Difference between Medieval Total War and Medieval II Total War?

[ytghazal]

I recently became obsessed with the total war series. being an avid player of the Age of Empires series and later the warcraft series and battle for middle earth i downloaded the demo for medieval 2 thinking it would be like every other game i played. I really quickly lost my first battle.(no not the tutorial, i skipped it). i went back did the tutorial and than quickly downloaded all the demos (rome through napolean) that i could. My wife seeing my obsession and knowing my ultimate favorite was medieval warfare bought me medieval total war and medieval 2 total war. my question is. What is the difference between the two. (im installing them both now as we speak). is medieval 2 just upgraded graphics and added storyline and gimmicks of medieval 1 or are they both different? Any answers would be greatly appreciated.

[Nelson]

Welcome to the Org, ytghazal!

Medieval 2 is a massive change from Medieval 1.

Graphically, there is no comparing them. All units are sprites all of the time in 1. 2 is gorgeous.

MTW2 uses the sequential turn based strategic map movement first used in Rome:TW. MTW1 uses area movement that occurs simultaneously with the AI. Battle maps are limited to a couple per region in 1. In 2 the battle map reflects the terrain you’re on, wherever that may be on the world map.

Castles and towns are far more detailed in MTW2. Towns and cities don’t exist as such in 1. Both can grow and become more valuable and formidable in 2. Everything is a castle in 1. Walls can be mounted in 2 whereas in 1 they cannot. This makes sieges far more interesting in 2.

Some players prefer the area movement of MTW1 believing that it is easier for the AI to manage. Others are put off by the repetitious nature of battlefield terrain in the area system.

I much prefer the latest incarnation. I’m playing a campaign as Milan right now.

Do you have the Kingdoms expansion for 2?

If you have more questions I’ll try to help.

[drone]

Another difference is that Medieval 2 has a better chance of running properly on your PC. Hopefully your system is compatible, but there are some known issues with MTW 1 on more modern setups.

Welcome aboard, ytghazal!

[ytghazal]

Thank you so much for the info. Ive started Medieval 2 so far and im loving it. (playing grand campaign as england and glad to say wiped out scots in first 5 rounds). But i was more interested in the storyline. Is the story in MTW1 different from MTW2. And in response to your earlier question the packet my wife bought me gave me MTW 1 and 2 gold editions, means i have all the expansion but im only playing the original right now.

[drone]

MTW1 has a few different ways to play. Pretty much the same storyline though as MTW2.

Conquest is pretty similar to the MTW2 grand campaign, take over 60% (minor victory) or 100% (complete conquest) of the provinces to win. You can start the game at three different time periods: Early(1087), High(1205), or Late(1321), game ends regardless at year 1453. Each era unlocks certain units, along with events like gunpowder. The Pope can be a pain for Catholics, and the Golden Horde shows up at year 1230.

You can also play the Glorious Achievements mode, where you get points for reaching certain historical goals in the game, like building buildings in certain provinces or setting up trade networks. This mode can be a little buggy, but it's fun to go all out to get stuff like the Krak des Chevaliers built in time to get the points.

The MTW1 expansion, Viking Invasion, is a smaller campaign, starting in year 793 and ending in year 1066. It's all conquest, the map is the British Isles with 2 "unreachable" Scandinavian provinces where the Vikings are based. You can play the Vikings or 7 factions on the Isles (Irish, Picts, Scots, Welsh, Northumbrians, Saxons, or Mercians). It's got different tech trees and units.

[ytghazal]

sweet thanks. i think i will keep it just for the campaign. So im playing my First campaign on MTW2. ive got all fo england ireland and scotland under my comand. i also have the fortress you start out with on the modern day french mainland. and i have paris. I cant expand though. Almost every Christian nation is attacking me. none want to do trade. non want to do alliance. and the pope just forgave england. but ill admit we dont have such high points on him. Wondering wat i should do too busy defending to really get anything done. Paris gets besieged every other turn.

[ytghazal]

im also the highest in everything but military. there im number 3 with mongals as number 1

[Bilgediver]

It doesn't pay to piss the pope off that early because you may get the pope to call a crusade against YOU. Sometimes its easier to play as a faction closer to Muslim/Orthodox lands because you can fight them and the Pope never has a problem with that!

[Nelson]

When I play a Catholic faction I try to make the pope my ally as early as possible. Then I keep him happy while I make enough priests to have some available if a vacancy shows up in the Curia. If the pope likes you enough he may make one of your priests or bishop a cardinal. (A priest may become a more likely candidate if he’s burned a few heretics.) Get enough cardinals and you can elect the next pope yourself! Having a pope from your faction is priceless.
You can always curry favor with a faction by offering to attack rebels as a gift. They may not accept but there is little harm in trying. Once a faction is friendly they usually do accept. This is an easy way to stay on good terms without getting involved in wars with other factions. Of course, if you’re already co-belligerents with a faction you can offer to attack your mutual enemy. This lets you improve diplomatic relations with a faction while you prosecute a war you were waging already anyway.
Over time, cities will be offered various guild buildings. Take care which ones you accept and where because a city can only have one. Merchant guilds are best placed in port cities where trade will be easy. So if you want, say, a merchant guild in Venice, then don’t accept earlier offers for an explorer or thieves guild. Those guilds can be placed inland somewhere and function just as well.

[ytghazal]

Thanks i restarted the campaign as spain. Glad to say im doing much better now :) Question. If your battallion suffers losses (one of my cavelry units are at 8 troops) how do i replenish them. i dont want to disband and make a new one cause they have 3 bars of exp.

[Nelson]

To reinforce a unit you need to move it to a place where that unit can be raised. It will then appear in the RETRAIN list. Build slots are shared between new and retrained units.

You can also combine like units by dragging a unit card unto another. This lets you concentrate depleted units into stronger ones and free up slots in the army. Experience will average out.

Sometimes even a tiny unit can be useful. When besieged, it only takes one soldier to activate the tower defenses along a section of wall. 5 men in a unit won’t accomplish much in a melee but they will cause the towers to fire.

[ytghazal]

Sweet. I know i keep saying one more, but my questions keep coming. How do i upgrade armor. and how do i know that said unit has been upgraded.

[Nelson]

Armor upgrades come from buildings like tanners and blacksmiths. If you right click on a unit card it will tell you what the next possible armor upgrade can be. If you don’t see an upgrade one will not be possible. Not all units can be upgraded. The upgrades appear as bronze, silver or gold shields.

Units in a place that can perform the upgrade will appear in the RETRAIN list. A unit can get an armor upgrade even if it can’t be raised in the same place.

[ytghazal]

Thanks alot.