Tips Thread

[Robin Locksly]

I think it would be a good idea to make this thread so that people can pick up tips and learn the little things in MTW that are not so obviouse.

I'll start with my tip:

To stop an artillary piece from firing, press "backspace" key.

There now your turn http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[ichi]

I use a mouse with a little roller wheel on top (meant to be used for scrolling through documents). At the start of each battle I use this wheel to scroll up my camera up as high as I can go; this elevates my camera view.

Then I hold down the right mouse button and point my camera down as steep as it can go. This puts my camera up high, looking down. I find this is the best persepective for commanding in SP or MP.

I'm in VI using the patch so there's no -ian, which is a pretty cool command line to use in MTW.

ichi

[Robin Locksly]

Yes I find that view the best view.

Whats this command line?

[Sulla]

mmmm share tips, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. mite give me a disadvantage ;)...

o hell, here goes. When you want to skirmish (using cavalry vs pav xbow/any other archer unit who is weakened. DO NOT engage vs fresh full archer units, unless you can rear them) put your view to the far left or right of the field (no matter what kind of game 1v1,2v2 etc) and then make a 90 degree turn with your camera. This way you can view the whole field, and keep track of multiple skirmish units + your opponents/ally units, without loosing track of your army. With a little practice and depth perception you can even call your cav back intime ;)

No more tips, think iv shared enuff :D

Sulla

[Dionysus9]

if you rightclick on your "total war" icon on your desktop and select properties, and then enter

-ian

after the .exe on the "command line"

Then you get a free roving camera that you can use to obtain better camera angles for viewing large battles. Its pretty neat but it doesnt work for Vikings 2.01.

As far as ichi was saying with the scroll wheel and mouse button, you get the same effect by hitting the "minus" key and the "multiply" (*) key on your numberpad. Just press those down before you begin and you will have the best view.

[Magic Window]

In smaller battles, go for troops over valour. Outnumbering is a real morale breaker and a boost for your troops.

[Pox]

Disable the "windows key" on your keyboard. On mine it is between the CTRL and ALT keys, both of which are used constantly during battle. It only took a couple of times of me pressing that key by accident during the heat of battle and going "blind" for about 20 seconds, before I took that key off my keyboard. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-furious3.gif

I was able to go into windows control panel, pick keyboard, and find an option that turned the windows key off. If that doesn't work for you then I suggest physically pulling that key off your keyboard and replacing it with an upturned thumb-tack http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Sulla]

In skirmish, when you rush pavs of your enemy, you go for the enemy line. Then when his cav is near, withdraw. Then when his cav turns away again, you turn yours again, and so on. Make sudden dashes to pavs nearby. Guaranteed to drive your opponent nuts. When you do it together with one of your allies, he is bound to make a mistake, and youll be able to rout a few pavs.

Remember if your close to your own line, and you get a chance to charge into the back of enemy cav do it, and outflank it with another

Sulla

[1dread1lahll]

I rarely waste or tire-out such a valuable melee unit as cav trying to get at low valor/cost units like paves. But I do like them to try to get mine. Even better when the main melee comes and my opponent must match his tired cav against my fresh ones....assuming he still has cav.

[InDaKnight]

My tips are: Don't be such a wuss attack withyour allies everytime. Don't cryfowl during a game or you'll get distracted and killed. Noobies make great bait :)

[Kongamato]

What InDa said, never go on strike in battle. If you dont like the team strategy, tell them afterwards but dont go on strike and let them die by sitting back while they rush or by rushing while they hold out.

When you see cavalry making a move on your pavs, select all the pavs, halt them(backspace), turn fire at will off(a), and wait until they get close to the pav wall. Then, turn fire at will back on. All of the pavs will fire a combined volley at the attacking cav unit. This worked better with pavise arbalesters, but it can still work with pavise crossbowmen. It wont stop the cavalry alone, but it will work to damage it.

Never waste your money on the general's unit. He's usually the last unit you send into battle, and since you're trying to keep him out of heavy combat anyway, there's no need to pump him up. Sacrificing the strength of your whole army to upgrade your general usually results in your forces running from battle with the fear of a thousand whips.

That being said, some people WILL do this. A rule of thumb is to "never touch a noobiegen." Sometimes during the cleanup phase of a battle you'll wind up having your chase men get routed by the general. This is embarrassing. Be careful when attacking this unit and make sure you get a full envelopment when doing so.

[Sulla]

yep, use light cav to do it lahll. It could save you valuable infantry when you are going to advance...

Also in combination with an ally it works well, dont walk a cav unit towards the line, combine actions. Someone cant look at 2 or 3 places at the same time. If I still have strong archers left, and your down to 1, your in trouble :)

Sulla

[Seven.the.Hun]

hmm, well if u use some of the tips and tricks with the combat stuff, i'd imagine they all help a great deal...
i dont personally use any sorta pause during battle, as i'd rather be at a slight disadvantage anyway since the game AI in campaign and battle usually sux, bad campaign ai in turn effects its battles of course,
making units groups is always a good idea, and as far as warring through a century or two, anyone who incorporates the art of war tactics will excell...as using them well i have found crushes the game basically

[Sulla]

This is a multiplayer thread rite??

Sulla

[Tomisama]

The Order of Colors

If you want to select a particular deployment position in a team game,

click on little shield between arrows (left of Faction Shields), to select Colors.

http://www.clanwarscomp.org/storage/colors.gif

Then by comparing your shield colors with your team mates, you can place your self where you want to start off in the battle.

Leftmost Shield = Center
Next Right = Left Flank
Next Right = Right Flank
Rightmost Shield = Point (Advanced Left Flank)

Can be any Colors selection, but must be in left to right Order.


It is the same order as deployment in:

1v1 = Center
2v2 = Center and Left Flank
3v3 = Center, Left Flank, and Right Flank
4v4 = Center, Left, Right, and Left Front

An easier way to use the Order of Colors above:

The lowest number will be Center.
The next lowest number will be Left Flank
The next highest number will be Right Flank
The highest number will be Point.

And you don't even need the chart above to use this system. Just count the shields from left to right, top to bottom to find your number.

[Robin Locksly]

Hey Tomi, that would have to of been the most usefull piece of information on MTW i've had for a long time.

Great job http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

[Lord Rom]

In really low florin games...say 5000, go with heavy high valor cav. Shock and awe, watch the low valor infantry run.

[Puzz3D]

You can't afford a lot of heavy high valor cav at 5k. In fact, all cav armies don't work well at 5k against spear based inf armies. However, the spear based army has to adopt a defensive posture since it is slower than the all cav army, and flanks must be protected at all times. The biggest problem with 5k is that the ranged units are relatively too expensive, so the rush game is enhanced and it works well combined with the low morale of 5k games.

[Lord Rom]

I dont play 5k often...but I've yet to lose yet with the hcav shock tactic. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif I almost always play 2 by 2's at 5k and my ally usually brings a regular army so....
But I do enjoy bringing fuedals or lancers to face some val 0 spears or ack peasants. It's fun

[Elrich of Gaul]

When wanting to select several troops at once... say missile units... press "ctrl m"... and all missile units whether they're pavis and/or archers will be highlighted. Same thing with calv "ctrl c" or hand to hand units... "ctrl h"....

[Sulla]

Infantry needs to fight in formation. Keep them in line, stay close to allied infantry and your enemy will have a hard time flanking and breaking them, giving you the space to flank and break him.

Sulla

[ElmarkOFear]

Or you could do like AMP does when playing on my team: He stays as far away from my "soon-to-be-routed" army and then cleans up after my mess. :)

[t1master]

i like to keep my pavs and javs on hold position, hold formation. this way the pavs won't turn and run immediately when the cav comes at them, but will hold fast and continue to fire till some help can get there. for javs, it will enable them to heave their salvo before engagnig in melee, and keeps them from skirimishing themselves right off the map.

[tootee]

all the above advices are useless unless you try doing the exact opposite and noting the difference it made by doing as recommended.

the above statement is uselss unless you are having fun playing the game.

it is illegal to have fun playing this game without first paying for it.. that best payment is hours of frustration and agony.