NTW- PC Zone preview (David Brown)

[amritochates]

NTW- PC Zone preview (David Brown)

This includes quite a bit that has already been talked about in previous posts in the NTW thread, but does include a couple of minor points not covered so far. So here goes:

First of all it is an Expand alone campaign, i.e. Empire is not necessary to play NTW but Napoleon will integrate into Empire if present, adding units and new tech trees.
(Well I guess CA finally gave up on empire- doubt it if further patches will be made – pure conjecture on my part)

3 campaigns
Italy (1796-1797)
Middle-East/Egypt (1798 - 1801)
Mastery of Europe (Grand Campaign) (1805 - 1812)
Story based campaign similar to RTW-Alex and RTI
Ends in 1812 with his exile to Elba, the Hundred Days was considered too complex to portray as a campaign.
2 week turns to represent strategic depth

Smaller areas with more emphasis on villages and towns, a conscious de-emphasis on large provinces with single settlements.
3 kinds of settlements – economic/industrial/intellectual

322 unique units, though some custom battles only, with enhanced cinematographic effects (64 different faces on lowest settings) along with larger unit settings.

Finite pool of generals (they are no longer promoted) with unique traits.

AI Upgrade- new AI director system with short term campaign objectives- some of which hopefully it will try and actually achieve.

Rake is converted into spy with option to sabotage.

Lesser emphasis on naval warfare- though option to repair ships at sea added.

Finally a chain of supply has been added particularly for napoleon’s Russian campaign. Though one can mitigate the effects by building supply depots which may be captured or destroyed effectively starving out an army without fighting it- AI exploit anyone??

Finally the best is yet to come:

“CA claims Napoleon is made to appeal to a broader base, in fact the emphasis is on smaller scale campaigns instead of Grand campaigns to appeal to regular strategy players”- read RTS players. Well its official CA no longer wants the Grog nards to play this- nasty nasty Grog nards spreading lies about our precious !!.

If they don’t get the allusion here’s a hint that even the most thick headed amongst us will be able to get from ever so friendly reviewer:

“I can’t help it if the bugs other people experienced didn’t happen to me. Of course that and other issues have since been fixed even if some of us still haven’t had any issues of note”