Prussian campaign

[quadalpha]

CA's Kieran Brigden (communications person, I think?) has started posting an AAR style account of his ongoing Prussian campaign. It is quite compelling, and I'm awaiting the next installment almost as eagerly as the release itself. Okay, not that much, but do take a look: http://shoguntotalwar.yuku.com/topic...gn-Report.html

[Monk]

Indeed.

We've made mention to this in various threads now but it's nice to have its own. Part 3 should be up within the next few days. He has stated he is trying to play to a finish before release day hits.

If anyone hasn't read this I highly recommend it. He's about as far as Jack was when he stopped for Q+A, but Kieran's taken much more notes and it seems has had a much more eventful campaign. Prussia will not be an easy game by any stretch of the imagination, if his experiences are anything to go by!

[Alexander the Adequate]

I've very much enjoyed reading his report.

I can't help but wonder, however, how much of his campaign is actual gameplay features and how much is literary flourish. He's clearly a great writer, but it makes it hard to discern the core game mechanics churning beneath it.

[A Very Super Market]

Your location sounds vaguely familiar...

I doubt he made anything up. For the most part, he simply RPs the other factions.

[Monk]

I've very much enjoyed reading his report.

I can't help but wonder, however, how much of his campaign is actual gameplay features and how much is literary flourish. He's clearly a great writer, but it makes it hard to discern the core game mechanics churning beneath it.

He made a post around page ten clarifying some things, can't find it atm will look a little later. Most of what he says appears to be actual game events. He's run a really diplomacy heavy game and it's very entertaining to read, to be honest it only reinforces the confidence that Jack's game gave me. In that ETW will have a very fun campaign game.

[Alexander the Adequate]

Your location sounds vaguely familiar...

Ah, I didn't even realize the similarity.

I can change it if you'd like

[Monk]

Ah, I didn't even realize the similarity.

I can change it if you'd like

Actually I believe Papewaio, one of our resident Moderators, has a similar location as well.

ANYWAY!

Yes. Prussian Campaign! Read it!

I have to admit, this campaign has me heavily considering my choice of Russia for a first go. I may have to check out Prussia just for the intense diplomatic area they are in. But then, Russia is right there too. Gah! So many choices.

[A Very Super Market]

Eh, its alright, I don't really care

Back on-topic:

Where is the second part of the campaign report? I can't seem to find it..

[Monk]

Where is the second part of the campaign report? I can't seem to find it..

He actually added the second report to the original post. It was orriginally on page 7, might also still be there, but parts 1 and 2 are both in post 1 now.

[A Very Super Market]

D'oh! Thanks...

[Owen Glyndwr]

I really liked his battle descriptions; he actually times the firing, it makes battles look very promising.

[quadalpha]

I wish we had a "fire" button though, like Cossacks; turning "fire at will" on and off seems vaguely counter-intuitive.

[Polemists]

I think he's updated the campaign again, so initial wars, one with venice which intrigues me and a rebellion.

It's worth a read if you have time...which we all do as we wait one more day :P

[A Very Super Market]

All this is doing is making me jealous of him. :P

And I don't see no update!

[BeeSting]

That's what I was afraid of: Spain and France being one province each, such nonsense events like Dutch conquering both giants by merely taking their capitals. Such grand decisive affairs were impossible for that time and wars were fought with little impact on national borders. If I see that happen so quick into the campaign, I'm going to lose a lot of interest in this game.

[Monk]

That's what I was afraid of: Spain and France being one province each, such nonsense events like Dutch conquering both giants by merely taking their capitals. Such grand decisive affairs were impossible for that time and wars were fought with little impact on national borders. If I see that happen so quick into the campaign, I'm going to lose a lot of interest in this game.

Actually by all indications that seems to have happened at a pretty advanced state in the campaign, a lot had happened by the time France was destroyed. The player reported he's around 1750 currently (turn 100), it's not like they were taken out at turn 12, it seems much more close to 60-70.

That's a long time.

[Polemists]

Well if you read the first post. He keeps editing and updating it. The day before it ended at The world turns part, so he added in People's Prussia, Hungarian war and Venetian War.

I must say, the part where France falls, unnerves me slightly. Only because I remeber that the danes of MTW2 pretty well conquered all of europe if you let them. This goes back to not demanding everything be a historical but at least some historical relevance.

I have no desire to see Central Europe controlled by one faction. Not even my faction. I'd rather see England, Spain, France and the other new world powers Pol-Lith, Russia, Prussia remain and us duke it out in small rebel provinces or minor factions.

My assumption is that France will have alot of rebellions and without aid they will most likely either lose a rebellion, or be trampled on after one. The fact the United Provinces, who only control United provinces march on Paris is upsetting.

I can only hope this was due to odd circumstances, as the other reports had none of the major factions taken out.

[A Very Super Market]

I would much rather see more vigorous colony warfare, and less european ones.

[BeeSting]

Actually by all indications that seems to have happened at a pretty advanced state in the campaign, a lot had happened by the time France was destroyed. The player reported he's around 1750 currently (turn 100), it's not like they were taken out at turn 12, it seems much more close to 60-70.

That's a long time.

60 or 70 turns... Dutch conquering the whole of France and Spain? You got to be kidding me...

[Polemists]

Well, actually he said 100 turns, 1750, since the game only goes 200 turns that means half.

This is one of the downside of limited number of cities and places. If you look at the map, other then one or two duchies, the only city in france, is Paris. This isn't MTW2 where you have to take Paris, Djon, Antwerp, and Marsellies to beat back the french, the french only have Paris and one or two german provinces.

They do hold land in New France, and the Carribean, but i'm sure if your focus was to steamroll them you could if you waited long enough.

Judging by the fact in the swedish campaign the danes capital held 4500, i'd assume denmark took a fairly good force down with it. Which probably means they had suceeded in other theatres, India, America, Carribean, for the past 50 years.

Guess it just means you'll have to watch your opponents closely. Honestly though, it took the Dutch longer to conquer half of europe then it took Napolean to conquer most of Europe. So in contrast it makes sense.

Just think of a dutch version of napolean.

[Sir Beane]

I prefer to take my countries piece by piece. I want to gain a foothold and slowly take cities and provinces as my forces creep forwards. Getting the entire of France in one turn seems kind of... empty. Like I didn't have to work very hard at all for it.

Mods will be fixing this of course, adding provinces back into countries like France which lost them. I'll probably enjoy the game enough to last until someone comes along and makes the map truly epic.

[Alexander XXI]

I have read this and it is a very interesting read indeed. Seems much more indepth than Medieval 2 campaigns. I do hope he was not exaggerating or getting carried away though, hopefully everything he said actually happened.

[Polemists]

I'm almost surprised they can't keep thier colonies when the home city falls.

Or even better i'd prefer more of a napolean situation, where they make other nations become protectorates.

While tactically wiping out a nation makes sense, gameplay wise it usually takes away a fair bit.

[Sir Beane]

I have read this and it is a very interesting read indeed. Seems much more indepth than Medieval 2 campaigns. I do hope he was not exaggerating or getting carried away though, hopefully everything he said actually happened.

Some of it may be AAR-style exaggeration designed for story telling purposes. I'd expect a bit of embelishment here and there.

[Fisherking]

It was something he saw as a video also. It is not unlikely the Dutch had other allies.

He seems to be having enough trouble. I don’t think this is exactly a winning campaign he has here.

[Polemists]

Well I think in general when your entire nation rebels and you side with the loyalists you in a uphill battle.

Just comparing the Prussian to the Swedish campaign, it seems easier to side with the rebels then the loyalists. Probably do to fact rebels spawn with a large army and your army does not.

He went with a mainly diplomatic strategy. Nothing wrong with that, but he lacked the muscle he needed to hold hungary and convince the other nations to back off. When his army starts to grow he seems to do better.

Just my thoughts.

[Sir Beane]

Well I think in general when your entire nation rebels and you side with the loyalists you in a uphill battle.

Just comparing the Prussian to the Swedish campaign, it seems easier to side with the rebels then the loyalists. Probably do to fact rebels spawn with a large army and your army does not.

He went with a mainly diplomatic strategy. Nothing wrong with that, but he lacked the muscle he needed to hold hungary and convince the other nations to back off. When his army starts to grow he seems to do better.

Just my thoughts.

CA have probably geared it so revolutions favor the revolutionaries, because social change is sort of a theme of Empire's.

Have we had any news yet of a Revolution of the upper class aimed at putting a monarchy on the throne? That actully interests me more than Republican Revolutionaries.

[Greyblades]

It will probably be like a republican revolution just with more advanced troops (they are rich after all).

[Polemists]

It seems you can only go half way backwards. If I read it right here is how it works.

The way up
Monarchy-Parlimental Monarchy-Middle Class Revolt
Parlimental Monarchy-Republic-Lower class revolt

The way back
Republic-Parlimental Monarchy-Middle Class revolt
Parlimental Monarchy-Monarchy-Upper class revolt


To the best of my knowledge, there is no way to skip a rung of the ladder. The lower class won't revolt until after the middle, the upper won't revolt until after they've stepped back from a republic.

The only way you may be able to go from one to another quickly is if there was a war of sucession, but once you are a repubic to best of my knowledge there is no war of sucession.

From most of what we read it seems the people are far more happy in a republic, so it seems less likely it will revolt. Though as you can tax different classes, I assume if you are a republic and want to go back the quickestway is to tax the heck out of the nobility.

[AcidJiles]

I've very much enjoyed reading his report.

I can't help but wonder, however, how much of his campaign is actual gameplay features and how much is literary flourish. He's clearly a great writer, but it makes it hard to discern the core game mechanics churning beneath it.

He said all the events were real and that only the description was embelished.