Another thing about RTW.

In the TW series, there were 2 AI. One for the map, one for the battles.

We all know the AI is a bit slow to make decisions, so that's why we beat, cos no human can possibly calculate as fast as a pc can, let alone the intricasies of the game that the ai knows and we don't (it runs them).

Now, in STW and MTW you had a strategic map with regions. So when the ai did eventually attack you, u had to fight the battle at that exact turn. Also, when u send an army to attack a region, there was no calling back from the battle (u could withdraw from battle, but that's not what i'm talking about).

However, in RTW the world map is more linear. I mean, when i send an army from Julii aretium to attack mediolanum, i may run into a gaulish invading force thus fighting them before they have a chance to invade me. Also, when the ai sends an invading army, you can spot them on several occasions and fight them back. Another thing is that even if they manage to siege your town, they have to actually take it (which requires a turn for building siege equipment), thus you have another chance to bring an army and save the city, whereas in MTW (& STW) when they invaded your region, you would loose it, and with it some buildings which cost money and time.

This difference brought by the change of the strategic map means that a human player can go on the offencive much faster in RTW than in MTW or STW, thus crippling the pc factions much faster and easier. Oh and of course, in the previous games, an army in a region no matter how big it was could attack in 1 turn all surrounding regions, thus u had to not only built an invading army, but also defensive armies. For example, when playing as teh Byz in first era, your georgia army couldn't leave the region to help u against the Turks, or the Khazar rebel army would attack and take georgia. Now, this isn't possible for these 2 regions (georgia= atropatene or colchis and khazar= tribus alanni). The result of this is that the more determined human player has an advantage over the AI, in that he does use his troops, while the AI doesn't.