So I bumped up the difficulty....Now I understand

[Graphic]

I skipped Napolean after ETW left a bad taste in my mouth

I suggest you get Napoleon eventually. It's more Shogun 2 than Empire. It's in the same era as Empire but superior in pretty much every area: performance, stability, unit variety (its on par with Rome and Medieval II), atmosphere, polish, etc. You name it.

[econ21]

I suggest you get Napoleon eventually. It's more Shogun 2 than Empire. It's in the same era as Empire but superior in pretty much every area: performance, stability, unit variety (its on par with Rome and Medieval II), atmosphere, polish, etc. You name it.

That's true, but for some reason Napoleon never grabbed me despite being my favorite period of military history. I think it is because it feels like a straight up slugging match (rather like the original STW). By contrast, ETW has much more interesting diplomacy and choice over where/when to expand (rather like the original MTW and most subsequent TWs).

I did not get on with ETW when I first got it - I think partly because my computer was not good enough, but also maybe it had not been patched enough. But with a new computer and fully patched, it seems pretty decent. To the OP - it might be worth a second look to see if the same applies to you.

[nafod]

That's true, but for some reason Napoleon never grabbed me despite being my favorite period of military history. I think it is because it feels like a straight up slugging match (rather like the original STW). By contrast, ETW has much more interesting diplomacy and choice over where/when to expand (rather like the original MTW and most subsequent TWs).

I did not get on with ETW when I first got it - I think partly because my computer was not good enough, but also maybe it had not been patched enough. But with a new computer and fully patched, it seems pretty decent. To the OP - it might be worth a second look to see if the same applies to you.

Back at you-

if I can expand on my ETW experience. Overall I found a game that was mildly enjoyable. Fully patched and with Darthmod it was a good experience, however I can say that I think CA's talents, and TW in general lie with HtH combat not ranged combat. It's just this game was brought to maturity at what 18 months after release? Before 1.3 I couldn't help but laugh at all the British campaign guides suggesting the amount of troops to leave in the British isles, when really none (aside from those to quell rebellion) were necessary.

Honestly the Napoleanic era doesn't interest me as much as Rome, Medieval, or Shogun. Not that I'm shy of guns (I collect WWII and WWI rifles) I'd love to see a game around the American Civil War, but I don't think the ACW fits the TW mold and would in fact be a pretty poor game.

I'm loving Shogun 2 TW as I feel the series has really returned to it's roots. Similar factions with minor advantages but none being ridiculously overpowered.

[al Roumi]

I'm loving Shogun 2 TW as I feel the series has really returned to it's roots. Similar factions with minor advantages but none being ridiculously overpowered.

Good points that I'd agree with. Bar the disgruntled boycott of Napoleon becasue of ETW, I also was not enamoured with the idea of mini campaigns. TW for me is about sandbox alternative history. CA set up a context and a narrative and let you loose to pain the map red, blue or whatever the colour your chosen faction.

I completely agree about TW being better with melee than direct fire. My ETW experiences are haunted by memories of units firing into the ground at units within their range, but over the brow of a hill. Never mind the wierd targetting of artillerly at the extremities of units -not the centre. At least this last has been seemingly fixed in TWS2.

Playing TWS2 I'm more aware than ever of how much better ETW could have been. Many opportunities were unfortunately missed IMO.

/ETW rant

On the OP re archer spam, if on the assault, a skirmishing line of Yumi ashi can be a good way to draw enemy fire while you rush your Yari ashis forward to fix the enemy troops in melee, following up with your prefered mix of shock troops (Sword samurai, cavalry, No Nachi, Naginata Samurai/Monks...).

Overcoming enemy numbers with a smaller force will always be a challenge however. The key will be to provoke a rout, so do all you can (demoralise army, assasinate generals) on the campaign map first, and then maximise your forces on the enemy's weak point -this could be the general (if you can get a spear unit onto him), or a blob of ashigarus (if you can hit them with sword samurais or equivalent).

Ultimately, the best way to hold off superior enemy numbers is in a siege defence. Ashigaru archers with whatever melee backup you can give them can shatter much larger enemy armies.

[Dead Guy]

So I bumped up the difficulty to legendary. Now I understand... why Oda are eliminated on turn 1! Because I believe I made the same mistake the AI does. Went after the rebels, didn't wipe them, followed them and wiped them, end turn, guys to the north waltz in and take my castle town, dead. =)

Started over, put all my troops in the castle, AI does the same thing as before, Tokugawa marches up but doesn't make it to the castle, the guys to the north make it to the castle and attack, joined by Tokugawa. I massacre both armies by bulling 2 units at a time from the Tokugawa passive reenforcements. Rebels raid my port.

A few turns in I get the opportunity to attack Tokugawa so I steal their province, but then a pretty big stack of 3 bows and ~7 yari ashis walks up to the capital which I've left 2 depleted archer units and 2 not so good-looking Yari Ashis in. Never had a closer battle. I had about 50 men left I think, had to fight his general on foot iside the castle because his archers pushed me away from the walls, then run back behind the Tonshu, his archers start scaling the walls and I rush back and finally break them a the walls. Wow I was relieved when I clicked End Battle after that one!

Now I'm afraid to leave any of my three regions without a major garrison!

I thought I was done with Shogun for a while but legendary adds a new level to it with the no saving thing. I think I'm going to have to alter my playstyle a bit. Try to fight as many siege defenses as possible with my cheap ashigarus until I can field a proper army and defeat the AI in the field.

[katank]

As Oda, you can actually kill the rebels on the first turn and still move back into the castle. First attack w/ field army. Then, once rebels retreat, move field army into reinforcement range and then use your daimyo to attack. Crush the rebels and then move everyone back to castle to face a joint siege, killing off entire enemy armies in between the turn.

Next turn, send a lone archer to shoot up the Saito force while everyone else goes down south to eliminate Tokugawa. Then keep pushing towards Imagawa etc. You can leave northern provinces of Owari and Mino virtually undefended at this point. Your capital should be cranking your dirt cheap ashigaru nonstop. You want to get to at least 2 stack ASAP.