My friend Risegarro made a concept for some regional monks I want to post here.
Unlike a lot of popular cosmetic requests (like custom castles), this should be quite easy for the devs to do, because many of the sprites and assets for monks from other regions already exist in game. Additionally, there’s already a regional skin for the mesos, so it only makes sense to extend that pattern so that Africans have something a little more immersive than a bald white guy.
I mostly agree with his placements here, although I would actually stick the Khmer in the Hindu category, Poles and Magyars in the Catholic category,
As there isn’t already a sub-Saharan holy man in game, Mali could be plausibly assigned to an Imam and Ethiopia to Orthodoxy.
Lastly, I suggested to him that Celts, Vikings, Lithuanians should have a pagan priest. Romuva is a big part of the Kestutis and Algirdas campaign, and that ought to be represented. Celts could potentially remain Catholic though.
Interesting idea and I mostly agree with it, but I have my comments:
You have divided the Catholic countries into three groups (the first three from the top left): pagan (the Monk model reminds me more of an early medieval monk from the British Isles), Catholic (seems too modern for AoE 2) and Spanish (which is perfectly correct).
In my opinion, the current model of the Monk can be preserved for the Brits, Celts, Vikings and Goths - civilizations that are associated with the conquest of the British Isles by the Germanic peoples.
In my opinion, the current model of the Monk can be preserved for the:
Brits civ
Celts civ
Vikings civ
Goths civ
That civilizations are associated with the conquest of the British Isles by the Germanic peoples.
The remaining “Catholic” models of the Monk can be divided into the “rich” prelate and the “poor” parson.
Unless you are considering the pagan skins as a mod option, I would strongly advise against it. The Celt lands represented in the game were stalwart Catholic strongholds by the game times we might associate with the Castle Age (The Christianization of said lands was successful at latest by the end of late antiquity. See figures like St Patrick, or St Columba). Arguments of an Orthodox Ireland are a matter out of the scope of these forums.
The Vikings may get two unique units associated with the pirates, but unless you separate them from the Kingdom of Denmark, then they very well should retain Catholic monks. Even the pirates were known for carrying Christian priests and monks around, which played a prominent role in the conversion of the Nordic peoples, including the pirates themselves. The wars in England also sped up the process. Remember that Danish troops fought in the Crusades. From a historic perspective, the Catholic monk perfectly captures the events of the times.
As for the Lithuanians, if you do give them a pagan monk, then it should switch to a Christian monk in the Imperial Age.
I agree that the Ethiopians should have a proper Oriental Orthodox church and monk.
It would be neat if you could get random monastic orders.
Just give monks based on the building sets just like the kings are done. everyone with the european king gets the standard monk everyone with the meso king meso monk etc.
I think we could benefit from having a king model for the Western and Eastern European civilisations separate, with a Byzantine/Russian looking tsar model (See Michael of Tver hero icon for what I was thinking of) added. I agree with your suggestion for the monks to be created along the lines of the kings models more generally also. The African monk should be added for sure. To match the icon we have so far.
We also need a Pope and Orthodox Patriarch Unit for sure. A hero or special upgrade (only one creatable) for certain civilisations like maybe Italians or Byzantines
This argument does not hold. By that logic adding DLCs would crash the game with the new graphics. If you’re playing AOE2DE your PC would be capable of handling this.