Campaign Timescale

[Wishazu]

I have been away from totalwar pretty much since M2TW came out. Only in the last couple of weeks has Empire managed to gain my interest. I was just wondering to myself if anyone here knew any details as to how fast or slow the campaign will go. Basically I hated the fact in M2TW that you were constantly under pressure to expand and conquer etc. before the time limit ran out. I like to build my empire up slowly.

[Sol Invictus]

The campaign lasts from 1700-1799 with two turns per year. It doesn't sound like we will be rushed, though I do intend to change turns to four per year.

[Wishazu]

198 turns doesnt seem anywhere near enough, especially when the first 10 or 20 you`ll most likely be clicking end turn etc. untill you have armies where you want and basic infrastructure set up.

I`m not going to pre judge the game though, perhaps there will be alot more to do as each turn goes by...

[Polemists]

There are a few benefits that should help the time rush of 198 turns.

First of all this time around your generals can build armies in the field. Which is supposed to elimnate the long wait times while you wait 3 years for army A, B, and C to meet up so you can attack Fort A.

Secondly, this time movement should be quicker, so getting across map won't take as long.


Third, the achievements this time around are more related to the Glorious Achievments of MTW 1 then MTW2 conquer all. So this time your goal may be to form a trade empire, or protect your country's homeland, or conquer france, etc, etc. So while you can conquer everything it is not *THE* goal this time around.

So, the game should allow us more to do, and make things easier

[Megas Methuselah]

I don't care, I want more turns.

...though I do intend to change turns to four per year.

[Fisherking]

It has been easily moded in the past, but that isn’t the point.
I had hoped for seasonal turns simply because of the Naval War aspects.
The wind speed and prevailing directions are seasonal to a strong degree, as is the sea surface.
More turns would just have been a bonus. But they may have some demographic research that leads them to wanting shorter games.

The grognards among us are going to make it 3000 turns long anyway.

[Martok]

198 turns doesnt seem anywhere near enough, especially when the first 10 or 20 you`ll most likely be clicking end turn etc. untill you have armies where you want and basic infrastructure set up.

I`m not going to pre judge the game though, perhaps there will be alot more to do as each turn goes by...

Well as Polemists pointed out, the victory conditions in Empire are going to be different this time around, as whether or not you "win" is determined by how much Prestige your nation has. Since prestige can be gained a number of ways (amount of money, number of battles won, level of technological advancement, etc.), it apparently will be possible to win the game without having to conquer half the map. So at this point, it's really hard to say whether ~200 turns will be sufficient or not.

Personally, I do feel like it won't be enough (and will likely play the first mod that gives us four turns per year), but I could very well be wrong.

[Wishazu]

Well as Polemists it apparently will be possible to win the game without having to conquer half the map.

That is very good news for me. One of the main reasons I stopped playing M2TW was that I hated feeling rushed the whole time.

[Fisherking]

But even at that 198 is not so many turns when you take the scope of this game into mind.

Will you be able to raise Regulars in North America or India? That didn’t really happen now did it?

Some units I am sure, will take multiple turns to build. Even if units can travel on trade fleets and not on transports it will be slow to get them to other theaters of war. But I do think I remember something about protecting transport fleets in an early article. And money is always an issue!

We have not seen the game yet, but it already seems like you won’t have any time to spare.

[Lord Nelson]

When I played Civ a decent game took me about 300- 400 turns, because I played on a huge map. There aint enough turns in it for me. I can understand why people felt rushed because you knew there was a limit to the amount of turns. I think 2 turns per unit should be the maximum allowed. They either need to extend the timeline as I have already stated, or put in a "one more turn" system like they did in Civ.

[Polemists]

The main feature of MTW2 I found annoying was that right about the time you discover the new world, the game is basically over. There's only a few powers left usually who can take it, and you are usually the only one who makes a go for it.

As several of the colonial powers are already set up at this point (Muhgals, India, England, France, Spain)....I assume it won't be as big a issue to get from europe to new world and back.

[Fisherking]

The main feature of MTW2 I found annoying was that right about the time you discover the new world, the game is basically over. There's only a few powers left usually who can take it, and you are usually the only one who makes a go for it.

As several of the colonial powers are already set up at this point (Muhgals, India, England, France, Spain)....I assume it won't be as big a issue to get from europe to new world and back.

You mean 10 years? (And that is Ireland to Cuba)

Movement has always been abstract but always too slow.
A ship with troops should be able to make it to North America in a turn. Marching an army you should at least be able to reach the far map edge of North America in five or six turns. Especially with the limited amount of time this game has.

But I am not going to be counting on having good movement. In fact I am willing to be that you cannot march from Charlestown to Philadelphia in a year. If you can it might be a pleasant surprise.And that is still slow, even without roads.

[Sir Beane]

The rediculously slow movement speed has always bugged me about Total War games. Take England for example. In Med 2 it takes around five or six turns I think to get from the South of England to the top of Scotland, without roads.

If we think back to the Battle of Hastings. After Harold defeated the other Harold at Stirling bridge how long did it take him to get back down South to Hastings? I think it took him a couple of days. The same thing on Medieval 2 would have taken the better part of two years, at least.

Another example is sailing from the Old World to the New. If my info is correct he made it from Spain to the Bahamas in five weeks. And that was sailing more or less blind with a ship that is technologically inferior to those in Empire.

Ships in Empire should at least be able to make it from North America to Europe in a turn, even on a 4 turns a year game.

The speend of Med 2 ships makes me think they were all experimenting with piloting boats without sails, or maybe they got a few guys to get out and push :P

[Fisherking]

Another example is sailing from the Old World to the New. If my info is correct he made it from Spain to the Bahamas in five weeks. And that was sailing more or less blind with a ship that is technologically inferior to those in Empire.

Ships in Empire should at least be able to make it from North America to Europe in a turn, even on a 4 turns a year game.

The speend of Med 2 ships makes me think they were all experimenting with piloting boats without sails, or maybe they got a few guys to get out and push :P

Yes, three months is about as long as it should take in exceptional circumstances.

I did some checking…they row it in about 60 days!




http://www.atlanticrowingrace.co.uk/

[andrewt]

I'm the opposite. I found waiting for gunpowder and some techs that required time to pass to be boring. Also, if I play slowly, I spend so much time putting down rebels and brigands compared to other things and it just drives me crazy. I can't stand playing slowly. Even auto-resolving rebel and brigand fights is a pain.

[General SupaCrunk]

I hope CA will change their minds and will make 3 (Or even better 4) turns per year! that's +100 turns

[Martok]

I hope CA will change their minds and will make 3 (Or even better 4) turns per year! that's +100 turns

I would love to see 4 turns per year as well, but I'm quite certain that will only happen with modding at this point. I would be shocked if CA were to move away from their standard 2 turns/year gameplay, especially so late in the game's development.

[Sir Beane]

I would love to see 4 turns per year as well, but I'm quite certain that will only happen with modding at this point. I would be shocked if CA were to move away from their standard 2 turns/year gameplay, especially so late in the game's development.

I'm fairly sure that two turns per year has been confirmed several times in interviews and previews, so sadly us four-turn folk are going to be disappointed.

That is until the heroic mod community rides over the horizon to make all our dreams come true

Maybe if we suggest four turns loudly enough the team over in the Great Down Under will hear our pleas and take pity, giving us a campaign for the next game where we can select between 2,4,6 and 12 turns per year

After all, we just got a confirmation of a multiplayer campaign, and it only took them since Shogun to do it!

[Lord Nelson]

Sorry not to be a nit-picker or anything, but doesn't 4 tuns a years make it 400 turns 4x100 ??

[Sir Beane]

Sorry not to be a nit-picker or anything, but doesn't 4 tuns a years make it 400 turns 4x100 ??

Heck yes! 400 glorious turns... *drools*

[General SupaCrunk]

400 turns is what we need!!!

[Sol Invictus]

I will definately use a 4-turn per year mod as soon as I can and also increase movement range, but I hope that a modder can make it so that only one turn in four has a chance for really bad wintery weather. I think they were able to do that in EB. That would essentially create seasonal turns.