KrimsonVagus wrote:
Excellent



Whew, this was hard work actually..!



Previously, I was also developing this idea for water-based factions. I got the idea cuz I noticed that the oceans regions have some basic features such as elevations, coral reefs and broken ice areas. So I thought "maybe the devs are expecting to add some water factions from the beginning?" and "Maybe the coral reefs behave the same as forests on land?" etc...



So yeah, I would love to hear your feedback on this... although I think the Winter faction is much easier to apply than the water one

But who knows, maybe the devs want to add more than one new factions in the future?

I actually see possibilities for espionage faction (since it's planned to be added) and pure military faction (BL/N/C all have twists and do not represent raw physical power).

Science based, less food, with traits allowing science to fill in their weaknesses. Winter gives science boost to all of their tiles, movement increases, and att/def boost. More unique possibilities abound. Will come back to it.

What is the point of yet another science based faction though? While colder regions do contribute positively to science, and there were two different science factions in Endless Space, why would you need/want another in this game? I would think that a winter focused faction would have a more unique playstyle than just winter themed vaulters. However, since all of the main FIDSI and playstyles have been basically taken, maybe it could have more of a general, all-around playstyle?

Adventurer_Blitz wrote:
What is the point of yet another science based faction though? While colder regions do contribute positively to science, and there were two different science factions in Endless Space, why would you need/want another in this game? I would think that a winter focused faction would have a more unique playstyle than just winter themed vaulters. However, since all of the main FIDSI and playstyles have been basically taken, maybe it could have more of a general, all-around playstyle?

I was more thinking they used science for things other than research, if that makes sense. Kind of like broken lords and dust, but with completely different implications. Less meant for science victory, more towards other things. Empire wide buffs? Science contributes to unit ability strengths? Dunno- just trying to think of something fitting into winter, but at this point, any ideas could become official additions.



But I see your point. Hrm. I do like the earlier idea of summer being their weak season, but how best to make it so? Hit chance lowered (attack) because their eyes are meant for the dark? Or just buffs during winter? Like a stealth status, adding some sneaky strategies in.

To revive a very very old idea, how about Demonic Magic Penguins? Surely they would be more adapted to winter than any sort of humanoid creature, and its always good to have variety. As per another suggestion on this thread, they would also use magic, just magic more evil/dark than the ardent mages. What do you think about it?

^ Not sure if serious.

Hey! Sorry for ressurect that topic, but it's really interressing ^^



About the Endless Legends Lore of the endless winter to come, I find the idea of a unique faction that, unlike the others factions that ultimately want to go in the outer space, will ultimately adapt (regress?) to Auriga, very cool.



Where the others races/factions would retain their racial traits and fight again the winter, each other, and the planet, these "wild werewolfs" accept the change of their bodies and mind according to their wild changing planet.



It's the "other way".

Kidding, right ? Cause We already have mages. We don't need any more mage spell slinging faction. They are like "dark mages" so arden, but darker...



Ok, no after calm down. Spells cast with science is great. So they will be underdeveloped in science, but they will have more food and dust in winter. And they can get bigger science bonuses in winter, so if they choose to not get food and dust, they will get more science. Good. That absolute Winter Immunity will make them target for fast kill. Even bigger target than Cultists.



Some good ideas. Have to build more on it. That +science on that hero is better than cultists science hero. That's too OP.

Now since food is much more scarce in the winter, from a lore-wise perspective it would (at least to me) make more sense for the faction to not consume food, or at least not traditional plants and meat food. (so perhaps like the harmony's food?) Either way though, this faction would probably not thrive in grassland, but in a colder environment such as tundra or arctic. Now how would this faction get bonuses? It would probably be unaffected by winter debuffs and have its penalties in summer removed but that isn't enough. The faction needs some strong bonuses that will allow it to become a major threat later game. Perhaps, it could have a few very strong buffs per winter, possibly random similar to the penalties other factions get randomly every winter. Or maybe they could use the empire policy to direct what bonuses they receive every winter. (as they would likely be a more barbaric faction without central government they would not get to make regular policies based on a governments decisions) And as progressing eras give better bonuses for empire policies, each era could give increasingly strong bonuses every winter to this faction. However, the faction should have some basic winter buffs anyway, probably increased attack defense, and movement for units in winter. I believe this faction could really be a unique faction, stronger than all others that people had to band together to fight, so I wouldn't think this faction would use influence. It would be even more warlike than the necrophage, maybe permanent war? As this faction (in my opinion) should have no influence, it could have bonuses for destroyed villages in each region, maybe each city could still get the pacified village bonus workers through enslavement? Anyway, this faction would be in permanent war and unable to make peace or even have a truce. And as this faction would be a major faction later, but in the beginning devoid of a lot of advantages it would later have, I think it should have a defensive bonus in the beginning at least to protect itself. Perhaps some building or faction affinity, that allowed it to have permanent winter in its capital region? Who else has ideas to the purpose and function of such a faction?

Or maybe they should eat food from sea. And sea is not affected by winter. That could make them winter immune but only partially. Like only on water titles. And they would have to have nice big drawback.... like less food from not sea.

well the idea is very good but that faction needs lots of special tech (which is only for this faciton) for example a tech which kept a river flowing (prevent it from freezing)

While it's a cool idea, I'm not sure if it would be that wise to tie a faction quite so hard to a specific biome or terrain feature, since it could wind up crippling the faction beyond playability if you're unlucky. Still, Technologies that improve terrain during Winter would make sense, but the question then is, how do you balance them?



Aquapulvistics gives you a bonus to Dust from Rivers and Seas/Lakes during the Summer, but those are both City Improvements with diminishing returns as the Winters get longer. If these Technologies make rivers keep producing/increase production of Food and/or Dust during the Winters, how do we balance keep them from becoming "must-have" buildings, or worse, breaking the game as it goes on? I suppose they could simply be a drain on Dust during the summers, but that'd make them hardly worth buying until you start getting some decent Winters, and then the drawbacks hardly matter any more...

Maybe they don't have any association with rivers, and have no unique tech to make them still produce dust in winter, or maybe they do have one but it gives a smaller amount of food and dust per turn in winter than the normal building would give other factions and either nothing in summer, or around the same amount in summer as in winter. I would imagine them as mostly focused on defense and building up their home territory in the beginning, so i'm sure they would be trying to build as many improvements that generated things like dust or food as possible.

I have several ideas for factions like this so I'll post them one by one.



The first one is exactly as you wanted (primitive barbarians).



Troglodytes



These primitive people know the hardships of Auriga's winters better than anyone else on the planet. Forced to leave their homes by the ever-hardening winters they've learned to adapt to the cold and sometimes even turn it to their advantage. Looking for warmer lands they are ready to crush anyone standing in their path. Wiser tribesman know however, that the summer won't last for long and that the winter longer than any they've seen before is coming. (I will stop here since I suck at writing background stories in English )



Affinity: Cave shelters - NO FIDS penalties during first 10 turns of winter(improved by racial quests), but -1 food on district. Underground gardens tech available 1 age earlier.



Racial tech:

• Beasts of burden (age 1) - Domesticated mammoth provide flat +8 industry bonus on city (not an improvement, available on empire after research).
• Ritual paint (age 1) - Allows to use ritual paint as accessory item on units. +1 accessory slot.
• Sacred ritual paint (age 3)- Unlocks advanced ritual paint. +1 accessory slot.
• Chieftain's banner (age 2, replaces meritocratic promotion) - +2 army limit and +2 militia in cities
  
  

Racial quest tech:

• +10 turns to winter fids penalty immunity
• +3 food on terrain during winter
• +3 science on terrain during winter
• Permanent winter immunity and +20 approval during winter (final tech)
  
  

Racial traits:

• Song of ice, only ice
• Big armies 2/2
• Pitiless
• Ice breakers - x2 fortification points loss during winter
• Pillage - conquered cities are razed, dust is gained as a % of industry cost of destroyed improvements
• Let it burn - +20 approval on empire for 10 turns after destroying a city
  
  

Units:

• Clansmen(infantry) - average hp, high damage, average attack/def/ini. Abilities: Fast 1, Glory or death 2.
• Haruspex(support) - low hp, low damage, range 3, high ini, average attack/def. Abilities: primal rage (+60% damage buff), -2 morale on target for 1 turn when attacking
• Mammoth(cavalry) - High hp, High damage, average attack/def, low ini. Abilities: City breaker 3, Slow 1, Cover 1 (+30% def to adjacent units)
  
  

Tribal paint:

Weaker accessories that cost only industry (t1). T2 offers some unique abilities.



Tier 1:

• Bravery +1 morale
• Strength +10% damage
• Cunning +10% initiative
  
  

Tier 2:

• Invincibility - killing blow reduces to 1 hp instead. Doesn't work if at 1 hp
• Nature - No terrain movement penalties and double terrain bonuses
• Spirit - debuff duration reduced by 1 (min 1), buff duration increased by 1
  
  

Hero - chieftain (cavalry, rides a mammoth). Starts with food boost 2 and army health 2, also has Slow 1 and Cover 1 as mammoth unit. I don't like the current skill tree system, I don't expect it to be changed any time soon however, so suggested trees (at least I've tried to minimize bad choices and paths):



Faction

Gatherer -> Taskmaster -> Expansionist -> Survivalist

____________________-> Recruiter -> Warmaster

• Gatherer: +4/8/14 random FIDS per turn
• Taskmaster: +1/2/3 food and industry per worker
• Expansionist: -50% settler cost
• Survivalist: +4/6/8 food on district in winter
• Recruiter: -10/20/30% unit industry cost
• Warmaster: +40/80/120 xp on unit built and +4/8/12 fortification loss recovery
  
  

Cavalry

Escapist -> Supply chain -> Slayer -> Glorious Charge

_____________________-> Reserve -> Encircle -> Great General

• Escapist - half damage when retreating
• Supply chain - can retrofit outside of friendly territory
• Slayer - +10/20/30% damage on hero
• Glorious Charge - hero gains a free action after killing a unit. Works once per round
• Reserve - +1/+2 reinforcement positions. Allows 1/2 units from the main army to be left in reserve as reinforcements
• Encircle - Units from reserve can be deployed from the side of the battlefield
• Great General - +1 morale on army
  
  

MANoob wrote:
Troglodytes



These primitive people know the hardships of Auriga's winters better than anyone else on the planet. Forced to leave their homes by the ever-hardening winters they've learned to adapt to the cold and sometimes even turn it to their advantage. Looking for warmer lands they are ready to crush anyone standing in their path. Wiser tribesman know however, that the summer won't last for long and that the winter longer than any they've seen before is coming. (I will stop here since I suck at writing background stories in English )

Hmmm... it's not bad (you need to give yourself more credit ).

MANoob wrote:


Affinity: Cave shelters - NO FIDS penalties during first 10 turns of winter(improved by racial quests), but -1 food on district. Underground gardens tech available 1 age earlier.



Racial tech:

• Beasts of burden (age 1) - Domesticated mammoth provide flat +8 industry bonus on city (not an improvement, available on empire after research).
• Ritual paint (age 1) - Allows to use ritual paint as accessory item on units. +1 accessory slot.
• Sacred ritual paint (age 3)- Unlocks advanced ritual paint. +1 accessory slot.
• Chieftain's banner (age 2, replaces meritocratic promotion) - +2 army limit and +2 militia in cities
  
  

Racial quest tech:

• +10 turns to winter fids penalty immunity
• +3 food on terrain during winter
• +3 science on terrain during winter
• Permanent winter immunity and +20 approval during winter (final tech)
  
  

Racial traits:

• Song of ice, only ice
• Big armies 2/2
• Pitiless
• Ice breakers - x2 fortification points loss during winter
• Pillage - conquered cities are razed, dust is gained as a % of industry cost of destroyed improvements
• Let it burn - +20 approval on empire for 10 turns after destroying a city
  
  

Now these, these I like. I'm not so sure about adding those "Ritual Paint" Techs as items, though. I'd make "Ritual Paint" a buff to Special Equipment (maybe lower the Strategic Resource cost or something), and then Sacred Ritual Paint unlocks a third Accessories slot and the ability to use Insignias on the Haruspex. Still, these all seem really good



What does "Song of Ice, Only Ice" and "Big Armies" do? And can we add "Igloos - No Industry loss due to Winter" to this?

MANoob wrote:


Units:

• Clansmen(infantry) - average hp, high damage, average attack/def/ini. Abilities: Fast 1, Glory or death 2.
• Haruspex(support) - low hp, low damage, range 3, high ini, average attack/def. Abilities: primal rage (+60% damage buff), -2 morale on target for 1 turn when attacking
• Mammoth(cavalry) - High hp, High damage, average attack/def, low ini. Abilities: City breaker 3, Slow 1, Cover 1 (+30% def to adjacent units)
  
  

... you had me sold at Mammoth cavalry .

MANoob wrote:


Hero - chieftain (cavalry, rides a mammoth). Starts with food boost 2 and army health 2, also has Slow 1 and Cover 1 as mammoth unit. I don't like the current skill tree system, I don't expect it to be changed any time soon however, so suggested trees (at least I've tried to minimize bad choices and paths):



Faction

Gatherer -> Taskmaster -> Expansionist -> Survivalist

____________________-> Recruiter -> Warmaster

• Gatherer: +4/8/14 random FIDS per turn
• Taskmaster: +1/2/3 food and industry per worker
• Expansionist: -50% settler cost
• Survivalist: +4/6/8 food on district in winter
• Recruiter: -10/20/30% unit industry cost
• Warmaster: +40/80/120 xp on unit built and +4/8/12 fortification loss recovery
  
  

Cavalry

Escapist -> Supply chain -> Slayer -> Glorious Charge

_____________________-> Reserve -> Encircle -> Great General

• Escapist - half damage when retreating
• Supply chain - can retrofit outside of friendly territory
• Slayer - +10/20/30% damage on hero
• Glorious Charge - hero gains a free action after killing a unit. Works once per round
• Reserve - +1/+2 reinforcement positions. Allows 1/2 units from the main army to be left in reserve as reinforcements
• Encircle - Units from reserve can be deployed from the side of the battlefield
• Great General - +1 morale on army
  
  

This actually sounds like a really good Hero, although I think he's missing that +1 Accessory Slot skill that all Hero classes get. Maybe add it as level 1 of Supply Chains, and make level 2 the "retrofit where ever you please" ability?

Buzzkillington1990 wrote:
While it's a cool idea, I'm not sure if it would be that wise to tie a faction quite so hard to a specific biome or terrain feature, since it could wind up crippling the faction beyond playability if you're unlucky. Still, Technologies that improve terrain during Winter would make sense, but the question then is, how do you balance them?



Aquapulvistics gives you a bonus to Dust from Rivers and Seas/Lakes during the Summer, but those are both City Improvements with diminishing returns as the Winters get longer. If these Technologies make rivers keep producing/increase production of Food and/or Dust during the Winters, how do we balance keep them from becoming "must-have" buildings, or worse, breaking the game as it goes on? I suppose they could simply be a drain on Dust during the summers, but that'd make them hardly worth buying until you start getting some decent Winters, and then the drawbacks hardly matter any more...

Every technology giving dust is MUST HAVE for Broken Lords.. and no one comply.

myrec wrote:
Every technology giving dust is MUST HAVE for Broken Lords.. and no one comply.

True, but Broken Lords population increases requite so much Dust that their entire expansion effort centers on it, unlike everyone else who gets passive growth from food. So it evens out for them.

The idea of a barbaric Winter-advantage Faction is neat, but plain bonuses sound a little bit boring. What about letting adaption be their great strenght? In addition to the season turn-around they could get unique techs after they met another major faction and payed some .



For example: Met: Adaption:

Roaving Clans Mobile Cities (Have to be packed)

Ardent Mages Flame of Anger (Berserk or ,Witcher´ like unit gets Ardent Flame)

Necrophages Battle Feast ( after Battles)

Wild Walkers Wild Potencial ( +1 on forests [or,TheSharing´effectinownterritory])

Broken Lords Promising Land ( Buying opulation: with directly)

Vaulters Sacred Material (Small Boost depending on strategic resource)

Cultists Lord of the tribes ( Forming Pacts with Minor Factions, either more to assimilate or reset them to aggresive)

Drakken Hunters of the Ancients (+ for all units



Of course this Adaptions have to stay pretty weak, otherwise this Faction would just stack Faction Boni. I hope you like the idea!

I'm already excited to surprise the other factions in their weakest hours. Run from the cold winds! Go barbaric Horde!



PS: I hope my english is acceptable, I'm not a native speaker.

Buzzkillington1990 wrote:
Now these, these I like. I'm not so sure about adding those "Ritual Paint" Techs as items, though. I'd make "Ritual Paint" a buff to Special Equipment (maybe lower the Strategic Resource cost or something), and then Sacred Ritual Paint unlocks a third Accessories slot and the ability to use Insignias on the Haruspex. Still, these all seem really good

Wanted to give some unique feeling to these abilities, but implementation cost wise your suggestions are better. Insignias on units might be too OP however given how powerful t3 insignias are.

Buzzkillington1990 wrote:
What does "Song of Ice, Only Ice" and "Big Armies" do? And can we add "Igloos - No Industry loss due to Winter" to this?

Songo of Ice, only Ice is a founder's pack trait giving winter movement reduction immunity and +2 speed during winter. Given that it's exclusive however might not be the best option. Can be replaced with smth similar, or just winter immunity ability on all units.

Buzzkillington1990 wrote:


This actually sounds like a really good Hero, although I think he's missing that +1 Accessory Slot skill that all Hero classes get. Maybe add it as level 1 of Supply Chains, and make level 2 the "retrofit where ever you please" ability?

Yep, totally missed that. Think it can be inserted pretty much anywhere in the tree (maybe not as the 1st ability since it's quite powerful).

Ok, posting a second faction, and you decide which one is better.



Unseelie(winter) Fae inspired.



Winterspawn



It is told that that in the cold wastelands of the far north stands a lone ice citadel. It looks abandoned, but this appearance is deceiving. Few that have seen it managed to return to tell the tale as grim masters of the fortress do not welcome visitors. With winters rapidly advancing on more lush parts of Auriga rumors start spreading about dark winged figures terrorizing the villages and abducting settlers. It seems like the Winter King has finally awoken from his centuries long slumber and this time no one will escape from his chilling grasp.



Affinity: Ice enchanters. They gain a number of spells which are usable only during winter, with a few exceptions noted below.



Racial tech:

• Cooling breeze (unlocks age 1 spells)
• Hoarfrost (unlocks age 2 spells)
• Snowfall (unlocks age 3 spells)
• Blizzard (unlocks age 4 spells)
• Avalanche (unlocks age 5 spells)
• Winter Eternal (unlocks age 6 spells)
  
  

And:

• Ice fortresses(age 1) +3 industry on district and +100 fortification on city during winter (improvement)
• Abductors (age 2) - during winter leech 20% of food production from adjacent regions unless at peace or allied
• Stormsong(age 3) - sacrifice population to reduce time to the next winter (others gonna hate them lol). Obviously works during summer
  
  

Racial quest tech:

• Advanced Forecast - Can exactly predict when winter is coming and how long it will last
• Heart of Winter - city improvement, can only be built once. Permanent winter in the region
• Weather Manipulation - Can pick exact penalties of the next winter
• Storm of the Century - Winter becomes permanent (final tech)
  
  

Racial traits:

• Children of frost - Immune to winter economy penalties
• Frostborn - can not produce settlers at summer, but half settler cost at winter
• Enemies of light - -20% attack and defense in summer unless defending a city
• Vanguards of darkness - +20% attack and defense during winter
• Keen intellect 3/3 - +3 science per worker
  
  

Units:

• Vulture knights(flyer) - Winged humanoids in dark armor, armed with either spears or swords. Low hp, high damage, high ini, high attack, low defense. Abilities : Winter immunity, Eyes of terror (take 66% damage from retaliations), Dirty fighting (+30% damage for each friendly unit flanking)
• Snow witches(support) - Ominously looking female humanoids with claws in dark clothing. Medium hp, low damage, range 3, medium ini, average attack/defense. Abilities: Winter immunity, Freezing touch (-30% ini and -1 speed on target for 1 turn), Frost shield (fortification equal to damage on friendly target)
• Ice worm(infantry) - Huge white snakelike creature that can burrow. High hp, medium damage, low ini, high defense, average attack. Abilities: Winter immunity, Burrow (flight equivalent with different animation), Fast 1, Constriction (target's speed is reduced to 0 for 1 round and it takes 10% health damage)
  
  

Hero - Knight-Captain(flyer, looks like a cooler vulture knight). Starts with army initiative 2 and science efficiency 2. Has a "Free counter" ability.



Faction



Scientific fervor -> Scientific leadership -> Production espionage -> Scientific genius

________________________________-> Production optimization -> Supreme artificer

• Scientific fervor - +10 approval and +10/20/30% industry on city for 3 turns after technology researched (no stacking)
• Scientific leadership - +1/2/3 science per worker
• Production espionage - 10/20% science leech from neighboring regions at war and cold war. 50/100% science trade route bonus at peace or alliance.
• Scientific genius - 5/10/15 science bonus per hero level
• Production optimization - 25/50% strategic resource cost reduction on units
• Supreme artificer - can buy any level 2/3 tomes without the prerequisite tech. +15/25% bonus from weapons and armor on hero.
  
  

Flyer



Flight recon -> Lightning reflexes -> Extra accessory slot -> Duelist

___________________________-> Onslaught -> Battle Dive -> Stormwind

• Flight recon - +1/+2 sight
• Lightning reflexes - +10/20/30 initiative on hero
• Duelist - +20/40/60% defense on hero against the target attacked last round
• Onslaught +5/10/15% attack and initiative on army
• Battle dive - any flying units in the army can chose "Battle dive" as an action during their turn. They will disappear from the battlefield and can be deployed in the next round anywhere on the map gaining +20% initiative for 1 round.
• Stormwind - -1 range on enemy shooters (can't be reduced below 2)
  
  

Magic



Unlike Ardent Mages, Winterspawn magic is science based. All off combat spells are called "rituals" and when a ritual is picked all empire science output is redirected to that ritual until it's complete. Thus, it is not possible to prepare resources for the ritual beforehand. Advanced rituals can take multiple turns. Ritual cost scales up with number of cities and certain rituals can have additional modifiers. Combat magic on the other hand does not cost anything at all. All spells, both combat and rituals, work only during winter unless noted otherwise.



Age 1

• Dead crops(ritual): -1 food on terrain on region for 5 turns. Works during summer. Can only be used during war or cold war.
• Dark renewal(combat) - restore 30% health on a single unit.
  
  

Age 2

• Maddening whispers(ritual): target enemy army speed is halved on the map and they receive -1 morale in combat. Only one army can be affected at a time. Cost scales based on army total industry cost. Units leaving the army will keep the debuff. Can also be cast on a city for -10 approval. Can only be used during war or cold war.
• Murder of crows(combat) - -30% initiative and damage on a single enemy unit.
  
  

Age 3

• Abduction(ritual) - transfers a single population unit between your and enemy cities of your choosing. Can only be used during war or cold war. Cost also depends on current population of the enemy city.
• Snowfall(combat): -1 speed on enemy army for 1 turn. 3 turn cooldown.
  
  

Age 4

• Hunting pack(ritual) - spawns an army of wolves (ice wargs?) in the targeted place on the map. Cost and power depend on tech level.
• Blizzard(combat) - Target and all adjacent hexes receive terrain movement penalty. All units passing through also take 20% health damage. Can not be cast over enemy deployment area. Cooldown 3 turns.
  
  

Age 5

• Ice shapers(ritual) - convert science to industry stockpiles.
• Avalanche(combat): All units on a target hex and adjacent hexes take 30% health damage and suffer -30% ini for 1 turn. Only usable once per combat not earlier than round 4.
  
  

Age 6

• Hailstorm(ritual) - deal food stock damage to a target enemy city equal to (50% of your empire science output)/(number of your cities). Also reduces approval by 30 and fortifications by 30 per turn. Can only be used during war or cold war. Max duration 10 turns and 10 turns cooldown.
• Reanimation(combat) - During 1 turn killed enemy units are raised as zombies at 30% health fighting on your side. 3 turn cooldown