DLC can be purchased directly from Slitherine/Matrix. It's also available on Steam and GoG.com. 

    - Joe Beard

    The already impressive roster for Field of Glory II expands into the Dark Ages with the Wolves at the Gate DLC recently announced by Slit...

    Wolves at the Gate DLC Announced for Field of Glory II Wolves at the Gate DLC Announced for Field of Glory II

    For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

    Field of Glory II


    The already impressive roster for Field of Glory II expands into the Dark Ages with the Wolves at the Gate DLC recently announced by Slitherine. From the press release:

    Summary of features:
    - 19 new factions
    - 55 new units
    - 76 new army lists
    - 6 new Epic Battles
    - 74 new Quick Battles
    - Expanded Custom Battles module.
    - Expanded Sandbox Campaign module.
    - 6 new historically-based campaigns.
    - New Allies feature added in accompanying game update.


    This expansion extends Field of Glory II forward to 1040 AD, exploring the rich military history of the so-called “Dark Ages”, from the whirlwind Arab Conquest to the depredations of the Vikings and Magyars, the birth of England, France, Germany and Spain, and the long struggle of the Byzantine Empire to keep Roman civilisation alive in the east.

    From 600 to 628 AD the Byzantines were locked in a titanic struggle for survival against the aggressive Sassanid Persian Empire, from which they eventually emerged victorious. Both empires, however, were severely weakened. Six years later, in 634, the newly Islamized Arabs erupted forth from Arabia, quickly defeating the Byzantines and Persians. By 750, under the Umayyad Caliphate, the Muslim Arab Empire stretched from Spain to the borders of India.


    The Byzantine Empire, after losing its Levantine and North African provinces, survived the initial Islamic advance. Constantinople endured a year long siege (717-718), and this proved to be the beginning of the end for the Umayyad Caliphate. Eventually, weakened by defeats on the frontiers of their vast empire and internal unrest, the Umayyads were overthrown by the Abbasid dynasty. The great Islamic Empire was now split into many separate, and often competing states. The Byzantines grew stronger under the Macedonian Dynasty (867-1056), and ended the period more powerful than they had been for many centuries. In Northern Europe, Viking raids started in the late 8 th  century. Superb sailors, they used their longboats to strike across the Baltic and North Seas against towns, farms and monasteries, and raid as far as Seville and Constantinople. Eventually they settled down, and created important states in Normandy and the Kievan Rus. Their invasions of the British Isles resulted in centuries of intermittent warfare with the English, Irish and Scottish kingdoms.

    Charlemagne ruled as King of the Franks from 768-814 AD. The kingdom he inherited already included most of modern France and parts of Germany. By his death in 814, his empire encompassed modern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, northern Italy and a strip of northern Spain. In 800 he was crowned “Emperor of the Romans” by Pope Leo III. After his death the Carolingian Empire split into two main states, West Francia (modern France) and East Francia (modern Germany).


    In the 9th  century the nomadic Magyars erupted into European history. Their western raids reached as far as Spain. Their defeat by the Germans at Lechfeld in 955 ended their threat to Western Europe and in 1000 their High Prince accepted Christianity and was recognized as King of Hungary by Pope Sylvester II, ruling under his Christian name of István (Stephen) I.

    You can read the full description on the Slithirine store page here.

    Post men at the walls, and watch for our review in the near future!

    - Joe Beard







    Age of Belisarius A DLC for Field of Glory II by Slitherine Games   Justinian was an emperor that did not deser...

    Age of Belisarius a DLC for Slitherine's Field of Glory II Age of Belisarius a DLC for Slitherine's Field of Glory II

    For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

    Field of Glory II

    Age of Belisarius


    A DLC for Field of Glory II

    by

    Slitherine Games





     Justinian was an emperor that did not deserve his wife or his generals. This new DLC from Slitherine is for their smash hit Field of Glory II. The Roman empire had risen on their heavy infantry. After Byzantium, or Constantinople if you prefer, became the second and then the only capitol of the empire. Their new enemies required the Romans to rethink their reliance on infantry. Justinian dreamed of reconquering the lost provinces of the Western Roman Empire. This would have only been a pipe dream if he did not have the services of the generals Belisarius and Narses. Belisarius only lost one battle, and that was forced on him early in his career. 





     So let us look at what you get with this DLC:
    • 11 new named factions: Avars, Byzantines, Franks, Gepids, Lombards, Ostrogoths, Slavs, Turks, Vandals, Visigoths, Welsh.

    • 17 new units: Byzantine Lance/Bow cavalry, Veteran Byzantine Lance/Bow cavalry, Byzantine Flankers, Dismounted Armoured Noble Lancers, Dismounted Noble Lancers, Dismounted Armoured Horse Archers, Sabir Foot, Indian Light Horse (javelins), Indian Light Foot (javelins), Bedouin Cavalry (lancers), Bedouin Light Horse (lancers), Bedouin Foot, Pre-Islamic City Arab foot, Bulgar Cavalry, Bulgar Light Horse, Spearmen (Dark Age), Raw Spearmen (Dark Age).

    • 29 new army lists (which expands the total number of army lists to 166).

    • 6 new Epic Battles: Dara 530 AD, Tricamarum 533 AD, Taginae 552 AD, The Volturnus 554 AD, Bukhara 557 AD, Raith 596 AD (each playable from either side).

    • 37 new Quick Battles (each playable from either side).

    • Expanded Field of Glory II Custom Battles module now includes all 166 army lists from Immortal Fire, Rise of Rome, Legions Triumphant and Age of Belisarius. (Purchase of the appropriate DLCs is necessary to access them all).

    • Expanded Field of Glory II Sandbox Campaigns module now includes all 166 army lists from Immortal Fire, Rise of Rome, Legions Triumphant and Age of Belisarius. (Purchase of the appropriate DLCs is necessary to access them all).

    • 4 new historically-based campaigns:

    o   Belisarius

    o   Clovis I of the Franks

    o   King of Kings 2 (Sassanid Persia)

    o   Rise of the Avars





     The base game of FOG II has been updated continually since its release. One excellent choice that Slitherine has made is that all of the upgrades for the base game are available to the player even without buying all of the planned DLCs. So the only thing a person would miss out on would be the new troop types, battles, and campaigns from each DLC.





     As far as the DLC, there is not much to say. The game is the best game as yet released for the computer dealing with tactical ancient warefare. The DLCs just make the experience that much better and wider in scope. If you are interested in early Byzantine or later Roman Empire tactical battles, this is what you have been waiting for. If you haven't picked up the base game, why not! It is as good as everyone has said. The Age of Belisarius DLC is worth its price tag and much more.





     
    One of the big additions in this DLC to the game is cavalry units that can dismount and fight on foot. The sandbox feature has also had an upgrade. Now you are able to pit any of the armies that you have in your stable against any other one you own. This is not only in the Custom Battles, but also the Custom Campaigns. So join the fun and try to recreate the Roman Empire. This time you do not have to worry about Justinian becoming jealous and removing you from command. The next DLC that is coming for FOG II goes in the other direction in time; it is the Rise of Persia. I cannot wait to be able to command Assyrians.







    Robert

    Field of Glory II DLC Legions Triumphant by Slitherine Games  If you haven't been completely oblivious late...

    Field of Glory II DLC Legions Triumphant by Slitherine Games Field of Glory II DLC Legions Triumphant by Slitherine Games

    For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

    Field of Glory II



    by








     If you haven't been completely oblivious lately, you will know that Slitherine Games has released the best PC game of ancient warfare to date, Field of Glory II. This was followed by its first DLC, Immortal Fire. FOG II has been updated on a regular basis to add even more features and to enhance this already great game. FOG I had a ton of DLCs released, from ancient to medieval warfare. 

     I will list here the new things that come with Legions Triumphant:

    • 10 new factions: Alans, Anglo-Saxons, Caledonians, Goths, Hephthalites, Huns, Palmyrans, Picts, Romano-British and Sassanid Persians.

    • 17 new units: Early Imperial Legionaries, Early Imperial Auxiliaries, Auxiliary Archers, Veteran auxiliary cavalry, Roman Lancers, Late Roman Lancers, Legio Palatina, Legio Comitatensis, Auxilia Palatina, Limitanei, Armoured Horse Archers, Expert Armoured Horse Archers, Fierce Nomad Horse Archers (Huns), Fierce Nomad Light Horse Archers (Huns), Irregular Foot (trousered), Pictish Spearmen and Jewish Zealots. Also the following that were available in the base game, but not used: Roman auxiliary cavalry, Sassanid levy spearmen.

    • 22 new army lists (which together with 2 in the free patch, expands the total number of army lists to 132).

    o   Alan 25-476 AD

    o   Anglo-Saxon 449-476 AD

    o   Armenian 253-476 AD

    o   Bosporan 11-375 AD

    o   Caledonian 50-225 AD

    o   Germanic/Gothic Foot Tribes 260-476 AD (Franks, Alamanni, Visigoths, early Vandals etc.)

    o   Germanic/Gothic Horse Tribes 260-476 AD (Ostrogoths, Gepids, later Vandals etc.)

    o   Hephthalite 350-476 AD

    o   Hunnic 250-375 AD

    o   Hunnic 376-476 AD

    o   Indian 320-476 AD

    o   Jewish Revolt 66-135 AD

    o   Palmyran 258-273 AD

    o   Pictish 210-476 AD

    o   Roman 24 BC – 196 AD

    o   Roman 197-284 AD

    o   Roman 285-378 AD

    o   Roman 379-424 AD

    o   Roman 425-476 AD

    o   Romano-British 407-476 AD

    o   Sarmatian 25-375 AD

    o   Sassanid Persian 224-476 AD

    • 10 new Epic Battles: Watling Street 61 AD, Adamclisi 102 AD, Hormozdgan 224 AD, Emesa 272 AD, Argentoratum 357 AD, Maranga 363 AD, Adrianople 378 AD, Frigidus 394 AD, Chalons 451 AD, Nedao 454 AD (each playable from either side).

    • 36 new Quick Battles (each playable from either side).

    • With Legions Triumphant (together with the base game and Immortal Fire) the Custom Battles and the Sandbox Campaigns modules now include 132 army lists.

    • 4 new historically-based campaigns:

    o   Third Century Crisis

    o   King of Kings (Sassanid Persia)

    o   Stilicho

    o   Empire of the Huns
    The free patch accompanying the release of Legions Triumphant includes major improvements to the campaign system.

    • Ability to fight on after a lost battle.
    • Ability to name your campaign units.
    • Maximum number of battles in sandbox campaigns increased, with more decision points and new possible decisions and events.
    • Additional enemies in sandbox campaigns. You will need to fend off attacks by other enemies as well as advancing the campaign against your primary opponent.
    • Units not only increase in quality following victories, but will upgrade to higher quality unit types when they reach the required quality. (e.g. Raw Pikemen > Pikemen > Veteran Pikemen).
    • Anachronistic what if campaigns – by turning off the date and geographical filters you can set up sandbox campaigns between any two nations covered by the game from 550 BC to 476 AD. Additional enemies in the campaign will fit the date of the main enemy – so that it will be as if your army had been transported in time to a new era.
    Other major changes in the free patch:

    o   Improved AI.

    o   Evaders may suffer casualties even if they escape their pursuers.

    o   Chargers will now follow normal pursuit rules if their opponents break on contact. i.e. Infantry (apart from warbands and raw troops) will not pursue.




     As I mentioned, one of the best things about this game is the fact that it is continually being upgraded, and you do not even have to buy DLCs to get the enhancements to the core game. 



     I do not like one thing about the new DLC, and that is the choice of the 'Epic Battles' that come with it. I am not a sandbox type player that likes to pit X against Y army in different circumstances. I like to play historical battles. I can deal with plausible 'what if' situations, but that is about it. The choice of battles to include is highly subjective so it is possible that many other gamers will like the included choices. The modding and scenario creating community for FOG II is amazing and very large. So I have no doubt that the battles that I want to re-fight will be along shortly.



     Speaking of the modding community, there are now mods for all of the following wars/eras to play:

    The American Revolution

    The Age of Reason

    Napoleonic Wars

     This is just a taste of the modding done for the game. These mods push the envelope for the game. There are also tons of mods of redone Epic Battles and completely new ones during ancient times. There are also many full campaigns that have been uploaded for ancient times.



     This is an AAR of my replay of the battle of Chalons that comes with the Legions triumphant DLC. The Roman general Aetius has collected what is left of the Western Roman Empire's Army. Added to this are Franks, Alans, and Visigoths to turn back a Hun invasion of Gaul by Attila. Historically the battle was a loss for the Huns, but the winning Allies did not try to destroy the Huns and their allies. So Attila lived to fight another day until dying of a nose bleed, of all things. I am playing the Huns and trying to change history. The Huns also have allies in this battle, among them the Ostrogoths, and Gepids. The Hunnish cavalry is the typical horse archer from the steppes of Eurasia, and fought in the same way the older Scythians did, and the Mongols in another 700 years. they will ride close and blot out the sun with arrows until you break formation and try to come to grips with them. Historically they were placed in the center of the Hunnish Army at Chalons. I wonder if a better placement would have been to put them on a flank of the Roman/Allied Army instead.



     The first two turns are more a a meet and greet between the enemies. I believe I am going to hold back my right from the Roman Army and try to crush their allies in the center and their right. On turn three my Hunnish cavalry has already disrupted some of the Alan units in the center. Unfortunately, my Gepid lancers on my right flank are not nearly a match to the Roman horse there. On my left flank, my Ostrogoths and the enemy's Visigoths seem to be equally matched.  On turn four my Hunnish archers are still taking a large toll of the Alans. Turn five is much the same, although I do have my archers on both flanks trying to envelop the enemy. I know that one enemy cavalry charge can disperse my archers to the winds, so I will not really rely on them too much. By turn six, it looks like I am fighting three separate battles. The Huns are decimating the Alans in the center, while the Romans are smashing up my Gepids on my right. The fight on my left could go either way. I have chased off some Visigoths, but my Ostrogoths are taking a beating in the center of the conflict. So it is turn eight, and my Hunnish archers have blown a hole through the middle of the Roman/Allied line. I have lost a lot of troops, but my Huns will now be able to sweep either right or left to destroy either the Romans themselves or the Visigoths. Fighting the battle from Roman side, it will be tough to come up with a strategy to keep the Huns at bay.









     This is an excellent game by Slitherine, and will only get better. This DLC Legions Triumphant is another great add on to the base game. I just wish they had asked me which Epic Battles to include; just kidding. 

    Robert

    Immortal Fire a DLc for Field of Glory II by Slitherine    This is the first, hopefully in a long line, of DLCs re...

    Immortal Fire a DLc for Field of Glory II by Slitherine Immortal Fire a DLc for Field of Glory II by Slitherine

    For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

    Field of Glory II

    Immortal Fire a DLc for Field of Glory II


    by


    Slitherine

     


     This is the first, hopefully in a long line, of DLCs released for Field of Glory II. For those of you living in a cave, Field of Glory II is the newest ancient battle game released by Slitherine. I am a ancient history nut, and to me and many others, Field of Glory II  has really hit the sweet spot. Please see my review of the base game here:







     This DLC goes back in time to the first battles between the Grecian city states and the Persian Empire. Then the DLC continues to Alexander's battles and the ones of his successors (the Diadochi). The earliest epic (historical) battle is Thymbra in 547 B.C., and the latest is Raphia in 217 B.C. Here is a list of what comes with the DLC:

    • 8 new factions: Achaemenid Persians, Etruscans, Antigonos, Lysimachos, Spartans, Latins, Lydians, Kyrenean Greeks, Thessalian Greeks.

    • 10 new units: Persian Immortals, Persian sparabara foot, Persian armoured cavalry with bow, Persian improvised camelry, armoured citizen hoplites, armoured veteran hoplites (with Spartan variant), shallowly formed armoured citizen hoplites, Lydian cavalry, Carthaginian chariots, Macedonian prodromoi.

    • 30 new army lists (expanding the total number of army list to 105):
      - Achaemenid Persian 550-546 BC
      - Achaemenid Persian 545-481 BC
      - Achaemenid Persian 480-461 BC
      - Achaemenid Persian 460-420 BC
      - Achaemenid Persian 419-329 BC
      - Antigonid 320-301 BC
      - Carthaginian 490-411 BC
      - Carthaginian 410-341 BC
      - Carthaginian 340-281 BC
      - Etruscan 490-331 BC
      - Etruscan 330-280 BC
      - Gallic 390-301 BC
      - Greek 550-461 BC
      - Greek 460-281 BC
      - Kyrenean Greek 550-461 BC
      - Kyrenean Greek 460-322 BC
      - Latin 490-338 BC
      - Lydian 550-546 BC
      - Lysimachid 320-281 BC
      - Macedonian 355-329 BC (Philip and Alexander)
      - Macedonian 328-321 BC (Alexander and first phase of the wars of the Diadochi)
      - Roman 490-341 BC
      - Roman 340-281 BC
      - Seleucid 320-303 BC
      - Seleucid 302-301 BC
      - Skythian or Saka 550-301 BC
      - Spartan 550-461 BC
      - Spartan 460-281 BC
      - Syracusan 421-281 BC
      - Thessalian 404-353BC

    • 10 new Epic Battles: Thymbra 547 BC, Marathon 490 BC, Plataea 479 BC, Cunaxa 401 BC, Chaironeia 338 BC, Granikos 334 BC, Issos 333 BC, Gaugamela 331 BC, Hydaspes 326 BC, Raphia 217 BC (all playable from either side). Five of these track the career of Alexander the Great.

    • 24 new Quick Battles (each playable from either side).

    • Expanded Immortal Fire Custom Battles module includes all 105 army lists from Rise of Rome and Immortal Fire.

    • Expanded Immortal Fire Sandbox Campaigns module includes all 105 army lists from Rise of Rome and Immortal Fire.

    • 4 new historically-based campaigns: Xenophon, Philip of Macedon, Seleukos I Nikator, Seven Hills of Rome. (Alexander the Great's battles are covered in the Epic Battles).

    • 1 what-if campaign: Alexander the Great (what he might have done next if he had not died in 323 BC). (His historical battles are covered in the Epic Battles).
      




      With the armies that come with the DLC, your ancient wargaming is now endless. You also get a what-if campaign of Alexander. This postulates that he did not die in 323 B.C. He was already contemplating conquering at least some of Arabia.




     The Persian Immortals are here, as are the Macedonian Silver Shields. You can recreate battles between Carthage and Syracuse or Pyrrhus. The armies of Greece in the Peloponnesian War are also here for your gaming pleasure. 

     The base game Field of Glory II is so versatile that all of the DLCs that came with its older brother Field of Glory I can, and probably will, be added to its portfolio. As you can see, the ancient army list is now up to a whopping 105. For various reasons, I did not play Field of Glory I much at all. This is not the case with Field of Glory II, and now with the DLCs starting to come, it will be hard for me to tear myself away from the game. 

      The AI in the game is as good as the one in one of their other titles 'Pike and Shot'. The graphics in Field of Glory II are amazing. Field of Glory II is driven by a long standing table top miniatures set of rules. So it not only looks like you are playing miniatures, you really are. I just lost a game of the battle of Raphia to the AI. 




     Playing as the Seleucids, who are on the right hand side of these pictures, I thought that I could crush the Ptolemy left flank before my left would be in too much trouble. What I should have done was to refuse my left and let the Ptolemaic right hook catch nothing but air. I did somewhat destroy their left flank, but not before they had inflicted more casualties on my left. I would like to show you pics, but I had a senior moment and was using the print screen button instead of F12. Sorry, I didn't have time to re-fight the battle. So I just took some shots of the setup of the forces once I realized my mistake.





     With the release of The operational Art of War IV and Field of Glory II, among others,  Slitherine/Matrix certainly have given us wargamers a plethora of gaming. Now, their sister company Ageod has to get going and release 'The Wars of Succession' so I can get my early 18th century itch scratched.



     This just went up on the Slitherine website. It is an announcement about the new field of Glory II 'TT' mod. The 'TT' stands for table top. This adds an immense amount of units etc. to the game. It is not necessary to own 'Immortal Fire' for the mod, but it can only make this great game better.


    FIELD OF GLORY II “TT MOD” - DESIGNER NOTES FROM PAUL ADAWAY
    This mod greatly expands the units in Field of Glory 2. I am calling it the TT Mod. “TT” because I have got most of my inspiration from the original Field of Glory Table Top army lists. I have added back into the lists a lot of the units from the tabletop version that were left out of the PC version of the game. The mod will come in two forms, a sandbox campaign and a skirmish module (with SP and MP versions).
    Nearly all nations have their own specific Pike Phalanx. I have created lots of extra Heavy and Light Cavalry units to replace the ubiquitous vanilla versions. Unfortunately I have no 3D modelling skills, but a lot can be done with new textures, new alpha layers and modding the animation/effects unit.txt files.
    I have not modded game play in any way. All unit stats are consistent with the vanilla game. I was tempted to put in my Elephant mod, that I have used in some of my scenarios (i.e. Apollonia), but at the moment it is not included. If I get positive feedback about it, I may add it in later.
    This is what is new in the mod:
    New army lists:
    "Indian (Royal) 500 BC – 180 BC",
    "Indian (Royal)179 BC – 319 AD",
    "Indian (Republican) 500 BC – 180 BC",
    "Indian (Republican) 179 BC – 319 AD",
    The vanilla Indian list has been split into 4, the Republican armies having no elephants, and the early lists having no light horse archers.
    “Georgian 331 BC – 252 AD”,
    The vanilla Iberian list has been renamed as Georgian to stop confusion with the “Spanish” Iberians, who now have their own list.
    “Iberian 300-10 BC”,
    “Celtiberian 300-10 BC”,
    “Lusitanian 300-10 BC”,
    The Spanish list has been split into the three main tribal groups.
    "Pyrrhic (in Italy) 280-272 BC",
    "Pyrrhic (in Greece) 280-272 BC",
    The Pyrrhic list has been split into two.
    “Achaian League 280-209 BC”,
    “Achaian League 208-147 BC”,
    “Achaian League 146-146 BC”,
    “Aetolian 280-146 BC”,
    “Boiotian League 280-271 BC”,
    “Boiotian League 270-246 BC”,
    “Boiotian League 245-146 BC”,
    “Athenian 280-146 BC”,
    “Eleian 280-146 BC”,
    “Spartan 280-228 BC”,
    “Spartan 227-222 BC”,
    “Spartan 221-146 BC”,
    The Hellenistic Greek lists have been split into several state specific lists.
    “Gallic Lowland Tribes 300-201 BC”,
    “Gallic Lowland Tribes 200-101 BC”,
    “Gallic Hill Tribes 300-201 BC”,
    “Gallic Hill Tribes 200-101 BC”,
    “Gallic Lowland Tribes 100-50 BC”,
    “Gallic Hill Tribes 100-50 BC”,
    “Gallic Lowland Tribes 390-301 BC”,
    “Gallic Hill Tribes 390-301 BC”,
    The Gallic lists have been split into separate ones for lowland and hill tribes.
    “Galatian 280-279 BC”,
    “Galatian 278-228 BC”,
    “Galatian 227-63 BC”,
    The Early Galatian list has been split into three era specific lists.
    “Graeco-Bactrian 250-211 BC”,
    “Graeco-Bactrian 210-130 BC”,
    The Graeco-Bactrian list has been split into two era specific lists.
    “Carthaginian 235-201 BC”,
    “Carthaginian 200-146 BC”,
    The late Carthaginian list has been split into a Second Punic War and Post Second Punic War list.
    “Kushan 130 BC – 24 AD”,
    “Kushan 25 AD – 476 AD”,
    The Kushan list has been split into two era specific lists.
    “Indo-Skythian 95 BC – 24 AD”,
    “Indo-Skythian 25 BC – 50 AD”,
    The Indo-Skythian list has been split into two era specific lists.
    "Parthian (Saka campaign) 129 BC – 129 BC",
    The Parthian Saka campaign gets it's own list.
    “Athenian 550 BC – 461 BC”,
    “Corinthian 550 BC – 461 BC”,
    “Boiotian League 550 BC – 461 BC”,
    “Aetolian 550 BC – 461 BC”,
    “Akarnanian 550 BC – 461 BC”,
    “Phokian 550 BC – 461 BC”,
    “Syracusan 550 BC – 461 BC”,
    "Greek (Western) 550 BC – 461 BC",
    "Greek (Asiatic) 550 BC – 461 BC",
    “Athenian 460 BC – 381 BC”,
    “Corinthian 460 BC – 381 BC”,
    “Boiotian League 460 BC – 381 BC”,
    “Aetolian 460 BC – 381 BC”,
    “Akarnanian 460 BC – 381 BC”,
    “Phokian 460 BC – 381 BC”,
    “Syracusan 460 BC – 413 BC”,
    "Greek (Western) 460 BC – 381 BC",
    "Greek (Asiatic) 460 BC – 381 BC",
    “Athenian 380 BC – 281 BC”,
    “Corinthian 380 BC – 281 BC”,
    “Boiotian League 380 BC – 281 BC”,
    “Aetolian 380 BC – 281 BC”,
    “Akarnanian 380 BC – 281 BC”,
    “Phokian 380 BC – 281 BC”,
    "Greek (Western) 380 BC – 281 BC",
    "Greek (Asiatic) 380 BC – 281 BC",
    The Classical Greek lists have been split into several state specific lists.
    “Carthaginian 550-411 BC”,
    Extended Early Carthaginian list back to 550 BC.
    “Spartan 461-381 BC”,
    “Spartan 380-281 BC”,
    I have split the late Spartan list into two.
    “Seleucid 300-280 BC”,
    “Seleucid 279-206 BC”,
    “Ptolemaic 320-280 BC”,
    “Ptolemaic 279-167 BC”,
    “Macedonian 320-280 BC”,
    “Macedonian 279-261 BC”,
    The early Seleucid, Ptolemaic and Macedonian lists have been split into pre and post 280 BC lists. To reflect a number of changes that happened around that date: availability of Celtic mercenaries, shielded heavy cavalry, Thureophoroi replacing Iphikratean Hoplites.
    "Spartan (2nd Invasion Peloponnese) 369-368 BC",
    The Spartan army at the time of the 2nd invasion of the Peloponnese gets its own list with Spanish and Celtic troops provided by Syracuse.
    "Achaemenid Persian (Gaugamela) 331-331 BC",
    "Achaemenid Persian (Bessos) 329-329 BC",
    Two new campaign specific lists for the Achaemenid Persians.
    "Syracusan (Agathokles in Africa) 310-307 BC",
    A new campaign specific list for Syracuse.
    “Eumenes 321-316 BC”,
    A new army list for Eumenes.
    "Greek (Xenophon) 401-399 BC",
    A new army list for Xenophon's March of the Ten Thousand.

    Some changes to vanilla side names, and 15 new ones added. In some cases giving unique side names to some vanilla armies that share with other nations in the vanilla game:
    IDS_SIDENAME_36,“Skythian”, 
    IDS_SIDENAME_38,“Iberian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_600,“Celtiberian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_601,“Lusitanian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_602,“Rhoxolani”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_603,“Achaian League”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_604,“Aetolian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_605,“Boiotian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_606,“Athenian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_607,“Eleian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_608,“Saka”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_609,“Sertorian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_610,“Corinthian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_611,“Akarnanian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_612,“Phokian”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_613,“Eumenes”,
    IDS_SIDENAME_614,“Xenophon”,
    Some existing units have been renamed, of these the two Greek cavalry units have new textures:
    IDS_UNITNAME18, “Numidian Light Javelin Horse”,
    IDS_UNITNAME21, “Gallic Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME34, “Iberian Scutarii”,
    IDS_UNITNAME38, “Veteran Greek Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME104, “Greek Armoured Cavalry”,
    New units, the vast majority with new textures:
    IDS_UNITNAME401, “Italian Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME402, “Italian Citizen Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME403, “Eastern Irregular Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME404, “Eastern Light Javelinmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME405, “Eastern Massed Archers”,
    IDS_UNITNAME406, “Eastern Light Archers”,
    IDS_UNITNAME407, “Eastern Light Javelin Horse”,
    IDS_UNITNAME408, “Ligurian Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME409, “Apulian Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME410, “Italian Veteran Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME411, “Tarantine Light Javelin Horse”,
    IDS_UNITNAME412, “Illyrian Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME413, “Thracian Armored Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME414, “Macedon Chalkaspides Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME415, “Macedon Peltastai Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME416, “Macedon Agema Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME417, “Macedon Guard Xystophoroi”,
    IDS_UNITNAME418, “Seleucid Chalkaspides Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME419, “Seleucid Argyraspides Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME420, “Seleucid Xystophoroi”,
    IDS_UNITNAME421, “Agema Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME422, “Companions”,
    IDS_UNITNAME423, “Ptolemaic Regular Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME424, “Ptolemaic Agema Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME425, “Ptolemaic Xystophoroi”,
    IDS_UNITNAME426, “Mercenary Galatian Warband”,
    IDS_UNITNAME427, “Ptolemaic Guard Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME428, “Egyptian Levy Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME429, “Hispanic Heavy Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME430, “Hispanic Light Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME431, “Celtiberian Warband”,
    IDS_UNITNAME432, “Caetrati light javelinmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME433, “Heavy Caetrati”,
    IDS_UNITNAME434, “Pontic Levy Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME435, “Tarantine Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME436, “Pyrrhic Agema Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME437, “Pyrrhic Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME438, “African Light Javelinmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME439, “Libyphoenician Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME440, “Euzonoi light javelinmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME441, “Greek Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME442, “Early Cataphracts”,
    IDS_UNITNAME443, “Armenian Levy Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME444, "Raw Hastati/Principes",
    IDS_UNITNAME445, “Pedites Extraordinarii”,
    IDS_UNITNAME446, “Roman Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME447, “Soldurii”,
    IDS_UNITNAME448, “Gaesatae”,
    IDS_UNITNAME449, “Bactrian Light Horse”,
    IDS_UNITNAME450, “Graeco Bactrian Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME451, “Iranian Lancers”,
    IDS_UNITNAME452, “Graeco Bactrian Xystophoroi”,
    IDS_UNITNAME453, “Graeco Bactrian Cataphracts”,
    IDS_UNITNAME454, “Spartan Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME455, “Freed Slave Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME456, “Numidian Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME457, “Libyan Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME458, “Civic Militia Light Javelin Horse”,
    IDS_UNITNAME459, “Seleucid Cataphracts”,
    IDS_UNITNAME460, “Indo Greek Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME461, “Indo Greek Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME462, “Cretan Levy Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME463, “Nubian Mercenary Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME464, “Graeco Bactrian Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME465, “Chalybes Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME466, “Pontic Chalkaspides Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME467, "Germanic Warband (Loose Order)",
    IDS_UNITNAME468, "Germanic Warband (Close Order)",
    IDS_UNITNAME469, “Galatian Warband”,
    IDS_UNITNAME470, “Pontic Imitation Legionaries”,
    IDS_UNITNAME471, “Macedonian Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME472, “Macedonian Guard Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME473, “Macedon Leukaspides Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME474, “Ex Seleucid Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME475, “Freed Helot Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME476, “Arab Light Javelin Horse”,
    IDS_UNITNAME477, “Perioikoi Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME478, “Spartiatai Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME479, “Gladiators”,
    IDS_UNITNAME480, “Persian Heavy Chariots”,
    IDS_UNITNAME481, “Phrygian Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME482, “Phrygian light javelinmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME483, “Raw Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME484, “Lydian Raw Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME485, “Lydian Light Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME486, “Lydian Light Chariots”,
    IDS_UNITNAME487, “Thracian Swordsmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME488, “Citizen Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME489, “Greek Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME490, “Armoured Spartiatai Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME491, “Spartiatai Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME492, “Saka Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME493, “Phoenician Marines”,
    IDS_UNITNAME494, “Armoured Theban Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME495, “Theban Sacred Band Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME496, “Theban Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME497, “Theban Pike Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME498, “Carthaginian Sacred Band”,
    IDS_UNITNAME499, “Poeni Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME500, “Italian Mercenary Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME501, “1st Class Roman Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME502, "2nd & 3rd Class Roman Spearmen",
    IDS_UNITNAME503, “Mixed Class Roman Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME504, “4th Class Roman Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME505, “Roman Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME506, “1st Class Latin Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME507, "2nd & 3rd Class Latin Spearmen",
    IDS_UNITNAME508, “Mixed Class Latin Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME509, “4th Class Latin Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME510, “Italian Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME511, “1st Class Etruscan Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME512, "2nd & 3rd Class Etruscan Spearmen",
    IDS_UNITNAME513, “Mixed Class Etruscan Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME514, “Etruscan Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME515, “Devoted Foot Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME516, “Etruscan Light Chariots”,
    IDS_UNITNAME517, “Etruscan Axemen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME518, “Crescent Shield Spearmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME519, “Greek Light Javelin Horse”,
    IDS_UNITNAME520, “Iphikratean Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME521, “Theban Sacred Band Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME522, “Italian Veteran Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME523, “Italian Citizen Hoplites”,
    IDS_UNITNAME524, “Guard Apple Bearers”,
    IDS_UNITNAME525, “Persian Guard Lancers”,
    IDS_UNITNAME526, “Illyrian light javelinmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME527, “Spartan Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME528, “Rowers disguised as Hoplites ”,
    IDS_UNITNAME529, “Foot Companions Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME530, “Hypaspists Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME531, “Companion Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME532, “Agema Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME533, “Thessalian Armoured Cavalry”,
    IDS_UNITNAME534, “Agrianian Light Javelinmen”,
    IDS_UNITNAME535, “Accensi”,
    IDS_UNITNAME536, “2nd Class Etruscan Pilum Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME537, “3rd Class Etruscan Pilum Foot”,
    IDS_UNITNAME538, “Antigonid Pantodapoi Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME539, “Lysimachid Pantodapoi Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME540, “Antigonid Veteran Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME541, “Lysimachid Veteran Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME542, “Eumenes Pantodapoi Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME543, “Eumenes Veteran Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME544, “Eumenes Argyraspides Phalanx”,
    IDS_UNITNAME545, “Hypaspists Phalanx”,
      
     This is absolutely amazing.

    Robert
    hpssims.com