Author Topic: Total War Series: Rome, Medieval, Shogun etc (Read 24576 times)

Armin · « **on:** September 28, 2006, 08:52:12 am »

Since I started playing Rome: Total War I've not bothered with anything else. It's a brilliant, brilliant game. Only downside is that it's so epic in scope that it takes forever to play. For the long campaign you have to take 50 territories, it's like having a full time job.

Mudface_ · « **Reply #1 on:** September 28, 2006, 10:35:59 am »

They're well worth playing, but they don't really offer anything extra over Rome. The first Medieval's scope is probably greater as you're conquering the whole of Europe/ Western Asia and North Africa and I also find it a more interesting time period. On the downside, the visuals might put you off and the sieges are pretty poor. Shogun's a very interesting take on Japanese feudalism and it has Ninjas, but the game's slightly broken in that too often rival factions' leaders die out and you're left with just a map full of rebels. If you can get this all-inclusive pack for closer to £20, it'd be a good buy just for the Rome add-ons alone if you don't already have them.

I can run Company of Heroes at medium-ish settings with no bother on a P4 3GHz with an old Radeon 9800 Pro, so if you have something around that spec, you should be fine. There's a website which takes your specs and says whether or not you can run a game adequately, I'll try and dig up the link for you.

afc tukrish · « **Reply #2 on:** September 28, 2006, 12:15:55 pm »

Quote from: Armin on September 28, 2006, 08:52:12 am

Since I started playing Rome: Total War I've not bothered with anything else. It's a brilliant, brilliant game. Only downside is that it's so epic in scope that it takes forever to play. For the long campaign you have to take 50 territories, it's like having a full time job.

ah, another devotee...

currently playing the Carthaginians, my favourite of the anti-Roman factions...

the Numidians never knew what hit them...

and Barbarian Invasion is well worth the money as an add-on. Playing the Vandals is an experience, official sanction for letting one's baser instincts run wild, as it were...

will have to pick up Medieval at some point, merely to indulge in a bit of Dava's Berserker rampages...

Mudface_ · « **Reply #3 on:** September 28, 2006, 12:59:57 pm »

Quote from: BIGdavalad on September 28, 2006, 11:48:30 am

You can get Medieval and the Viking expansion pack which limits you to Norway and the British Isles, but makes up for it with Beserkers who are quite simply the finest units I have ever had the privilege to command. You've not lived until you've watched twelve beserkers tear 100 Saxon peasants to pieces

Nice. I used a couple of companies of upgraded 'Chivalric men at arms' backed up by 2 longbowmen units to defend a bridge chokepoint against several thousand peasants in one battle. I think I lost about 40 men to their 2000+ casualties.

iSmiff · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2006, 01:12:58 pm »

*coughs*nerds*coughs*

Mudface_ · « **Reply #5 on:** September 28, 2006, 01:21:42 pm »

We're virtual warriors, Sm Johnny.

BIGdavalad · « **Reply #6 on:** September 28, 2006, 01:33:23 pm »

Quote from: Mudface_ on September 28, 2006, 12:59:57 pm

Nice. I used a couple of companies of upgraded 'Chivalric men at arms' backed up by 2 longbowmen units to defend a bridge chokepoint against several thousand peasants in one battle. I think I lost about 40 men to their 2000+ casualties.

Other than defending a city in Rome, a bridge has to be the easiest place to defend. Musketeers in the original Japanese version were also unbeatable as long as you had at lest two units (one to cover the other as they reloaded).

iSmiff · « **Reply #7 on:** September 28, 2006, 01:45:01 pm »

in a proper strategy game you'd artillery strike the people defending the bridge or paratroop in behind them

like in company of heroes

Mudface_ · « **Reply #8 on:** September 28, 2006, 02:01:01 pm »

Doesn't sound very heroic to me.

Armin · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2006, 02:22:02 pm »

Quote from: Mudface_ on September 28, 2006, 02:01:01 pm

Doesn't sound very heroic to me.

I enjoy heroically slaughtering the population of the cities that I occupy.

Mudface_ · « **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2006, 02:32:52 pm »

And in the game?

BIGdavalad · « **Reply #11 on:** September 28, 2006, 05:46:04 pm »

Quote from: JohnnySpud on September 28, 2006, 01:45:01 pm

in a proper strategy game you'd artillery strike the people defending the bridge or paratroop in behind them

like in company of heroes

You'd have a job persuading the Vikings to paradrop anywhere...

Armin · « **Reply #12 on:** September 28, 2006, 05:46:27 pm »

Quote from: Mudface_ on September 28, 2006, 02:32:52 pm

And in the game?

I spare them, for treasury reasons.

Armin · « **Reply #13 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:11:03 am »

Quote from: Mudface_ on September 28, 2006, 10:35:59 am

There's a website which takes your specs and says whether or not you can run a game adequately, I'll try and dig up the link for you.

Is it this:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/gameadvisor/default.mspx

After service pack 2 I've gone right off Microsoft utils.

Quote from: Mudface_ on September 28, 2006, 10:35:59 am

If you can get this all-inclusive pack for closer to £20, it'd be a good buy just for the Rome add-ons alone if you don't already have them.

That can go on the wishlist. By Christmas I'm confident I'll have moved all my commanders from one side of the continent to the other and I'll hopefully have found the Roman equivalent of viagra to encourage them to procreate (now I get it Filo). I'm worried they're spending a suspicious amount of time with their armies, seems the only explanation for their lack of fertility.

Fantastic game, think it needs its own thread.

Danny Boys Dad · « **Reply #14 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:15:04 am »

Is this only for the PC or can you get it for the PS2 or anything?

I've been playing Age of Empires on a PC with Windows Me and it's ok but the maximum army size is only 200.

I need to get a new PC I think.

Mudface_ · « **Reply #15 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:35:17 am »

PC only, I'm afraid. Consoles are very poor for this type of game, partly because of the market but mainly the difficulty in controlling the game, in real time, without a mouse and keypad.

Armin · « **Reply #16 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:36:07 am »

Quote from: Danny Boys Dad on September 29, 2006, 10:15:04 am

Is this only for the PC or can you get it for the PS2 or anything?

I don't know but I'd hate to play it without a mouse. If you liked AoE (I did) think you'd love Rome Total War. The city management aspect is similar. You don't see the bods getting on with chopping wood or anything but the fight sequences are far better and it really feels like a proper battle. Its turn based so it moves at a slower pace than AoE but I can't praise it highly enough, it's immersive stuff.

Mudface_ · « **Reply #17 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:39:29 am »

It's a bit like Civilisation, but you actually fight the battles yourself.

Being very nerdy indeed, does anyone remember Archon?

Armin · « **Reply #18 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:40:53 am »

Didn't he write Dropzone?

*Being even nerdier

iSmiff · « **Reply #19 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:50:59 am »

no thats Archer MacLean, also did Jimmy Whites Snooker and IK+

Mudface_ · « **Reply #20 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:52:05 am »

Heh, no that was Archer MacLean.

Archon was a fantasy-type chess game; when you entered a square occupied by your opponent it expanded and you fought a battle. Very similar concept, but done 15 years beforehand.

Inevitable Wiki link to Archon.

Dropzone was great, although on the Atari you had to use the spacebar for your smartbombs which made it too difficult to play properly.

iSmiff · « **Reply #21 on:** September 29, 2006, 11:13:35 am »

only the true IK+ master could take out both opponents at the same time with the jumping splits kick, ah so

Armin · « **Reply #22 on:** September 29, 2006, 11:45:57 am »

*Note to the Geek community, I knew full well who wrote Dropzone, do not revoke my membership.

I was crap at Dropzone. IK+ also had the side splitting button to make their trousers fall down. Plus you couldn't sweep your way to ultimate victory as you could in Exploding Fist. Was very much the best in class on the C64.

Vague memories of Archon coming back now. So many squandered hours, so little recall.

Mudface_ · « **Reply #23 on:** September 29, 2006, 11:55:23 am »

Getting back to Total War, what was people's usual strategy?

I always found if I tried to expand too quickly in the early stages, I'd end up getting hammered once the other factions had gotten up to speed. In Medieval and Shogun, I used to try and sit tight for the first 10-20 years, building plenty of farms and revenue generating buildings and making sure my key provinces were well protected, especially against assassins and spies. Then I'd start mopping up a few of the weaker provinces around me and start ploughing the extra money into upgraded units. At that point, it was usually inevitable I would win through sheer force of arms and cash, it was just a question of making sure my trade routes were protected. Rome was a bit different (I haven't played Rome enough to be honest), so did people do things differently with that game?

Danny Boys Dad · « **Reply #24 on:** September 29, 2006, 11:57:06 am »

Are there lots of cheats available for it? I got fed up playing the game properly with AoE, I just like building big armies and slaughtering everyone now

Mudface_ · « **Reply #25 on:** September 29, 2006, 12:00:31 pm »

There's plenty, DBD. You can also just set up custom battles if you don't want to bother with the campaign side of things. Elite knights vs unamoured peasant rabble is always fun...

Armin · « **Reply #26 on:** September 29, 2006, 12:00:34 pm »

I don't know any and I don't want to. How can I hold my head proud as Ruler of Rome if I got there by any other means than cruxifying poorly armed Barbarian armies after they surrender?

Danny Boys Dad · « **Reply #27 on:** September 29, 2006, 12:14:26 pm »

Quote from: Armin on September 29, 2006, 12:00:34 pm

I don't know any and I don't want to. How can I hold my head proud as Ruler of Rome if I got there by any other means than cruxifying poorly armed Barbarian armies after they surrender?

I just want to kill, kill, kill

AoE is great because when you kill someone you see the blood spill on the ground and then a little skeleton. If you massacre a group of opponents in one spot it's quite creepy.

filopastry · « **Reply #28 on:** September 29, 2006, 12:17:44 pm »

I seem to have managed to misplace my copy of Rome total War at the minute as well. which is a shame as this thread's got my right back in the mood for playing it

Mudface_ · « **Reply #29 on:** September 29, 2006, 12:22:06 pm »

I'll send one down if you want, Phil.

Did you ever buy Zeus in the end? Just that Caesar 4's coming out soon. The third version of that was brilliant.

iSmiff · « **Reply #30 on:** September 29, 2006, 12:51:51 pm »

i have medieval and rome total war sitting on my pc uninstalled, thats all

iSmiff · « **Reply #31 on:** September 29, 2006, 01:33:19 pm »

what sort of machine guns do you have in total war?

Armin · « **Reply #32 on:** October 1, 2006, 04:28:28 pm »

The Senate asked my faction leader to kill himself. As I gave no such indication I have to tell you that a state of war now exists between me and all the other Romans, as well as most of the rest of the world that isn't coloured red.

I'm assuming that the best plan is to try and make piece with all the weaker nations and just concentrate on taking out the scippii and brutii? Hopefully I'll have Rome sacked in a couple of turns but the others are a different prospect. Any tips?

theCanadian · « **Reply #33 on:** October 1, 2006, 05:37:28 pm »

Yeah I had a Rome:Total War addiction for about 3 weeks or so - full time job is an accurate description. Incredible game.

I also had played Shogun: Total War which was good at the time.

afc tukrish · « **Reply #34 on:** October 1, 2006, 10:29:52 pm »

Quote from: Armin on October 1, 2006, 04:28:28 pm

The Senate asked my faction leader to kill himself. As I gave no such indication I have to tell you that a state of war now exists between me and all the other Romans, as well as most of the rest of the world that isn't coloured red.

I'm assuming that the best plan is to try and make piece with all the weaker nations and just concentrate on taking out the scippii and brutii? Hopefully I'll have Rome sacked in a couple of turns but the others are a different prospect. Any tips?

trade rights with the other nations is key, because once you go to war with the Brutii and the Scipii, your easy trade on the Roman peninsular roads is much less valuable.

don't give up on making peace with either of your Roman enemies though; it's possible to sign a treay with either other family, allowing you to concentrate on knocking out the Senate and the other familial opposition.

seeing as you are the Julii, you've chosen the most difficult of Roman families to play, in true Roman fashion. knock out the Gauls and the Brits as soon as possible, and perhaps move your capital into Gaul to keep it close to the new cities added to the Arminian Empire.

Spain is where the money is at, and a treaty with Carthage, workingtoward a combined operation against the Scipii, might prove very valuable...

Armin · « **Reply #35 on:** October 2, 2006, 10:56:39 am »

Quote from: afc turkish on October 1, 2006, 10:29:52 pm

seeing as you are the Julii, you've chosen the most difficult of Roman families to play, in true Roman fashion. knock out the Gauls and the Brits as soon as possible, and perhaps move your capital into Gaul to keep it close to the new cities added to the Arminian Empire.

Spain is where the money is at, and a treaty with Carthage, workingtoward a combined operation against the Scipii, might prove very valuable...

I'm way down the road. Occupy all of Western & Central Europe, Carthage (has cost me a fortune as I didn't execute them) and most of the Turkish peninsula. Hence the Senate asking my faction leader to fall on his sword, they were worried and they were right to be

My problem is dispersed forces, lame navy and fighting on several fronts. Don't know whether to concentrate on picking off the enemy on my borders or throw everything into Italy and sacking Rome and the Capitals of my enemies...

filopastry · « **Reply #36 on:** October 2, 2006, 11:26:04 am »

How's your cash situation Armin?

Mudface_ · « **Reply #37 on:** October 2, 2006, 11:32:28 am »

He wants to bum a fiver off you.

filopastry · « **Reply #38 on:** October 2, 2006, 11:34:19 am »

Yes I do, what's your point?

afc tukrish · « **Reply #39 on:** October 2, 2006, 12:08:37 pm »

Quote from: Armin on October 2, 2006, 10:56:39 am

I'm way down the road. Occupy all of Western & Central Europe, Carthage (has cost me a fortune as I didn't execute them) and most of the Turkish peninsula. Hence the Senate asking my faction leader to fall on his sword, they were worried and they were right to be

My problem is dispersed forces, lame navy and fighting on several fronts. Don't know whether to concentrate on picking off the enemy on my borders or throw everything into Italy and sacking Rome and the Capitals of my enemies...

ah...

send the urban cohorts and legionary calvary to sack Rome first, then...

surely if you've conquered that much of the Mediterranean, the Marian Reforms have been passed...

heavy onagers are your friend...

do you all get Military History on that side of the pond?

excellent, informative article in the October issue about a massive Roman/Gallic battle before the Common Era, triarii, velites, hastati popping up everywhere...