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I asked whether you play MP or not because my army is a standard MP army http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ns/biggrin.gif which explains both the lack of spearmen and the all-in-one nature of the army http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...cons/smile.gif
I think you could a point about Provine management : it's sometimes more useful to put a high Dread Governor in charge than a high Acumen one, on those pesky rebellious provinces such as Scotland, Livonia, etc.., even for a few turns when the province has low loyalty before building some happiness-boosting buildings.
You may lose a few cash in the process (very few, 'cause the provinces are usually poor AND you have to put a very low tax rate), but the boost to Loyalty given by Dread can make the difference between a 25% Rebellion chance and a 5% one http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...cons/smile.gif
Just a couple of additions, I've added Pdifolco's suggestions on dread,that was supposed to be in there already, it's on the long list of this I've forgotten and will add over time. Look for it in the new section about province loyalty. Thanks for pointing out my ommission http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...icons/wave.gif
I've also added a strategy by Innigo Montoya, it's in the Pope section.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've got an unpopular character to kill (again) in my story thread
Oh, and if anyone's interested this guide is now 82010 characters long out of a possible 102400 That's an increase of about 15,000 characters from the first version
Maybe we could add a subsection on the important keyboard shortcuts. The official guide-book does not list them all. For example, SHIFT + DOUBLE CLICK resulting in waypoint running was something new for me. I was always trying in vain to achieve the same by doing SHIFT + CLICK AND THEN CTRL R for "run"...
you could also add in that 'G' groups units and pressing ALT and LEFT CLICK you can move multiple units while retaining their formation and facing and also ALT and RIGHT CLICKING is good way to have a grouped formation change facing together, extremely useful when the ai trys rediculously obvious flanking manouveres
About Discipline; units with discipline are also less affected by death/ capture of general.
Great work.
Louis the Simurgh,
Fabulous work, fb. Very nicely done. Wish I'd had that back in late '02 when I started this obsession.
One thing I'm thinking of that needs to be included in any new player guide...patience.[B] Take your time; you've got a lot more than you need. You can literaly wait a hundred years before starting a war and still finish off the other factions before the end comes. When I started playing, I won time after time without ever getting much into the High period. In fact, it was a long time before I ever saw a serpentine gun and then only when attacked by the GH who brought one with 'em. (Do NOT charge into these things!http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...icons/wink.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...cons/smile.gif
In battle, I've never yet ran out of time when attacking. (If you've ever tried to hold out on defense until the time elapses, you'll know what I mean.) One of my own personal favorites is to hold off the first wave, and then wait for his reinforcements to cross all the way before slaughtering a billion peasants. When attacking, you can take all the time you need to move your units into the best position. Just be patient.
Second, this game has huge replay value. I started playing Early. After a couple dozen campaigns, I started playing High period. Then, GAs. Now, I'm playing WesW's MedMod, which is like playing a whole new game...and much harder, I must add. New guys, don't give up the game because you think you've beaten it. Try different periods, and see how little you're unbeatable strategies become white flags across the bottom of the screen.
Thanks, again, froggie, for the great tips. I esp appreciate the tips on javelin units, for which I've never had any use. I'll give them a shot, now.
Best wishes,
OBG
Superb
Edited and updated. I've added in all the latest suggestions and corrections.
There is a new appendix on hotkeys. Will readers please post all the hotkeys they use, along with what they do as I don't use them much myself.
I've put in a section on charging in the battlemap section. There is also a note of the move-attack tactic for cavalry. Both of these sections were supposed to be in the original but I forgot. There are loads more sections like this, I remember them when I'm not at the computor but when I sit down to type them up I forget them ;rolleyes: I'm now writing them down as I remember.
The guide is now over 85,000 characters I think I might run out of space again http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/eek.gif The page noticably takes time to load, even on my broadband I apologise to those of you with dial up connections, the long wait must be hell
Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...icons/wave.gif
Publishers may wish to note that I am available to write a Total War guide for print. Give me an early copy of Rome and I'll do one for that too (Well I can advertise, can't I? http://burns.thefinaldimension.org/c.../sally/lol.gif As if anyone would hire me http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ons/tongue.gif )
You know this whole guide thing has done wonders for my post count You spammers should try it some time, maybe a guide to picking the avatar and title thats right for you on hitting the big 500 Or perhaps a guide to the different varieties of spam, and there's a definite need for 'The spammers guide to being a spammer'. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...cons/joker.gif
very very nice. great job froggy http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...icons/wave.gif
I'm just about to request for that part.Quote:
Originally Posted by [b
I'm sure you will do a very good job on that.Quote:
Originally Posted by [b
Great work.
There is a section about hot keys in the MTW manual from page 50 to page 55. I don't use all of them but many are useful. Keys I use most are:
Backspace - Halt (cancel the given order)
R - Rally (I use this to avoid hitting the wrong button which is the Rout, right next to it)
C - Close formation
L - Loose formation
W - Wedge formation
S - Skirmish mode (apply for skimish troop)
F - Hold Formation
E - Engage at will
H - Hold position.
A - Fire at will (apply for skirmish troop)
Press Escape while dragging out a formation will cancel the action.
On campaign map:
1 and 3 keys on the numpad to zoom if you don't have mouse wheel.
Ctrl + A will also work on the camp map to select all units in the unit review panel.
Mouse wheel to scroll up and down list (provinces income list, general list, heir list, agent list). If you have VI, you can sort the list by left click on any of the column title.
Battle map:
- and + on numpad to change camera angle.
Mouse wheel to zoom (camara elevation).
very nice
regarding the Pope, if the italians/ sicilians get too big for their boots - usually in the early game, you could also try to leave just enough units to prevent rebellion (say with a dreadful governor) but still weak enough to tempt the italians/ sicilians to invade. Pope reeappears and excoms them leaving you able to crusade against the weakened italians without penalty.
Bravo FBE,
I have to say I am impressed. Well done. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif
For my sins I have been charged with the task of writing the RTW manual. I've written a few in the past for other games.
The basic RTW manual is already at 61,000+ characters and 37 ms pages (including placeholder illustrations)
Intrepid Sidekick
- CA Staff -
Updated with some more hotkeys and several new sections (faction re-emergences, amphibious invasions, more on the Pope and some other bits and pieces). I think the guide is nearly complete; most of the other things I thought I might add are either in the manual, already covered elsewhere or are too advanced for a beginner’s guide.
Inigo Montoya has been editing my screenshots, the first one is done and I've sent it to TosaInu so expect to see the new versions appearing over the next few days. The new versions are much better, they are labelled and there is an overhead diagram, which makes the layout much clearer. Thanks for all the hard work Inigo http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif, I'll update your credit when the pictures are posted.
VOTE NOW Does anyone want a battlefield guide? I'm thinking of possibly writing an in-depth battlefield guide complete with illustrations and sections on all the units, as well as including more formations and tactics. If the interest is there I'm more likely to do it, if it's unnecessary I won't bother.
Intrepid sidekick: Thanks (wow, I impressed a professional ). Did you forget to sugar the drinks on your first day? Now we know what CA mean when they say the naughty cupboard
EDIT: Oh yes, I forgot to say thanks to whichever anonymous personage stickied this version. Thank you http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...icons/wave.gif. You know I was looking all over for the main hall version, I thought it had been deleted Thank heavens I noticed it stuck at the top on my way out
a guide explaing the basic principles of combat and the strenghths and effictiveness of various units particulary skirmishing units and cavalry would be most beneficial to newer playersQuote:
Originally Posted by [b
Thanks Yoko. I was thinking more along the lines of 'Frog Tzu's Art of Total War', a guide that covers everything I know about the battlemap, along with some strategies from other players. The guide would be aimed more at intermediate players as I think my guide, along with the manual and tutorials, covers everything a newbie needs to know.
Some examples of what I'd include are:
* A detailed analyis of all the units e.g. why are chivalric sergeants better than feudal sergeants? Are they better at everything or do feudals still have a use after 1205?
*A look at more specific details like which part of the hill is best for your archers? Height counts, but only the right kind of height will turn your archers into Robin Hoods.
*A small section on how the AI works (maybe, if I can find enough bits and pieces to go beyond what I posted in my beginners guide).
If anyone thinks I still need to add more to my beginners guide say so, I may expand it some more. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...cons/smile.gif
Hi Froggy, here is a list of MP tips.
Eleven do’s and eleven not to do’s of MP
DO’S
· Always respect the rules the host set forth. If you dont agree with these rules don’t join the game.
· Always ask if you don’t know something, and always help if someone ask something from you.
· Always communicate with your allies.
· Always help your allies.
· Alway tell your allies when you are going to attack.
· Always count the number of units in the opposing army.
· Always study carefuly the composition of the opposing armies. You can learn a lot this way.
· Always group your units according their tasks: archers, meele infantry, reserve cavalry, etc.
· Always pick your army according the climate. Dont bring heavily armoured troops into a desert battle, etc.
· Always buy valor to your fighting troops to avoid the „my soldiers did not fight” sindrome. Morale is the most important part of the battle, valor 0 troops run too easily.
· Always pick a good general, usually an elite troop with high base morale (for example: chiv.knight, ghulam cavalry)
NOT TO DO’S
· Never flame your allies or your opponents. Even if he/she picked a wrong army, made a wrong move, was routed off quickly, etc.
· Never leave alone your allies. An ally worth more than any hill or nice terrain feature.
· Never stay put. Don’t be afraid to move.
· Never rush in the first 5 seconds of the game. Always take your time to survey the deployment of the opposing armies and that of your allies.
· Never put your money in a few “überunits” (for example, v3 or v4 chiv.knights). Try to spread your investment evenly amongst your meele units.
· Never buy an army composed of only one unit type (i.e. only infantry, only cavalry, etc.). Under most of the circumstances a mixed army of ranged units, meele infantry and cavalry outperformes any of the one unit type armies.
· Never buy siege engines like mangonels, ballista, etc.
· Never lead the attack with your general.
· Never attack one by one, attack in groups.
· Never chase a cavalry with your spear units.
· Never focus your attention on one unit. Try to rotate your attention between the different parts of your army as frequently as you can. Keep an eye on the unit icons. There should be no idle units.
Feel free to add your suggestions http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...cons/smile.gif
Edited to include Cheetahs multiplayer section. Thanks Cheetah http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...icons/wave.gif
Well, frogbeastegg, what are your plans for further guides for MTW newbies?
Well Demon this guides done, it's awaiting its new pictures but that’s it for the text unless any more suggestions appear. I do have several ideas for more guides:
1)'Frog Tzu's Art of Total War. An in-depth battlefield guide aimed at a more advanced player, around intermediate level. I proposed this a couple of posts back asking if anyone was interested, to date I have had one (1) reply That suggests this guide is a bit unnecessary.
2)Froggy's guide to Shogun: Total War. This one would have to wait for at least a month because I've only just got Shogun working again after more than a year of absence. As you might imagine my skill have atrophied to the point where the AI actually causes a bit of trouble for me (I had a battle last night where the AI actually nearly won On normal I had 47 archers ans 2 naginata cavalry left from an army of 9 units. It's so different to the good old days where I won with minimal losses in all situations http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...cons/mecry.gif ). I don't think this one is really needed because so few newbies play Shogun; also the .com forums have an excellent work in progress by King Haggard so I'd be repeating his work.
3)Frogbeasteggs guide to the Viking Invasion. Specific tips etc for the Viking campaign. This would be good for all those newbies who want to start with the Vikings, as well as those who think (like me) that the main medieval game is a bit dull and bloated really (heresy )
4)Froggy's guide to MTW + VI units. An in-depth guide to ALL the units on the battle map in both medieval and Vikings. It would include how to use them, which unit is suited for what, which unit to choose if you have many similar ones available etc. It's basically a cut down Frog Tzu.
I won't do any of these if there is no interest; there is too much work involved to do a guide if no one wants it. This beginners guide has taken me about 20 hours to write, along with another 10 or so hours of planning, contacting TosaInu and Inigo Montoya etc. I don't know how much time TosaInu and Inigo have spent on it, editing pictures, expanding the size limit etc. If the interest is proven to be there I will write, otherwise I'll fade back into normal patronship.
FBE -
Just letting you know I'm still here.... and I would be interested in a more detailed battlefield guide - especially since I'm currently getting my butt kicked by the Egyptians. I do OK in small battles, but now my game has pretty much come down to me (English) and them, with everyone else just an afterthought. So all of our battles are something like 4000 v 4000 or more men, and I can't keep track of what the hell is going on. I can hold my own for a while, but I've been losing 1000+ men and killing about the same number without the battle really being determined. I seem to do much better as the attacker rather than the defender - of course, I reckon there's not really a rule that says you can't go on the attack when your defending.
On another note - whatever you decide to do, I can help you out with the pics. I haven't seen the new one up on the guide yet, so I'm still holding the others until we see if that format will work.
IM
First of all.
WELL DONE
Excelent work. I am now fully equiped to deal with MTW which after STW was a big step up. All my problems seem to be answered and I thank you.
secondly
events need the compass included and a short write up that you cant use it right away to build the additional ships. ( or am I wrong? still only on first campaign English early and its 1173 compass was 3 years ago).
Oh and how do you retrain units i know about it but cant seem to work out how exactly to do it so that might be useful to new people too.
thirdly
A tactics write up would be very useful.
You could do a whole one just on the placement and set up of seige equipment if you ask me. Each type of castle seems to need slightly different tactics and depending on the terain it changes again. Are particular units good at castle seiges? Which ones are worse than useless? Is it worth opening gatehouses or just break down walls to get a bigger entrance to fight through. Placement of seige engines and considering arc's of fire, ranges, targets, why you should place them so if you over shoot your target wall you hit something worthwile being to the side of where they were aiming, how height seems to mess so badly with their accracy.
How the AI will not be stupid and walk up that hill you have delopyed so nicely on, how the pause button lets to stop and take deep breaths when you have forgotten to take oxygen in during a particulary hectic redeployment (spacebar to see where units will end up)
Hope suggestions are useful
Just a small update, I'd got the date for the compass wrong somehow. I've also added in a small note in the events section on the need to wait for 1205 and build a cannon foundry before you can build a shipwrights guild. Thanks for highlighting that Celtlan.
Celtlan your suggestions for a tactics guide are very good, thats exactly the sort of thing I was thinking of including in 'Frog Tzu', that is if there is sufficient interest. I can't fit information like that into this beginners guide for several reasons, firstly it's more of an intermediate piece of information, secondly this guide is so long it's nearly at the post limit again and thirdly this guide is so long it's getting hard to find the part I want to edit
Anyway I'll let the discussion on future guides continue for a while and see what crops up.
DO THE UNITS GUIDE
The first of the new pictures is up You can thank Inigo Montoya for the hard work http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ns/biggrin.gif Also thanks go to TosaInu for hosting this new picture.
As far as a new guide goes the total response to my poll so far gives me an estimated readership of....4 people Either people don't want another guide or they don't want to vote, I'm not sure which. I'll do a unit guide and see how well it is recieved. If it is useful I will follow it up with 'Frog Tzu', the two guides would work well together anyway. I'll post it in the main hall, the title will be something like 'The Complete Total War Unit Guide' Once again I will post it as a plain text guide at first and any pictures, expansions etc can be suggested by readers.
I've been playing MTW for over a year...and I must say: I've learned at least 5 things I never knew, by reading your guide. My personal 'thanks'.
I never want to cause anyone else unnecessary work; but if your heart is still in it, I'll be an enthusiastic reader of any Units Guide you publish. Especially, since that's my main area of weakness. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...ns/biggrin.gif
For anyone who cares to look, here is my proposed index for the new guide:
The Complete Total War Unit Guide.
Contents
1. Shogun: Total War and the Mongol Invasion (also called Shogun: Warlords).
1.1 The Japanese
1.2 Yari Ashigaru
1.3 Arquebusiers
1.4 Musketeers
1.5 Yari Samurai
1.6 Samurai Archers
1.7 No-Dachi
1.8 Warrior Monks
1.9 Naginata
1.10 Yari Cavalry
1.11 Cavalry Archers
1.12 Heavy Cavalry
1.13 Naginata Cavalry
1.14 Kensai
1.15 Battlefield Ninja
1.16 Ashigaru Crossbowmen
1.17 The Mongols
1.18 Mongol Light Cavalry
1.19 Mongol Heavy Cavalry
1.20 Korean Skirmishers
1.21 Korean Spearmen
1.22 Korean Guardsmen
1.23 Thunder Bombers
2. Medieval: Total War
2.1 Spearmen
2.2 Archers and ranged units
2.3 Swordsmen
2.4 Axemen
2.5 Pikemen
2.6 Polearms
2.7 Barbarians and Religious Fanatics
2.8 Peasants
2.9 Knights
2.10 Heavy Cavalry
2.11 Missile Cavalry
2.12 Light Cavalry
2.13 Camels
2.14 Naptha and Javelin
2.15 Artillery
3. The Viking Invasion
3.1 New Spearmen
3.2 New Swordsmen
3.3 New Heavy Cavalry
3.4 New Light Cavalry
3.5 New Missile Cavalry
3.6 New Axemen
3.7 New Peasants
3.8 New Artillery
Each section will have the unit stats, a secific section on the uses, strengths and weaknesses of each unit, and a 'King Of' in each (MTW + VI) category - a best unit (or units in a few cases). Is there anything else I need to add? Have I already forgotton something? Speak now to save much editing in the future http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...icons/wink.gif
Current progress: Index = complete, introduction and copyright = underway, rest of guide = er, ask later http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...cons/joker.gif
I think we have a new HOF candidate fella's. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cg...cons/smile.gif
Great job woman I think more people might benefit from a tactics guide than a units guide, but then what do I know. Also, a tactics guide could become community written, so to speak, as everyone throws their best tactics into the ring. I know that good tactics have done more for my enjoyment of the game than anything else and once one is comfortable doing battle, MTW becomes much more enjoyable, and the long time spent in a campaign is to be looked forward to, not dreaded.
Outstanding compilation. There are only a few things from the entire guide that I have questions/comments about:
1)Are you sure that double-clicking on an enemy will only make your unit run, rather than charge?
I remember in the tutorial of being warned not to charge too soon when I 2-clicked on an enemy from a distance. Units also have separate run and charge animations, and I seem to notice them displaying the charge positions when you 2-click on an enemy.
2)Also, has anyone ever confirmed conclusively that spears never receive a rank bonus in forests? If individual soldiers are not disrupted by trees, the supporting animation shows just as it would in open ground. I would think that the disruption would be calculated on a soldier-by-soldier basis, just as with individual armour, morale and so-forth.
3)This may just be a simple omission, which I can readily identify with, but I thought that general bonuses granted +2 morale in addition to +1 attack and defense, just as with regular valour upgrades.
4)This minor topic has been proven by DOC to be incorrect in most cases: "If a unit does not possess disciplined status by default the only way to add it is to build the military academy in one of your production provinces."
Buildings only give bonuses to units which require them to be available, so only Janissary units benefit from Academies.
Again, outstanding work on a quide of such scope.