Greetings, fellow Medieval fans!

[The One Wraith]

Ahh...I love this game. (BTW, I always debut with a game report....and its always quite long. Scroll around the bottom to get to the point.)
My intended debut was to be later, with a story about my current (first) campaign, ending with my battle with the horde. However, I come in disappointment - I have encountered several little quirks that make me http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pissed.gif
[these ones annoy me personally]
1) I have been allied with every faction (not simultaneously), EVERY one of them betrayed me. HOWEVER, I was gonna take 'em later, so that's minor.
2) I know better, but this game seems to REALLY want me to lose, it won't let me kill in peace But this is also minor; more challenges.
3) The AI seems to sometimes be.......borderline retarded.
4) I never played shogun http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif
5) Diplomacy. Useless. 'nuff said.
[here are the major problems - remeber I am fully patched with no mods installed]
1) Morale seems to affect my troops negatively, even my best general, with no vices and awesome virtues (and 9 stars), tends to run unless I micromanage much more than is required of the War3 Lich hero. On the flip side, enemy morale seems to work great.
A story about that:
Okay, I outnmbered the enemy AT LEAST 4 to 1, I'm smoking 'em badly. They get in a very lucky arrow and kill my general (3 star). ALL my troops who slightly outclass the enemy rout off the field. This is EXACTLY what my face looked like during the course of the battle: http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/shock.gif
2) I wanna play HRE Byzantine style kills me (gotta love their Royal Family, though)

[Finally, the greatest detriment to my enjoyment]
The climax of my campaign, I have EVERYONE beaten back and am ready to take Europe. Suddenly the Horde appears in Khazar and the place below it Khazar happens to be the Mercenary Capital of the World http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
The other place is relatively unguarded.
So I fight.....here comes the problem:
I cycle through starters, I get a good combo. I try to move one and here's what it tells me (EXACTLY):
This unit is not alive (aparently)
Yes, that typo was in the game. Okay, now I can't control the majority of my forces, but the ones I can control are beating the first wave VERY BADLY. Here's where the morale gripe comes in - they suddenly rout for no reason My reinforcements are screwed. I lose by retreat. Now, this could have been avoided when I set up my ambush in the several forests surrounding me. Apparently, in their language Hold Position means Suicide Charge
[tips are greatly appreciated]

To it's credit, this game is otherwise wonderful. This has been the first game in a LOOOOOOONG time that has ALWAYS been on my mind. I'll find a way to kill the horde, I know it. I have been converted to a follower of this franchise, I await Rome: Total War. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif
[VI ships on my birthday]

[SirGrotius]

I'm sure you'll get better-informed posts following mine here, I being relatively new to this Guild. However, I thought what you said interesting and will comment.

On politics. Factions are very opportunistic and will jump on you if you are left undefended. It is best to leave holding armies in place to keep your allies from moving in on you until the time is ripe. This is especially important if that ally has a lot of ports which you trade with (you are trading aren't you). I set up my alliances and break them according to ports.

On morale. The death of your general was a bad break. He causes his own unit to lose some six morale points and the rest of the army to lose three across the board. The scale given in the MTW strategy guide makes it clear that a loss of six morale points will break most units and three will put all others into the grey (which seeing a routing friend will quickly push over the limit). Do you keep your army in a semi-compact force, having your units spread out, and being attacked on the flanks, or just not having a friendly flanking unit is deleterious to morale. You can quickly find out the status of your units' morale by pressing F2 during the battles. This way, you will be able to individually solve your morale concerns.

About units charging in Hold Formation. I haven't seen that in my own units, except Impetuous units, which oft-times are very tempting ambush units (I'm thinking knights here, or perhaps chivalric men-at-arms and the like).

Hope this helps

[The One Wraith]

I forgot all about impetuous
Thanks That will be quite useful.
Alright, I should get 'em now....

[LRossaLordJimi]

Ave
Yes,allied of AI many time want kick off you so when you are in peace or when you are in much difficulty.But this is an Medieval game,and,i repeat in another topic,this era was the era of liar,ambition,destruction and so nice things http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/joker.gif

If you read the biography of Federico II (i think in English will be Friedrich II of Svevia) you will see what embassy to Muslim on crusades mean to the eyes of Pope...damn Pope,i destroy every time in MTW,but he return with some biggest army http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif
Ave

[Gregoshi]

Greetings and welcome to the Org The One Wraith. Thanks for sharing your comments (good and bad) about the game.

First, I've never heard of the this unit is not alive message. I'm sure one of the more experienced player will have a comment on that.

Second, just look around the forums, you will see a number of discussions about the AI. My own thoughts are that the AI is sometimes retarded and sometimes clever.

Third, if you had played Shogun you'd realize how much better the AI, diplomacy and alliances are. In STW, alliances were dropped whenever someone sneezed. Alliances in MTW can last tens of years. I know I had one alliance that lasted for about 80 years. In STW, diplomacy was wanna fight?. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Fourth, morale is affected by so many things, the poor morale of your units may be due to a situation you didn't see. This is where replays can come in handy.

I hope to see you around more. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[A Nerd]

I personally think that diplomacy isn't totally useless. For instance I had a game where I was the strongest, had decent moneys...trading with myself and only one other, at war with one nation...then three others declared war on me and my revenues dropped, example, making 8000 to losing 8000...winning wars and removing enemies, two factions were small and easy to conquer gave me a gain of about 3000. Hence if this is indeed diplomacy, fewer wars means more money and fewer revolts. Not to mention trade benefits with allies or neutral folks. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif