Revia Combat Extended Redux
This mod is a substantial rework of the Revian armory and both NPC factions for the Combat Extended environment.
Struck by my passion for the Revia, and for the sake of my good friends who share that passion, I set out upon this project as an outgrowth of my [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3698289169]original intended mod[/url]. My goals are thus: to honor the danger and menace which the Revia are meant to represent; to make them competitive in a Rimworld informed by CE; to make factions that are interesting and challenging to fight without being immediately overwhelming; to have the Revia equipment be useful at every stage of the game, from the first smithy to the final spaceflight. More than anything, I want this mod to slot seamlessly into any modlist that other players may be using.
And so here we are! This will work fine with the original [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2020041005]HAR Revia Race[/url], but works best with the [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2893157989]Biotech version[/url].
Features
The entire Revia armory is updated to current CE standards, with several bugfixes and balances to their underlying mechanics. Rejoice! The Vermillion Tide will perform at the level of a persona weapon, swords can be used with shields, and ranged attacks using revia weapons will no longer cause organs to explode through impervious armor.
Adds a new ammo type to bow weapons. With tips made of palestone, the arrows are single-use and have weaker penetration than steel tips, but inflict garish wounds.
Changes the Shard Cannon to behave more like the KS-23, heavy and brutal. It uses a new idiosyncratic ammunition type, with [b]9[/b] varieties to choose from. My desire was for the gun to have the same niche of viability it has in vanilla, representing a real threat through every phase of the Industrial and into the early Spacer tiers of gameplay, without betraying the principles which the Revia strive for: bloodshed and brutality.
The new cannon ammos are:
[list]
[*] Flechettes, of the common dart type. The normal type is unimpressive in all ways, but they can be envenomed to deliver a special toxin that induces excessive pain and heart trauma to the victims. This is the Revia's answer to the desire for "less lethal" munitions.
[*] Shredder flechettes, which inflict the grievous Gash damage type. Can be made of steel to serve the same as buckshot, or made of plasteel and uranium to threaten even power armored targets as the weapon does in vanilla.
[*] Palestone shrapnel, having low penetration with a high damage potential, but throwing out the fragments in a massive cone. An efficient solution to tribal problems.
[*] Slugs. You know what these are. Offer almost the same range as many carbines.
[*] Sabot penetrators. Another plasteel and uranium munition, firing a single projectile. While their DPS is nominally unimpressive, they can be upgraded using blood runes to either inflict a berserk curse with their wounds, or deliver a significant EMP discharge on target.
[/list]
Integrations have been made with numerous other mods, to fully realize the Marauder and Templar factions. With any relevant mods (a list is provided in Discussions!):
The Marauders will demonstrate a robust medieval flavoring according to their original intent; they will come hard and fast with new tactics more suitable to CE. Expect Berserkers to be effectively immune to suppression!
The Templars have a much expanded roster, providing a smoother progression of threat level from self-equipped industrial militias, through organized military forces, up to the power-armored terrors we love and fear. PawnKinds for Ideology's work camp system have been implemented. Templar merchants now sell revia weapons and ammo.
Important Mod Integrations
[url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2842502659]Vanilla Psycasts Expanded[/url] makes both factions [i]much more dangerous.[/i] Since the Biotech version of the Revia can produce bloodstone artifacts that make Revia into psycasters, this mod liberally expands access to psycasts among appropriate elite troops. Any Revia wearing prestige armor will be insanely dangerous to the unprepared.
[url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=849231601]Rimsenal: Augmented Vanilla[/url] provides several weapons that hit the exact flavor that my cabal of advisors believe to resonate with the Revian ethos. With this mod, several unique pawnKinds will join the Templar faction.
[url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2454918552]Vanilla Weapons Expanded - Tribal[/url] provides several items useful to the Marauder faction, especially in combination with [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3284460811]The Generic Ammo Experience.[/url]
[url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3674332861]Giddyup2[/url] is directly supported, and has integration with the Marauder faction especially.
With the [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2023507013]VE Framework[/url], I have [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3703565068]another mod that offers Revia Mercenaries[/url] from this mod for hire.
Other Recommended Mods
Consider using [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3706928239]Sneaky Bastard[/url] if you want the Revia to be even more competitive in the CE environment. 9-tailed Revia can manage a surprisingly high chance to dodge bullets even when in full plate armor!
[url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3304694092]Buffs 'n Nerfs[/url] and [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3632165787]Less Than Medieval Overhaul[/url] both enhance the Marauders indirectly, and helps to justify their place on the Rimworld.
The esteemed [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3344566457]Layers: Capes and Armor[/url] and my mod [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3664118936]Face Masks Are Masks[/url] are both useful for having equipment as seen in the preview image above.
TBD
--unique sprites for the new ammo types
--integrate gear from more mods (tasty armories?)
--implement new settlement generation maps (eg. temple complex Templar bases)
--investigate using C# for better back compatibility with HAR version
Credits
Textures in the preview above belong in part to [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3142300372]SGG1 and their beautiful mods[/url], and to [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3543386604]Stoke's welcome improvement to capes and hoods[/url].
To FoxwithaShotgun and the Revia, my adoring affection and sacrifice. To Шашлычник, DrNoLegs, Lost, and everyone who has worked on the Biotech version, they have my undying gratitude for keeping the dream alive.
To the Combat Extended team, whose diligence in providing for the community remains unabated, I give my thanks and my respect. It is their plate helmet and tac vest textures in the preview, and their shell sprites currently in use.
To my friends who encouraged me along this project, I hope the raids this mod will bring to your colonies provide suitably exquisite pain.
