Napoleonic Total War 2 (for RTW)

[Rodion Romanovich]

Very nice horse model, skin and animation! Nice to finally see a mod that gives attention to the horses, a usually forgotten detail :2thumbsup:

[paullus]

Got two words for that horse model: brick. houuuse.

[Sundjata Keita]

Stunning work as usual. I have a question though, what size are the textures you use, 256x256 or 512x512? I just cant seem to fit the detail that you can on a 256 by 256 texture, and if you do use a 256x256 texture can we have a look at one to see how it fits together, by the non-symmetric uniforms I can see you have created your own UV map.

Regards,

Sundjata

[Mount Suribachi]

Wow, this continues to look amazing guys, keep up the good work ~:)

[Lord Adherbal]

all textures are 512x512

[Lord Adherbal]

new beta is out for Lordz and beta testers, so I thought I'd let the public get something too

https://img355.imageshack.us/img355/3075/00177ho.th.jpg (https://img355.imageshack.us/my.php?image=00177ho.jpg)

https://img105.imageshack.us/img105/3778/00185nc.th.jpg (https://img105.imageshack.us/my.php?image=00185nc.jpg)

https://img105.imageshack.us/img105/5893/00208ty.th.jpg (https://img105.imageshack.us/my.php?image=00208ty.jpg)

https://img105.imageshack.us/img105/8295/00214ak.th.jpg (https://img105.imageshack.us/my.php?image=00214ak.jpg)

https://img279.imageshack.us/img279/179/00221bo.th.jpg (https://img279.imageshack.us/my.php?image=00221bo.jpg)

[Geoffrey S]

Stunning work; models, textures and general polish far surpass the graphical quality of RTW and should put many a commercial game to shame.

Lovely interface, too.

[DARTH_VADER]

This is a small gift to NTW team which I am part of it.

Yes....I have finished a generic mode of formation to keep you strong in testing the final version of your mod.
It contains full swapping methods of various rennaissance tactics for french but will be used by all factions.
Siege tactics not touched ....sorry!

You have the privilege of testing a new techinque of me of dynamic deployment of AI troops according to circumstance.

Stretch to attack, make squares to defend cavalry charges and defend.
Make column attacks and more.

Post me for your comments.
Will post also to Twcenter site to support you.
I think this will be very promotional for your mod.


Edit by Myrddraal - defective link removed

[methoz]

This is a small gift to NTW team which I am part of it.

Yes....I have finished a generic mode of formation to keep you strong in testing the final version of your mod.
It contains full swapping methods of various rennaissance tactics for french but will be used by all factions.
Siege tactics not touched ....sorry!

You have the privilege of testing a new techinque of me of dynamic deployment of AI troops according to circumstance.

Stretch to attack, make squares to defend cavalry charges and defend.
Make column attacks and more.

Post me for your comments.
Will post also to Twcenter site to support you.
I think this will be very promotional for your mod.


Edit by Myrddraal - defective link removed

im registred at this forum,but:

The topic or post you requested does not exist :wall: :help:

please "make" public beta i need it :)

[Manstein]

Impressive screenshots and animations, I must say!

I do have a question though. I have some doubts that all of this will be able to run on my GeForce 4 MX420. With such high res-textures and rather large unit sizes, I have doubts that this might run at a stable framerate. Also, it seems that most of NTW's content will be played online with others, so I fear these rather large unit sizes.

Although it might be unrealistic to ask you to reduce unit sizes, are you planning to make lower-res textures and lower-poly units for us low-end users?

[Lord Adherbal]

there is an option to adjust unit size in the options menu, so I don't see why we should reduce the standard unit sizes. Low Poly units are being worked on, but low-res textures aren't. Maybe we can do that after the initial release, but I'm not sure how much slowdown larger textures cause. My GF4 Ti4200 can run it fairly well.

[Manstein]

Adherbal']there is an option to adjust unit size in the options menu, so I don't see why we should reduce the standard unit sizes. Low Poly units are being worked on, but low-res textures aren't. Maybe we can do that after the initial release, but I'm not sure how much slowdown larger textures cause. My GF4 Ti4200 can run it fairly well.

Ah well. It seems that I'll have to resize them on my own then. Thank god for GIMP.

EDIT: I'm was wondering about unit sizes because it seems that most of the content will be played online, and of course, the host can choose and unit size of his or her liking. Unless if there is a significant amount of single player content. But at this point, it seems that there doesn't seem to be that much.

[Lord Adherbal]

well with lower unit sizes it just doesnt feel right. Napoleonic armies are supposed to be huge and with less then 100 men/unit or so they just feel tiny. We advice hosts to decrease florins rather then decrease unit size for larger (3v3+) games

[Cesare diBorja]

No way, man. RTW units are small enough as it is.

diBorgia

[Manstein]

No way, man. RTW units are small enough as it is.

diBorgia

Yeah, but some of us don't have the hardware to display it all. Not everyone has a top-notch computer. Yeah, RTW units are a tad small, but if they increased exponentially in size to their real life counterparts, not even a SLI configuration will save you from getting a mere 2 FPS. In order to get that many troops onscreen without a decrease in performance, the quality of textures and the number of polygons in the units will have to be reduced. I prefer image quality to scale.

[Pantsalot]

I agree as well.

if the units were to be bigger then it would be harder to not lag
on multiplayer games. & as well they might need to add more detail
to the units that they have made

[Myrddraal]

Remember that NTW will have four LOD levels for each unit, the same as vanilla RTW units - this is much more than most mods do for lag...

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

I want to stress this is really all in an unfinished state and this work in progress is still being worked on and perfected.

Orthodox Church

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/untitled-1_664.jpg

Testing on the flagcarrier animation, we already use animated banners, but we hope to get this also in game.

http://gonzo.uni-weimar.de/~sturm/FlagX_ingame.gif

Testing done on the bayonet charge animation.

http://gonzo.uni-weimar.de/~sturm/meleeRun5vers.jpg

Finished French Dragoons and Cuirassiers textures, horses are all being redone.

https://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4630/cavalry3ab.jpg

https://img54.imageshack.us/img54/7455/percheron263zs.jpg

Research on scripting battles and mini campaign possibilities:

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/borodino_-_phase_1_819.jpg

Playing a bit with the User Interface.

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/2944/00309ed.jpg

Working on polishing the unitcards.

https://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3221/cards4aq.jpg

LZoF

[vlad 1]

great work !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cesare diBorja]

awesome! Awesome! AWESOME!

I really think that this mod will be the best one of all.

diBorgia

[methoz]

beta beta beta beta ...or demo ?? :idea2: :inquisitive: :laugh4:
looks great..i need it :2thumbsup:

[paullus]

very impressive stuff. the battlefield textures look great, and I had no idea it was possible to do the sort of in-battle scripting y'all are attempting. that raises my excitement level considerably! good luck!

[Lord Adherbal]

Some screens for yesterday's MP game:

Deployment phase
https://img132.imageshack.us/img132/3807/deploy6mz.th.jpg (https://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=deploy6mz.jpg)

Crow likes artillery
https://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4074/b13mg.th.jpg (https://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b13mg.jpg)

LUx's deployment
https://img132.imageshack.us/img132/3307/b23zx.th.jpg (https://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b23zx.jpg)

LAd's gun crews taking cover behind a hill
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7852/b31dk.th.jpg (https://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b31dk.jpg)

Voltigeurs try to harras Crow's battery
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/2240/b41zf.th.jpg (https://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b41zf.jpg)

But LZoF's cavalry end the party
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4764/b55xz.th.jpg (https://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b55xz.jpg)

LAd's Polish Lancers charge the battery
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6412/b62qj.th.jpg (https://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b62qj.jpg)

Big cavalry battle between LUx and Crow
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/875/b71cz.th.jpg (https://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b71cz.jpg)

Lancers crushing a battered infantry line
https://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8303/b88bg.th.jpg (https://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b88bg.jpg)

Close range volleys
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/261/b98fv.th.jpg (https://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b98fv.jpg)

LZoF's attack on LAd's left flank
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/7849/b106sz.th.jpg (https://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b106sz.jpg)

LUx's artillery shelling Crow's Pavlovs in a forest
https://img132.imageshack.us/img132/7971/b116zp.th.jpg (https://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=b116zp.jpg)

[Helgi]

I am drooling, I can't wait for this:2thumbsup:

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Special Secret French weapon!

Just so the battles do not last to long, available to arcade players only:

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/image1_352.jpg

LZoF :shock:

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Screenshots from todays 4v4 MP match, involving Lordz Zimoa, Uxbridge, BloodnGore, Crow, Ashram, Fishbone, Adherbal and betatester Flea.

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/9207/battle03ay.th.jpg (https://img269.imageshack.us/my.php?image=battle03ay.jpg)

https://img275.imageshack.us/img275/1313/battle7dp.th.jpg (https://img275.imageshack.us/my.php?image=battle7dp.jpg)

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/8663/battle22li.th.jpg (https://img269.imageshack.us/my.php?image=battle22li.jpg)

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2539/battle37lk.th.jpg (https://img269.imageshack.us/my.php?image=battle37lk.jpg)

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/8728/battle46go.th.jpg (https://img265.imageshack.us/my.php?image=battle46go.jpg)

https://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6769/battle52ap.th.jpg (https://img269.imageshack.us/my.php?image=battle52ap.jpg)


LZoF

[GiantMonkeyMan]

some excellent stuff there, i can't wait for this

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

A nice weekend bonus:


http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=68432#68432


Cheers,

LZoF

[King Ragnar]

Wow loving those highlanders..

[Pantsalot]

The last few models that have been posted inspired me to buy the
cossaks: europeon wars game :laugh4:

[Myrddraal]

Oh the irony...

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Update of the Russian Don Cossacks, note they carry double pistols now.


http://hellenictotalwar.com/NTW2Screens/DonCossacks.jpg

http://hellenictotalwar.com/NTW2Screens/DonCossacks1.jpg


Cheers,

LZoF

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Me want secret french weapon...

...NOW!

[Lord Adherbal]

sadly, we might have to give up on developing that weapon of mass destruction because the UN is getting worried and considering to send Hans Blix over to inspect our RTW enrichment facilities.

[palissa]

Well, playing in multiplayer, will be very good anyway, due to the superb lods i made :)
250 polygon lowest lods, that resemble a real units, with hands, feets, and everything :)
So why you are grunting and worrying :)
Your computer will go at light speed even with 10000 units in game :)

[Duke Malcolm]

My computer goes at a snail's pace with 1000 units in game...

[Lord Adherbal]

considering the lack of recent screenshots, here are some WIP units of the Dutch/Belgian faction (which will not be available in the upcoming Borodino release, but will be in the later Waterloo pack):

Dutch Militia

https://img455.imageshack.us/img455/6852/militia9sy.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Nassau Grenadier

https://img135.imageshack.us/img135/4998/nassau7oz.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Dutch-Belgian Grenadiers

https://img190.imageshack.us/img190/521/grens3ys.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Dutch-Belgian Carabiniers

https://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3396/cara17fu.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

https://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3765/cara29wk.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Here some WIP on British cavalry, note the horses and saddle layouts are still incorrect but we are still in the process of redoing or building them.


British Light Dragoons


http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/British_adjust.jpg


British Hussars


http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/British_Hussars.jpg



Cheers,

LZoF

[Geoffrey S]

I like it, very much.

[paullus]

Would the hussar really wear his coat almost halfway on, even in battle? If so, its very cool, I was just wondering. Thanks for the update.

It seems like most of the units work is pointing at Waterloo, what is still left for Borodino? Scripting?

[Duke John]

Various small things and indeed scripting. So it seems that are we will be ready for an August release.

[Glaucus]

I just got around to this forum, and saw this mod. I'm a big fan of the Napolianic time period, so all I can say is... SWEET. I espicially like the battle interface and those light dragoons. :2thumbsup: Great work!

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

We will not post new Work In Progress pictures anymore as the next updates will be actual previews of the first release and we are investing all our time in finishing the last details and testing.

I hope to show you the first preview soon though.
It will be worth the waiting.

LZoF

[GiantMonkeyMan]

not even one or two? please... :laugh4:

great news that the previews are coming up though, keep up the hard work and all :thumbsup:

[Pantsalot]

another month till realese :2thumbsup:

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/ntw_inf_preview_title_194.jpg

This is the first of a series of previews we hope to release before the completion of the Napoleonic Total War 2: Borodino pack. This preview focuses on the largest - and perhaps most important - element of the armies of the Napoleonic Era: the Infantry.

For those not familiar with Napoleonic Total War 2, here is a brief update:


The latest project from the award winning Lordz modding collective that brought you Napoleonic Total War and American Total War for the MTW engine, Napoleonic Total War 2 brings the wars and armies of the Napoleonic era to the Rome Total War engine. The Barbarian Invasion expansion is not required in order to play this modification, but it'll run on RTW 1.5 and BI 1.6.


The mod will be released in several "packs", each with it's own theme. The first will be the "Borodino pack", focusing on the Russian campaign of 1812, with it's climax at the Battle at Borodino. The second pack will feature the battle of Waterloo, adding the British, Prussians and Dutch-Belgian armies to the game.


We hope to release the Borodino pack before the end of August, and the Waterloo pack a few months later.


For more information, visit www.thelordz.co.uk (http://www.thelordz.co.uk) (site is being updated, go to the forum for a FAQ (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=78) and screenshots (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=2770&start=1575) topic)




HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Napoleonic Infantry tactics were by their very nature dynamic. It was the time where infantry, armed with musket and bayonet, played a versatile and demanding role.

The main weapon of the infantry was the musket, a rough but deadly firearm. With the introduction of the bayonet, the musket became a versatile killing combination that dominated European battlefields for centuries.

The basic tactical unit of the day was the regiment or battalion. The introduction of the column formation gave the troops the edge they needed. The basic line formation, which was usually three men deep, was still best used if you needed maximum firepower. However, with the introduction of the column battalions would no longer move only in a long, straight, and often unwieldy line. With the much smaller front of the column, infantry could now move more quickly over rough terrain and use roads, and could more easily counter threats to its front, rear or side or form into square when threatened by cavalry.

Light Infantry was also a major part of Napoleonic warfare. The use of light, skirmishing infantry heavily influenced the way battles were fought. Light infantry would scatter in open order in front of the formed bodies of infantry. Unlike the regular Line infantry, who had to stand shoulder to shoulder and would only fire on command and en masse, the Light infantry used the available cover of the terrain to harass the enemy, picking off enemy officers and artillery and pinning down the enemy infantry. Line infantry, whose massive volleys would be far less effective against such a spread out and hunkered down target, had few effective tools to deal with enemy Lights, often simply sending out their own skirmishers to keep the enemy out of musket reach.

Of course things could go wrong: friendly fire, the "fog of war" caused by smoke and dust, bad weather, fatigue, malnutrition, and of course poor leadership. And even if a soldier were to survive the horror of combat, diseases killed as many men as musketballs. Choking smoke, screaming shells passing overhead, and cavalry charges all demanded steady nerves and good discipline. It was truly "Hell on earth" for the basic infantry soldier, whose greatest ally was often capable officers and NCOs, who could guide the men through the raging maelstrom of Napoleonic battles.

Over time, mixed formations of infantry in line and in column, surrounded by clouds of skirmishers were developed and fine tuned, always with the close support of cavalry and artillery arms. Napoleonic warfare was very complex, and the lessons learned on the fields of Borodino, Waterloo, and all across the world are still studied and educated intensely at every major Military Academy around the world.


INFANTRY TACTICS IN NAPOLEONIC TOTAL WAR 2

In NTW2, the basic Light and Line infantry are the most cost-effective units. As long as they are properly formed up and not in loose formation, they can be counted on to repel most cavalry. However, should enemy cavalry catch your Light infantry skirmishing in the open without any support, your lights will be butchered. And when you really need to take or hold a position, you can depend on your Grenadiers or even the feared Guard infantry to get the job done. Using Napoleonic infantry is a violent chess game, with each type of soldier having to be used in the way they are most effective and in the way they best compliment their comrades.

All infantry units are equiped with muskets, and except for the light units they all have the same effective range. Line infantry firing from long range does little damage, but close range volleys are deadly and may instantly rout enemy units. This creates a difficult choice for players: how close do you bring your men before firing? Or do you not fire at all, but instead charge straight in with bayonets fixed? Generally, Light infantry does the long range skirmishing, using their quicker foot speed and slightly more effective range to harass the enemy, then safely withdrawing before they can be engaged. Line and heavy infantry is used to defend or for concentrated attacks on weak spots in the enemy defence. Prolonged shooting duels are very rare, and generally result in victory for the defender because he has a better chance of using the terrain to his benefit.

Unit morale is generally low (compared to most other mods), and units cannot be upgraded by extra armour/weapon or valor. Therefore you need to keep your men happy and protected. The best way to do this is by keeping officers nearby and by keeping your troops close together; men who feel that they are without leadership on the field and see no friends nearby will quickly decide that discretion is the better part of valour. But this is often more difficult and dangerous then it sounds. Deploying in a long line is often impossible, because it forces units to leave the protection of hills and villages, making them easy targets for enemy artillery. Deploying in a deep, compact formation is just as dangerous, because the units then become sitting ducks for enemy artilley and are easily surrounded. And if your troops are packed too close together they will block each other's line of fire, something a clever opponent will use against you.


FRENCH INFANTRY

The French army was the largest army in the World and was at war with several enemies at once. In this very difficult situation accepting only volunteer soldiers (as it was in the small Swiss and British armies) was simply not enough. To meet the required numbers, the French used conscription. Conscription hustled to arms a lot of quivering creatures who would never have gone to war of their own free will. So the process of weeding out the weak was under way in the first stages of every campaign. The French infantryman was found everywhere. Little worried him; neither the pyramids of Egypt nor the vast plains of snowy Russia. No matter where he found himself, he considered himself to be a representative of the French way of life.

During these "Glory Years" French military soundly defeated every major European power on land, and the French infantry was its backbone. Napoleon's light infantry enjoyed a great reputation in Europe.

However, in 1812 disaster struck the French army. As Napoleon Bonaparte marching into Russia in an attempt to destroy his neighbors to the East, the majority of his army was swallowed up by the snowy winter of Mother Russia. The casualties were horrible and it required a heart of stone to look on those gallant veterans of so many battles, mangled, frozen and torn, and heaped by the thousands over the fields and roads. Of some 700,000 troops, only 10% returned from this campaign.

In 1815 ,after the 100-Days Campaign and Waterloo and the final defeat of Napoleon, the French King Louis XVIIIth decided that no reminder of the Republic or the Empire would be allowed to survive in the army. The organisation of the army and the uniforms from the Empire were banned.


THE FRENCH INFANTRY UNITS

National Guard

These units are usually best used as cannon fodder - although a clever opponent might not even waste his ammunition on them. Low morale and close combat skills, combined with poor reload speed and below average accuracy result in a unit that is only good to save some money to purchase more elite units.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/french_militia_320x420_166.jpg

The French National Guards (or militia) are conscripted from all able-bodied male citizens capable of carrying weapons from the age of 17-50. These men are the last resort and entrusted with the final defense of France. They garrison outside the capital walls of Paris and throughout other cities in France. They are armed with the smoothbore muzzle-loading musket and dress in the same fashion as the line infantrymen, but retained the bicorne. They are hastily trained and lack the discipline of the line infantrymen but are considered brave and hardy troops and are lead by retired veteran officers of the elite Old Guard.


Fusiliers

The Fusiliers of the Line are the basic workhorse of the French army. Their shooting ability is good enough to deal a lot of damage to much more expensive units, and they are cheap enough to absorb enemy artillery fire if necessary. But their morale is low compared to the elites of the field, and their hand-to-hand fighting skills aren't impressive. Therefor they need proper protecting and leadership or they can be routed by a quick and decisive strike.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/french_fusiliers_320x420_106.jpg

The French Fusiliers (French Line) are armed with a muzzle-loading smoothbore musket and able fire off three volleys in a minute. These troops are the backbone of Napoleon's army and were generally young men conscripted from the ages of 20 and 25. The line infantry had large numbers of men who served for long periods. The uniform was a dark blue coat, white breeches with black knee-length gaiters, and felt shakos. These men are trained and could perform impressively. Their marching speed and maneuvering is superior to any other nations' armies and are known for their steadiness in maneuvering under fire, for speed of movements was crucial for Napoleon. He often said that, "he won because of his soldiers boots." Even though the French line infantry marched fast they were not as disciplined during march as were some of the German-speaking armies.

Historically in 1804-1811 France had among the best line infantryman which had ever existed in Europe. The line infantry epitomized Napoleon's army. Many regiments were of high quality and only few could be called poor. Tragically, by 1812 the majority of these veterans were swallowed up in the Russian winter.


Chasseurs

If you want to compare Napoleonic Total War 2 armies to Rome Total War armies, then the Chasseurs would be the French "archers", while Fusiliers are the basic infantry. Chasseurs are skirmisher units that should be used to provoke the enemy to attack and protect the rest of the army from enemy skirmishers. Like all skirmishers, these units have a high range and accuracy, as the men are trusted to take their time aiming and shoot at will, and Light infantry can operate in loose formation (unlike most other infantry). This makes them effective at harrasing enemy infantry from a safe distance. The loose formation also makes them take less casualties from artillery bombardement, making them useful to snipe enemy gun crews. However, be wary of enemy cavalry...

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/french_chasseurs_320x420_546.jpg

French Chasseurs (meaning "hunters") are light infantrymen and are comprised of hunters or woodsmen. They are generally of slightly smaller stature, making them easier to hide in villages and gardens then the more clumsy line soldiers. They are also smaller targets for the enemy's shooters. Their uniforms were darker and less visible to the enemy as well. These men are more intensively trained in marksmanship and in executing all maneuvers in slightly higher speed, especially skirmishing. Armed with a lighter musket, their primary target were enemy's officers and gunners while screening the Line infantry from the harassing fire of enemy skirmishers.


Voltigeurs

Voltigeurs represent the elite force of Light infantry that was available to the French army. They have a (slightly) higher range and accuracy then Chasseurs, and their elite status also gives them a bit better morale. This makes them small "commando" units who can even harrass enemy skirmishers without getting in harms way. The downside is their small unit size and high cost, which makes them less cost-effective then Chasseurs at standard skirmisher jobs such as sniping enemy artillery crews.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/voltigeur_374.jpg

The Voltigeurs were a new branch of infantry and were introduced by Napoleon in 1803. The Decree issued in March 1803 ordered raising a 10th Company in the regiments of Light infantry. These were Voltigeurs and were formed by taking the 6 smallest men from every Chasseur company in the battalion. The Voltigeurs were the best suited troopers for skirmishing, ladder climbing, urban combat, and for scouting. The Voltigeurs were trained in firing rapidly and accurately and were expected to be able to march at the trot.


Grenadiers

In Rome Total War terms, Fusiliers are the light/medium infantry. The French Grenadiers are the heavy infantry. While not a true elite unit on the level of the Young or Old Guard, they have slighty better morale then Fusiliers, and are effective in close combat. The result is a cheaper - and more expendable - shock unit than the true elite units, that can be used to assault enemy defenses or fight off enemy cavalry attacks.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/french_grenadier_320x420_101.jpg

These men are usually selected for their stature (they are often the biggest men) and war experience(a minimum of 4 years of military service)and are very strong. The French grenadiers are the shock troops; brave, good marchers and are often used as a spearhead of attacking forces. They present a formidable sight to see and, being big men, they made good use of the bayonet!


Young Guard

The French Young Guard are a versatile unit of talented soldiers. They are better then the Fusilier regiments in every aspect, but excel at shooting. They are also the only non-skirmisher unit capable of operating in loose formation, but lack the high range of dedicated skirmisher units. And while they can decimate enemy units with close to mid-range volley fire, their hand-to-hand fighting abilities do not equal those of Grenadier or other Guard units.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/french_young_guard_320x420_168.jpg

The Young Guard were formed in 1808 by Napoleon. The men were drawn from the Empire's regular line regiments, from the strongest, tallest, and most intelligent recruits to the best of the year's conscripts. They are armed with a muzzle-loading smoothbore musket and able fire off 3 to 4 volleys in a minute. They are usually used as a tactical reserve and lead by battle hardened veteran officers of the Old Guard. One of the most popular divisional commanders, Henri Francois Delaborde, led his division of Young Guard with these words: "My children, when you smell powder for the first time, it is stylish to stick up your nose!" The martial air of the Young Guard astonished everyone, which inspired the line regiments to fight on when the battle got tough. Once they engaged in combat they were well disciplined fighters, who perform brave heroic deeds for their beloved emperor. They are one of Napoleon's best soldiers in the French army, for he remarked that, "they won battle's using their legs."


Old Guard

Without a doubt the Old Guard is the strongest infantry unit in the game, probably even THE strongest unit, stop. Their sheer presence disheartens enemy units, and combined with their high morale and excellent close combat fighting skills, it makes them they ultimate unit to crack open a wavering enemy defence. However, they are not the best shooters in the game, and they die just as easily from musket fire as any other unit. Therefore they are only worth their high price if used at the right time and place in battle.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/french_old_guard_320x420_108.jpg

The French Old Guard were an elite military force that grew out of the Garde des Consuls and Garde Consulaire after Napoleons crowning in 1804. These men were selected carefully, and the requirements were not easy to meet for the candidates. Like all other guard units these men had to be strong, tall (at least 5'10"), be able to read and write, and had to be harded veterans of at least 10 years service; some had 20 campaigns or more! Tactically they were kept in reserve but were often thrown into a battle as the killing blow. The Old Guard's ranks were made up of battle hardened veteran soldiers who did not fear death. They were fanatically resolute, always marching stoically into the teeth of enemy fire. These men were considered the elite of the elite, the creme de la creme of Napoleon's infantry; they were the most ferocious fighters on earth. They therefore enjoyed the highest prestige in Napoleons army and were very devoted to their Emperor.


RUSSIAN INFANTRY

There was nothing but empty plains and vast woods in Russia. They extended farther than the eye could see. The roads were either very broad or very narrow. In winter the snow storms made the roads impassable and the extreme cold made travelling dangerous. The cities in Russia were vast in extent and appeared empty. The streets and squares were broad and the houses stood far apart as comparing to western Europe. Russia was torn between Asia and Europe and only sparsely settled. The vast land together with the long winters produced the melancholy and mystery not felt in any other country.

By the 19th century it was estimated that about 50 per cent of Russian peasants were serfs. These serfs would form the great pool out of which Russian Infantry was recruited.

By 1810-1812 Russian generals such as Barclay de Tolly had analyzed the French army, its organisation, structure and methods of combat and introduced many military reforms.

The Russian infantryman was known for his tenacity in combat. French general Marbot wrote: "The Russians had to be beaten down man by man, our soldiers fired upon them at 25 paces, they continued their march without replying, every regiment filed past, without saying a word or slackening its pace for a moment. The streets were filled with dying and wounded, but not a groan was heard, for they were forbidden. You might have said that they were firing at shadows. At last our soldiers charged the Russian soldiers with the bayonet, and only when they pierced them could they be convinced that they were dealing with men."

The Russians were the premier believers in what could be called The Cult of the Bayonet. The Russian bayonet attack was fierce and well-known throughout Europe.

Generally the Russian infantryman was not the best shooter in Europe. The men were trained in firing quick volleys by entire platoons and battalions. Only few commanders trained their troopers in aiming their muskets and emphasized the accuracy of fire.

In June 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia with a force twice as large as the Russian army facing him. He hoped to inflict a major defeat on the Russians and force Alexander to sue for peace.
The Reformed Russian army performed well in 1812 and ended up beating back, with the help of the frigid Russian winter, a French army that had taken control of most of Europe.

The Tzar was determined to defeat Napoleon and 'liberate Europe.' He said "I shall not make peace as long as Napoleon is on the throne." And so he did. In 1813 the Allies defeated Napoleon's troops in Germany and again in 1814 in France.

Tzar Alexander triumphantly entered Paris and the Russians camped in front of Napoleon's palace. Napoleon made remark: "The Russians learned how to win."


THE RUSSIAN INFANTRY UNITS

Opolchenie

Opolchenie is simply a difficult name for what many commanders boil down to "angry russian peasant." They are poorly trained and equiped, making them very poor shooters with low accuracy, ammunition and slow reload speed. However, they are not completly useless in hand-to-hand combat and can deal quite a lot of damage to average enemy units - provided they can get close enough, something that isn't made any easier by their very low morale.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/russian_militia_320x420_440.jpg

Historically Kutuzov tried to make a difference with the emphasis on the ability 'to chop and shoot' rather than maneuver. New recruits were issued with the pike, a seemingly archaic weapon on the battlefield of muskets, but even these men stood well alongside the veterans under cannon fire and charged with as much passion. Their uniform was in Prussian style, and they were as much feared by the allies as from the enemy for they were responsible of some atrocities in 1812. Curiously some women also served in the ranks, one major being a Suliot heroine named Moskho.


Musketeers

They perform the same tasks as the French Fusiliers, but have a slightly less accurate shot. But true Russians as they are they are a bit more effective in close combat fighting then their French equivalents.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/russian_fusiliers_320x420_831.jpg

Historically Russia had one of the biggest populations in the world; 30 million as compared to Prussia's 5 million, Austria's 25 million, and France's 29 million (Imperial France with annexed territories had 36.5 million). But despite the big numbers Russia was unable to match Napoleon with the strength of the regular army, for often a quite large number of young men would hide in the woods at the first rumor of a levy. Many new recruits were marked with a tattoo-like cross and kept in chains to make running away more difficult.


Jaegers

The Russian Jaegers are a small unit of skirmishers. With high range and accuracy, these units can deal a lot of damage while operating in loose formation. They are not as capable as some of the elite light infantry of other nations, but are still able to keep enemy skirmishers at bay and protect their own lines.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/russian_jaeger_320x420_707.jpg

Historically Jagers carried the infantry musket, except NCO`s and 12 sharpshooters per company, who had rifled muskets; a sword bayonet was also carried. After June 1808 sword bayonets and rifled muskets were withdrawn, with the infantry musket becoming the standard weapon. In the coming November it was ordered that the bayonet should always be carried fixed, just like the line, though at a later date scabbards seemed to have been used.


Grenadiers

Just like the French Grenadiers, the Russian Grenadier is a relatively cheap shock attack unit. They have a bit better morale then the French version, and can be counted on to drive home a charge under even heavy fire. Russian Grenadiers were long considered excellent soldiers.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/russian_grenadiers_320x420_137.jpg

Historically for days at a time they would march regularly every night and yet fight all day with the very minimum of rest and food. A western reporter E. Warnery wrote, "they are always in good humor, even when in the greatest misery." The Russian Grenadiers were instantly recognizable by their Shakos, which had a yellow brass badge in form of a grenade with three flames. Their uniform was based on the Line-Grenadiers. They were armed with muskets except for the 12 sharpshooters in every regiment.


Pavlov Grenadiers

One of the most instantly recognizable units available to the Russian commander, Pavlov Grenadiers have excellent morale and close combat fighting skills, making them excel above all others as shock troops capable of driving home a final attack or counter-attack.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/russian_pavlov_grenadier_320x420_637.jpg

Historically the Pavlovsk Grenadiers wore the old-fashioned mitre caps. In 1807 for their gallant fight at Friedland, Czar Alexander ordered that, alone of the infantry, this regiment should henceforth retain its mitres "in the state in which they left the battlefield as visible mark of its bravery and Our grace." Their officers however did not wear the mitre caps. In 1812 at Polotzk, French cuirassiers and four infantry battalions cut off the Pavlovsk Grenadiers and a detachment of Grodno Hussars. The grenadiers however fought so valiantly that they escaped and even captured and brought in 100 prisoners!


Russian Foot Guard

The Guard regiments in Napoleonic times were always among the most capable on the field, and the Russians boasted some of the very best. High morale and excellent marksmanship make these units very good defenders. In addition, their close combat skills match those of the Grenadiers making them easily capable of winning the inevitable bayonet fights.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/russian_life_guard_320x420_141.jpg

Historically after the battle of Kulm the Austrian Emperor was so impressed with the tenacity and bravery of the Russian Guards that he ordered a monument to be built to salute them. Even Napoleon was highly impressed about the Russian Guard and said, "I was surprised at the precision and assurance of this infantry, so well disciplined and of such extraordinary firmness would be the first in the world if, to these qualities, it united a little of the electric enthusiasm of the French."

SCREENSHOTS

And for your viewing pleasure, a few screenshots of the units in action. Just pure NTW2 glory and gloom!

Russian Jaegers engaged in a skirmish with the French Chasseurs
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/ntw2_inf_preview_4_189.jpg

Artillery prepares to load canister to unleash hell upon the approaching Fusiliers
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/ntw2_inf_preview_13_114.jpg

Chasseurs clearing a forest of opposition
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/ntw2_inf_preview_22_667.jpg

The charge is ordered while cannonballs hit the entire line
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/ntw2_inf_preview_7_b_306.jpg

The Fusiliers charge with bayonets fixed while the Russians deliver one final devasting volley at close range
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/ntw2_inf_preview_14_127.jpg

A French Officer leads by example as the columns overrun the Russian redoubts filled with artillery
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/ntw2_inf_preview_1_492.jpg

The Russians remain steady as their officers shout their orders
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/ntw2_inf_preview_17_797.jpg


ENJOY!
The Lordz

[legion commander167]

yay you guys doing a good job i can't wait for it


need guns need ......no bows....need this mod...!!!

[Rodion Romanovich]

Wonderful job as always! It's time for me to start reading more about the Napoleonic period and warfare so I know a bit more about it when this mod comes out ~:)

[AquaLurker]

I have seen a couple of times where the moders were testing the MP features of this mod, would like to know what are their thoughts about this mod in MP games, such as; how much different will the tactics appilcable be compared to vanilla RTW, does it gets more interesting with more players and what will be the best unit size setting for the game in 2v2s~4v4s.

From what I read, it gives me an impression that cavalry will have a serious disadvantage if they were to charge any unit of front liners. So are cavalry mainly resevered for taking out skirmishers units and artillary, how will they fair in meele without infantry support?

[Lord Adherbal]

gameplay is very different from RTW:
-Long range artillery forces you to use the terrain for cover for both movement and defense.
-Maps are made in such a way that you cannot hide an entire army behind a single hill, so you have to spread out. Also, not a single position offers protection from all directions, so the attacker can always outmaneuver the defender unless the latter spreads his forces over multiple defensive positions. But by doing so each of these individual position abviously becomes fragile to a concentrated attack.
-The skirmish phase (artillery, light infantry, and sometimes a few cav charges) usualy take quite long, until the attacker decides to force an attack somewere on the battlefield. Elite units must be kept in safety as long as possible or they will became cannonball magnets before they can have an effect. Proper timing is vital for a succesfull attack.
-Actual combat phases (melee and close range volleys) are rather short, especially with the low morale. Victory or defeat is usualy determinated by who can break the enemy morale first. Good use of Officer units who boost moral is a very important factor.

We'll feature a gameplay and MP battle report preview at some point which will go into some deeper detail about this.

The game is designed (balanced) for 10k (or less) and Large unit size. We advice players to use a lower florin level (5k) instead of switching to a lower unit size if they want to prevent lag from slow machines. Artillery units are not rescaled so they will be too powerfull/weak on normal/huge unit size.

Cavalry generally doesn't beat infantry in a head-on charge, but will still do a good deal of damage. However, when used in large numbers - with atleast one unit flanking or quickly overrunning one weakened unit in the enemy line - they can be absolutely devastating. They are also very effective to pin down the enemy while the (slower) infantry gets close, thus minimalizing casualties from musket volleys and cannon fire. And considering the large distances battles are fought over, having units that can quickly move from one side to the other can be very usefull.

[Dooz]

Oo boy, sounds good. Some actual strategy being necessary to win in a TW engine based game. Cool. However, I am quite afraid of taking on any of the Lordz or anyone else for that matter once the mod is out... I'll just stick to SP for a while...

[Lord Adherbal]

we usualy play teamgames (2v2+) cos they're much more enjoyable then 1v1 and have a bigger scale. The NTW MP community is generally quite polite so I'm sure they won't mind a few "noobs" joining the fun :) And considering how different NTW2 gameplay is from NTW1 everyone except for the Lordz will start as noobs ;)

Another enjoyable habbit in the NTW community is to play "command games", were each player commands a section of the army (one for cavalry, one for infantry, and one for guard & artillery) and appoints one teammate as "general" who decides the strategy of the battle. A bit like the Time Commander series actualy.

[AquaLurker]

Damn, I like the command concept of a team game. Pls release the rus vs nap version fast!!!

[Lord Adherbal]

End of August is our deadline, no matter in what state. Believe me, we are as eager to release this mod as you are awaiting it. Not to mension we're sick and tired of those french and russians and want to move on to the Waterloo factions ~:)

[professorspatula]

When I look at the level of detail and effort gone into mods like this and The Crusades, I can't help but feel it's almost wasted on the RTW engine. Good stuff though, and defintely a mod I'd be interested in playing online. To think I've had RTW a few days before it's official release date (thanks Gameplay) and never played it online.

[Lord Adherbal]

We're looking for more multiplayer beta testers to test the next "almost-final" private beta. If you are interested show your motivation by visiting this post (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6208) and make a reply.

Singleplayer will be disabled in this build, so don't bother signing up if you are just planning to play SP and not MP.

[Master of the Military Arts]

I think the concept of online play with Napoleonic Total War is a great idea. It allows players to be competitive and to see how great the mod really is.

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/intro_119.jpg


Welcome to our second preview. It took a little longer then we hoped because the new horse models were still in production, but now they're finally done, so we present to you: the Napoleonic Cavalry Preview.
The Borodino Pack release is still scheduled for late August.
You can view the first NTW2 preview about Napoleonic Infantry here:


First NTW2 Preview (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=66626)


CAVALRY IN NTW2

Cavalry in NTW2 is powerful, but only if used in a proper fashion. A small miscalculation can reduce your proud and magnificent cavalry corps to a heap of horse meat.
There is quite a large variety of units available, which can be split into light and heavy cavalry. The light cavalry uses fast moving horses, and are ideally used in quick charges to override exposed skirmishers or weakened units, or to make flanking attacks with support of the infantry or heavy cavalry. The heavy cavalry is slower, and are mainly a shock unit, that can pin the enemy down and hold out until the infantry can get close enough, or for faster cavalry to ride around the enemy's flanks and strike them in the back.
Generally a fresh infantry unit can deal with any cavalry unit if it charges head-on. Especially when capable of firing a close range volley they enemy cavalry can be routed in a few instances. But a massive charge of cavalry, supported by musket and artillery fire can overrun have a serious impact on enemy morale. Good use of Officer units (more into those in the next preview) can be vital for both the cavalry and the defenders dealing with them.
Infantry units are packed together much tighter then cavalry units, the result being that there are almost 2 infantrymen fighting 1 horsemen in a duel between the two. Against light infantry deployed in loose formation, the cavalry does not have this weakness, thus making cavalry effective against skirmishing infantry.

FRENCH CAVALRY

"I considered our (British) cavalry so inferior to the French from the want of order, that although I considered one squadron a match for two French, I didn't like to see four British opposed to four French: and as the numbers increased and order, of course, became more necessary I was the more unwilling to risk our men without having a superiority in numbers." -The Duke of Wellington

It took some time before the French cavalry reached its full potential, as it had suffered the loss of many officers during the Revolutionary period. In the cavalry served more nobles than in any other branch of the army, the majority of the aristocratic officers left France during the French Revolution and the overall quality of French cavalry had fallen badly. Napoleon rebuild the cavalry from scratch, his cavalrymen were intensively trained especially in massed tactics, supplied with splendid uniforms and horses and armed to teeth. They were enthusiastic and ready to fight. The officers and NCO`s were battle hardened veterans. After the defeat of Austria and Prussia the excellent German horse depots were captured, so by 1807 French cavalry was reaching its prime. Until 1812 the French cavalrymen were victorious over everyone they encountered on any level above a regiment. At Borodino they even captured a redoubt, a feat never repeated by any other cavalry. It is estimated that 175.000 excellent horses of cavalry and artillery were lost in 1812 in Russia, shortages of trained cavalrymen, officers, NCO`s and war horses were so bad the French cavalry never recovered afterwards.

Mounted Chasseurs

The Chasseurs à Cheval are the most basic - and weakest - of all current cavalry units. They lack the high morale and élan of the hussars, and don't nearly pack enough punch to fight solid bodies of infantry. They are however fairly cheap, and can make an excellent addition to your army if they are used to support superior units, making flank attacks or harassing skirmishers.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/chasseur_210.jpg

The French Chasseurs à Chéval (which means 'on horseback') are usually brigaded with the French hussars. Many of the recruits were foreigners, mostly Belgians or Germans, and are light/line cavalry armed with carbines, bayonets and slightly curved sabres. French Chasseurs are trained for rapid action, capable of raiding, skirmishing, and reconnaissance duties like the hussars. They were capable of charging enemy lines in support and could be used in dismounting actions like dragoons. Many of them are known to be reckless bravado's. They were generally not held in high esteem by many of their French counterparts, especially the hussars. Historically early in Napoleon's campaigns they were armed with two types of sabres: à la husarde and à la chasseur. Both weapons were replaced by light cavalry sabre Pattern XI. The bayonets were disliked by the French Chasseurs, they were used as tools, for digging up potatoes for an example, and then thrown away. The French Chasseurs were the only cavalry branch that accepted many foreigners to serve in their ranks, six regiments of French Chasseurs were formed of foreigners.


Hussars

Hussars are very capable light cavalrymen riding fast horses. They have a good morale and are best at performing flanking manoeuvres or striking against vulnerable enemy units. They lack the charge power of lancers and heavier cavalry, so they aren't that good at attacking solid bodies of infantry and cavalry, but can still hold their own for a while.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/hussar_623.jpg

The French (and any other hussar in Europe) was modelled on the famous Hungarian hussars. By 1811 there were 11 Hussar regiments in the French cavalry arm. During a parade the sight of the hussars would the women’s hearts made wildly pounding. In combat they rode yelling most unearthly, cursing and brandishing their weapons. They had their own code - that of reckless courage that bordered on a death wish. The hussars were the eyes, ears and … egos of the army. The mutually supporting camaraderie of the hussars was important factor of their "esprit de corps". Tactically they were used as scouts and screen for other troops and due to their combativeness were also used in pitched battles. It was not a rare sight to see a hussar in a forefront of a hack-and-slash melee, gripping his reins with his teeth, a pistol in one hand and sabre in the other. They considered himself as better horseman and swordsman than everybody else. Bragging, smoking a pipe, drinking, and duelling - these were their funs. There was a saying: "The hussars were loved by every wife and hated by every husband". The hussar was armed with pistols and curved sabre. Some had carbines. The hussars were the most flamboyantly dressed part of every army. Their brilliant uniforms exemplified the panache with which they lived and fought.


Lancers

Lancers are light/medium cavalry armed with a lance (surprise). This gives them a powerful charge with a good chance of killing their first opponent on impact. After the charge they switch to swords for close combat, but the time to do so makes them slightly vulnerable after the initial charge. Therefor they are best used against weakened or wavering enemies that can be routed by the sheer power of their charge.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/lancer_148.jpg

Napoleon, wanting to oppose the Cossacks who were nimble, tough warriors before the Russian campaign created the Chevaux-Légers Lanciers or French Lancers from the 29e Regiment des Dragons. They were Frenchmen trained by Vistula and Polish Guard lancers. They are armed with the lance, Poland's national weapon, but retained the Dragoon styled uniform and helmet. Even though this unit contained mostly raw recruits and newly commissioned officers mounted on barely trained horses, they were led by exceptional senior officers. One such officer, a Colonel Perquit said that, "he didn't recognise any danger." The French Lancers were considered rather tough, disciplined fighters, and just like their Polish comrades they gave no quarter to the enemy. Historically Napoleon converted one chasseur regiment along with 6 dragoon regiments to lancers by 1811. Although the light cavalry could stand in line and fight as battle cavalry, its best purposes were reconnaissance, screening, raiding, pursuit, and field security. The light cavalry manoeuvre units were intended to be broken into small tactical units for use as pickets and vedettes, and for deployment in reconnaissance roles.


Dragoons

Dragoons are a sort of hybrid between light and heavy cavalry. They are capable of performing the tasks of both classes, but not as good as the true versions. They make up a good and affordable all-purpose cavalry arm.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/dragoon_172.jpg

In 1804 Napoleon had 30 dragoon regiments and were the largest cavalry class, something between light and heavy cavalry. They were trained in infantry and cavalry duties, as historically they were infantry men put on horses, and for this reason their horsemanship "was wobbly" and their swordsmanship was not of the highest order. In the first phase of Napoleonic Wars they served on the primary theatre of war, in Central Europe, charging in numerous battles. After 1807 majority of the dragoons served on secondary theatres of wars, Spain and Italy. Many of the regiments in Spain lacked uniforms, horses and equipment. But the dragoons were efficient troops. They fought a grim and deadly war of ambush and retaliation against the hostile Spaniards. They guarded communication lines and escorted convoys. They also participated in battles with the British and Spanish armies. Napoleon had problems to find the right horses for his dragoons. In 1805 approximately 6.000 of them were without mounts and were organised into 4 foot dragoon regiments. Their duty was to guard the artillery reserves and the baggage trains. The dragoons were armed with straight sabres and muskets. Their muskets were longer and had longer range of fire than light cavalry's carbines. While a light cavalryman's equipment included a carbine sling as a means of keeping his weapon readily available for use, the greater length of musket issued to dragoons made a sling impractical. Thus the stock of the musket was seated in a boot attached to the saddle, and its barrel restrained by a strap attached to the pommel. When the dragoons expected to go into action they drew sabres and muskets slung on their backs. In 1814 they gave away their long muskets for the infantry.


Cuirassiers

Cuirassiers are - together with Carabiniers - the only units in the Napoleonic era that still wear body armour. Their heavy cuirasses, combined with their large and strong mounts make them excellent shock cavalry, capable of punching a hole through the enemy line. However, their cuirasses do not protect them from cannon or musket fire, and they are quite a lot slower then light cavalry units.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/cuirass_208.jpg

While other types of cavalry had their important roles to play, it was the cuirassiers, the descendants of the medieval knights, who could turn a battle with their sheer weight and brute force. They looked dangerous every time they ventured forward and the generals never employed them frivolously. When it came to hardware the cuirassiers were riding arsenals: body Armour, helmets, carbines, pistols and long straight sabres. The Russians called them zheleznye ludi (the iron men). There were 12 regiments of cuirassiers. They were considered as elite troops. The cuirassiers wore body Armour. It was uncomfortable to wear in summer and expensive. The cuirassiers were armed with straight long sabres and pistols. When in 1812 they received carbines they made considerable effort to avoid carrying them. The cuirassiers rode possibly on blacks, browns and dark bays. All horses and men were big and strong. They were the tanks of their time, at the trot and in dense formations they were the heavy front rank battle cavalry that could force a gap in the enemy line. In 1815 at Waterloo they were waisted at Wellington his squares, they needed infantry and artillery support, they got them to late.


Carabiniers

Just like Cuirassiers, the Carabiniers wear breastplates and ride strong horses. They have a slightly higher elite status, resulting in better morale and slightly better combat performance then the Cuirassiers.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/carabinier_156.jpg

There were only two regiments of horse carabiniers, the 1er and 2e. In 1792 the French Ministry of War ordered that the carabiniers must always be chosen from seasoned and reliable soldiers. They were armed with straight sabres and pistols. In the ranks of carabiniers alongside the Frenchmen served also quite a few Belgians. In 1809 with the temporary absence of the Guard cavalry, the 1er Carabiniers formed Napoleon's escort. In 1809 Napoleon noticed that the carabiniers suffered badly in the hands of Austrian uhlans and ordered to give them Armour. Their helmet was of yellow copper, with iron chinstrap scales and a headband with the letter 'N' in front. The crest had a scarlet comb instead of the cuirassiers black horsehair. The cuirasses were almost identical in design to those worn by the cuirassiers, although they were covered with a sheet of brass (for officers red copper). The visual effect was astounding! In 1812 at Borodino the carabiniers repeatedly clashed with the Russian cuirassiers, hussars and dragoons. They fought with gusto until the end of battle when they were defeated by Russian cuirassiers of the guard. The campaign in Russia broke their backbone and they never were the same. Until the disastrous campaign in Russia in 1812 the carabiniers rode on big black horses. In 1805 the carabiniers received dragoon muskets. In 1810 their long straight sabres were replaced with slightly curved sabres (a la Montmorency). In 1812 the dragoon muskets were replaced with shorter cavalry carbines.


Mounted Guard Chasseurs

These light cavalry units have an average attack, but good defence and morale. It allows them to hold out longer against overwhelming odds then most other light cavalry.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/chassguard_157.jpg

In 1796 Napoleon Bonaparte formed the Company of Guides to be his escort, later renamed to Chasseurs of Imperial Guard after Napoleons crowning in 1804. A squadron of Mamelukes in full oriental style, a remnant of Napoleon`s Egyptian campaign, was also attached to the Guard Chasseurs These men are well mounted and are resourceful, dashing, and very courageous. Napoleon described his Chasseurs de la Garde as "200 daredevils, well-mounted and brave." The Guard Chasseurs are armed with slightly curved sabres, pistols, and carbines. They wear expensive hussar-style outfits, being more flamboyant then the Horse Grenadiers, but were less precise in formation and movement, and lacked the discipline. They are the most known troop in the entire French army who nicknamed them "The Pet Children" (or rather the Spoiled Brats). Napoleon wore the uniform of colonel of this regiment. Historically in 1815 during the battle of Waterloo, the Guard Chasseurs met with the British and German cavalry (KGL). Repeatedly some of the chasseur squadrons rode up to within 300-400 paces of the British and German cavalry with their officers wearing tall, broad bearskin hats. On several occasions described by one English officer, "some of them rode up to us, challenging the officers of our regiment to single combat. As they were much stronger, the regiment could not accept the honour ..."


Polish Guard Lancers

Like all lance armed units, they have a powerful charge, but they are vulnerable afterwards until they switched to sabres for close combat. The Polish Guard Lancers have a strong attack, and a very high morale.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/polish_745.jpg

Renowned for their horsemanship, the Polish Guards lancers are one of only a few regiments that attained the perfection of changing formation at a gallop without losing its order. Napoleon was so impressed by the Polish nobles bearing and loyalty that he ordered the formation of a regiment of Polish light horse and attached them to his Imperial Guard. Just as their comrades in arms they are required to be landowners or the sons of landowners between the ages of 18 and 40 and were to furnish their own horse, uniform, equipment, and harness to a set pattern. They are issued with the lance, their national weapon, and are renowned for their skill with it in addition to their great bravery, disciplined charges, and great valour and loyalty to Napoleon's cause. They are also known to give no quarter and are feared by all (especially the British who considered them demons), even the Russian Cossacks have respect for them! Historically they are considered a legendary regiment! In 1808 Spain, the regiment charged Somosierra pass and captured four batteries that had been entrenched and supported by Spanish infantry in the hills. Napoleon was so impressed he proclaimed them "My Bravest cavalry!" He also ordered his Old Guard to present arms to the Poles as they rode by. One Polish lancer, Jordan, unsaddled 2 battle hardened veterans; dragoons of the Napoleon's Guard while Napoleon and Marshal Murat observed the duel. This regiment is one of two guard cavalry outfits never defeated by enemy's cavalry.


Mounted Guard Grenadiers

Or Guard Grenadiers à Cheval are basically the Old Guard on horseback. Very high morale, with excellent fighting skills make them one of the most powerful cavalry units in the game. On top of that - just like the Old Guard - their sheer presence intimidates enemies (they were nicknamed "The Gods" for the amazing sight they made). But all this comes at a high price, and thus they should only be thrown in battle when it is certain that their presence will cause great deal of damage to the enemy, and preferably secure the outcome of the battle.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/gren_a_chev_984.jpg

In 1796 the Garde du Directoire was organised and one squadron of Horse Grenadiers was raised. Soon Napoleon enlarged the troop to two and then to four squadrons. The privates wore dark blue coats and collars, white lapels and tall boots. In 1797 they received tall fur caps. In 1804 the Consular Guard became Imperial Guard. For new candidates there were strict requirements: 176 cm tall, 10 years of service, minimum 4 campaigns and citation for bravery. The Horse Grenadiers became known for their austerity and haughty demeanour. The army nicknamed them "The Giants", "The Gods" or simply "The High Heels" (from their tall boots). In 1805 at Austerlitz they defeated Tsar's Guard cavalry. In 1807 at Eylau they stood under hellish fire from 60 Russian cannons, when their commander General Lepic noted some of his troopers ducking incoming shells. "Heads up, by God!" he cried "Those are bullets - not turds." Few moments later they charged against the Russians. The Horse Grenadiers were very devoted to the Emperor. In March 1814 a major of grenadiers was wounded at Craonne. He had his foot carried away by a cannon-ball and the surgeon had to amputate his leg. During the extremely painful operation "which he bore with great courage, the man called out "Vive l'Empereur!" and lost consciousness. The Guard Horse Grenadiers and the Polish Guard Lancers were the only two cavalry regiments of Napoleon's Guard never defeated by enemy's cavalry in combat. They rode big black horses and were armed with straight sabres, pistols and carbines.


[B]RUSSIAN CAVALRY

Russia possessed a vast force of cavalry, forming a greater percentage than that of most European armies. This stemmed partly from years of battle experience against the Ottomans (who used large bodies of excellent cavalry) and partly from the fact that much Russian terrain was suitable for the manoeuvre of large bodies of cavalry. The Russian horses were overall of good quality and they had some excellent officers and NCO`s. However Russian cavalry lacked training in massed cavalry formations compared to their French counterparts. The Guard, Cuirassiers and Hussars were among the best regiments in Russian cavalry. Russian Cossacks were a league on their own, probably the best irregular cavalry on the planet, masters in guerrilla tactics. Given the quality of mounts and personnel, if Russian commanders had been able to combine the cavalry in large formations, it might have become one of the most formidable forces in Europe.

Cossacks

At first glance the Cossacks appear as a very poor combat unit. And in fact they are, but they are also very cheap. This makes them an interesting unit for "suicide missions", such as getting them past enemy lines to attack unprotected artillery or even a general. Armed with lances, they pack a decent punch when charging, but are lousy in prolonged hand to hand combat against solid enemy units.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/cossack_521.jpg

Don Cossacks come from the Don Voisko Province near the lower and middle Don River, Russia. Don Cossacks are one of the biggest groups and heavily militarised and, like all other Cossacks, they are armed with the lance and curved sabres. Being tribal, they are commanded by their tribal chiefs, or Atamans, having little effect on organised disciplined or drill thus not much use against formed units. However they are superb horsemen and highly valued as scouts, raiders, and skirmishers at which they are at their element. Historically the Don Cossacks were formed in the second half of the 16th century largely by runaway peasants. By the end of the century they were granted certain privileges in exchange for frontier military service as Don Cossack Voisko.

Hussars

Hussars are very capable light cavalrymen riding fast horses. They have a good morale and are best at performing flanking manoeuvres or striking against vulnerable enemy units. They lack the charge power of lancers and heavier cavalry, so they aren't that good at attacking solid bodies of infantry and cavalry, but can still hold their own for a while.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/hussar_315.jpg

The Russian Hussars are light cavalry and armed with curved sabres and pistols. They are ideal for reconnaissance, screening, and raiding; in battle they are used to harass enemy skirmishers, overrunning cannon positions, and pursuing fleeing troops. Russian Hussars, as all other hussars, are renown for being brave, dashing, unruly, reckless, hard-drinking adventurers, always charging home with blind fury. The Russian generals sometimes employed them with heavier cavalry for support, making this a deadly combination. Historically Russian Hussars were used to loot and pillage and were also known (and feared) for their poor treatment of local civilians.

Uhlans

Ulhans are light/medium cavalry armed with a lance. This gives them a powerful charge with a good chance of killing their first opponent on impact. After the charge they switch to swords for close combat, but the time to do so makes them slightly vulnerable after the initial charge. Therefor they are best used against weakened or wavering enemies that can be routing by the sheer power of their charge.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/uhlan_205.jpg

Russian Uhlans being light cavalry were mainly intended for service in the outposts, reconnaissance, support of heavy cavalry in action, and pursuit of the enemy. Armed with the lance, their main weapon, which they use with great skill. They are respected for being brave and well disciplined in the charge for they had inherited traditions of Polish Light Cavalry, but are of lesser quality compared to their Polish cousins. Historically the Poles were acknowledged to be the finest lancers in Europe and Russia, Prussia and Austria recruited their uhlan units from among the Polish and Lithuanian subjects. It was followed by an imitative creation of lancer regiments all across Western Europe (France, Germany and even the British got around to it after Napoleonic wars).

Dragoons

Dragoons are a sort of hybrid between light and heavy cavalry. They are capable of performing the tasks of both classes, but not as good as the true versions. They make up a good and affordable all-purpose cavalry arm.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/dragoon_188.jpg

Russian Dragoons are armed with carbines or short musket called the dragon and with pallasches(long straight-sabres), like the heavier cavalry. However, they lack the armour of the heavies, thus they are classified as a medium cavalry. Dragoons are renown for their courage and dash in the charge but lack the shock impact of their heavier brothers, but do great against lesser cavalry. They are also ideal for scouting, raiding, and engaging enemy skirmishers. Historically A Russian Dragoon was traditionally a soldier trained to fight on foot, but transport himself on horseback. The Russian Dragoons were also cheaper to recruit and maintain than the notoriously expensive heavier regiments of horse (The Cuirassiers). Accordingly, this made the Czar employ more Dragoons then any other horse unit in the Russian armies.

Guard Cossacks

Guard Cossacks are a much more reliable and steadfast version of the casual Cossack units. They have a high morale and good defence, combined with a powerful charge.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/cossackguard_143.jpg

In 1796 the Don Voisko (host) were incorporated into the Russian Imperial Guards and became the Cossack Guards (or Leib Garde Cossack). Armed with pistols, swords, and an 8-foot long lance with a steel spearhead surmounting a steel ball to secure easy withdrawal of the point. These men are better disciplined and trained unlike the regular Cossack lancers, and are lead by officers who were their Ataman (leaders) and owed them complete loyalty. These men are brave and feared for their lack of mercy. They are also very resourceful as they lived off the land and foraged as they moved. They are tactically used for harassing enemy lines of communications and columns of march, perform fast-unexpected raids, ambushes, and reconnaissance. They were in their element when doing these tasks, but were of little practical value in pitched battles, as their impulsive and disorganised charges had almost no effect when confronted by steady infantry formations. Historically Napoleon once declared, "Cossacks are the best light troops among all that exist. If I had them in my army, I would go through all the world with them." Just like the French light cavalry, the Cossacks were the eyes and ears of the Russian Army who used hit and run tactics against enemy stragglers and supply columns.

Cuirassiers

Cuirassiers are - together with Carabiniers - the only units in the Napoleonic era that still wear body armour. Their heavy cuirasses, combined with their large and strong mounts make them excellent shock cavalry, capable of punching a hole through the enemy line. However, their cuirasses do not protect them from cannon or musket fire, and they are quite a lot slower then light cavalry units.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/cuirass_395.jpg

The Russian cuirassiers are, as in almost all armies, the decisive arm used to break through an enemy utilising the sheer weight of man, horse, and armour; making them the heaviest shock troops. Russian Cuirassiers overall are brave and disciplined men dedicated to their officers and Czar! Each man and horse are big and strong, recruited from other cavalry regiments. The Russian Cuirassiers wore front and back black-enamel cuirasses (plates) and were armed with the straight-blade heavy-cavalry sabre to run down enemies with a thrust instead of the slash. Historically the Czar had two elite cuirassier regiments: the Emperor Cuirassiers and the St. George Cuirassiers who both captured French Eagles and drapeau from the second battalion of 24th French line infantry. Each man also carried a carbine and or a pair of pistols to guard the flanks when advancing to enemy lines.

Chevaliers Guard

These cavalry units are part of the Russian Guard, and are armoured with breastplates. They have a high morale, excellent defence, and make an excellent albeit expensive shock cavalry unit. Few cavalry units can match them on the battlefield.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/chevalier_112.jpg

Russian Chevaliers Guards have the prestige from their position of being the Czars personal bodyguards. Like the heavy cavalry, the guard cavalry are equipped with the cuirasses and straight sabre. The Chevalier Guards are well disciplined and brave men, many of the Guards are veterans and recruited from the biggest and strongest men from other cavalry regiments, making them a formidable force to reckon with. They are the bravest of the brave in the Czars armies and are renowned fighters. Historically this unit was formed in 1796 during the reign of Czar Paul as Kavalergradski Korpus and in March 1800 became Kavalergradski Polk. Czar Alexander liked this regiment and often wore their uniform, for example, during his entry to Paris. The Czar's brother, Constantine (commander of the Imperial Guard) hated the Guard Cavalry since its officers were involved in the plot and killing of his father Czar Paul.

SCREENSHOTS

Cossacks launch a surprise attack

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/cossacks_624.jpg

A big heavy cavalry melee

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/carabs_204.jpg

Massive cavalry charge

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle_176.jpg

Advancing against enemy square...

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/shot3_183.jpg

And charging it...

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/shot4_334.jpg

Close combat

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/shot2_115.jpg

Russian Cuirassiers cutting down French skirmishers

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/shot1_187.jpg


Enjoy!

The Lordz

[Master of the Military Arts]

Absolutely fantastic!

[Pewe]

It's like you almost think they had cameras in those days when you see those screenshots ;)

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Here our first trailer covering the cavalry. We have put up three movies that are all the same except for resolution and size.

All movies require Quicktime to watch: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html

-Quicktime movie in 400x225 at 14Mb.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_CAV-Trailer_400x225_14Mb.mov

-Quicktime movie in560x315 at 28Mb.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_CAV-Trailer_560x315_28Mb.mov

-Quicktime movie in800x450 at 56Mb.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_CAV-Trailer_800x450_56Mb.mov


Enjoy!

The Lordz

[Master of the Military Arts]

When you say an August release, what exactly do you mean? Early August, the middle of August, or the end of August?

[Lord Adherbal]

the very end

[Pantsalot]

well then it might be better
to just say september

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Because of a little delay in bringing out the next NTW2 trailer and Preview, I decided to give you all some compensation.
Here some work in progress on British units

British Horse Guards

http://hellenictotalwar.com/NTW2Screens/British_Horseguards.jpg

British 9-Pounder

http://hellenictotalwar.com/NTW2Screens/British_Art9pdr.jpg

British Dragoons : The Scots Greys

http://hellenictotalwar.com/NTW2Screens/British_Scots_Grey.jpg

We are already working on a Waterloo 1815 Campaign that will add the British, Prussian and Dutch-Belgian units to the game. The battles of Ligny, Quatre-Bras, Plancenoit and Waterloo will be represented.
We hope to release this one a few months after the first Borodino pack, that will introduce the French and Russians.

Cheers,

LZoF

[beauchamp]

No Mamluks :shame: .
Cool stuff anyways...

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/banner_901.jpg


Welcome to our third preview for Napoleonic Total War 2! We're covered Infantry and Cavalry in the two previous preview, so now it is time to discuss the third branch of a Napoleonic-era army: The Artillery. In addition, we've included information about our General or "Command" units.
You still can view the older previews here:

1. Infantry Preview (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6157&start=0)
2. Cavalry Preview (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6236&start=0)

ARTILLERY

"It is with artillery war is made"
-Napoleon

The artillery was one of the most distinguished and celebrated arms in the Napoleonic war theatre. It truly was an intimidating, well-oiled killing organisation. Napoleon was an artillery man before he was an Emperor. He understood the power and effectiveness of cannon and their ability to pulverise defences, reduce fortresses, destroy attacks, pound the enemy lines and crush morale. By massing guns together in great batteries, artillery was capable of causing great havoc by literally carving a path through enemy lines. Guns also greatly influenced troops morale, as shells burst overhead and roundshot smashed its way through the men beside you. It can be said that artillery won many a battle for Napoleon.

French Artillery

The French artillery has always considered among the best. Almost all improvements made in gunnery, during the last three or four centuries, originated with the French. New guns were designed for more rapid movements, on and off the roads. The new Gribeauval system, created by famed French artillery theorist Jean-Baptiste de Gribeauval, stressed mobility, hitting power and accuracy, as well as a standardisation of artillery across the army.
Napoleon expected excellence and competence from his gunners, and he got it. The French artillery became superior to every national artillery arm in Europe. French horse and guard artillery in particular enjoyed a great reputation.
During the Russian campaign the artillery suffered horrible losses in horses and equipment. After 1812 the quality of French artillery, like many other arms of the French military, began to gradually decrease.

Russian Artillery

The Russians were fond of their artillery, convinced that theirs was one of the best in Europe. Indeed, their artillery was efficient, and up-to-date in its equipment, horses and training... and there was a lot of it. They hated losing their artillery so much that personnel leaving their pieces in battle would be executed afterwards!

The main difference between the French and Russian Allies artillery was not in the quality of gunners or guns but in the fact that Napoleon used artillery offensively, while for the Allies the main purpose of artillery was to defend cavalry and infantry. Napoleon's artillery prepared the way for the final blow that would decide the battle. The Russians saturated their battle line with numerous guns, making it difficult to break through. They also kept a strong artillery reserve in case of an emergency.
By 1814 the Russian foot artillery was considered to be one of the best in the field.

ARTILLERY TYPES

Field artillery was divided in two categories: foot artillery and horse artillery. Foot artillery was really expected to walk. In the horse artillery, all crew were mounted and they used lighter guns that were pulled by more horses. Its main function was speed and rapid deployment.
The main guns used on the field of battle are cannons and howitzers. The cannons were longer-barrelled, low-trajectory weapons designed for a direct-fire role. The howitzers were typically shorter-barrelled. They were capable of both high- and low-angle fire, and were most often employed in a close indirect-fire role, firing over obstacles like trees, woods, buildings, villages and hills.
The field artillery during the Napoleonic Wars was distinguished by the weight of the projectile. It included 12-, 8-, 6-, 4-, and 3-pound guns. Each gun, heavy or light, had its advantages and disadvantages.
For example when firing canister, the 12-pounder cannon had almost double the effect compared with a 6-pounder cannon. The 6-pounder can, however, be fired quicker than the 12-pounder with a ratio of approximately 3 to 2. The 12-pounder has less projectiles in its ammunition waggons, and these are heavier than the ones for 6-pounder cannon. To meet the requirements for more projectiles the battery of 12-pounders needs bigger amount of ammunition waggons. The more waggons needed, the more horses and drivers were needed. The more men and horses, the more space they take on road and battlefield, becoming a bigger target for enemy's artillery. The heavier cannon requires more men to limber and unlimber it. The 12-pounder can fire its cannonball further than the lighter 6-pounder cannon and the projectile is heavier, thus causing more damage, especially to walls, buildings, trees.
Due to some modding limitations we could not make all artillery as we wanted. Sadly proper horse artillery and different speeds are not something we could implement yet. But we still found a good mix:

12 Pounder

The 12-pounder is your main heavy long range piece of field artillery. It is capable of firing both roundshot and canister. As your ammunition is not unlimited use it wisely. Its main purpose is to hammer your enemy at the right time and at the right place. Due to its longer range it will be one of the first units that will begin hostilities, so deploy them carefully.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/12pounder_705.jpg

Historically 12-pounders were the most important and heaviest field guns, both feared and cheered. Napoleon nicknamed them "His beloved children."

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/range-12p_142.jpg

6 Pounder

The 6-pounder is your lighter field piece. It has a shorter range but a greater rate of fire to compensate. It is capable of firing both roundshot and canister. As your ammunition is not unlimited use it wisely. Use it to decimate oncoming troop formations, or to defend bridges or other strong points. If you can position and move them quickly they can be as deadly as their heavier brothers.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/6pounder_957.jpg

Historically the 6-pounder was a very versatile gun; it was a rapid firing, lighter and easier to move cannon. 6 pound guns were used throughout the Napoleonic Wars by every nation.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/range-6p_117.jpg

Howitzer

Howitzers have a short barrel and are the only field pieces capable of firing explosive shells in an high arc. It is capable of firing both common shell as well as canister. As your ammunition is not unlimited use it wisely. Use it to fire on large and grouped formations, firing over obstacles, or setting structures on fire; indeed, some commanders will use it to just bombard anything they feel needs a bit of destruction!

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/howitzer_207.jpg

Historically howitzers were normally attached to cannon batteries and came in a wide variety of calibres. One of the most typical was the Russian unicorn, which was a mix between a cannon and howitzer.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/range-how_424.jpg

AMMUNITION TYPES

The effects of Napoleonic artillery fire on humans could be terrifying. While modern weapons may or may not tear and rend, artillery roundshot was virtually guaranteed to cause dramatic and gory casualties.
The cannonballs themselves were subsonic, lobbed slowly through the air, loudly whistling as they approached. Even at the end of its effective range, rolling shot would bowl men over and cause widespread injury. If flying shot hit a horse, it was not just a matter of the horse falling over; the ball might strike the saddlebags, scattering the contents in every direction as the horse went spinning, splattering pieces of the animal closely behind the chunks of leather and cloth. At close range, artillery fire would punch holes straight through entire sections of units. During the battle of Waterloo, British artillery fired "double shot" charges (one charge of cannister backed up by a round of shot) at point blank range into advancing French heavy cavalry. In one case, the entire front rank of cavalry was taken down, stopping the assault only because none of the following troops could make their way over the heaving pile of men and horses to their front!
Artillery used a wide variety of ammunition during the Napoleonic Wars (even chemical fire bombs and lightning balls were used) but the primary ammunition types are explained below.

Roundshot

-Roundshot was the standard ammunition. Basically it was a cast iron spherical cannonball. It has a very high velocity resulting in a virtually flat trajectory. When fired a side effect was the "ricochet firing": the cannonball began bouncing over the terrain creating huge damage to anything that lay in its path.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/round_213.jpg

It is especially effective against deep formations, because the cannonball can cut through 5 or more ranks of men, punching through them in a most destructive manner. However, the flat trajectory makes the projectile quite useless on a bumpy battlefield, especially against units stationed behind a hill or slope. If no cover is present, the best way to protect your men against roundshot is to deploy them in 2 ranks, thus minimising the casualties taken from each hit.

Canister

-Canister, or case shot, was a tin cylinder stacked full of smaller balls almost the size of musket balls and covered with an iron lid. The diameter of the balls inside the "can" or "case" could vary in diameter. There was canister designed for shorter range (light case or canister) or longer range (heavy case or canister.) When fired, the effect is that of a giant shotgun blast. Canister is essentially short-range anti-personnel ammunition.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/canister_161.jpg

It has a wide area of effect and can cut through several ranks, but it's range is very short compared to roundshot. However, it is extremely deadly from close range against targets incapable of forming loose formation (= all infantry except for lights). Canister makes attacking an enemy position protected by artillery very dangerous. The best way is to try and take out the crew members with light infantry (operating in loose formation), or getting close as soon as possible, to pin down the gun crews. Leaving your men exposed to canister fire for too long will have a profound and, for your men, rather negative effect on the outcome of the battle.

Grapeshot

-Grapeshot was smaller balls or other objects such as nails or pieces of metal packed in ropes or other material. This package of balls tied together with rope looked a lot like a bunch of grapes, that is where the name comes from. When fired it had the same effect as canister, although it had a much smaller range as the objects would spread out immediately after leaving the barrel.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/grape_881.jpg

Grapeshot was the predecessor of canister and originated from the Navy, and has basically the same function as canister. It will not be available in the game, as canister does the job better.

Common Shell

-The basic shell was a fused round iron shell filled with gunpowder. The fuses could be adjusted and self ignited inside the barrel when the shell was fired. When fired the shell would explode after a certain amount of time, depending on the setting of the fuse, spreading metal shrapnel over a vast area.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/shell_116.jpg

Shells are fired by howitzers. The howitzer launches the projectile in a high arc, unobstructed by hills or buildings. The shell then explodes over the heads of the enemy, showering them with shards of metal. The downside is its low accuracy, meaning it is only effective on a large mass of enemy units. Because of its high arc, the weapon is very effective against dug-in defenders. The only way to protect yourself against this threat is to spread out your forces, even if that means leaving an otherwise great defencive position, or simply prevent the howitzers from getting within range, which can be done with cannons if the terrain offers no protection for the howitzer crews.

Shrapnel

-Shrapnel or spherical case was an invention of the British artillery officer Henry Shrapnel. It was also fused but had a much thinner shell and was filled with balls mixed with gunpowder. It was the only long-range anti-personnel ammunition and a great improvement. When fired it would explode like a shell just above or in front of troops and spray them with musket balls.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/shrapnell_183.jpg

Shrapnel was exclusively used by the British and it was truly one of their best kept secrets. It was a very versatile ammunition, able to be fired by cannon or howitzer. Logically, we hope to introduce it as a special feature for British artillery in the next Waterloo expansion.

GENERALS & OFFICERS

Their names are legend; Ney, Bonaparte, Kutuzov, Wellington, Soult. Commanding officers were the dominant personalities in Napoleonic war. A thoughtful strategy, tactical skill, a good knowledge of terrain, careful deployment, sharp movement and capable blending of all arms of the army; a combination of these skills and abilities will eventually lead you to either victory and glory or utter defeat.

French General

French Generals and officers differed in one significant aspect to other nations; they were chosen for their skill and did not merely take rank by right of birth. Napoleon stated: "Every soldier carries a Marshal's baton in his backpack." French Generals came from all ranks of society; the only requirement was that they were up to the job. The common soldier could identify more with him as he often was just one of their own. In general French Generals were of excellent quality. And due to the twenty years of ongoing wars against almost every European nation, most of them were hardened veterans. French officers were fighting officers, often close to the front ranks. The downside to this was that many were wounded or killed in battle. The horrendous loss of capable officers in Russia was a severe blow to the French military in later years.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/general_185.jpg

Russian General

Russian Generals and officers were almost all of noble birth. Most came from the higher echelons of society or had direct ties to the Russian court. Typical of the Russians was the high percentage of foreigners among their commanding officers. They imported many good and capable from all across Europe. The Russian officers had absolute power over their troops and ruled with an iron fist, their authority was never questioned. They simply had to be obeyed. Quality varied from very capable fighting commanders and good administrators to officers really not worthy of any commission at all.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/russian_general_103.jpg

Function in Napoleonic Total War 2
Morale always plays a big role in battle. Officer units will boost the morale of nearby units, and have a "Command" special ability to strengthen morale even more. This ability only works when the officers are not moving and not engaged with the enemy. Here also lies your dilemma; place your officers too close to the front and they risk being killed, but on the other hand they will greatly enhance the fighting spirit of nearby troops. Use them with care and you will have a great advantage.

VIDEOS

All movies require Quicktime to watch: Apple Quicktime (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html)

Artillery Trailer

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/trailer_200.jpg (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_ARTI-Trailer_800x450_50Mb.mov)

High quality (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_ARTI-Trailer_800x450_50Mb.mov)

Medium quality (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_ARTI-Trailer_560x315_30Mb.mov)

Low quality (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_ARTI-Trailer_400x225_16Mb.mov)

(right click > save target as...)

Cavalry Trailer

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/cav_839.jpg (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_CAV-Trailer_800x450_56Mb.mov)

High quality (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_CAV-Trailer_800x450_56Mb.mov)

Medium quality (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_CAV-Trailer_560x315_28Mb.mov)

Low quality (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/downloads/NTW2_CAV-Trailer_400x225_14Mb.mov)

(right click > save target as...)

Note: We would have loved to implement all the animations in the game that are seen in the trailers, but so far without the game developers support it was simply out of reach.

Enjoy!

The Lordz

[iberus_generalis]

damn!!! now i want to play this mod!!! LOL :laugh4:

man this is a tottaly new game alltogether....love the cannons!!!!!kaboom

[WImPyTjeH]

this looks very nice ;)

W

[Lord Adherbal]

the next previous will be released on friday, but let me tease you with some random (MP) screenshots in the meantime.

the mod is still sceduled for and end of August release.

opening moves on the "Camden" custom map
https://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4784/camden5it0.th.jpg (https://img217.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camden5it0.jpg)

bajonet clash
https://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3405/camden6ly0.th.jpg (https://img145.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camden6ly0.jpg)

light cannon battery defending the village center
https://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6032/camden4dh1.th.jpg (https://img145.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camden4dh1.jpg)

fog and bajonets
https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/8752/camden3uf4.th.jpg (https://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camden3uf4.jpg)

big melee in the village center
https://img145.imageshack.us/img145/89/camden2qd0.th.jpg (https://img145.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camden2qd0.jpg)

https://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4163/camden1zw0.th.jpg (https://img217.imageshack.us/my.php?image=camden1zw0.jpg)

[Ciaran]

Considering that today´s Napoleons birthday (363rd at that), wouldn´t that be a marvellous opportunity for some release?

[Lord Adherbal]

alright, some more screens to celebrate Mr Nappy's birthday then ~:)
this time an open field battle, which focuses more on linear tactics and maneuvering

a russian attack on the french right flank, supported by cavalry
https://img105.imageshack.us/img105/1406/battle6zg3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

the french grenadiers cannot stand the pressure and rout
https://img234.imageshack.us/img234/4096/battle7jq4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

additional battalions of french grenadiers are engaged
https://img225.imageshack.us/img225/1295/battle5ny0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

french carabiniers move to support their right flank, and save their officers from a band of russian cossacks
https://img57.imageshack.us/img57/7757/battle4xn8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

french carabiniers launch a counterattack and smash through the disorganised russian cavalry
https://img225.imageshack.us/img225/6348/battle3ol7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

french 12 pounder fire into a russian cavalry unit at point blank range, but fail to rout them
https://img103.imageshack.us/img103/3444/battle2rx5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

a new russian attack on the the french left routs the carabiniers, and nothing can save the french army anymore
https://img103.imageshack.us/img103/8249/battle1hh2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

[Ciaran]

Amazing. A worthy birthday present (well, maybe not, after all the French got their butts kicked) indeed.
Though I´m not much into the Napoleonic era the team has my deepest respect for this awesome work. What unit size is that, by the way? Has to be Huge, from the numbers.

[Lord Adherbal]

the last battle was fought on Huge. The game is designed for Large size though, other unit sizes will cause imbalances and some other problems.

[Lanfire]

This was a multiplayer battle or against AI. and are you guys still sure about not making a campaign.

[Lord Adherbal]

this is MP. If it was played against the AI you would've seen every french unit placed on top of eachother, blocking eachother's line of fire, and running away from any charge attempt because of the skirmish mode. And that's the reason why we won't waste time on a campaignmap.

The only way to get decent SP battles is by scripting the AI.

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Welcome to our fourth preview for Napoleonic Total War 2, a mod for Rome Total War. We've covered the wide array of French and Russian combat units in the previews, as well as giving some historical background on Napoleonic warfare for all of you who didn't stay awake in school :wink: Now it is time to discuss the mod in terms of gameplay and tactics. We hope the Grognards enjoy, and also that the few doubters out there will come to realise that Napoleonic warfare is as much "lining up and shooting at someone" as Roman warfare is "lining up and stabbing at each other."

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/tactics_187.jpg

We're already devoted 3 previews to our unit types, and how given you a brief description about their uses, strengths and weaknesses. This time we will go into some more detail about their actual performance and abilities on the battlefield.

Infantry

Muskets

Muskets are quite inaccurate weapons. At maximum range, regular infantry will only cause a few casualties each volley. But as the target gets closer, the volleys become more destructive.

Unlike what many people may think, extended long range shooting duels between infantry are rare, because on even ground no one really gets an advantage in doing this. Even though elite units may shoot a bit more accurately then lesser units, they are also more important and you generally don't want to waste them in long shooting duels; after all, no matter how "elite" a soldier is, bullets kill them just as easily. Usually the defender will have better ground so a shooting contest would only result in certain defeat for the attacker. Victories are achieved by routing the enemy units as soon as possible. To achieve this one needs to use the more devastating close range volleys, charge the enemy, or a combination of both.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/volley_832.jpg

French Chasseurs fires a volley, covered in smoke.

A lot of infantry attacks are executed by grenadiers or other shock units charging the enemy line, while Line infantry follow on their flanks, stopping just a few meters in front of the enemy to deliver close range volleys. The attacker will take a lot of casualties in doing so, but if all goes well the combination of the shock unit's charge and the close range volleys will rout the targeted enemy unit in just a few seconds.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/attack2_119.jpg

This will create a gap in the enemy line, and cause a morale penalty for the nearby enemy units. The grenadiers can now move in their rear, while the Line units shoot them at close range. The resulting morale penalties will often cause a chain rout, rolling up the entire enemy line.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/attack3_213.jpg

Of course in reality it's often much more complicated then this. Concentrated artillery fire can weaken a spot in the enemy defence, while close range canister and concentrated musket fire from the defender can rout the attackers before they even reach their target. It all comes down to who is best at creating and exploiting weaknesses or mistakes from the enemy.

The only units who are supposed to be used for long range shooting are the light infantry.

Note: Rifles were much more accurate then muskets, but slower to reload. Neither the French nor the Russians used them to a large extent. They will be introduced to the mod in the Waterloo Pack.

Light Infantry

Light Infantry are the "archers" of the Napoleonic era. They operate independently and in loose formations, making difficult targets for enemy infantry and artillery. They are trained to take accurate shots, have a high range and move quickly.

Light Infantry units are generally smaller then Line and Heavy infantry, but their higher range and quick speed makes them very hard to kill by the latter. If you have no skirmishers of your own, the best way to deal with them is cavalry. Skirmishing Light Infantry are vulnerable to cavalry charges while they are in loose formation.

They are also good at taking out enemy artillery crews, if the enemy has placed these in the front ranks. Their loose formation will result in fewer casualties from roundshot and even canister fire.
Their smaller size makes them weaker then the other infantry units if the latter manage to catch them.

Reload Speeds
Next to range and accuracy, an infantry unit's efficiency also depends on how fast it can reload. Militias will reload slow, while elites can do it quickly. The result is that some units can outshoot others even when they are outnumbered. It also affects how many volleys your men can fire before a charging enemy reaches your lines.


Cavalry

A strong cavalry arm is a requirement for every balanced army. They are generally used for 3 purposes: sweeping up enemy skirmishers, countering enemy cavalry, and exploiting enemy weaknesses. Even though cavalry generally cannot overrun a steady infantry unit, they can quickly run over a weakened unit. Infantry and Artillery can weaken the enemy line enough for a resolute cavalry charge to crush it quickly. If you are on the receiving side, make sure you replace or reinforce weakened units before the enemy exploits it, or keep your own cavalry nearby to counter or disencourage an enemy attack.

Light Cavalry VS Heavy Cavalry

Light cavalry is quite a lot faster then their heavier colleagues, but have a lower shock values. They are especially useful for harassing enemy skirmishers, flanking manoeuvres and any situation were speed is more important then raw power. Heavy cavalry can deliver a harder punch, and can stay in the fight much longer, so they can be used as fast moving infantry. They are best used to lead a frontal charge, proceeding the slower infantry while the lighter cavalry makes flanking manoeuvres.

The Lance VS The Sword

Lancers are equipped with both a lance and a sword. When using alt+right-click to attack, they will charge with their lance, and then switch to swords for close combat. The lance charge can be especially deadly, but switching to swords can take a while, and until then the unit will not be capable of dealing much damage. They also have a slightly worse defence skill then native sword-armed units.

Lancers are especially useful against weakened or wavering units, where their charge alone is enough to break the enemy.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/lancers_201.jpg

French Lancer and Polish Guard Lancers charging with lances.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/lancers2_974.jpg

Polish Guard Lancers after the charge, using their swords.

Artillery

Line of Fire

12 and 6 Pound artillery pieces fire their projectiles on a virtually flat trajectory. This makes checking their line of sight/fire quite important. It can be useful to lower the camera to ensure that the terrain that looks flat isn't actually a slight hill. The result of this trajectory is that the proper positioning of these artillery pieces is vital to their performance.

Tip: When using round shot, always aim where the enemy formation is the deepest. If you can get an artillery piece on the enemy's flank, don't just aim for the closest unit. Instead, aim for an enemy line that is perpendicular to your artillery. Hitting a Line in the flank has the same effect as hitting a column: the cannonball will cut through several ranks, which can do massive damage when fired down a line.

Howitzers are an exception to the "flat trajectory" thinking; they fire in a very high arc. They have a shorter range and are more inaccurate than the direct fire pieces, but can be deadly against a concentrated enemy who thinks they are safe behind a ridge or inside a village.

Art VS Art

A popular trick in Napoleonic Total War 1 was to destroy the enemy artillery with your own as soon as the battle started. In addition, most games require a "xx art per team" rule to avoid the frame rate drop caused by cannonball explosions. The result was a lot of great NTW1 games started with an artillery duel, with both sides trying to destroy each others' guns.

We wanted to avoid this in NTW2. Artillery "duels" did happen in reality, but there were so many guns on a battlefield that it would be impossible to destroy all enemy artillery in a few volleys. This obviously wasn't possible in NTW1, but is more so in NTW2.

Artillery in NTW2 is more numerous (no artificial limit needed), and they have large crews (60 man per 2 guns). The result is that it takes quite long to disable an entire artillery battery.

Capturing & Abandoning Pieces

If you kill or rout the enemy artillery crews, their guns are left behind. These can be captured by your own artillery crew of the same artillery type. If you can capture them early in battle it can be very useful as additional ammunition for your depleted crews.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/abandon_126.jpg

Tip: You can detach your artillery crews (press "W" to withdraw the crew, then move the unit). This causes them to leave their guns, but also lets them move a lot faster. This can be very useful to save their lives against a sudden cavalry attack or heavy artillery fire. If you are careful you can retake the guns when things are safe again.



http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/formations_106.jpg

The Napoleonic Total War 2 mod offers a number of predefined group formations, all based on historical formations:

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/batallion_formations_163.jpg

From left to right: Line, Column, Loose Column, Double Line, Loose Double Line, Battalion Square, Left Echelon, Right Echelon

Some are more usefully then others, depending on the circumstances. We'll go into more detail on these and other formations in this section.

Line

The line formation is the standard and most used formation. The default depth of all infantry units is 3 ranks. In reality only the front rank(s) could fire, which was an important feature in Napoleonic tactics, but sadly this feature is not available in the RTW engine. Apparently it will be available in MTW2 so that'll be one of the improvements of NTW3 over NTW2.
The main reason to form lines, and not columns is because the latter is highly vulnerable to artillery fire. Roundshot can easily cut through 5 or more ranks, so in order to minimise casualties you have to deploy in 2 or 3 ranks deep. 2 ranks is ideal when you are facing long range bombardment, but it makes units unwieldy and fragile against cavalry charges.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/thin_123.jpg

A thin line minimises casualties from artillery fire.

Another (minor) advantage of a thin line over a deep column is that accuracy decreases over distance (bullets may not reach the target,) and so the men at the rear of a column may be completely out of effective range of the front's target!

Column

A "column" points to a deep formation, but not necessarily one that has more depth then frontage - such deep formations were only used to march, not to attack.

A deep formation (usually 4-6 ranks) is mostly used to attack. It is vulnerable to artillery, so one should only form it right before charging the enemy.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/deep_206.jpg

A cannonball cuts through 7 ranks

When multiple units attack in a dense column, they can concentrate a lot of firepower on a single enemy unit. Such a deadly volley can be enough to rout that unit instantly, thus breaking the enemy line. But keep in mind that such a formation can be countered by surrounding it: In such a situation only the flank units are still able to fire, the centre unit(s) will have to manoeuvre in order to get a clear line of sight. If the purpose is to pin down the enemy (preventing them from shooting) then it is better to deploy in a longer formation, charging individual enemy units.

Another minor but possibly life-saving advantage of a deep formation is that when such a unit routs after fighting the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, more soldiers have a chance to escape, while a line can be overrun quickly.

As mentioned before, deep columns can also be useful when marching. Travelling on roads speeds up movement, but roads are narrow and thus require units to move in column to benefit. Line formations often have difficulty manoeuvring around villages, and often find it impossible to move through them. Thus you'll need to switch to a deeper formation in order to move and fight in villages and building complexes and especially to take pesky bridges!

Squares

Square formations can be used against multiple cavalry units. A clever cavalry commander will always attempt to attack from multiple directions, hitting units in the front and backside at the same time. The square formations exist to minimise that effect.
Squares are usually formed only in rare and desperate situations, when terrain features or reserves can not provide the protection needed against enemy cavalry.

The are very vulnerable to artillery fire because of the deep ranks and/or exposed flanks.

Single Company

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/square1_308.jpg

When a single unit faces multiple cavalry units it can choose to form up in a square formation. This is a weak square because it's flanks and backside are not protected, but it minimises the length of the fragile backside. The result is that the initial cavalry charge will not cause as much casualties compared to when the unit would have been in a Line formation. For elite infantry units this can be enough to repel some of the weaker cavalry units.

Double Company

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/square2_191.jpg

Two infantry units have a good chance of repelling multiple cavalry units as long as they hold steady: one unit covers the front, the other deploys right behind it, facing the other way. The Flanks are not protected, but these squares are quite reliable.

Battalion Square

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/square3_740.jpg

The biggest square is a selectable formation that ideally exists out of 4 infantry units and an Officer. The infantry will form up in a square, and the Officers deploys in the middle to boost their morale. These large squares are rarely formed because take up a large part of the army, and are very weak against musket and artillery fire. They're only effective against enemy armies existing almost entirely of cavalry without any effective artillery support.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/anti-square_148.jpg

Tip: To counter this formation with artillery: use canister shot against the front rank, or aim roundshot against the flank units. The latter will allow cannonballs to cut through the flank units, killing 5 or more men with each hit.



http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/terrain_695.jpg

All our maps are custom (hand)made, none of them are generated from the campaign map. This is necessary because the have a profound effect on the game play. The featureless maps from RTW - that either contain one or two huge hills (more like mountains actually) or hardly any elevation at all - simple don't work with the scale of Napoleonic battle(field)s.

Many of the maps are designed to be well-balanced in multi-player, giving an equal chance to both attacker and defender. Terrain features are small (no huge mountains) so they only ever offer protection to a small number of units, thus forcing defenders to spread their forces or let the unprotected units take a lot of casualties from artillery fire. The attacker then must look for the weakest spot, and try to concentrate his first attack there.

Terrain Types

Hills & Valleys

Obviously, hills offer a slightly improved range, and a small combat bonus, but units on top of them are exposed to artillery fire. It is often best to deploy in the valley behind, and move the unit up on the hill on the right moment - when the enemy is about to attack. But move too late and you might find yourself fighting uphill, or facing close range artillery and musket fire.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/ridge_196.jpg

A small ridge is enough to protect your men against artillery fire.

Hills also make ideal positions for artillery, increasing their range. Just make sure you can protect them against enemy skirmishers or cavalry charges.

Tip: If your artillery on the hilltop are being targeted by enemy artillery, detach the crews and let them take cover just behind the hill. When the enemy has found another target you can re-attach them to their cannons.

Creeks & Swamps

Some maps have crossable creeks, swamps or mud pools. This terrain type seriously slow down movement. Avoid crossing such terrain when under fire.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/creek_984.jpg

Tip: Deploy units behind creeks when defending. The mud will bog down enemy charges, and you can place your units inside the creek for (some) protection against artillery fire.

Forest

Dense forests are also difficult to move through, and cause a combat penalty for cavalry units. On top of that it's very hard to keep an overview when fighting in a forest - annoying but realistic.
Although trees do not block cannonballs (another flaw in the RTW engine) but they can still be useful to obstruct view and to hide units inside (they can't aim at what they can't see.)
Forests on our maps are usually deliberately kept small, and are often away from the defenders deployment zone. Otherwise the defender could just hide his entire army inside, safe from artillery fire, giving him an unfair advantage.

Roads

As mentioned before in the Formations section, roads greatly speed up unit movement. This allows players to quickly move a part of their army to outflank the enemy, or to reinforce a weakened position. Often commanders will consider roads first and foremost when planning and attack or defence!

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/road_574.jpg

Pavlov Grenadiers moving over a road.

The speed bonus only counts for the soldiers actually walking on the road, so you'll have to move in marching column or you'll units will get messed up with stragglers trying to keep up. Forming column takes time, and they are fragile to artillery fire so roads aren't always advisable in the heat of action.

Tip: the Russian Cossacks are fast, cheap little buggers. They are very good at sneaking past the enemy lines and hitting fragile units such as officers and artillery. Roads can be a great help to get them there quickly.

Buildings

All our buildings are destructible. Destroying buildings can expose the unit covering behind. Destroy walls to open a new way into a village.

Villages

Most maps are have lots of small villages and compounds. The houses can provide cover against artillery fire or protect your flank. When attacking, you often have to move from village to village to keep your army protected until you are close enough to launch an attack.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/barn2_294.jpg

A French battalion has deployed in a village.

Enter-able Buildings

Some of the biggest buildings can be garrisoned by units. The current Borodino pack doesn't have a lot of these buildings yet, but there will be more in future release(s), including hopefully a few Belgian chateaux!
Units inside buildings are relatively safe from musket and artillery fire - at least until the entire building collapses, killing everyone inside. The unit inside will probably not cause the same number of enemy casualties as they would in a standard line, because only a limited amount of men can actually fire through windows and the occassional loophole. However, as long as the building stands, there units can be very difficult to destroy, which can endanger the flank of a prospective attack.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/barn_116.jpg

French Infantry garrison a big wooden barn.

Enjoy!

The Lordz

[Lord Adherbal]

the final beta test has started last weekend and we've had some nice games already. Here are some screenshots from last night's 3v3: Lord Zimoa + Wideblade + Lord Adherbal VS Marshal Dury + Lady Meg + Aqualurker, Blenheim map

the french cross the river
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle1_211.jpg

Wideblade holds the village of Blenheim
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle2_869.jpg

The french attack
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle3_766.jpg

and capture several cannons
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle4_615.jpg

Dury's Grenadiers à Cheval take out on of my artillery crews
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle5_106.jpg

Wideblade's men under heavy fire at the village entry
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle6_629.jpg

the russians launch a counter attack
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle7_143.jpg

Dury enters the village and fights the remaining defenders
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle8_126.jpg

my men try to come to Wideblade's aid while Zimoa fight's off Meg's diversion attack in the distance
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle9_175.jpg

counterattack to retake the village
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle10_937.jpg

I recapture some cannons while Dury & Aqualurker regroup around the village
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle11_278.jpg

the village is now in french hands, but at a heavy cost
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle12_173.jpg

surrounded and charged in the back by Zimoa's guard cossacks, panic spread along the remain french units and the battle ends with a russian victory
http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/battle13_824.jpg

[Monarch]

Hey,

TBH I've not been following the progress of this mod, but I was talking to a guy from Silent Assassins in the BI lobby last night and he said the first one was awesome and I should really look into this. I've just looked at the latest preview, some screenshots etc and I'm really excited now, especially since this is really geared up for MP which is the only reason I play total war.

Anywho, I know you've probably been asked this a thousand times, but are you guys still running for end of August? (IE. release within the next week or so)

Hope so :2thumbsup:

[Lord Adherbal]

yes 31 August is our final deadline. The mod is already in a more then acceptable state, we're just doing a last bit of polish. Regardless of what happens, we will consider it "finished" on 31 August.

We'll probably be able to finish and release the British faction in september, and the Dutch faction in October. Whether we'll be able to finish the Prussians before the release of MTW2 is not certain.

[Monarch]

Sounds great mate, who knows, I might see some Britains around my Birthday time :D

Just one question, a pretty big issue on Rome is lag, this is usually combated by putting unit settings on normal. However I just read somwhere (may have been on lordz forums) that if its not on large the game may lose balance.

Kinda worried about that, my pc is capable large and high settings just fine, but when you team it up with some people on 56k, and PCs that run on lower settings/normal unit size I'm guessing they'll be quite a bit of lag. (especially in 3v3s, 4v4s).

So just wondering what the beta testers have reported lag wise?

[Lord Adherbal]

3v3+ games are generally played on 20k to reduce the amount of units instead of reducing the size of units. I have a rather old PC myself (athlon 1800+, GF4 Ti 4200) but it usualy runs fine.

Some people are facing some framerate drop problems, but I think we're on track to solving that problem.

[paullus]

how long do battles seem to last? i mean, that last battle, about how long did it take? is it the sorta thing where you have time to enjoy the beauty of the terrain and the puffs of smoke in the distance without being ripped to shreds by the enemy?

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Yesterday we had some 3v3 Beta test battles, they lasted each about an hour, epic stuff really, especially as we also introduces some nice sound effects like distant cannon sounds and whistling bullet sounds when you zoom in.

We will probably release some replays short after the first release so people can have a look what NTW2 MP is all about. Frankly I look at them myself after the battles as the battlefields are huge and like to know what the others did in battle.

LZoF

[mac89]

Adherbal']yes 31 August is our final deadline. The mod is already in a more then acceptable state, we're just doing a last bit of polish. Regardless of what happens, we will consider it "finished" on 31 August.

We'll probably be able to finish and release the British faction in september, and the Dutch faction in October. Whether we'll be able to finish the Prussians before the release of MTW2 is not certain.
OMG!!!!!!!! Ive always wanted to play with my own country in RTW!

Keep at it, I love you guys!:2thumbsup:

[Monarch]

Yesterday we had some 3v3 Beta test battles, they lasted each about an hour,

Now, that sounds awesome :2thumbsup:

Awww, now I really cant wait for this to be released :sweatdrop:

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/banner_207.jpg
This is our last preview for NTW2. But no need to cry, that means the mod will be released in just a few days! If all goes as planned we release NTW2 on Friday the 31th of August CET(Central European Time). Until then, you can find more information here about the single-player part of the mod: the scripted historical battle of Borodino.
At the bottom of the preview we also give some further information about the multiplayer aspect of the mod.

You still can view the older previews here:

1. Infantry Preview (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6157&start=0)
2. Cavalry Preview (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6236&start=0)
3. Artillery & Command (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6306&start=0)
4. Gameplay & Tactics (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6385&start=0)

SINGLEPLAYER

The Concept

At some point the decision was made not to create a campaign-map for this mod. The reason is that the RTW AI is in no way capable of handling Napoleonic armies, so it simply wouldn't be challenging or enjoying to play. Instead, we focus on heavily scripted historical battles. These scripts replace most of the AI, and allow us to let the battle evolve the way we want it to.

It would be impossible to script a flexible AI that can control an entire army, and challenge the player's army. So what we did instead, is give the player a limited amount of units, spread across the battlefield. These units are reinforced by AI controlled allies. As a result, the player cannot concentrate his forces against the AI, and even if he does, he won't have enough men to defeat the enemy on his own. In order to win the battle, you need to support and cooperate with your allies.
An adviser (with actual speech) will inform you of the current situation, telling you when and were to attack.

Phase I: Taking Borodino

The first task is rather easy: You have to take the village of Borodino. You have 2 units available nearby, and your AI teammate sends nothing more then a 6 pounder cannon to help you. The village is lightly defended and should be captured rather easily. But even if you fail and lose both units, the battle will go on to the next phase. However the consequences will be that the enemy has some additional units available for reinforcements, because they are no longer needed to defend the bridge near Borodino village.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/boro1_127.jpg
Napoléon guides you through the battle.

Phase II: Taking Bagration's Fletches

The next step is quite a lot more challenging: The Russians have dug in behind a redoubt, and have a 12 pounder cannon. Your allies will attack this position, and it is your job to assist them. Act too slow and the Russians may rout your allies with canister and musket fire. When that happens you'll be expected to take the redoubt on your own.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/boro2_193.jpg
Assault against the fletches involving player and allied units.

Both the Russians and French will send counter-attacks several times, so you'll have to stay cautious.

Phase III: Assault on Semenovskoi

When the Fletches are finally under French control, the French and Russians will redeploy most of their units, preparing for the next attack. Meanwhile the Russian artillery battery will open fire.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/boro4_702.jpg
Russian defences at the burned village of Semenovskoi

Depending on losses taken in the previous phases, the assault on the village of Semenovskoi may turn out slightly different.
This is by far the most difficult phase of the battle, with both French and Russians throwing almost everything they got into the fray. You'll have to keep your head cool during massive cavalry charges, attacks and counter-attacks and the continuous bombardment of cannonballs and canister shot.

Phase IV: Assault on the Great Redoubt

Before the assault on Semenovskoi has properly started, the French will mount on attack on the Great Redoubt. This is a heavily defended Russian entrenchment, loaded with 12 pounder guns. Again, your performance in the previous phases will determine how many units you and your allies can use in this attack, and how many reserves the Russians can spare in defence.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/boro5_101.jpg
Charging the Great Redoubt

The Outcome

Depending on circumstances, both sides may decide to commit their Guard into the final attack, and if you manage to break the last stand of the Russian Guard, victory is yours. However, if the French Guard takes too much casualties the battle will be considered as a defeat, no matter how much damage you did to the Russian army.
MULTIPLAYER

For those who are interested in playing the mod in Multi-player, here follows some information to get you prepared. We also advice you to read the Gameplay & Tactics (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6385) review before entering the fields of MP battle, so you have a better idea of what to do and expect. We certainly hope a lot of you will give this a try, if only out of respect for the immense amount of work we put in this mod. And hey, you might even like it :wink: The NTW community is generally polite and mature, so you don't have to fear much rude behaviour.
Setting up Firewall/Router

If you have never played RTW on-line before, and you have a router or firewall, you must make sure it is properly set up. It is very annoying when a game goes out of sync because of someone's router or firewall. If this does occur and/or you need some technical assistance feel free to make a post on the Lordz forum.

You can find information about what ports to open/forward in this topic (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=75350#75350).
CD key

You can find your CD key on the back of your RTW manual. If you haven't played MP before, go to the Multiplayer menu, then click "Change
CD key" and enter your key. This is case sensitive and you must press enter after inserting your key.
Hosting MP Games

The game is designed to be played on Large unit size, 10k florins, and no additional rules. Of course you do not HAVE to stick to this, but we strongly advice it. If you want to play 3v3 or 4v4 you should limit the amount of florins to 5k or 3k to prevent lag, rather then decrease the unit size. The latter will cause units like artillery to become imbalanced.
Some maps can not be played with more then 4 or 6 players. In the map selection screen there is a small information box that mentions the maximum amount of players for the selected map. Even though these maps are exceptions, you should pay attention to it.

Team I is replaced by "Attacker", team II is "Defender". If you are attacker, you do not have the right to camp (sit still) on the map, while the defender does. However, if the defender has chosen a bad position, and the attacker can deal serious damage with long range artillery fire, it is his right to do so, and he does not have to send additional units to attack until his artillery has ran out of ammo.
You can still play with more then 2 teams, but this may cause weird deployment zones on the maps (or even crash the game) and will certainly lead to imbalanced gameplay.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/setup700_462.jpg
The new game setup menu, showing a map preview and splitting attacker and defender.

Command Games

In NTW1, "Command Games" have become quite popular. It means each player of a team takes control of one part of the army (cavalry, infantry, guard & artillery) and elects a general. This general decides about the overall strategy and plan, the rest is supposed to listen to him. A bit like the Time Commanders series, but with actual control over the units. Even if your general or allies are useless, this generally leads to epic battles :)

Notes

When the battle starts you must disable all infantry units' skirmish mode manually. If you don't do this you will certainly get in trouble when you try to charge or fire a close range volley, or when an enemy unit gets close to your units.

If you let the NTW2 installer enable Quick Chat, you can use Y to chat to all players and T to talk to your teammates. These hot-keys can be changed in the hot-keys menu. If you did not enable Quickchat you must use Y to open the chat menu, and then use the numeric keys to define who you want to talk to.

You cannot chat while others are still loading the game, or when there are connection problems. This is annoying and confusing, but we'll have to live with that. Pop ups or hitting the windows key can throw you back to windows and this will cause a "connection problem" for the other players. When you re-enter the game the map will be reloaded and this can take a while. So when facing a connection problem players should wait at least 1 or 2 minutes before kicking the player or terminating the game.

You cannot change your video setting when in a MP game, so we suggest using very low setting during your first games. If you still get a good frame rate in 3v3 games you can increase the detail. Or just test out what your PC can handle by running a 3v3 custom battle (against AI).
THE FUTURE

We were planning to make a Waterloo pack next, similar to the current Borodino pack. But considering there are only 2 or 3 months left before the MTW2 release that might not be worth it. We still have to make a final decision, but one option is to finish the British, Dutch and maybe Prussian factions one by one, and release these as multiplayer add-ons in the coming weeks/months.

At the same time great progress is being made in designing a MP campaign around the French 1812 invasion of Russia. We hope to show you the first results soon.

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/future_197.jpg

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/mp_campaign_178.jpg
Enjoy!

The Lordz

[Incongruous]

Ho sheesus!

I wan't you're mod sooooooo bad.
Damn it looks good.

sorry I have to remember were not talking about a hot chick, but its hard.
Napoleonic Total War Two is the like the hot chick of RTW MODS.

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/hussardahl5_868.jpg

The Lordz are very proud and pleased to announce the first release of NTW2: The 1812 Borodino Scenario. As an extra we have added the last trailer, so you can come into the right mood.


Infantry Trailer

All movies require Quicktime to watch:

Apple Quicktime (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html)

http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/files/inf_pic_111.jpg (http://www.eggdisk.com/files/7484_tsykb/NTW2_INF-Trailer_800x450_48Mb.mov)

High quality (http://www.eggdisk.com/files/7484_tsykb/NTW2_INF-Trailer_800x450_48Mb.mov)

(right click > save target as...)

Before downloading, installing and playing NTW2, we strongly advise you to carefully read our previous previews as they hold some vital usefull tips and information.

You still can view the older previews here:

1. Infantry Preview (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6157&start=0)
2. Cavalry Preview (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6236&start=0)
3. Artillery & Command (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6306&start=0)
4. Gameplay & Tactics (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6385&start=0)
5. Singleplayer & Multiplayer (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=6489&highlight=)


Install Instructions

Make sure you have a clean copy of Rome Total War patched to version 1.5 or Rome Total War + Barbarian Invasion with the 1.6 patch installed, ready on your computer, download the installer and follow the instructions.

Tip: Napoleonic Total war 2 cannot be used with any other modification

Tip: Rome: Total War Gold edition and Total War: Eras already use RTW v1.5 and BI v1.6 so installation using those TW products should give no problems


Download Links

You can find all our products on The Lordz website:

-The Lordz website (http://www.thelordz.co.uk)

All our products and downloads can be found in the download section on that site:

-The Download section (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0)


Support

We provide full support on The Lordz forum, we strongly advise to visit and register here first:

-The Lordz forum (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/index.php)

For download, install or gameplay problems please post in here:

-The Surgeon`s Room (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=5)

For your most immediate and most frequently asked questions about Napoleonic Total War 2, go to the NTW2 FAQ section on The Lordz forum:

-The NTW2 FAQ section (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=78)


Organising Multiplayer Games

For MP games gathering please visit The Lordz Forum, we have a special room for all MP related gameplay:

-The Council of War (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=14)

Enjoy!

The Lordz

[iberus_generalis]

i can't get acess to the download location..hell i can't even connect to the downloads page...anything wrong? or is it just my connection?

[Duke John]

I fear that too many people are trying to access the pages. The forum also seems down.

Just try these links:
http://rapidshare.de/files/31322874/NTW2-public-v0.1.a.rar
Or
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EYSXH2M3
They work even when our server fails under lots of traffic.

[iberus_generalis]

tnx man!=)

[Lord Adherbal]

the Borodino pack is completed, but that didn't mean we took a break. We're working hard on the British faction now, and have started on the Northern Europe climate. Here are some teaser screenshots.

We hope to complete and release this update in approximately 2 weeks.

British Unit Cards
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4841/rosterpg0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

British Rocket Artillery
https://img140.imageshack.us/img140/1743/rocketswq4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

WIP N-Europe Terrain
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/8076/watrloomn9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

The Borodino pack is completed, but that didn't mean we took a break. We're working hard on the British faction now, and have started on the Northern Europe climate. Here are some teaser screenshots. We hope to complete and release this update in approximately 2 weeks.

British Unit Cards
https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4841/rosterpg0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

The British unitroster:

General/Officer & Staff

Infantry

British Militia
British Line
British Light
KGL Line
KGL Light
British Rifles
British Highlanders
British Foot Guard

Cavalry

British Light Dragoons
British Hussars
British Dragoons
KGL Light Dragoons
KGL Hussars
British Life Guard
British Horse Guard

Artillery

Rockets
Howitzers
9-pounder
6-pounder

British Rocket Artillery

https://img140.imageshack.us/img140/1743/rocketswq4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

WIP N-Europe Terrain

https://img137.imageshack.us/img137/8076/watrloomn9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

New Northern European terrain & buildings

https://img342.imageshack.us/img342/311/waterloofj3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

British Dragoons and Rocket Artillery

https://img509.imageshack.us/img509/5572/scotsgreyss7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

https://img509.imageshack.us/img509/5825/rocketsqy6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

In other news: A private update is now available to the Lordz members, meaning we can start beta testing the British faction. Hopefully that'll allow me to post some nice action screenshots with the British soon.

More Waterloo stuff

https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/4325/villagese5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

https://img118.imageshack.us/img118/3241/lineyv8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

More villages. We will soon be able to start working on new maps, and once we have a hand full of these the update should be ready for release.

https://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2784/villagexh6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

https://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3382/churchqv5.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

[paullus]

beautiful!

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Here some progress on the Prussian infantry:

Prussian Landwehr:
http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_landwehr.jpg

Prussian Musketeer:
http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_musketeer.jpg

Prussian Fusilier:
http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_fusilier.jpg

Prussian Grenadier:
http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_grenadier.jpg

Prussian Schutzen:
http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_schutzen.jpg

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

What are those collumns in the distance? Is it Grouchy? No, it's... it's the Prussians!

Prussian Cuirassiers

https://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6549/prussiansfu4.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Prussian cavalry models in production.

Prussian Landwehr Cavalry:

http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_cav_landwehr.jpg

Prussian Hussars:

http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_cav_hussar.jpg

Prussian Uhlans:

http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_cav_uhlan.jpg

Prussian Dragoons:

http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_cav_dragoon.jpg

PS: No, they won't reach the battlefield yet for atleast a couple of months.

[Lord Adherbal]

United Netherlands (WIP) units:

Dutch Artillery
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6386/crewlx8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Dutch-Belgian Flankers (light inf)
https://img98.imageshack.us/img98/9433/flankdr6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Dutch-Belgian Fusiliers (line)
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/5196/fustb8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Dutch-Belgian Grenadiers
https://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6407/grennb1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Dutch-Belgian Karabiniers
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/7774/karaai1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Dutch-Belgian Jagers
https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4248/lgtbz8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Dutch Nationale Militie
https://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4163/milvp9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Nassau Fusiliers
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6689/nassaump1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Nassau Grenadiers
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/8383/nassgrenuf8.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Prussian Guard Hussars:

http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_cav_guard_hussar.jpg

Prussian Guard Uhlan:

http://www.awrate.com/chrishogg/images/prussian_cav_guard_uhlan.jpg

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

A Preview on some United Netherlands(Dutch-Belgian-Nassau) units work in progress:



UN Nassau Voltigeurs
https://img150.imageshack.us/img150/4066/voltdt6.jpg

UN Nassau Grenadiers
https://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6228/grenln0.jpg

UN Line showing also Officer & Drummer
https://img150.imageshack.us/img150/5437/officersrg1.jpg

UN Hussar
https://img172.imageshack.us/img172/4364/hussarsoa2.jpg

UN General & Staff
https://img170.imageshack.us/img170/7888/staffzy0.jpg

UN Light Dragoons
https://img517.imageshack.us/img517/6200/dragoonsvt9.jpg

UN Grenadiers
https://img190.imageshack.us/img190/521/grens3ys.jpg

UN Carabiniers
https://img517.imageshack.us/img517/8159/carabswr7.jpg

Un Jaeger
https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/6862/jagers9sn.jpg

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Dear fans,

A little inside what we are doing, right now at the Lordz we have basically the United Netherlands, Brunswick and Prussians ready. There is being worked on SP scripted battles for Quatre-Bras, Ligny, Plancenoit and Waterloo. We are also building and finishing some more buildings and maps. The scripting and finishing the details will take some time but we hope to have an internal Beta ready this weekend. Good news is also we have decided to make the Austrians also available for MP, work on them only just begun so it will take a while before they are ready. So we are nice on schedule.

Here Nassau Line Fusiliers, Grenadiers and Voltigeurs

http://gonzo.uni-weimar.de/~sturm/pics/NassauUnits.jpg


Cheers,

LZoF

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Just a nice little update, I would like to stress this is still all Work in Progress and are not finished versions.


There has been an internal change of release plans, within two weeks we would like to release a Waterloo 1815 scenario MP package, this will give you all Prussian, United Netherlands(Dutch-Belgian-Nassau) and Brunswick units and a big pool of MP maps to play with. Around the end of November we will release a Waterloo 1815 scenario SP package, that will include the special SP scripted historical battles like Quatre-Bras, Ligny, Waterloo etc...As a last bonus the Austrians will follow shortly after.




-Here you see a picture of WIP on Ligny, a village center and some Prussian units.

https://img113.imageshack.us/img113/8058/ligny3nn1.jpg (https://imageshack.us)


-Work in progress on Waterloo here you see a part of the Mont St. Jean ridge with British square, partially protected by hedges, being attacked by French cuirassiers.

https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/8521/waterloohedgeslw7fn6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)


-Here on popular demand the first screens of some Brunswick units

Brunswick Avantgarde Lights
https://img154.imageshack.us/img154/2203/brunswick1zd0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Brunswick Hussars
https://img92.imageshack.us/img92/3707/brunswick2gy7.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Brunswick Leib Garde
https://img154.imageshack.us/img154/3681/brunswick4bf6.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Brunswick General en Uhlans
https://img247.imageshack.us/img247/1802/brunswick3hz0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)


Cheers,

LZoF

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Just to give you all some insight some other details we also seek to improve and include in the coming 1815 Waterloo MP package that is coming soon.


New slower Rifle animations, of course they have a longer range and accuracy to compensate.

http://gonzo.uni-weimar.de/~sturm/NTW2/RifleReload.gif

More differentiation between heavy and light artillery reload speeds.

http://gonzo.uni-weimar.de/~sturm/NTW2/ArtiReloads2.gif


Cheers,

LZoF

[WTFM-GzZ]

i have play ntw2:laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4:

http://wtfm.exblog.jp/i25

good job ntw2 mod:2thumbsup:

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

https://img508.imageshack.us/img508/9499/splashgc3.jpg (https://imageshack.us)


The Lordz are very proud and pleased to announce the NTW2 Factions Pack. This is a full installation and does not require any older version of NTW2 to be installed first. You need Rome Total War v1.5 to run this mod.


Patch, Updates and New Material

NEW FACTIONS
-United Netherlands: A multinational army composed of Dutchmen, Belgians and regiments from Nassau. They lack Guard units, have limited artillery and cavalry, but a wide variation of infantry regiments, reinforced by capable militia units.
-Prussia: A flexible unit selection including riflemen (Schuetzen, Jaeger) and heavy lancers. The Prussian infantry have good defensive fighting skills but their artillery is badly managed, resulting in a higher cost.
-Brunswick: A minor faction that can only field very small armies. This faction is not meant for competitive play, but to balance easily defendable maps or skill differences between players or teams.

NEW MAPS

-More then 25 new (unofficial) maps made by members from the NTW community, bringing the total to 46 maps

BALANCE CHANGES

-Musket system revised, deep formations are now more vulnerable to musket fire
-All Light infantry -1 morale
-All Light infantry now has normal reload speed
-Artillery range decreased
-6-Pounder now has only 1 gun, cost decreased to 150f
-6-Pounder canister range increased
-6-Pounder reload faster
-French Middle Guard, Old Guard and Grenadiers à Cheval lost their "Frightens enemy infantry" attribute.
-Russian Musketeers and Jaegers +5 Charge
-British Foot Guard more expensive
-Pavlov Grenadiers 800f instead of 850f




Install Instructions

-Make sure you have Rome TW v1.5 installed. Patch 1.5 (or 1.6 for BI) can be found on www.totalwar.com

-Download NTW2-waterloo-0.2.6 for NTW2 from our website.

-Unzip the files to a folder

-After opening you will find the installer inside this folder.

-To start the installation, just double click it. The install program will instruct you further and install NTW2 on your computer.

Tip: Make sure that you direct the install program to the right root directory, in other words where you installed Rome Total War v1.5




Download Links

You can find all our products on The Lordz website:

-The Lordz website (http://www.thelordz.co.uk)

All our products and downloads can be found in the download section on that site:

-The Download section (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0)



Support

We provide full support on The Lordz forum, we strongly advise to visit and register here first:

-The Lordz forum (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/index.php)

For download, install or gameplay problems please post in here:

-The Surgeon`s Room (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=5)

For your most immediate and most frequently asked questions about Napoleonic Total War 2, go to the NTW2 FAQ section on The Lordz forum:

-The NTW2 FAQ section (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=78)



Organising Multiplayer Games

For MP games gathering and problems please visit The Lordz Forum, we have a special room for all MP related gameplay & support:

-The Council of War (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=14)


Enjoy!

The Lordz

[Pantsalot]

can u tell me where the folder is if I have a gold edition of rome total
war & barbarian invasion (both r in 1 disk) as the folder where it should
be in (program files-Activision) is not there, :help:

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Just to warm you up, here some screenshots from the upcoming Austrian expansion for NTW2.Click links to watch bigger pictures.


Austrian unitroster
[img=https://img117.imageshack.us/img117/3207/austriawb1.th.jpg] (https://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=austriawb1.jpg)

Austrian general and his ADC's.
[img=https://img117.imageshack.us/img117/2774/austria1nf3.th.jpg] (https://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=austria1nf3.jpg)

Austrian Hussars
[img=https://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7670/austria2sy8.th.jpg] (https://img152.imageshack.us/my.php?image=austria2sy8.jpg)

Austrian Jaeger
[img=https://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8831/austria3tw0.th.jpg] (https://img117.imageshack.us/my.php?image=austria3tw0.jpg)

Austrian 'German' and 'Hungarian' Grenadiers with Officer, drummer and colours.
[img=https://img296.imageshack.us/img296/4468/austria4ro2.th.jpg] (https://img296.imageshack.us/my.php?image=austria4ro2.jpg)


Cheers,

LZoF

[Marius Dynamite]

Maybe wrong place to ask, but will there be a NTW for M2:TW? I look forward to that more than I did M2:TW.

[Lord Adherbal]

we will soon anounce our next project. Stay tuned ~;)

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

Just an update we have the patch ready for over a week now, checked and converted all the sound files, but the freezing bug still comes up sometimes. We have no clue where to look, therefore we will release it 'as it is', as an open Beta. In the hope that due to testing we can find the problem or other modders get a look.

We are going to stop working on NTW2 and go to our next project, that already has started. We will release news about our future plans in the beginning of the New Year, sooner if possible. It will surprise maybe some of you, but it will be much more exciting than our past projects, I can assure you that.

I will release the Austrians this week.

I will go even further, we will release NTW2 to all modders and modding groups who want to use it as a base to build further on NTW2 or use it to any other timeframe sabre and musket game. Only restrictions will be, we would like to be notified on forehand and mentioned in the credits afterwards when NTW2 will be used as a base for another mod. From next week on NTW2 is open and free of use to anyone.

LZoF

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

https://img149.imageshack.us/img149/9219/historicalbattleen7.jpg



Important Disclaimer

We are confronted with a 'freeze bug' that seem to happen at the end of large MP or SP games, near the end of the battle. So far we have not been able to locate and find the problem. Therfore we release the Austrian Patch 'as it is', so actually consider this as an open Beta! So we invite players and modders to find and solve this problem, any help and participation will be highly appreciated.

This is also the last release on the RTW engine, so NTW2 ends here. Good news is we hereby release NTW2 to all modders and modding groups who want to use it as a base to build further on NTW2 or use it to any other timeframe or any other sabre and musket game. Only restrictions are, we would like to be notified on forehand and mentioned in the credits afterwards when NTW2 will be used as a base for another mod.
From now on NTW2 is open and free of use to anyone.

Thank you all for the support and especially our loyal fans who make the NTW community so special.

We have stopped working on NTW2 and go to our next project, that already has started. We will release news about our future plans in the beginning of the New Year, sooner if possible. It will surprise maybe some of you, but it will be much more exciting than our past projects, I can assure you that.




The Lordz are very proud and pleased to announce the NTW2 Austrian Pack. This is a patch, you need the NTW2 Full Install v0.2.6 already installed on your computer. You need Rome Total War v1.5 to run this mod.


Patch, Updates and New Material

NEW FACTION

-Austria: The Austrians infantry are good defenders, reinforced by offensive oriented Hungarian regiments. They also have excellent cavalry and good artillery. However their weaknesses are the lack of Guard units and cost-effective light infantry.

NEW MAPS:

-20 new unofficial maps made by Gunner24

FIXES

-Muskets can no longer destroy artillery.
-6-Pounders now reload faster.
-Prussian and Brunswick general units no longer have a command Eagle.
-Brunswick ally flag added.

BALANCE CHANGES

-6-Pounders have 2 cannons per unit again, cost 500f.
-French infantry is now hardy (tire slower).
-French Old Guard causes morale penalty for nearby enemies again.
-Russian Pavlov grenadiers +2 morale.
-Russian Guard now shoot more accurately.
-Russian fusiliers 350f instead of 400f.
-British Militia cost decreased to 350f.
-Prussian Schuetzen cost increased to 750f.



Install Instructions

-Make sure you have Rome TW v1.5 installed. Patch 1.5 (or 1.6 for BI) can be found on www.totalwar.com

-Download The Patch_Austria_v0.2.7 for NTW2 Full Install v0.2.6 from our website.

-Unzip the files to a folder

-After opening you will find the installer inside this folder.

-To start the installation, just double click it. The install program will instruct you further and install NTW2 on your computer.

Tip: Make sure that you direct the install program to the right root directory, in other words where you already installed NTW2



Download Links

You can find all our products on The Lordz website:

-The Lordz website (http://www.thelordz.co.uk)

All our products and downloads can be found in the download section on that site:

-The Download section (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0)



Support

We provide full support on The Lordz forum, we strongly advise to visit and register here first:

-The Lordz forum (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/index.php)

For download, install or gameplay problems please post in here:

-The Surgeon`s Room (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=5)

For your most immediate and most frequently asked questions about Napoleonic Total War 2, go to the NTW2 FAQ section on The Lordz forum:

-The NTW2 FAQ section (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=78)



Organising Multiplayer Games

For MP games gathering and problems please visit The Lordz Forum, we have a special room for all MP related gameplay & support:

-The Council of War (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=14)




Enjoy!

The Lordz

[iberus_generalis]

do you guys at LORDZ plan on adding any mp pack focusing in the French invasion of Spain, and most importantly Portugal? cuz Portugal was a very important battlefield of the Napoleonic Wars, where the French tried repeteadly to conquer our liitle piece of land, and we firstly with guerrilla tactics, and later with english Help were able to keep the invaders at bay? we have some of the most important battles of the Napoleonic era... the Battle of Bussaco in 1810 was one of the most known..so much that Osprey made a book about that specific battle, its causes, consequences for the Portuguese and French, as well as some follow up of a bit of the war from that battle on... well i dont know if the whole of the war would suit your mod, but that Specific battle(bussaco 1810) would fit your MP battle mod scheme like a glove... as it was a really dificult battle, and really strategic... i think most players would like it... a big hilly area controled by the Anglo Portuguese forces...and the Huge and mighty French Army of Portugal(if i remember the name of the french army created to conquer us, correctly)... and personally i would love to be controlling my countrymen to kill frenchies..=) but nationality bias aside i think your mod would gain a lot with a bussaco MP campaign/battle...

[Lord Adherbal]

the Lordz have stopped working on NTW2 and moved on to their next project which will be announced soon. However the fan community are planning to continue the development and are currently trying to create a Swedish faction pack.

[ByzantineKnight]

Sorry for the n00b question, am I right that all I need to download to play the latest version is the original build and the Austrian Expansion Pack.

Thanks,
ByzantineKnight

[Lord Adherbal]

if by "the original build" you mean the Waterloo 0.2.5 or 0.2.6 (same thing) full install then yes.

check our downloads page:
http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0

[ByzantineKnight]

if by "the original build" you mean the Waterloo 0.2.5 or 0.2.6 (same thing) full install then yes.

check our downloads page:
http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0

Thanks

[Lord Zimoa of Flanders]

http://thelordzgamesstudio.com/downloads/wallpapers/LordzGamesStudio_Final1_Logo_Long.jpg



The Lordz Games Studio

The Lordz are very proud and pleased to announce their new project: The Lordz Games Studio.

This newly founded game developer company can announce its first commercial project: a new Napoleonic strategy game.



Links

For further info just visit, read and register at the new website and forum:

The Lordz Games Studio website (http://www.thelordzgamesstudio.com) (or www.thelordzgamesstudio.com)

The Lordz Games Studio forum (http://www.thelordzgamesstudio.com/forum) (or www.thelordzgamesstudio.com/forum)



Have a look and enjoy,

Lord Zimoa of Flanders

[[GG]Lord Ashram]

Hello all!

As you all know, Lord Zimoa of Flanders and some others have moved on to create their own game studio and their own game.

However, we at the Lordz Modding Collective are still hard at work on the next NTW2 expansion, which will bring the armies of Spain to the NTW2 field.

In addition, we have branched into the Single Player world using the Take Command series as our base.

So please do come by our forums

forum.thelordz.co.uk

To see what the latest news is!

S!

Lord Ashram

[[GG]Lord Ashram]

Hello all!

We know that things have been quiet for a bit, but rest assured more free stuff is on the way from the Lordz Modding Collective!

First off will be another update to NTW2, this time bringing the forces of Spain to the battlefield!

Here is a single WIP shot; more to come!

https://img115.imageshack.us/img115/6601/spainnw2.jpg

Also we will be doing some smaller tweaks and some new, more clear unit cards... here is a quick example;

The British:

http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/content/images/7005065e55ed924948ff7f3ee1a9617c.jpg

The French:

http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/content/images/8f6bd656bc80080d657d4b73f81d4bac.jpg

Beyond this next expansion more is coming as well, including the armies of Portugal and possibly the might of the Ottoman Empire and the steadfastness of some of the Scandinavianlands!

On the non-Total War front, we have also brought on board the talented Lord Roglea, who has worked tirelessly with the Take Command engine and is creating Take Command: Napoleon! This single player engine is the PERFECT compliment to Total War; where NTW2 focuses on Multi Player, Take Command focuses on Single Player. Where NTW2 focuses on the fast and fierce ways of combat, Take Command: Napoleon focuses on the natural evolution of battle. And where armies are lead by the heroic Generals in NTW2, the entire army structure is simulated in Take Command, from Army and Corps commanders down to the lowliest Brigadier General. We are thrilled to be bringing you a mod outside the usual Total War work we have done over the years, and hope that a great many of you will look into this wargame, the BEST single player wargame that has been made to date!

To whet your appetites, a screenshot or two of some WIP:

FIRST, some Portugese troops...

https://img106.imageshack.us/img106/8796/portsue1.jpg

Next, some British Light Dragoons...

https://img106.imageshack.us/img106/5329/britdragsuo1.jpg

And finally, a French Brigade...

https://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5079/frenchbrigadewx5.jpg

We hope that this wargame will appeal to the hardcore tabletop gamer as well as the player who is looking for the most in-depth, yet intuitive Single Player Napoleonic experience possible!

For more information on ALL of our upcoming projects, please do visit us at

forum.thelordz.co.uk

S!

[GG] Lord Ashram

[Myrddraal]

Thanks for the update LA :wink:

[[GG]Lord Ashram]

My pleasure man!:beam:

[Ashdnazg]

Hey guys!
Well, we know how much you're waiting for the next release of NTW2, so we've decided to show you some shiny new screenshots of the upcoming factions.




SPAIN


Spanish line

https://img295.imageshack.us/img295/963/0030tl2.jpg




Spanish guerillas ambushing

https://img527.imageshack.us/img527/3864/0031rd5.jpg





French units being ambushed :D

https://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5584/0036cl3.jpg




Spanish Artillery targetting poor french troops

https://img501.imageshack.us/img501/1392/0046oz2.jpg




For Spain!

https://img295.imageshack.us/img295/8418/0059qo7.jpg



Hope you enjoyed it ;)
More will come soon.

Cheers!
Lord hokomoko

[Warluster]

Awesome!

I was searching through the NTW2 files the other day, and came across all of the factions your considering! Not gonna give anything away, but the upcomign factions look great!

Also a question, I am modding NTW2 right now (the mods for personal use of course) but how do yuo activate the campaign map?

[Pantsalot]

Some of these would suit a NTW2 campaign.
Thinking of reconsidering on getting a campaign map done?

[Ashdnazg]

Awesome!

I was searching through the NTW2 files the other day, and came across all of the factions your considering! Not gonna give anything away, but the upcomign factions look great!

If you mean the descr_sm_factions.txt the comments there are not up to date.

[Empress Meg]

Or is it? *Dramatic music* What will come to life? What will be trashed? Will the Grenadiers ever find their grenades?! Find out next time, on "updates" a Lordz Modding Collective production.

Pantsalot- there are still no offical plans to create a campaign map for NTW2.

Devoirs The Emnpress

[Ashdnazg]

I wonder what will come first, a campaign or British grenadiers.

[Ashdnazg]

More screenies :)

Battle line-up
https://img502.imageshack.us/img502/4189/75581389mr3.jpg

Spanish grenadiers
https://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1512/71851883fi4.jpg

Spanish line
https://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5772/22964689hp0.jpg

Spanish officers dressed to kill
https://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9890/23635082ts3.jpg



Lord hokomoko

[Ashdnazg]

Just so you have something to look at, here's the Naples unit roster.
(nope, I'm not telling who is whom :D, you'll have to guess)


https://img293.imageshack.us/img293/6878/naplessj2.png



Lord Hokomoko ;)

[Empress Meg]

Hi all, here are a few screenies of a mock battle taken some time ago. It’s just to keep you occupied for a few more days. :P

A mix of Spanish Cuirassier and Hussar.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/RomeTW2007-05-2521-18-26-67.gif

The charge, though brave and heroic, is not enough to break the tough and hardy French horsemen, so the Spanish cav retired behind their own battle lines. The Spanish have set themselves up on a hill, with two small caliber guns and a number of infantry units to hold the ridge line. The French begin their bombardment:
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/RomeTW2007-05-2521-22-28-26.gif

The Hussars that were beaten off in the preamble of the battle get the last laugh:
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/RomeTW2007-05-2521-32-25-45.gif

Devoirs The Empress

[Myrddraal]

:bow:

[Empress Meg]

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/RedKingdomofSpain.jpg

Spain has been drowning in its own passion, choking itself on its desire for the Empire that it once was. The days of the Treasure Fleet and the conquest of the New World are fading into the inky black of history. The epoch of Spain as a world power ceased to be in the new light of the Revolutions. There is nothing in Spain but waylaid priests intent on burning their flock and rich nobles intent on burning their properties into the selfsame embers of myth and mysticism. The ashes of Death fill the mountains rugged land, and it is France’s mighty arm that will sweep this land free of the cobwebs that so long have entangled it. Joseph Bonaparte has taken the throne under the orders of his brother, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

The Kingdom of Spain, having been removed of its degenerate and fear-stricken monarchy is ripe with antagonistic apathy and driven mad with rage and revenge. War cries echo in the streets, but the real battle happens outside the city, where the unwary Frenchman must always be vigilant, for one wrong step out of the picket fire at night will be an eternal agony under the vengeful blades of those who wage the little war. The conventional army however, is just as rotten as the infrastructure of Spain; it is made of fine men, but the majority of it spoiled by nobles sick with narcissism and pride.

Still, the vastness of Spain is not easily conquered and its inhabitants readily sign into the armed forces to fight for the restoration of their king. These men are so varied in skill and training that a wise commander must work with them all to understand their strengths as well as their limits.

The guerrillas of Spain are hardy men who inhabit nearly all of the country. They come in many levels of discipline and ability, from men and women who make hit and run attacks in ragged bands to those organized and incorporated into the national army. These men use their skills handily by blending in with their local terrain making them a unique addition to the Spanish forces.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/guerrillasspain.jpg

The line units, from militia to line grenadiers, are so motley a collection that to go over each one will take too long. Know that these men have joined their army not because they were bankrupt or drunk or criminals faced with a tough choice, they are in fact patriots of the highest order. While their skills with the musket are lacking, their determination to see their own monarchy restored far outweighs their lack of training and discipline. An enemy will be deeply upset when they think that an easy victory will be granted them when facing the Spanish.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/infantryspain.jpg

The mounted components of the Spanish armies are again very sorted. They lack the strength and tenacity that some other nations of the bloodstained kingdoms are known for. The constant strain of the war, the national debt, many re-organizations, and inadequate measures to ensure the survival of the Spanish mounted forces have taken their toll. Still, they do mount a sizable cavalry force, though not as impressive as some would hope.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/Cavspain.jpg

These forces, coupled with capable commanders, something that Spain seriously lacks at this time, can hold their ground. Expect the long-suffering Spanish army to march triumphantly across the plains of Spain as easily as the French once did.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/RedKingdomofNaples.jpg

Naples, on another peninsular in another time like many of its neighbors, is not what it should be; it has not yet tasted the Wisdom and Enlightenment of Revolutionary Reason. It is your task to renovate this land. Bring is farmlands into our fold to produce fodder and food for an army. Find the men, anyway that you can, and create troops for the Imperial armies that even now are expanding the Empire. The shores of Naples must echo with the sound of your hooves as well, so make sure that you do not lack in mounts. Though, how you will ever manage to create an armed and trained force of cavalry from the rocky outcropping and murderous bandits is beyond my scope.

The former ruler, King Joseph Bonaparte has been given a greater task in Spain, but you, you must finish what he has begun. The mettle here is of poor quality; they are not soldiers. The men in the ranks are criminals and mutinous. There is very little left of the previous army due to the cowardly king withdrawing and taking most of his army into exile! You are tasked with creating trained regiments, defending these boarders, and donating regiments to the Empire’s armies. Your previous devotion to the Empire and the Duchy you hold has placed you in this position of Honour, Your Majesty, do not fail on the eve of our glorious victory.

Here are your forces:

The infantry is of mixed stock. Some men are veterans of the previous wars; others are mean, unfit brigands. In any event, officers of excellent quality command them. Some of these officers hail from other parts of the Empire; some are Neapolitan petty nobility and gentry.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/NaplesInfantrypic.jpg

The Guard is of particular interest and is comprised of many various horsemen and infantry. You will noticed that much more colourful version of the French Imperial Guard Grenadiers is at your disposal as well as various contingents of the mounted Royal Guard. While these men may not be the cream of the crop as you would find in France, you will take note that their Republican fervor is just as high and propels them to great feats if used wisely.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/Naplesguardpic.jpg

Neapolitan cavalry is an array of colours but don’t let these peacocks fool you, they are efficient killers. Just as their king desires a strong cavalry arm, these men desire a chance to prove themselves in battle. While some of the earlier recruits may not have been up to scratch, the newer regiments appear to be of steady resolve and skill.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/Naplescavpic.jpg

Lordz Downloads (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0)

Release Notes (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=9267)

[Empress Meg]

The Lordz forums and website is down, this is a server error that we are trying to resolve right now. In the meantime, you can still download the Peninsula Pack (NTW2 version 3.6) and the Map Pack from these mirrors:

Pen pack Links

http://files.filefront.com//;8072694;;/

http://files.filefront.com//;8071871;;/

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EXV9H2MZ


Map pack

http://files.filefront.com//;8073515;;/

http://files.filefront.com//;8074131;;/

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=THQWVR09


Badger's Mirrors:

www.badger1815.be/NTW2/NTW2-peninsula-v0[1].3.6.rar

www.badger1815.be/NTW2/Multiplayer_Map_Pack-v0[1].36.rar


Devoirs The Empress

[Empress Meg]

Hello all, The Lordz site and forums are back up once again. Thank you for your patience as we worked through this issue.

Devoirs The Empress

[Empress Meg]

Hello all, this is just a just a quick update to tell you what we have planned for the next release. The next release will not be as expansive or take as long to produce as the previous release however, we hope that it is received in the same approving light. The next installment of NTW2 will contain the nation of Portugal to help round out the Iberian conflicts that so many have found fascinating (or irritating depending on whom you ask).

Portugal will contain a decent selection of infantry units modeled on the British system of drill, discipline and accuracy. Historically, they are superb troops who have been trained to follow orders in both English and Portuguese so that they can understand a command from an officer of either nationality. They have also been taught to fire rapidly and have been re-organized to maintain maximum fighting abilities. Thought the Portuguese infantry are well-versed in military matters the nation does lack in other parts of its armed forces. The Portuguese nation has no guard troops to put into the field and secondly their cavalry is of poor quality. Some nations had a cavalry arm with little to nil horses, Portugal has neither a cavalry rich culture nor the horses fit for training into military mounts. They have instead a mired collection of riders and horses shoved into a cavalry corps to give it some maneuverability. Given these drawbacks, Portugal will be a formidable task to play for those used to a more composed army. Those who do have the courage to play them will, we hope, find the challenge more then enjoyable.

The upcoming patch will also include several smaller fixes discovered as we work with NTW2 more closely. There are a few minor changes that we hope will meet with the community’s liking additionally.

These include:

-Price changes to the Brunswick faction (we hope that this faction will be used in MP games now more often)
-Several model and texture fixes
-Preferences file is now installed in the correct location
-Lingering Smoke option added back into the options during the installation process (don’t install if you have a slow PC or get lag often)
-Minor text changes and fixes
-KGL Hussars now have a trumpeter

Screenshots will be coming forthwith gentlemen.

Thank you, The Lordz

[Empress Meg]

Some screenshots of a recent test:

Melee with Portuguese Infantry.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/choas.jpg

Portuguese cav charge.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/cav.jpg

Cacadores.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/cacadores.jpg

Portuguese officers.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/officers.jpg

Portuguese line charge French grenadiers.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/Lineandcacadore.jpg

Militia.
https://img248.imageshack.us/img248/2471/80460136zn9.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

The French charge the Portuguese.
https://img204.imageshack.us/img204/594/42161343qo2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

More information ca be found at our forums here: http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=9360

Devoirs The Empress

[Caius]

Are you planning in doing an Imperial Campaign?

[Ashdnazg]

No SP campaign will be made for NTW2, as the sucky RTW AI can't handle napoleonic warfare.
Just play one custom battle and you'll understand.

[Empress Meg]

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/KingdomofPort.jpg
Over ten years ago the Spanish and Portuguese armies were locked in battle. This war lead the Portuguese to attempt to upgrade their failing Army, however it did little to stem the influx of Spanish troops. Surprisingly, the Portuguese Army, though it had strengthened its regiments by double their number was no match for the Spanish. In 1807, the allies of the Spanish, the French, marched into the rugged frontier of Portugal. Once there, the French Army was effective and relentless. By November of that year, Portugal’s Army was disbanded save the few regiments the French deemed worthy of serving in her armies. There have been reports that the men impressed into this Portuguese force are deserting at a rapid rate even now.

When liberated, the Portuguese Regency (the royal family and court had departed for their Brazilian colonies on a flotilla of 15 ships) was most desirous of British aide. General Beresford’s promotion to the command of the hastily reformed Portuguese army was a wise choice. He is not a skilled battlefield commander, but his ability to speak the native language and his skills as an able administer is what this nation's Army required. The many reforms he has enacted throughout his command as Field Marshal have seen that depots of recruitment were put in place for the training and outfitting of Portuguese troops, that British drill and discipline are now used in the Portuguese Army and, that the men are paid their wages nearly on time to an overwhelming morale boast. Portuguese soldiers can follow orders in English as well as Portuguese. They fight alongside their British allies as one unit. The Army is now an effective and standardized force that can match up to any solider on the battlefield.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/cacadores-1.jpg
One specialization of the Portuguese appears to be their light regiments. While they do have a goodly number of line regiments with light companies, the specialized training allowed the light regiments of Caçadores have made them into one of the most sought after additions to the battlefield. These men are dressed in simple homespun clothing, but fight with British musket or Rifle as though they had been born with it. The wise commander keeps them in light order and constantly harasses the enemy from afar with these men. They are comparable to the famed greenjackets of the British army but assuredly require their own special mention in the current conflicts.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/Infantryport.jpg
These men rushed to the silent call of re-arming when the French disbanded their official Army. In the months that followed, small bands of ex-soldiers and civilians alike reformed and tried to re-equip as best they could into military organization. So few were the firearms available for the initial rush of thousands of men to fight off the French occupancy, that many militiamen where armed with pikes or farm implements. Now, the line infantry regiments fire just as fast as their British counterparts since they have been armed and trained with muskets. They have become top-notch soldiers and can be relied upon heavily.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/cavandarty.jpg
While Portugal has a strong contingent of Infantry and its Artillery Corps is growing, they do have some drawbacks in which their allies must compensate for. There is a complete lack of good cavalry mounts. There also seems to be a lack of men willing to ride them. This land is not a good breeding ground and many of the horses are not well trained for the tasks needed in war. The cavalry arm is lacking, but it can still field a small assortment of men if required. They are lightly equipped and used for those duties.

Portugal has no guard contingent, unless you would be so kind as to count their Royal Palace Guard. This company of men is for decoration only. Even so, the commander who is lucky enough to command these troops under an “old India hand” like General Wellington in battle will not be disappointed. They are proud men who have trained like the British to defend their homelands and to see their nation freed of the tyrant rule of France. With a little practice and the ability to turn Portugal’s strengths to best effect, this army will see the France driven out of Iberia alongside the British and the Spanish within the next three years.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/PortExBannerbanner.jpg

Portugal Expansion Release Notes
NB- This should is covered in the installer readme, but I will print it here again to be safe.

The Peninsula Pack, NTW2 version 3.6, is required for the Portugal Expansion. Instructions on how to install this can be found here:
here. (http://forum.thelordz.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=101607#101607)

The Portugal Expansion installs in the napoleonic folder in the RTW root directory. If installed correctly, the version number on the main menu will say 3.8.

*The installer option “Lingering Smoke” will allow musket smoke to build up and cloud the field, making for a more gritty and hazy battle. This is not recommended for people with older, slower PCs. It will cause lag.

*The graphic options will be set to the highest selection possible. It is recommended for slower or older PCs that these options be tweaked as the user sees fit in the main menu/options/video/advanced.

Please go to the Downloads (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0) section of the site to begine your download.

Enjoy, The Lordz Modding Collective

[Empress Meg]

It’s been a while since you have heard anything from the Lordz Modding Collective officially, but the wait was not in vain gentlemen.

We’ve been hard at work on a new faction. Those of the NTW community who have been clever enough, or perhaps just noisy, might have already discovered what that faction might be. In the hopes of not becoming a killjoy, I’ll let the folks who have no idea what I am talking about in on the secret: we placed a hint in the previous release. This Easter Egg, if you were able to find it, would have given most community members an idea of what we were planning on creating. Without further ado, here is the hidden clue found deep in Rome - Total War\napoleonic\data\UI\unit_info\sweden

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/TeaserSwedishLineInfantry.jpg

Still lost? It’s an image of a Swedish infantryman. While we won’t give away every detail in this next release, you can expect (in addition to the new Swedish faction) the usual touch-ups and fixes. Here are a few screenshots to amuse you or perhaps frustrate you as the next release is completed.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/Cuirassier-1.jpg

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/cav1.jpg

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/cavback.jpg

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/infantry.jpg

More information will follow shortly!
-The Lordz

[The Stranger]

where can i find the full NTW2 version? a link please since i cant find it on the website

what are all the versions/mods/downloads of NTW2?

[Warluster]

It is on the Lorz Download page of their website, look for Lordz Download Page (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0) Scroll down until you see Napoleonic Total War 2, then Full Instal Penisula Pack 0.3.6, Thats the full version.

So far there is:
Original Version: Adds France and Russia.
0,2.4: Britain, Netherlands and Prussia.
0.2.7: Austria and brunswick.
0.3.6: Naples and Spain.
0.3.8: Portugal.
0.4.0: Sweden, (Not out yet.)

[The Stranger]

so if i download the full package 3.6... i only have to download portugal to make it complete.

[Empress Meg]

so if i download the full package 3.6... i only have to download portugal to make it complete.Yes, download the Peninsula Pack. Then download the Portugal Expansion. The Map Pack contains over 100 community made maps and we recommend getting that for MP games.

Devoirs The Empress

[Empress Meg]

Hello. Last week you had a small glimpse of the great work Lady Meg has done with the Kingdom of Sweden. But, even though we should have known better, the next release will contain not 1, but 2 factions. So without further ado, here is a small preview of what I have been working on…

THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
https://img228.imageshack.us/img228/9352/promo1pj3.jpg

Quite some time had passed since Suleiman the Magnificent laid siege to Vienna, and while the art of warfare has advanced in Europe, the Ottoman army was still a semi-feudal body, lacking modern organization and training.

https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/1006/26261176xm3.jpg

The greater part of its infantry consisted of janissaries. Formed in the mid 14th century they were slave-soldiers, recruited from among the Christian children of the Empire. Their tactic was to fire their musket and charge into battle with sword and pistol.

https://img147.imageshack.us/img147/5116/14915805jp5.jpg

Attempts to modernize the army were made by Sultan Selim III (for which he paid dearly in the end, as in reaction the janissary corps revolted, and in the end he was strangled). The Nizam I-Jedid were created, the troops of which were trained and equipped according to European standards.
https://img460.imageshack.us/img460/5198/42821095za4.jpg

The ottomans also had a variety of cavalry troops, among which the famed mamluks of Egypt. (I’d gladly show you them, but I haven’t made them yet, so here is some deli cavalry instead).

https://img251.imageshack.us/img251/9436/19649999vo4.jpg

The Ottoman artillery was the only branch of the army that welcomed the reforms. In the end its men were well trained and brave; unfortunately they usually were supplied with low-quality gun powder.

https://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8158/61030899pa9.jpg

This is just a small preview, there is yet a lot that has to be done before the ottomans are ready, and of course everything you see here is still WIP.
The Lordz.

[Myrddraal]

The ottomans look fantastic :2thumbsup:

I've added this to the front page news.

[Roman_Man#3]

looks very nice. Good job.

[Ozzman1O1]

i uppose i have no idea what this game is because it isnt sold in america?

[Empress Meg]

i uppose i have no idea what this game is because it isnt sold in america?
It is a mod, so its not sold anywhere. You have to come to our site to download it. The links are in my siggy or in the many announcements placed here.

Thank you for the front page spot Myrddraal. I had sent TI a write-up as well that same day. :)

Devoirs The Empress

[Makanyane]

The links are in my siggy or in the many announcements placed here.

Erm, are you sure about that? I can't see anything in your sig, unless its very cryptic version!

I assume best link is just to Lordz home page (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?index) ?

[General_Someone]

So, in the end what factions to you plan to have in this?

[Warluster]

I believe no one, even The Lordz, know this. You have to wait for every release to find out.

[Empress Meg]

So, in the end what factions to you plan to have in this?Howdy there,

We do actually have plans on what will be our last faction as we work through each new faction, however the best laid plans o' mice and men...

These two factions we are working on now are due to personal interest as well as community interest.

We'll have more on what are plans are as the Swedes and Ottomans are finished up.

Devoirs The Empress

[Ozzman1O1]

You should consider the thirteen colonies,and for a challenge,the native americans,By the way,your modd looks great,Im planning on downloading it shortly

[Warluster]

I don't think the Lordz will ever do any American factions. But I do know for a fact that someone over at The Lordz website is (Freehand, nothing to dow the the Lordz) a USA faction mod.

[The Braindead Colonel]

A tiny update, the ottoman flagbearer of the mehter.

https://img139.imageshack.us/img139/6224/pr1nd0.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

[Empress Meg]

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/Version10Banner.jpg

Officers and commanders, high saddled horsemen, adroit artillery and the poor, bloody infantry alike,

At last the wait is over, and I can speak for the Lordz when I say that we are just as glad to release this as you are to finally play it. A good deal of work has gone into this momentous version of Napoleonic Total War II and we hope that it is worth the teeth grinding and hair pulling. Without further frilly words, here is a brief rundown of what you can expect from Napoleonic Total War II version 1.0:


-Two new factions, the Kingdom of Sweden and the Ottoman Empire
-The removal of body piercing bullets
-Five new desert maps (so that the Ottomans feel at home)
-Three new multiplayer scripted battles, Quatre Bras, Ligny & Wavre
-No fire in melee in the scripted battles
-Preset armies for each nation
-And several other minor changes, additions and fixes that you will have to discover on your own

Further explanation of features

Body piercing bullets (BP) have been removed. This has been done in the hopes of removing the freeze bug. Tests were conducted by the Lordz and their beta testers to see what sort of effects the removal caused and we are satisfied with the results. The rank and file are still killed in the rearward ranks of the line and column even without BP enabled.

The three new scripted battles have taken Napoleonic Total War II to a new plateau in multiplayer gaming. With great efforts the Lordz overcame the restrictions imposed by the Rome Total War engine in order to give an even more realistic Napoleonic experience: there is no fire in melee in these battles. Once you lock bayonets in these battles, then no one may fire his musket. Instead, you must pull away and reorganize into ranks to attempt a volley. This is done at great risk to your men, who once let loss of their officers’ leashes will be hard pressed to return to the stiff discipline of their lines.

Napoleonic Total War II version 1.0 is a full and complete install encompassing all previous versions. In summation, whether you are installing Napoleonic Total War II for the first time or have the Pen Pack and the Portugal expansion you will use the same, singular install.
NB- Napoleonic Total War II version 1.0 only contains the official Lordz maps. If you are installing NTW2 for the first time, it is recommended that you download the Map Pack as well containing over 100 community made maps for online play. A new, updated Map Pack will follow in roughly a week’s time.

Finally, this is version 1.0. For those of you who may not understand the significance of this, Napoleonic Total War II has reached its prime. In this version the culmination of over two year’s work from dozens of people are contained; sleepless nights, strained eyes, PC disasters, countless hours of reworked textures, codes, editing, a chorus of questions and slew of answers, countless PM’s and a breakdown or two, myriad history books, comings and goings, slow downs, boredom, headaches, and creative disagreements.

What began as a struggling start has grown into a strong, robust and extraordinary modification. There are hundreds of RTW mods out there, all offering something different, but this one has in my opinion out shined them for it’s longevity, creativeness and above all it’s community. While Napoleonic Total War II represents a paradigm shift in mods it is the tightly knit community that continues to pour life into the Lordz Modding Collective. Because of this every-changing community there is always something in the works from the Lordz. So while this might be the conclusive battle for NTW2, it is certainly not time to lower the flag.

Please go to the Downloads (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0) section of the site to begin your download.

Install instructions
1) NTW2 is a modification for RTW 1.5/ RTW:BI 1.6. In order to play NTW2, please ensure that you have fully updated your version of RTW and that there are no other mods present. In other words, you must have a clean install of RTW.

Install RTW.
Install RTW patch 1.3.
Install RTW patch 1.5.
Install NTW2 version 1.0.
Optional: Install the Community Map Pack for Multiplayer battles.
The Map Pack will be updated in about a week's time to include more community submitted maps.

2) Download the NTW2 version 1.0 full install from the Lordz website here (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0). You will need Winrar to extract the files inside. WinRar (http://www.rarlab.com/) Extract the contents of the rar folder.

3) Double click on the program and the install will begin. Follow the prompts to finish installing NTW2 to your PC.

NTW2 version 1.0 uses the mod switch, so no original RTW files will be edited. (You can have as many mods installed on a single RTW folder as long as the use the mod switch.) It is recommened that you install this complete version of NTW2 on a clean copy of RTW 1.5.

Installer Options: You will be given the option to select these during the install process.

Create Desktop Shortcut- Creates a shortcut on your desktop for faster game initializing. (Duh :P).

Use Quick Chat- Enables "Y" for global chat and "T" for team chat while ingame.

Disable Arrow Markers- Removes the green arrows under selected units. Units will only highlight.

Install Low Resolution Textures- One half the size of normal textures. Installing these can cut down on lag slightly while reducing unit detail.

Install Lingering Smoke “Lingering Smoke” will allow musket smoke to build up and cloud the field, making for a more gritty and hazy battle. This is not recommended for people with older, slower PCs. It will cause framerate drop.

Please go to the Downloads (http://lordz.thelordz.co.uk/index.php?id=37,0,0,1,0,0) section of the site to begin your download.

Enjoy, The Lordz Modding Collective

[Empress Meg]

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/KingdomofSweden.jpg

During the Napoleonic Wars Sweden underwent some of the most revolutionary changes in its culture, geography, political system and military. Sweden sat on the outskirts of the conflicts igniting all over Europe but it did not remain aloof from them for long. Between 1805 and 1815 the once great army of Sweden was called to fight foes on many fronts: Germany, Pomeranian, Denmark, Norway, and Finland.

The army was in a constant state of change during the turbulent decade. Perhaps the most poverty-stricken nation in Europe, Sweden’s military suffered from a lack of much-needed funds and wanted in loyal and strong leadership in the officer corps. The great triumphs of a century before gave the battered and ancient army of Sweden something of which to be proud, but reminiscences do not win wars. Constant retreats and poor leadership did little to improve Sweden’s situation as the Napoleonic Wars increased in fervor. A mad king, Gustavus IV, coupled with a crippling lose of Finland and Swedish Pomeranian nearly broke the nation.

A military coup removed Gustavus IV from the throne and a couple years later Marshal Bernadotte was elected king. As King Charles XIV he went about ensuring the reclamation of Sweden’s past glories with a strong demand to bring Sweden out of its traditional trappings and into the modern world. Conscription was introduced allowing for a long-term army, Norway was acquired to subvert the forfeit of territory, and the former marshal’s rule ushered in a stable and peaceful Swedish nation that continues to the modern day.

Infantry
Sweden’s regular infantry are not meant for prolonged warfare. Drawn from men who have little training, they are more a grandiose militia force then a regular army. However, their light troops more then make up for the poor quality of the average line infantryman, or rather of those who might lead him!

The jägers of Sweden and Finland are crack sharpshooter troops whose skill at skirmishing will be able to thin the enemy’s lines before the untested line infantry march into battle.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/swedishInfantry3.jpg

Cav
The artillery and cavalry crops of the Swedish army contain small numbers of men who have formed together to make mobile and destructive force from what little funding, materials, and training supplied by the State. There are four artillery regiments (three when Finland was lost to Russia) and a small handful of a dozen or so regiments of horsemen to call upon when battle draws near. There might be little to chose from in variety, but that does not prevent these horsemen and gunners from performing their duties with skill and dedication.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/swedishcav.jpg

Guards
The Swedish guard regiments represent the regular forces of an otherwise semi-dormant military. While most regiments are hastily scraped together upon the outbreak of each successive war and trained some 28 days a year, these men are career soldiers. (This hodgepodge arrangement continued until Bernadotte installed the conscription system in 1812.) The wise commander will be sure to save room in his budget when selecting an army for these hardened veterans. They can stand up to some of the most elite of Europe if properly supported and judiciously lead.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/swedishgaurd.jpg

[Empress Meg]

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/OttoEmpire.jpg
The Ottoman Empire is vast, encompassing a great tract of land in the Eastern Mediterranean, southeastern Europe, and North Africa. Its army is scattered and its peoples divided. It is the perfect time to attack. France has broken the traditional peaceful relations with the Empire and cold dismissal of French emissaries in the ancient capital of Constantinople bode openly hostile behavior.

Further south in the swirling sands of Egypt a great Expedition begins under the command of a promising general. The French army marches from one dune to another to gather scientific evidence and assert military might. They bleed the harsh land’s resources dry and food prices double in the Ottoman held region. In order to push back the foreign invaders Sultan Selim III calls a jihad to retake the legendary territory. This ignites a drawn out conflict filled with wild stories of bejeweled horsemen, sword waving janissaries and mad billows of charging infantrymen who break upon the bayonets of the hugely outnumbered France forces. The troops of a myriad of cultures are about to place their full wrath on the invading French and plunge themselves and the world into a new Era.

In the years that flowed into the Napoleonic Wars, the Ottoman Empire will continue its slow decay. Military revolts, rebellions in Balkans and Russian military action all pressed the imperialist state.

Arty
The Ottomans have a long heritage of gunpowder weapons, especially those of the great guns. The smaller firearms were neglected and often far from usable, but the cannon and its crew were highly respected and a feared component of the Ottoman military. Gunners were considered an elite among other segments of the armed forces. During the Napoleonic Wars, European gunners were employed to help train local forces to better use the more modern field pieces.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/ottoarty.jpg

Infantry
A force mostly cobbled together only when needed, the infantry of the Ottoman Empire have basically no training save for the elite forces. Firearms are often out-dated and many men prefer taking the blade to the enemy rather then shot at them from a distance. Those men wielding swords are a danger when in close combat, something no commander should ignore.

The Janissary force is the regular army. Created in the medieval period, the Janassaries were once a very elite and strict body of military men who rose to prominence in the political affairs of the Ottoman Empire. (They were finally disbanded after the Napoleonic Wars due to their long held mutinous habits.) They are both a force to be feared but also one that can be easily overcome with disciplined troops.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/ottoinfantry.jpg

Cav
The light horsemen drawn together to defend the Sultan’s lands are famed for their speed, ferocity, and their riches. These endearing aspects are often tempered by their sometimes undisciplined manner of warfare. Most of the horsemen preferred cold steel as their main armament including scimitars, maces, daggers and fails. Only a small percentage had firearms and these might be out of date and used very little. Mamelukes some of the more famous cavalry discovered in the deserts of Egypt were descendants of Christian slaves. Their extensive melee skills were noted well by Napoleon and he recruited a number of these men to be part of his guard formations. (His own personal bodyguard named Roustan was a Mameluke.)

The charge en muraille was the favoured form of tactic for the Ottoman horsemen. Most of the horsemen are light, however there are rumors that heavier, almost medieval armed bands of horsemen were encountered.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t95/LGA_PICS/ottocav.jpg

[LordBlood]

It is my great pleasure to announce the new website and forums of the Lordz Modding Collective. These will not serve only as a showcase of our previous work though. After 6 years of producing award winning modifications, we continue to work towards creating the most realistic Napoleonic experience possible.

Please feel free to step by our forums and say hello.

URL:
http://www.thelordz.org

Regards

LBG