Blog number 5 now out! Land battles!

[rajpoot]

http://blogs.sega.com/totalwar/2008/07/14/empire-total-war-faq-5/

Updates coming quicker than one can discuss them ~D

Most of what we guessed, but it confirms the deployable barriers like stakes in M2TW. Also it speaks of the many different unit faces we'll see in Empire. Particularly interesting this;
'Dynamic dirt and wounding will mean that in the heat of battle, every man in the unit will display a different level of grime and injury.'
Looks like a lot of variety.
Furthemore, it confirms the effects of the mud and stuff, it'll make a unit tire quickly and move slower. (Yay! Waterloo!)

[Tamur]

Also interesting to see that they plan some sort of UI trick to display firing range for a unit. That almost sounds like cheating, but with the variety of units it could be crucial to winning battles.

[Dutch_guy]

This sounds pretty interesting, and it's new to me at least:


Will we have the ability to dismount men pre-battle?
Better than that - dragoon units will be able to dismount and mount during battle. Dismounting is a unit ability that won’t be available to all units and must be selected through the tech tree. This opens up many strategic possibilities - dragoons can for example, ride to buildings or areas of cover on the battlefield, then dismount and fire from the cover they’ve seized. Before battle there will also be a few units that can choose to fight on foot or horseback (but can’t change during battle).. Guns will also be able to limber and unlimber on the battlefield; this means that horse artillery will gallop to where they are most needed.

:balloon2:

[PBI]

Yes, lots of updatey goodness, though a few more shots of land battles would be perfect.

I'm a little confused about how the dragoons are going to work. What happens if man or horse is killed while dismounted? Does its partner automatically die, or will they be left straggling behind while the rest of the unit mounts up and rides off?

[Xehh II]

Awesome, can't wait.

[pevergreen]

And we have the presence of Dutch_guy

:balloon3:

Looking very good, although I do wonder who will start the first Medieval Mod with the new engine...:laugh4:

[Shahed]

Sounds excellent.

[Freedom Onanist]

Also interesting to see that they plan some sort of UI trick to display firing range for a unit. That almost sounds like cheating, but with the variety of units it could be crucial to winning battles.
I like the idea. TBH I've always found estimating ranges somewhat random/difficult in TW. Not saying it is the game's fault just me.

[Xehh II]

I kind of liked not knowing how far you archers could fire, I don't know why though.

[CBR]

Could always see that by looking at the cursor, it switched from green to red when out of range. But the new system is just more streamlined and well takes less skill heh.


CBR

[rajpoot]

I guess it'll matter when muskets are used and volly needs to be fired.