Daft questions from a beginner

**bazzabear** · 08-10-2009, 20:12

My first question is about the game contents themselves. I received the Special Forces Edition for my birthday - except I'm not sure that's what I've really got. That's what the box says, but there was no campaign map in it, and I've tried setting up some battles with the relevant forces, and can't find the HMS Victory, or the Ottoman Organ Gun in the game. Does it seem like I've been given the wrong discs? Or do you have to do something to unlock them?

The other question - and this is the real dafty - is about the advice I've read on here to aim your cannons at the ground just ahead of troops. Can someone tell me how to aim at the ground? I know in earlier games it was holding down ALT (or maybe CTRL) and right clicking, but I seem to remember the cursor changing to indicate what you were doing. That doesn't seem to happen here.

Thanks for any help!

Bazza

**Wausser** · 08-10-2009, 20:41

Originally Posted by bazzabear

My first question is about the game contents themselves. I received the Special Forces Edition for my birthday - except I'm not sure that's what I've really got. That's what the box says, but there was no campaign map in it, and I've tried setting up some battles with the relevant forces, and can't find the HMS Victory, or the Ottoman Organ Gun in the game. Does it seem like I've been given the wrong discs? Or do you have to do something to unlock them?

The map should be there, including a piece of paper with a code on it to unlock SF, and click on activate product on steam, this should give you the SF

The other question - and this is the real dafty - is about the advice I've read on here to aim your cannons at the ground just ahead of troops. Can someone tell me how to aim at the ground? I know in earlier games it was holding down ALT (or maybe CTRL) and right clicking, but I seem to remember the cursor changing to indicate what you were doing. That doesn't seem to happen here.

Thanks for any help!

Bazza

When you select a canon, just right click on the ground

**Krauser** · 08-10-2009, 20:45

Yes, the Special Forces units are not actually in the box. Instead, you get a code to unlock a special DLC from Steam. The game requires Steam to run.

**Maleficus** · 08-10-2009, 23:34

Originally Posted by Krauser

Yes, the Special Forces units are not actually in the box.

Can you imagine the field day the Daily mail would have if someone bought this game, opened the box, and a working organ gun fell into their lap?

**Yun Dog** · 08-11-2009, 02:59

In fact, correct me if im wrong, I got two codes. I got one code on a small a5 piece of paper with the pictures of the SF units (organ gun etc), and I got a code on a little unit card for an addition unit (USS constituion?) was like the pre-order unit but I didnt pre-order just store bought. I think there is an easy test - arn't the units sposed to appear in the custom battle list or something? Someone will know what is the simplist way to see if you have the SF. Anyway when I start steam it shows I have 3 product activated under the ETW game launcher. Basically to activate the SF you click activate product in steam and enter the code and it will add it to your ETW file.

**Durallan** · 08-11-2009, 04:28

normally lord yunson what store people will do is they will order in a bunch of these hyped up games, and then they will get in the same amount of these pre order special cards. now what can happen is someone might cancel their pre order or they order more than they sell, so you walk in the store and there is a special forces edition for sale and you get it and pay for it and they give you an extra little piece of paper (I had to fight for mine because the store staff were daffy lol (and I preordered!)) and that USS Constitution was the bonus pre order unit for the special forces edition for gamestop or some other chain I can't remember, anyway basically you got lucky, a rather nice staff person remembered they had the little cards left and you got one for free

not that I'm sure how useful the USS constitution is but hey, free unit

I ordered mine at GAME, and got the Prussian Death's Head Hussar. I have to say though it seems a bit sad to give away these exclusive units considering that not everyone got them, so these little units that someone spent time on are only sitting on a few machines where as all the other units run around happily on everyones machines that got empire.

**Krauser** · 08-11-2009, 21:48

Originally Posted by Lord Yunson

In fact, correct me if im wrong, I got two codes. I got one code on a small a5 piece of paper with the pictures of the SF units (organ gun etc), and I got a code on a little unit card for an addition unit (USS constituion?) was like the pre-order unit but I didnt pre-order just store bought. I think there is an easy test - arn't the units sposed to appear in the custom battle list or something? Someone will know what is the simplist way to see if you have the SF. Anyway when I start steam it shows I have 3 product activated under the ETW game launcher. Basically to activate the SF you click activate product in steam and enter the code and it will add it to your ETW file.

If you right-click ETW in My Games of Steam, there is a DLC tab. It should say Elite Units if you have Special Forces and also Elite Units of the West if you bought the extra units DLC. I'm not sure about the bonus pre-order units.

**bazzabear** · 08-10-2009, 20:46

Thanks very much. Looks like I need to drop the makers an email then, I've been shortchanged to the tune of one piece of paper!

**Didz** · 08-11-2009, 11:54

Originally Posted by bazzabear

My first question is about the game contents themselves. I received the Special Forces Edition for my birthday - except I'm not sure that's what I've really got. That's what the box says, but there was no campaign map in it, and I've tried setting up some battles with the relevant forces, and can't find the HMS Victory, or the Ottoman Organ Gun in the game. Does it seem like I've been given the wrong discs? Or do you have to do something to unlock them?

I bought the Special Forces Edition, and its says 'Special Forces Edition' above the word EMPIRE on the box front.

Inside there should have been:

a) Two Disks
b) A printed manual with your Keycode printed on the back cover.
c) A printed campaign map.
d) A slip of paper entitled Empire: Total War is Steam powered.
e) A printed sheet entitled Special Forces Units, in which is printed your Download Code for the special units.

When you install the game you will be asked first for your keycode and then later for your special forces download code.

If any of this is missing then your game is incomplete and you should try and return it. Not always easy if its a present I know.

Originally Posted by bazzabear

The other question - and this is the real dafty - is about the advice I've read on here to aim your cannons at the ground just ahead of troops. Can someone tell me how to aim at the ground? I know in earlier games it was holding down ALT (or maybe CTRL) and right clicking, but I seem to remember the cursor changing to indicate what you were doing. That doesn't seem to happen here.

Quite simply select your cannon, place the cursor over the piece of ground you want bombarded and right click. As long as none of the enemy units were highlighted the cannon should fire at the ground around where you clicked. The same works for buildings, if you hover over a building and click the cannon will bombard the building.

Sometimes cannon get target fixation and ignore you. But usually if you tell them to 'Stop Firing' by hitting the HALT button and turn off 'Fire at Will' they will pay attention. The only other reason they sometimes fail to actually fire is because the target is out of range or hidden from view.

For example I have occassionally had to systematically destroy half the buildings in a town to clear a line of fire on an occupied town hall in the centre.