Armchair Dragoons Forums

Wargaming => Pre-Gunpowder => Topic started by: Martok on August 20, 2019, 10:23:14 PM

Title: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on August 20, 2019, 10:23:14 PM
About damn time! 





https://store.steampowered.com/app/736820/Knights_of_Honor_II__Sovereign/


Quote
Become the King and wrestle over control of Europe in this fresh take on medieval real-time grand strategy.
Sovereign includes all the depth players desire while being the gate-way game to the grand strategy genre, presenting the world as a
living, breathing miniature, alive and ripe for the taking. Choose your royal court carefully and determine the destiny of your people,
be it riches, conquest, intrigue, trade, or defeat! Raise armies to defend your lands or take war to the enemy - even jump into
battle directly in action-packed RTS combat. The path is open: become the true Sovereign of your people.


Features

    Accessible Grand Strategy - All the depth of religion, diplomacy, city development, and more, with none of the confusion
   
    Real-Time Gameplay - Medieval Europe comes alive, no turns needed
   
    Royal Court - Appoint Marshalls, Clerics, Merchants, Diplomats, and Spies to exert your will across the land
   
    RTS Battles - Lead your armies directly in riveting RTS engagements
   
    Robust Multiplayer - Join with multiple friends to take on the challenges of medieval Europe


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: mirth on August 20, 2019, 10:28:47 PM
hawt
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on August 21, 2019, 12:41:54 AM
Yeah, this one went right to the top of my Steam wishlist (just below 3K:TW and AoW: Planetfall).  I'm definitely stoked. 
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bbmike on August 21, 2019, 06:15:57 AM
Yeah, this one went right to the top of my Steam wishlist (just below 3K:TW and AoW: Planetfall).  I'm definitely stoked.

+1  :bigthumb:
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Anguille on May 08, 2020, 08:52:06 AM
One of my all-time favorite games (i must admit i haven't played it in a while). Can't wait to see it coming.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on May 09, 2020, 05:00:24 AM
Same here, man.  :) 

You heard anything yet about a release date?  Last I knew it was still coming out this year, but that was a while ago.  (And goodness knows how badly COVID has upset release plans for a lot of stuff.) 
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bbmike on May 09, 2020, 08:06:24 AM
I've heard towards the end of this year.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on July 13, 2022, 05:39:38 AM
[Martok casts Greater Thread Resurrection, Greater Thread Restoration]  (Sorry, I don't think I'll be able to top bbmike's awesome necromancy image. :notworthy: ) 






After a period of quiet, Black Sea Games are back with a new dev diary, and it looks like one a lot of folks have been looking forward to -- Intro to Tactical Battles: 


https://community.knightsofhonor.com/index/dev-diaries/devdiary-28-intro-to-tactical-battles-r36/




My current overall impression is that combat looks good. though of course there are some possible caveats: 


-  Battles look decent from a visual perspective.  There's something about them that reminds me of old-school RTS skirmishes, but overall no complaints. 

-  Combat is obviously won't be on the same scale as in Total War battles, but that's to be expected.  The devs have said from the beginning that they wanted to continue the original game's focus more on grand-strategy, and didn't want combat to dominate the game, which I respect. 

-  That being said, battles won't necessarily be small affairs, either:  Players can control 2 armies, and sometimes 3 (consisting of local defensive troops); and each army can have up to 8 squads, *plus* the commanding noble's cavalry squad. 

-  Fortifications (towers, gates, wall, etc.) can have a big impact in siege battles, but how much so is affected by how worn down they are by siege on the campaign map:  The longer a town/castle has been under siege, the less powerful fortifications will be. 

-  Even though the game pauses when combat commences, armies headed towards a battle can enter it as reinforcements.  Similarly, you can deliberately call in nearby armies as reinforcements as well.  I'm not sure how well this will work in practice, but it sounds pretty damn cool in theory. 




(https://i.imgur.com/TIFbq4A.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/AKAWX7d.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/Mt9suJd.jpg)




Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bbmike on July 13, 2022, 08:27:00 AM
Looks like the combat might be similar to Age of Wonders III and that would be okay with me.  :bigthumb:
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on July 13, 2022, 10:42:14 AM
GIG UH TEE
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on July 16, 2022, 04:35:25 AM
Dev-stream from a couple days ago.  We get our first glimpse of the tactical battles, and an extended look at the game in general.  8) 


https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1531602904


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on July 17, 2022, 11:43:31 AM
Thank you - I am thinking that a release this year is looking more and more...unlikely :/

What do you think Martok?
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on July 18, 2022, 06:01:01 AM
Unfortunately, I reached the same conclusion you did, Gus.  :(  Going by both the pace at which they've been releasing dev diaries, combined with some of the comments they made in the above video, it strikes me as pretty improbable that the game is coming out this year still.  I'm not completely ruling out the possibility just yet, but I wouldn't bet money on a 2022 release if I were a gambler. 


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on July 18, 2022, 09:14:50 AM
I'm going to try to watch some of that video today. it's worth watching?
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on July 20, 2022, 02:28:58 AM
You can now apply to participate in the beta!  :D 


https://beta.knightsofhonor.com/



Interesting that they're starting a (presumably) larger beta now.  Depending on how long they're planning it last, it does make me wonder if they're going to try and release the game this year still after all?  Seems like it'd be a bit rushed, but what do I know.  :notme: 




I'm going to try to watch some of that video today. it's worth watching?

I'd say so, yes.  It gives a decent overview of the game, and how well it's likely to appeal to you.  The vid gives you a pretty good feel for both the general gameplay, and the combat more specifically.  You needn't watch the whole thing either IMO; I skipped around a fair bit (especially the parts where the devs are just sitting there talking). and the loss seemed to be pretty minimal, to be honest. 


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on July 20, 2022, 07:03:42 AM
Holy crap - thanks for posting. Going to see if I can get in on the public beta. And I did skip around in the above video…it was ok. Something about Discord videos like that dull my senses after a while.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on July 20, 2022, 12:55:30 PM
You're welcome, Gus.  Good luck with getting in the beta! 


And I agree about the Twitch video format, which is indeed one reason why I was skipping around in it.  I don't know why that should make a difference, but it does. 

Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on July 20, 2022, 05:32:56 PM
Sorry Twitch...but I bet it could be applied to Discord too.

Get off my lawn!
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: W8taminute on July 25, 2022, 11:45:20 AM
Subscribed
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on October 06, 2022, 04:51:09 AM
DevDiary 29 – Political View: 


https://community.knightsofhonor.com/index/dev-diaries/devdiary-29-%E2%80%93-political-view-r37/




Damn, this is looking good.  Appreciate the functionality they're adding to the map as well -- some shameless stealing from the Crusader Kings series, but adding their own twists. 


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bbmike on October 06, 2022, 08:19:31 AM
 :bigthumb:
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bob48 on October 06, 2022, 08:35:17 AM
Looks a lot like CK to me  ???
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on October 07, 2022, 03:59:32 AM
^  I think we may safely assume that is not a coincidence.  ;) 


Though to be fair, the strategic/political map in the first KoH game looks fairly similar to that in the current game as well.  What we're seeing in the sequel is probably more an evolution/iteration of that, rather than any Crusader Kings influence (though a certain degree of that is inevitable as well). 


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bob48 on October 07, 2022, 06:29:13 AM
Fair comment  :bigthumb: I have CK but not really played it. I should have another go.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on October 07, 2022, 08:25:11 AM
Any release date info?
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bob48 on October 07, 2022, 08:41:47 AM
^Your CK AAR's were great entertainment.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on October 07, 2022, 09:30:35 AM
Ahhhh good old oberto eventually became duke of Barcelona until the save corrupted
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on October 09, 2022, 04:11:18 PM
Any release date info?

Nothing announced yet, although it's pretty clear at this point the game won't be coming out until sometime in 2023. 

(And given how the release of Superpower 3 has gone -- a whopping 8% "Overwhelmingly Negative" on Steam -- publisher THQ Nordic is going to be particularly leery about rushing another game out the door.) 




Ahhhh good old oberto eventually became duke of Barcelona until the save corrupted

Still one of the best AAR's I've ever read -- if not *the* best.  :notworthy: 


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bob48 on October 09, 2022, 04:46:09 PM
^ :bigthumb:
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on October 09, 2022, 06:28:07 PM
The waiting is crushing me.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on October 10, 2022, 07:14:44 PM
While I'm not exactly thrilled about the delay either, the release of Distant Worlds 2 and Warhammer 3 (not to mentioned the aforementioned Superpower 3) are object lessons in what happens when a game gets released too soon.  I am content to wait. 


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on October 11, 2022, 12:23:26 AM
With great age comes great patience
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bob48 on October 11, 2022, 06:42:59 AM
..stop farting about 'geek, and get on with it...............
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on October 11, 2022, 11:09:05 AM
(https://i.pinimg.com/474x/3c/07/61/3c0761dfb3c08ed82200617a15de6cfa.jpg)
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bob48 on October 11, 2022, 11:45:08 AM
By heck!  You're looking well - the meds are working, then.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Anguille on October 11, 2022, 01:16:23 PM
Looks a lot like CK to me  ???
It's very different. I personally prefer KoH.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on October 11, 2022, 04:17:18 PM
Thanks Bawb - it even changed my eye color.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on November 02, 2022, 08:26:05 PM
DevDiary 30 - Tuning the AI: 


https://community.knightsofhonor.com/index/dev-diaries/devdiary-30-tuning-the-ai-r38/




Still no release date.  :( 


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on November 02, 2022, 09:37:09 PM
^Thank you for posting. I've been burning through games lately, retrying ones that I've left behind for a long while and have uninstalled 4-5 in the last few days that just didn't grab me outright or I have lost interest in after being away from them for too long. Even though there's no release date here for KoH2, the post has bolstered my flagging gaming mojo.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on November 03, 2022, 04:51:57 PM
You're welcome, Gus.  Glad I could help.  :cowboy: 




This might cheer you up a bit further:  The devs just posted another video showing off the game -- they start talking around the 3:00 mark, and actual game footage begins around the 11:00 mark: 

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1642339064


Yes, it's Twitch and not YouTube, which kinda sucks.  But the one dev drops an interesting tidbit around the 8:00 mark, where he hints they'll be announcing the release date soon, and that it's probably going to be much sooner than folks are anticipating.  I'm wondering if that means KoH2 is still coming this year after all?  I don't know if I dare hope... 


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on November 03, 2022, 08:29:24 PM
^WHAT?? I must watch all of the above even if it's over an hour! If it's released this year I will be besides myself with joy.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Anguille on November 15, 2022, 09:41:07 AM
6th of december  8)

https://www.facebook.com/KnightsOfHonorGame (https://www.facebook.com/KnightsOfHonorGame)
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on November 15, 2022, 10:42:43 AM
^I love you.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on December 03, 2022, 10:16:36 AM
this on the 6th, Dwarf Fortress on the 6th, MoM on the 13th

i know a moustachioed old man i can rent out for christmas - you can do what you like with him, price to be discussed
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: bob48 on December 03, 2022, 11:57:00 AM
No thanks, we already have one.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on December 03, 2022, 12:37:42 PM
Sssssssh quiet you - get your gimp suit
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on December 03, 2022, 12:47:42 PM
1.99 per hour and not a penny more.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on December 03, 2022, 01:00:34 PM
I reckon about 55 hours gets me all 3 games
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on December 03, 2022, 09:28:44 PM
^Correct! Let's do this. Wake up, Bawb!
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on February 09, 2023, 11:17:58 AM
Having looked at atilla 1212 to fire up a ‘grown up’ Genoa campaign I realise now a huge difference between KoH and TW - not that the two are competitors - but in KoH there is a just and real reason to go to war with someone - you need stone for the monasteries, war horses for the elite cavalry, wool for the clothing trade whereas TW is just a land grab - take this for 5000 gold and so on - them I find the difference much more immersive on the KOH side and may struggle to revisit TW - we’ll see
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: W8taminute on February 09, 2023, 12:01:23 PM
Interesting thoughts Ucg.

I agree that KOH2 is a much more immersive game than the TW series games are.  My comment is that KOH2 takes a lot of brainpower resources to manage everything whilst the TW series of games can be played somewhat on autopilot.

Why does this even matter?  After a long day at work I find that my brain is burnt out so some games can only be played on the weekend when my mind is fresh.  I hope that makes sense.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on February 09, 2023, 12:36:13 PM
Absolutely makes sense - sometimes it’s just about chilling out, I get it
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on February 09, 2023, 01:59:19 PM
As a long time TW fan boi, I begrudgingly agree. I got sucked into my Croatia KoH2 campaign, finally won it, then attempted to play an Attila 1212 campaign as Bulgaria…where I got bored after a few turns and stopped. KoH2 has that certain something, even though on the surface it appears simpler.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: W8taminute on February 09, 2023, 03:12:13 PM
As a long time TW fan boi, I begrudgingly agree. I got sucked into my Croatia KoH2 campaign, finally won it, then attempted to play an Attila 1212 campaign as Bulgaria…where I got bored after a few turns and stopped. KoH2 has that certain something, even though on the surface it appears simpler.

I feel ya brother on the begrudgingly agreeing part.  Sometimes it's hard to let go of our personal favorite games that we are totally in love with when a new game comes along. 

It's like if you were dating Farah Fawcett and no other woman could compare, it would be hard to let her go if a Pamela Anderson came along saying she'd like to date you.  Oh hell, who am I kidding... ;D
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on February 09, 2023, 08:45:38 PM
^On that note, is KoH2 moddable at all? Are there any plans for future content from the developers?
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on February 10, 2023, 03:34:16 AM
The next release that seems to be taking a while is promised to have modding support
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on February 10, 2023, 09:04:40 AM
^Nice.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on February 10, 2023, 09:18:10 AM
It’ll be interesting to see what happens

I imagine more factions and more resources

Maybe a few extra units
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on February 10, 2023, 02:31:27 PM
I hope so. Maybe a new era beginning in 1500? Would not be out of the question. KoH2: Gunpowder!
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on February 10, 2023, 03:28:17 PM
I still need to pick this one up.  I was kinda waiting for a sale, and more polish/QoL improvements, but it's very much still near the top of my wishlist. 



Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on February 11, 2023, 02:17:42 PM
DO IT - after getting my arse kicked by it in two earlier campaigns, things fell into place and I loved that Croatia campaign. I feel like KoH2 and The Great War: Western Front will be on my hard drive for 20+ years. Maybe SpellForce: Conquest of Eo as well.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on July 01, 2023, 03:02:24 AM
Well I did finally grab this one.  Picked it up for just $20.00 at Fanatical, thanks to the sale plus a coupon.  Gonna see about firing it up this weekend. 




Incidentally, it looks like I picked a good time to get it in more ways that one, as another major update (version 1.4.0) just dropped... 

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/736820/view/3683429634505149030



Black Sea Games talks about the update in their latest dev diary: 

https://community.knightsofhonor.com/index/dev-diaries/devdiary-34-update-14-catholicism-and-diplomacy-r42/



Their focus this time around was on improvements to religion and diplomacy.  Specifically, Catholic kingdoms who's former cleric has become Pope will gain access to interesting new options & abilities.  Similarly, new diplomatic options -- particularly the ability to form vassals from lands you've conquered but remain irritatingly unruly -- sounds like they should be welcome additions. 


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Undercovergeek on July 01, 2023, 03:32:08 AM
Excellent - it was actually a negative to become pope earlier because you lost your kick ass priest and there was no compensation

Liking these improvements
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on July 01, 2023, 07:57:44 AM
Yes I too am starting a new campaign to check out this new update as well. Always takes me hours to choose era and kingdom, though. I think I read somewhere in the bowels of the update notes that more specialized troops will be more accessible to all so…giggity.
Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Martok on July 01, 2023, 08:04:48 PM
Yes I too am starting a new campaign to check out this new update as well. Always takes me hours to choose era and kingdom, though. I think I read somewhere in the bowels of the update notes that more specialized troops will be more accessible to all so…giggity.



Yes, sir.  From the dev diary and patch notes, respectively: 

Quote
We’ve vastly increased the availability of special units, spicing up the gameplay when playing with more kingdoms and when new territories are conquered. Merchants also received a new action – “Entice mercenaries”, enabling players with strong economies to rely less on mercenaries appearing in their lands and to instead call some to aid them from foreign lands.

Quote
* Considerably increased availability of special units in provinces and kingdoms. Kingdoms that are formed from a province now have the province special units as their kingdom special units as well.

 :groovy:


Title: Re: Knights of Honor 2: Sovereign
Post by: Gusington on July 01, 2023, 08:15:35 PM
Fantastic! I think...think...I am going to try Sicily in the earliest era and see where it leads.