IGN article

[Megas Methuselah]

You mean it actually ends in 1800? And about the rockets, CA has stated on many occasions that researching technology won't exactly be according to the timeline.

[gardibolt]

So the game starts in 1700 and ends in 1800? That seems awfully short...do we know what the time frame per turn is going to be?

[Martok]

1 turn = 6 months.


While it is a relatively short time frame, bear in mind that ETW is going to be different in that conquering the entire map -- assuming that's even possible -- probably isn't going to be the primary way to win. Victory will now depend on which nation has acquired the most "prestige" points, which (in addition to successful military battles/campaigns) can also be gained through economics, research, etc.

[Polemists]

Well I assume they chopped off those 20 years to give the Napoleanic Wars a very vaunted spot in the expansion. Though I personally would have preferred to see it in Empire Total War, similiar to the mongol invasion of MTW with cinematics and large armies appearing.

It is a fair amount of time. Many people thought the same thing when the dates of MTW2 were given, but realistically it's alot more then it seems. Plus this time around there's alot more you can do in a turn.

I mean the mere fact you can now train your armies out in the field, will save countless turns spent in MTW2 moving guys from city A in greece to reinforce army B over in russia or wherever.

Plus with a larger map and faster ships I am assuming it won't take as long to get across the map which was the major time delay of mtw2.

Oh and the expansion almost to a t ususally comes out a little under the year after the game. So last time the game came out in Decemeber and the expansion in August. So what's that, 8 months? So if it comes out in Feburary.........you can expect a expansion in October probably. Assuming they follow a similiar formula. Assuming they can do it quicker because it's same engine and they already did a expansion, August-September if your lucky.