Technologies

[Jolt]

Submarines were anything but reliable in this period. Plus they were used sporadically, at best, and they never were into major naval battles like the ones CA seems to want to implement in ETW. It would come from the same drawing table as the Head Hurlers.

[Furious Mental]

Rifles were invented well before the game starts. On the other hand the Minie ball was invented after it is likely to end.

[Matt_Lane]

Rifles were invented well before the game starts. On the other hand the Minie ball was invented after it is likely to end.

Rifles were about but I think they weren't used militarily except for militia's using their own weapons. It would seem odd to have them invented half way through the game but I just can't see them being available from the beginning if for no others reasons than game balance and tech tree development.

I'd have liked to stretch the time line to include the Minie ball, again as it adds development to the somewhat stagnant small arms technology.

I didn't realise that there were breach loading rifles in this period so that is something I'd definitely love to see in the game. The ability to reload in a prone position would add an advantage to light infantry.

Lastly, Flying Pig, whats Fusil Technolgy, is it related to Fusiliers?

[RLucid]

According to Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifle#Origins it was 3 1/2 centuries after "invention" in mid-15th that it became practical for Infantry use due to the precision required in manufacture.

They should be around towards the end of the game at least, Wellington's rifle regiments took a significant role in the Iberian campaign, thats about 1800; even if the "sharpshooter" was actually over-hyped after a certain colony rebelled 20-25 years previously.

It doesn't really matter when something was invented, it's when it can be practically used & supplied in the field that matters. So actually precision engineering and manufacturing techniques are more important, even if they aren't headline grabbers.

On Fusilier ( according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusil ) was a soldier type deploying a lightweight type of musket called a fusil.

[Furious Mental]

Well my understanding is that rifled muskets were in use at least since the mid 17th century in siege warfare. There were also rifled wall guns in use at that time.

As well as researching technologies, development should also depend on creating the state apparatus to handle a modern society. For instance, capitalism depends on laws relating to property, contracts, and corporations, so developing a legal system should be part of it. The cost of this might be that in spite of your megalomaniacal aspirations you have to tone down your absolutism and concede some power to courts and parliament.

[Matt_Lane]

Submarines were anything but reliable in this period. Plus they were used sporadically, at best, and they never were into major naval battles like the ones CA seems to want to implement in ETW. It would come from the same drawing table as the Head Hurlers.

Definitely, these were the only examples I know of up until the American Civil War but I don't think that means they should be discounted. Total War has always had a quirky unit or two, Myan Bee flingers, Panze-phants, Greek flame throwers. All have been based on facts but their historical influence has been less than CA would have us to believe. Don't get me wrong I'm not looking for rocket powered Zeplines or musket toting dwarfs in ETW but these odd units have also made me chuckle and I'll admit to touring the Middle East searching for Elephants for hire. I therefore think that Submarines, Observation Balloons and Rockets (also not so successful period innovations) could be a welcome addition to the ETW armory.

[russia almighty]

Oh hell, there were even primitive breech loading rifles in this period. Had problems with keeping pressure, but, apparently they did there job good enough.

[Flying Pig]

I would prefer more like:

Improve artillery accuracy
develop fusil technology
improve farming

et cetera and perhaps you can eventually, with enough 'points' in artillery and fusils make a gatling gun, so you don't know what you're getting, like no-one set out to invent a hot-air balloon, they wanted to fly and came up with it. Sic idem!