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Cataph's Kraka Drak: The Norse Dwarfs

-- WH2 counterpart here: http://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1181220751 --

Here we go again. Another roster expansion, new techs, characters, skills, just like with the Southern Realms, but with less plumes and more beards. Way more beards. Excessively so, one might say.
Because we’re talking about playing as the Norse Dwarfs. Which means you’re like one of those squirrels in an ice age with snow blowing all over the place, except that you’re a dwarf and you’re in hell because everything wants to kill you and your mug is sprouting tentacles and whatthehellisgoingon.

Ah, and SURPRISE! I'm gonna chat a lot but you gotta read it because there's important stuff. *evil laughter*

The Dwarf colonist that went so far north probably spend most of their time (that is not taken by mining and beer-guzzling) fighting chaos-loving humans, their daemons BFF, truckloads of giants and trolls and disgusting Skaven from Hellpit (Clan Moulder living right beneath the dwarfs’ steel-capped boots and probably stealing their chips, and this is a legit reason on its own right to go berserk).

Some solace may come from the fact that the Norse Dwarfs were spared many of the cataclysms that put a dent in Karaz-Ankor, like the War of Beards/Vengeance. Which also means that some of the military advancements from the imperial dwarfs didn’t quite bloom for them. Namely, gunpowder and stuff. Soap, probably.
Basically, I’m assuming they instead focused on killing humies, drilling stuff and runesmithing, or mixing these things a bit. Hence their unique units. Also, inevitable influence from their direct enemies and neighbourhood make them even crazier and weird enough to wield a few swords, known Umgi weaponry.

Please note that if we exclude contradictory recent stories about their extinction, specific lore about them is quite limited: all that is known is that they are isolated, endangered (like pandas, only they fight back) and considered weird by other Dwarfs.
So I had to do some behavioural guesswork to make them interesting. While trying to put “more norse” into something that is already a 1,4m tall viking.

KEY FEATURES
- 11+ new units, replacing some default units.
- 8 Regiments of Renown*.[imgur.com]
- Custom Legendary Lord (see Tech Info) and one new Lord type!
- Customized character skills.
- New tech tree built from scratch.
- SIX new building chains.
- Appropriate Garrisons.

*unlocked via buildings, not via pool, to limit the AI.

- recommended vanilla tweak pack!

For immersion’s sake, I also renamed Khazid Bordkarag (meaningless colony) to Kraka Ravnvake (quite more important minerary hold).


Compared to Karaz Ankor, this faction was redesigned to play more aggressively in melee and relying less on artillery and missile units, with more melee specialists and zero gyrocopters. Mobility is given by vanguard units and human auxiliaries. On the campaign map, heavy focus is given on fighting Chaos with resistance to attrition and corruption.

FULL UNIT NOTES HERE



SIX new chains have been added:
- Warding Stones: quite self-explanatory, protects the region with a much needed anti-corruption effect and eventually allows recruitment of Runesmiths (without raising their caps!).
- Norscan Allies: a chain of refugee camps to offer shelter to survivors from norse allies and chaos-abhorrent tribes. Offers limited recruitment options as well. Can only be built in dwarf and norscan territories.
- Seat of Power: twin and rival to the one in Karaz-a-Karak, the King of Kraka Drak eventually gets himself a comfy and sparkly seat as well. Good for back pain and showing off.
- Okrinaduraz Mines: special mine in Kraka Ravnvake.
- Ungruvalk Channel System: a hybrid garrison/ranger building, available in Sjoktraken and Tower of Khrakk.
- Great Shrine of Kraka Ornsmotek: important Slayer shrine in Aesling Conclave.

Moreover, a fourth barracks level has been added, twin to the Hall of Oaths. Why? You can build it in one slot rather than having them split, although it won’t buff your Thanes. Gods know Kraka Drak needs it.

The idea was to shape the tech tree like a Sanctuary Rune… Well, for technical reasons I had to rotate it by 90°. Close enough.
Anyway, it’s made of 4 branches focused on:
- Anti-Chaos Warding
- Warriors
- Slayers
- Economy
Eventually converging towards the final apotheosis. Collaterally, there’s a few floating tech nodes that bring parallel buffs together with significant debuffs, so these are kinda optional.
The single nodes are stronger than vanilla dorf techs but that’s because the latter's are three times as many and I think KD needs the extra burst.

PLEASE read them HERE if you have doubts.

TECH INFO:

1. Compatibility:

The mod is compatible with pretty much everything vanilla-friendly. See Faqs for the evening report and more.

2. Campaign Unlock:

Now, this is going to sound peremptory but last time there’s been no end to questions and misinterpretations of what is actually quite a simple thing.

To play these guys in campaign you ALSO NEED an unlocker such as Crynsos’s Unlocker+ (required for special Cromson) or the basic version.
- Not needed for custom battle use or playing other factions.
- The unlocker is NOT compatible with anything else that edits startpos (other unlocks, starting positions, some LL and stuff).
- Before having to comment something like “I can’t see them in campaign” please read again above. If you still have trouble, toggle off other mods until you find the culprit, or post the mod list.
- Grudges and victory conditions are dependant on the unlock, so not my stuff nor responsibility.

- The unlock is kept separate so you can keep this mod in background for the AI and play anything else.

- I recommend using one of Dresden’s occupation mods, as you’re surrounded by non-dwarf territory.
- Screenshots taken with other mods up, so for example you might notice something from Grizzly's Varied Generals or Spartan VI's Building Icons.
- Thanks to the PFM crowd.


DISCLAIMERS
- all new units, Orgi included, are entirely fictional, e.g. I made them up: there is no direct/known/recent lore about anything I could replicate. Still, I tried to fit them into the faction and make them interesting, so hopefully they are not dwarf griffon cannon cavalry (great weapons)-levels of made up.

No claim on GW and CA content.

Don’t forget to provide feedback and rate!

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