Khalifate Unit Descriptions

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Skrim
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Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Skrim »

Hello all.

As the Khalifate faction have been mainlined, I've begun a project to write new unit descriptions for them. Most of their units lack descriptions or have rather poor old ones, but whatever scraps of lore I could glean from those descriptions have implemented here. Given this, I'll be shelving the Magic Compendium for a while though...

Anyway, so far I've done the level 1 units. After this I might do a race description and then the higher level units. Here they are:
Arif:
The swordsmen of the Khalifate are known as Arif, and use entirely different weapons and tactics to those of their Wesnothian counterparts. Instead of trying to attack frequently, Arif, given the initiative, will take the time to predict their enemy's evasive movement and strike with force when the moment is right. This tradeoff of speed for precision make the Arif particularly dangerous foes for those combatants whose defense relies on not getting hit.



Jundi:
The Jundi are the basic warriors of the Khalifate peoples, clad in light armor, with no special training. Being hillmen who use axes to chop wood and bows to hunt game, it follows naturally that they also use the same implements for war.



Naffat:
Naffats are a unique creed of Khalifate warriors, arsonist archers who use incendiary weapons to sow havoc amidst enemy ranks. While they generally attack from a distance with flaming arrows, they are not afraid to use fire as a weapon of close combat either, spitting raw flame from strange devices - much to the terror of their foes.



Hakim:
While the Khalifa people appear to lack magic of any sort, their knowledge of mundane medicine is great. Elders among their race who are too old or frail to fight in direct combat, but have accrued a great knowledge of the arts of healing, are called Hakim. Despite their frailty, they are still of capital use on the battlefield, treating injured soldiers and restoring them to combat readiness with astounding efficiency.



Rami:
The Rami are the horse archers of the Khalifate, as adept at shooting from the backs of moving horses as most novice Wesnothian bowmen would be at shooting from stable ground. This skill at archery however comes at the cost of being poor in close combat, and as such most Rami would prefer to use the speed of their horses to evade assailants, rather than attempt to fight from a weaker position.



Khaiyal:
'Khaiyal' is the term with which the Khalifate refer to their heavy cavalry units. These horsemen are very different from their Wesnothian counterparts, for their horses have neither the speed nor the stamina to make repeated charging attacks. Instead, the Khaiyal make a single powerful charge, using their lances and the sheer momentum of their horses to deal as much damage as possible before wheeling back to defend against counterattacks. Alternatively, they may use the height and speed of their horses to increase the power of their mace attacks, conserving stamina to make multiple assaults in relatively quick succession.



Falcon:
The Khalifa people have tamed the falcons of the southern wilderness, and train them to fight one another for entertainment. However, when war is brought upon the Khalifate, the brave and loyal falcons can be made to fight for their masters against all manner of foe and fiend.

Old unit descriptions:
Arif:
The Arif form the backbone of any Khalifate foot advance. They are often sent against fortified enemy positions where their valor and skill with a sword allows them to assault seemingly inpenetrable defenses.



Hakim:
Hakim use their knowledge of ancient medicine and herbal concoctions to quickly bring the Khalifate soldiers back to the front lines.



Jundi:
The Khalifate uses these Hillmen as their foot force. They are versatile and excel in hilly terrain.



Khaiyal:
The Khaiyal wear truly heavy armor, and thus close with a single high impact lance charge in order to save their poor horses’ stamina before switching over to their trusty maces.



Naffat:
Naffat frequently use burning arrows to set fire to enemy fortifications and generally sow terror amongst the enemy. Such tactics may also have other uses in a land of many strange wonders...



Rami:
Rami are excellent horsemen and few can shoot as well from horseback as they. They love to circle and harass enemies from afar while using their superior speed to avoid heavy counter attack..



Falcon:
N/A
Comments and suggestions are welcome. The faction-wide traits, like their impact weakness, preference for hills and deserts would be mentioned in their race description, and not individual unit descriptions.
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hhyloc
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by hhyloc »

Warning: I'm neither a native English speaker nor a good writer, so take my comment with a grain of salt.
Skrim wrote:Khaiyal:
'Khaiyal' is the term with which the Khalifate refer to their heavy cavalry units. These horsemen are very different from their Wesnothian counterparts, for their horses have neither the speed nor the stamina to make repeated charging attacks. Instead, the Khaiyal make a single powerful charge, using their lances and the sheer momentum of their horses to deal as much damage as possible before wheeling back to defend against counterattacks. Alternatively, they may use the height and speed of their horses to increase the power of their mace attacks, conserving stamina to make multiple assaults in relatively quick succession.
Maybe you should change the word term into something like name, term sounds too "techical" IMHO.
Also, the Khaiyal doesn't have the charge ability in their attack so may I propose a minor change to your description:
Instead, the Khaiyal make a single powerful blow, using their lances and the sheer momentum of their horses to deal as much damage as possible before wheeling back to defend against counterattacks.
Skrim wrote: Hakim:
While the Khalifa people appear to lack magic of any sort, their knowledge of mundane medicine is great. Elders among their race who are too old or frail to fight in direct combat, but have accrued a great knowledge of the arts of healing, are called Hakim. Despite their frailty, they are still of capital use on the battlefield, treating injured soldiers and restoring them to combat readiness with astounding efficiency.
The Hakims are weak in combat doesn't mean they are elders, their melee attacks are pretty strong compare to the Mage or Elvish Shaman so I wouldn't call them old or frail. They are more like medic in modern war I think.

Hope this help :)
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Skrim
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Skrim »

hhyloc wrote:Maybe you should change the word term into something like name, term sounds too "techical" IMHO.
Also, the Khaiyal doesn't have the charge ability in their attack so may I propose a minor change to your description.
Changing 'term' to 'name' would change the meaning a bit. Khaiyal probably means 'horseman' or something in the Khalifa language, it's not a name. It's a word, a term.
Also, just because the Khaiyal doesn't have the ability 'charge' doesn't mean it doesn't charge. But for clarity's sake, I'll make the following edit:
Khaiyal:
'Khaiyal' is the term with which the Khalifate refer to their heavy cavalry units. These horsemen are very different from their Wesnothian counterparts, for their horses have neither the speed nor the stamina to make repeated charging attacks. Instead, the Khaiyal make a single powerful offensive thrust, using lance and horse together to deal as much damage as possible before wheeling back to defend against counterattacks. Alternatively, they may use the height and speed of their horses to increase the power of their mace blows, conserving stamina to make multiple assaults in relatively quick succession.

As for the Hakims... I thought I had seen that they were elders somewhere, but I guess I had just messed it up with the Elder Falcon inside my head somehow. :doh:
Gotta change that.
Hakim:
While the Khalifa people appear to lack magic of any sort, their knowledge of mundane medicine is great. Those individuals amongst them who have dedicated their lives to the practice of such arts are called Hakim. Despite their lack of combat training, they are still of capital use on the battlefield, treating injured soldiers and restoring them to combat readiness with astounding efficiency.
'Efficiency' is also a modern sounding word, but I think I'll leave that in unless someone gives me a more Wesnothian-sounding suggestion which I like better.

More comments are welcome.
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A-Red
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by A-Red »

I think efficiency sounds fine, but you might also consider efficacy if you think it fits the flavor of the game world better. They both come almost directly from Latin, though--neither is modern.
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Araja »

In my opinon, "efficacy" just looks like the writer tried to spell "efficiency" and failed. I don't think I've ever seen that word before, and would certainly have taken it a spelling mistake if I saw it in-game.
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Skrim
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Skrim »

"Efficacy" is a word, yes. It doesn't work better than "efficiency" here (its meaning is different), but it is a word.
The wiktionary meaning is: "Ability to produce a desired amount of a desired effect."
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by johndh »

To me, "efficiency" brings to mind numbers and calculations, which seems closer to the callous and deliberate killing style of an assassin. I'd opt for a more flavorful description of what it's actually doing. Does he dash between enemies, making rapid attacks? Does he use gravity and elevation to his advantage for a heavier swing? Does the elevation make it easier to hit enemies in the head?
It's spelled "definitely", not "definately". "Defiantly" is a different word entirely.
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Scatha »

But "efficiency" was used of the healing ability, not of an attack ...
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Skrim
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Skrim »

^ Yes, exactly.

And besides, johndh, you may notice that I already used something like the style you mentioned on the Arif and Khaiyal descriptions.
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Skrim
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Skrim »

Some more unit descriptions, for the level 2 and 3 advancements of the Khaiyal and Hakim.
Tabib:
Having been exposed to combat and forced to defend themselves, some Hakim have gained skill in the use of mace and shield, and have become warriors in their own right. These men, called Tabibs, are equally capable of dealing death to their foes, and preserving the lives of their allies.

Furthermore, while magical healers may be limited by not being able to cast rejuvenation spells on their own bodies, the mundane Tabibs have no such hindrances. If injured in combat, a Tabib will not hesitate to use his own concoctions and remedies on himself, allowing him to persist where others would have fled.




Faris:
The elite cadre among the Khaiyals, known as the Faris, are marked in battle by the experience that has made them ever deadlier with lance and mace, and by the heavy mail armor in which they are draped. This armor can stop arrows and soften blows in melee, but its sheer bulk hinders the mobility of the Faris, and they are hence no longer capable of climbing mountains or maneuvering through swamps like their lighter compatriots. Nevertheless, the Faris consider this sacrifice to be trivial compared to the power they have gained, and no one who has ever witnessed them in combat would reasonably be able to disagree.




Mufariq:
The greatest among the ranks of the Faris are given the title of Mufariq. They are granted the most powerful horses and the most durable armor the Khalifate have to offer, and with horse and rider covered head to toe in mail, the Mufariq make fearsome sights indeed. Using their experience and the power of their horses, they are able to make their signature lance thrusts much faster than most other Faris, striking, disengaging and striking again to devastate and demoralize their foes. Furthermore, their skill with the mace is second to none, and should they choose to use this weapon, the trouble their opponents face is just as great.




Qanas:
The Qanas are a strange creed of Khalifate horsemen, with diverse origins and varying talents. Some of them were once Khaiyal who sought a manner to defend themselves at range against enemy archers, and took up the bow at the expense of forgoing practice with the lance; others were Rami who took up the mace as a weapon of close combat when long range attacks with arrows proved insufficient. As a result, these cavalry units' skill in fighting at all ranges allows them to harass their foes with little or no scope for retaliation, and leave them weakened so that friendly infantry or heavy cavalry may defeat them in detail.




Hadaf:
The elite most amongst the Qanas are called Hadaf, and these horsemen are draped in thick armor similar to that of the Faris, with the resultant improvement in survivability traded against a loss of mobility. As such, the Hadaf frequently operate in conjunction with their lance-armed compatriots, using their arrows and bludgeons to deal the initial strikes against the defenders, weakening them to the point where a single thrust of heavy cavalry could overrun the position entirely. The Hadaf however, are nothing if not versatile, and may just as often be seen screening retreating allies, scouting enemy positions, rushing isolated targets, and otherwise achieving objectives in situations where more specialized combatants would have failed.
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Last edited by Skrim on May 14th, 2011, 9:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by johndh »

Scatha wrote:But "efficiency" was used of the healing ability, not of an attack ...
Derp. :doh: That's what I get for not paying attention. For some reason I thought we were talking about the cavalryman with the mace. In that case, I would think efficiency works fine. I had the thought of rewording it to say that they cure wounds that nobody would expect to be treatable, but that sounds more fitting for a higher-level healer. If there's a level 3, maybe he can even stitch severed limbs. :wink:
It's spelled "definitely", not "definately". "Defiantly" is a different word entirely.
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Scaeb »

I was wondering, where I could find sprites of the Kalifate? It's not in 1.9.6 yet.
Also, I cannot imagine where they are located in the Wesnoth world... How will they be fit in there?
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Crendgrim »

Scaeb wrote:I was wondering, where I could find sprites of the Kalifate? It's not in 1.9.6 yet.
They are. $INSTALL_DIR$/data/core/images/units/khalifate/
Scaeb wrote:Also, I cannot imagine where they are located in the Wesnoth world... How will they be fit in there?
Look at this thread: Where Khalifate is


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Scaeb
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Scaeb »

I messed it up, I actually looked in my 1.9.5 dir... o.O Thx.
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Skrim
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Re: Khalifate Unit Descriptions

Post by Skrim »

Some more descriptions, advancements of the Arif and Rami.
Saree:
Saree are those Khalifate riders who have dedicated themselves to perfecting the art of horseback archery. These experienced Rami wear light armor and ride the fastest horses known to the Khalifa people, using their speed to move swiftly along the lines of battle, while showering their foes with deadly arrows. While the composite bows wielded by the Saree do not have the power of full longbows, they are compact enough to be used conveniently on horseback, whereas a longbow would be unwieldy and cumbersome.
Though the Saree are formidable in ranged combat, they have forgone practice in melee, and are vulnerable if caught at close quarters.



Jawal:
Jawal are the master horse-archers of the Khalifate, who have reached a peak of skill in the use of the bow from horseback. The archery prowess attained by these riders rivals even that of the Elves, and easily exceeds that of all but the very finest of Wesnoth's bowmen - despite having to fire at speed from horseback, without the luxury of time that most archers need to aim their shots. They counteract the limited power of their compact composite bows by unleashing a great volume of fire, shooting at speeds that some would consider to be impossible for any human to achieve. Khalifate commanders will thus only call upon these horsemen only in situations of dire need, for the supply of arrows they need is often difficult to come by in the great deserts of the south.



Ghazi:
Arif who have been exposed to heavy combat and survived are promoted to the rank of Ghazi. As a result of their experience, they have improved upon the tactics they had used as novices, and have gained skill with the sword. In addition, the Ghazi have learned deceptive combat maneuvers, fooling their enemies into assuming that they have taken a defensive stance before bashing them with their heavy shields, leaving the unfortunate foe concussed and disoriented, weakened for the kill.



Shuja:
Khalifate master swordsmen are known as Shuja, and form an elite creed among the order of the Arif. The skill they have accrued makes them still stronger in the use of sword and shield, and in the shock tactics with which they wield them. They are rightly feared by their foes, for the Shuja allow their opponents only the slimmest chance of evasion or escape, and will not relent in their assault.



Khalid:
The Khalid are a legend amongst the Khalifa, with tales told of superhuman swordsmen who predict their foes' actions in a flash and strike them down before they can lift a finger. Attempting to evade the onslaught of the Khalid is impossible, to retreat is futile, and to attack them is an act of suicide.
Fortunately for the enemies of the Khalifate, such men are rare sights indeed.
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