Graphics OR unit control ?

[Joker II]

..., ETW is an evolution.

I'm sure you meant revolution

MedII = evolution.

[Raz]

Wasn't there another thread on unit numbers... "Magic number 24" or something?
Anyway, having more units under your control would insta-fail the multiplayer aspect of Empires. I couldn't imagine people playing real-time with no pause trying to get 5 units of cavalry to flank on one side and another 5 units to flank on the other whilst ensuring that the already engaged 20 units of infantry aren't flanked themselves. Of course, I doubt this player would even have thought that his 10 other units of reserves are being slaughtered just across the woods. I also doubt he'd have much time to admire the scenery, the funny hats, the detailed horsies and the cool ragdoll physics of his Lights whilst they are ambushed and promptly slaughtered en route to his main force.

That is of course if anyone still plays MP. Do they?

[RLucid]

That's why you need to be able to group units really effectively, "merging" them into larger entities for command & control. As it stands, controlling 20 units is too difficult, because you have to micro-manage (or put your faith on the deficient battle AI), that sucks on all kinds of levels.

A successful revolution in unit control would address that issue.

[rajpoot]

Give us 500 'units' per unit. Or even better, base it on the real numbers and scale it down if needed. I might be wrong, but it seems to me, what we have right now, is just a random number size of the units, the weaker ones having more numbers and stronger ones less.
The Rome engine did not have the capability, but did not a legion have atleast around 5000 men?
We can have battalions of 1000 men each for small skirmishes, regiments of a few 5000 for battles, and divisional commands of several regiments.

[CBR]

Lowering the movement rates would come a long way in enabling players to control 20+ units. In Total War normal infantry marches faster than Quick Pace or Pas de Charge! And dont get me started on the infantry run speed...


CBR

[pevergreen]

I'm sure you meant revolution

MedII = evolution.

Thank you for pointing that out

You are of course correct.

[batemonkey]

i wish there were comand buttons like flank the enemy, or advance to firing range that kind of thing. In a real battle a general would n't have to order his men to just this far fromthere wing then to just here behind and then charge he would just order " major sharpe i want you to flank x unit and then open fire" "yes sir" would be his response and off he'd go (god i hope sharpe's men are the uks unique unit)

[Joker II]

If CA could create a way that more men in a unit fight at the same time, then, I'd be all for increasing the size of a unit, but, as it is now, no thank you.

The only thing you'd create is a bigger blob where the majority would stand still, doing nothing but picking their nose !

The advantage you have with more units is that you could have a much more strategical game, having 40 units of each 100 men in comparison to 20 units of 200 men would give the advantage of having more flanking/splitting abilities with the 40 units.

Think it's important that if this is incorporated, it is incorporated as an option, just like setting the size of each unit, one could set the amount of units one wishes to control.

This would give the benefit for those with lower PC specs to still use the 40 units for instance with a lower amount of men per unit.

[pevergreen]

JokerII, have you played RTW? The reason M2TW does it is because of the unit spacing.

As you yourself pointed out, this is an revolution. It is a new engine. Why harp on about old problems, when we havent seen land battle screenshots yet?

[rajpoot]

The only thing you'd create is a bigger blob where the majority would stand still, doing nothing but picking their nose !

I don't know why are you saying this, this 'problem' has been mentioned before, let me point out that this is actually not a problem at all. The units in the front ranks all fight, only those in the rear stay still, and this is what actually happened. The rear ranks are supposed to come forward only when the first line falls. Everyone did not rush to the frontline, the people behind stayed behind until there was a gap in the line in front of them.