Returning TW Player needs advice

[Megas Methuselah]

I would recommend either RTW or ETW/NTW. RTW, especially with mods like Europa Barbarorum, by far excels M2TW, in spite of the somewhat inferior graphics. ETW is a pretty good game, but you just have to get used to the time period and the battle tactics. What I like about ETW is all the minor add-ons that CA finally did, including: an expanded map, dismount option in battle, forms of government, etc. It's downsides, though, include: lack of modding tools, lack of family tree, vague/oversimplified regions, practically ignoring any sense of historical accuracy when dealing with Native Americans, cannot use characters as generals (restricts RP), etc. The lack of modding tools prevents us from making new regions, new factions, and other significant changes. Nevertheless, the current mods have done a lot to help out, and with NTW coming, it may look like some serious modding tools are arriving with it (starting with that unit editor). I hope so, anyways.

[Skullheadhq]

Don't buy NTW till mod tools are released or after you here everybody on the .ORG say how awesome vanilla is and how much the AI is improved, I've learned from ETW.
Also, don't preorder, CA likes to release the game as soon as possible and fix bugs over time.