Damn... Kingdoms is Awesome

[Quickening]

I got Medieval II: Kingdoms in November last year and I still can't get over how awesome it is. Ive never been so involved in a Total War game. For me it really puts the Grand Campaign to shame just because it always felt silly to be conquering the world as say Scotland or Egypt. Of course it's silly even for Scotland to be taking over the British Isles to but not as silly.

I love the unique victory conditions and rules these campaigns have. It makes it refreshing to play them and a totally different experience.
Typically in an expansion pack you have far less gameplay then you have in the original game. To my mind there is a hundred times more gameplay and fun to be had playing the Kingdoms campaigns than the Grand Campaign. And this is funny because another thing I love about Kingdoms is that I won't get bored once Im so far into a game like I do in the Grand Campaign.

So yeah, Medieval 2 Kingdoms is by far the best expansion pack Ive ever played. For me there is just no comparison and I'll definately be playing it for a long time yet. I really hope that CA runs with the idea of smaller, more focussed campaigns instead of the massive slogs.

Opinions? Agree? Disagree?

[Iñnsomñni]

I agree, with Kingdoms M2TW doesnt half seem to get better, the different varieties of units and seperate vicotry conditions are just the icing off the cake. I especially like the fact that each campaign in its own rights is different, you arent stuck with the same units for each faction, and i also like the new challanges they set, so that the game isnt so easy anymore.

Favourite Campaign:
Has to be Britannia, god i just love the place, i especially like the struggle as Wales, as England sends its hordes after you, and you are forced to play every second tactically and consider what you think the enemy will do...

Least Favourite Campaigns:
Probably Teutonic campaign, i dislike the mess and struggle in the middle, i dislike playing large factions, but those factions seem to start really large, with hardly any expansion space, i also dislike the Norweigan...

Overall its well worth the money, i got a tonne of hours play outta that, still playing it, the four campaigns vary so much that you can never get bored...

[hellenes]

I agree, with Kingdoms M2TW doesnt half seem to get better, the different varieties of units and seperate vicotry conditions are just the icing off the cake. I especially like the fact that each campaign in its own rights is different, you arent stuck with the same units for each faction, and i also like the new challanges they set, so that the game isnt so easy anymore.

Favourite Campaign:
Has to be Britannia, god i just love the place, i especially like the struggle as Wales, as England sends its hordes after you, and you are forced to play every second tactically and consider what you think the enemy will do...

Least Favourite Campaigns:
Probably Teutonic campaign, i dislike the mess and struggle in the middle, i dislike playing large factions, but those factions seem to start really large, with hardly any expansion space, i also dislike the Norweigan...

Overall its well worth the money, i got a tonne of hours play outta that, still playing it, the four campaigns vary so much that you can never get bored...

Try the mongols and you will change your mind....

[khaos83_2000]

The greek flamethrower is the most unique unit in the expansion and they really are. you just have to try the imbalance greek flamethrowers.

They are a must have in clustered situation. like bridge battles or sieges or huge battles.

When well used, they can take out a few units at the same time and route the entire army.

Oh, Do u all know that they can shoot down from the walls ? They can shoot down from the walls. As they are short range, They are most effective on low walls. Archers can't take out the guy running in with ladders, flamethrowers will flame them when they come running straight at them. Did i mention that they can shoot up to walls too ?

2hp cannon gays ?
sacrifice one unit to pin it down and move the greek flamethrows to the side and toast them.

You are on a bridge battle. You are terribly outnumbered and may not even win on the defensive. 1 or 2 greek flamethrower can totally change the tide.

totally unbalanced
totally unique.

[G^2]

I have to agree I enjoy Kingdoms more than the Grand Campaign. The Grand Campaign seem too hectic with too many things going on at once. While, the regional focus of Kingdoms was refreshing and more realistic. I also like the smaller maps with less factions, which makes the game play better IMO. The Teutonic and Crusades Campaigns were fantastic. The only complaint I have is the Americas campaign, would have rather seen a Thirty Years War Campaign with religion playing a large role and pikes plus muskets ruling the battle fields.

[BetterDeadThanRed]

Call me strange, but I was kind of disappointed at the size of grand campaign. I was really expecting to have more fights in the Turkic steppes rather than just have the Mongolians and Timurids magically appear in the East, and what is with having Muslim factions but without having Mecca or Medina included, and not including hardly any of Africa for pre-American colonization (without this area, Portugal is effectively castrated from developing a powerful economy).

I personally don't like to feel like a major player in my campaigns, I just like to be a cog in a massive machine being swept along through history.