How do you change generals bodyguard?

[davies1994]

Hi, comrade-general sent me file replacements so that Jon Snow was my only general as Castle Black and hence the faction leader. I want to edit it again so that the bodyguard unit is infantry specifically the old ranger unit type if possible. On a side note is it possible to have no bodyguard unit and instead just the general with higher health?

[Jubal]

You can edit the leader's bodyguard in data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/descr_strat.txt - any unit you change it to also needs to have the bodyguard flag in data/export_descr_unit.txt.

You cannot remove a bodyguard unit - the lowest unit size in Rome: Total War is a base of six. There is a somewhat complex workaround using the ingame elephant designation that can permit one-person units, which is for example how we did the giants in Warhammer: Total War.

You can get plenty of guides on editing descr_strat and export_descr_unit online - I don't have time to do personalised edits like this for you, but I'm happy to give advice and help if you get stuck or more details on the one-man unit trick if you want those

[davies1994]

In the descry_strat.txt this is what I have currently:

character   Jon Snow, named character, leader, age 17, , x 46, y 157
traits GoodCommander 3 , NaturalMilitarySkill 2 , GoodDefender 4 , Austere 2 , Intelligent 2
ancillaries mentor, scribe_ancillary
army
unit      ranger_bodyguard            exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit      old_guard            exp 2 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit      rangers            exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit      roman archer            exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0

So I need to change ranger_bodyguard to old_guard_bodyguard? Also can I add any unit here i.e. northern troops or dragons to get them in game or does it not work that way? Thanks for the help.

[Jubal]

You need to change ranger_bodyguard to the appropriate unit type in export_descr_unit.txt (usually known as EDU). So in this case it would just be old_guard (though I'm not sure if they're flagged as bodyguards in EDU, you'd need to check).

You can pick any unit, as long as:

• It has the bodyguard flag in EDU
• It is available to that faction in EDU
• It, and any mounts, have appropriate skin files linked in Descr_Model_Battle.txt (DMB)

[davies1994]

Ok thanks I will have a play and see where I get

[davies1994]

With regards to editing the EDU, how do I work out which in game rome factions the different houses are based/modelled on so I know what to edit?

[Jubal]

Here's a list:

Brutii - Tully
Britons - Stannis
Dacia - White Walkers
Carthage - Dorne
Gaul - Wildlings
Germans - Dothraki
Greek Cities - Greyjoy
Julii - Stark
Macedon - Renly
Numidia - Tyrell
Parthia - Pentos
Pontus - Volantis
Scipii - Arryn
Seleucid - Targaryen
Senate - Braavos
Slave - Rebels
Spain - Lannister
Thrace - Night's Watch

[davies1994]

Amazing thanks

[comrade_general]

You can edit the leader's bodyguard in data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/descr_strat.txt - any unit you change it to also needs to have the bodyguard flag in data/export_descr_unit.txt.

I can confirm that it doesn't have to be set as a bodyguard in the edu. You can use virtually any unit for a character's bodyguard when setting it in descr_strat, as long as that faction is listed in the edu as an owner of that unit.

[Jubal]

Oh, huh. I stand corrected.

[comrade_general]

You cannot remove a bodyguard unit - the lowest unit size in Rome: Total War is a base of six. There is a somewhat complex workaround using the ingame elephant designation that can permit one-person units, which is for example how we did the giants in Warhammer: Total War.

You could use invisible soldiers for the unit only leaving the general himself visible, or only the standard bearer visible, which is what I did for Medivh in Orcs & Humans.

[davies1994]

Ok so attempt one ended in the game crashing after the raven loading screen. This is what I have done to the desc file:

character   Jon Snow, named character, leader, age 17, , x 46, y 157
traits GoodCommander 3 , NaturalMilitarySkill 2 , GoodDefender 4 , Austere 2 , Intelligent 2
ancillaries mentor, scribe_ancillary
army
unit      old_guard            exp 2 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit      old_guard            exp 2 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit      rangers            exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit      roman archer            exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit      hornfoots            exp 1 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0

In the EDU I added thrace to the ownership of the hornfoots, any ideas why its crashing?

[comrade_general]

That's all you changed? Are you using the -show_err command?

[davies1994]

I have no clue what you mean sorry. I did also add thrace ownership to the thens.

[comrade_general]

When you made the shortcut to run the game you added -mod:got -nm now also add -show_err to that list and the game should give you an error message when it crashes.