When MTW came along I was in the middle of building a new PC. My old one could not handle MTW but I was not too bothered because, at the time I was enjoying the 103 Mod. It was a big improvement over v1.02 IMO and I was in no hurry to move on to MTW. However, that being said I would probably have to admit that my favourite ever online battle of any Total War was a v1.02 4v4 on Totomi, where myself and ShinGaijin gathered our battle weary troops for one last stand and won the day with an audacious charge by our depleted infantry and my one remaining unit of CA.I think it could be done on a small scale. The old style gameplay exists, but what's missing are players willing to embrace it. Too many players seem content with adopting inferior gameplay as their standard. We have recently seen several old time STW v1.12 vets coming back here, and they are being steered towards the inferior STW/MI v1.02. You won't find the old STW experience there. Most players dropped STW/MI v1.02 like a hot potato back in 2001.
That will go down as my favourite but there were other excellent Shogun battles that stay in the mind, I can not say the same for MTW or RTW. I suspect that a lot of this is down to the fact that the whole online battle thing was a new experience. Whatever the reason, it was great fun....but now it is gone. Any new STW venture would be very small scale and would not transport me back to those times, too many people have moved on. As you stated, v1.02 is the most popular version and one that I played out of necessity rather than choice, so I always felt there was something missing on the few times I returned to STW/MI. I wholeheartedly understand Kafir's feelings and many is the time where I have wished that I could go back to that beautiful EA Lobby and enjoy the great times all over again. Sadly I do not think it would be possible. I really don't. It would be a pale immitation and this has no reflection on the current Shogun crowd.
I have this feeling too, that MTW II will not provide us with a better experience and that goes for any subsequent release, TW online has run its course IMO. I think we have had the best days
........Orda
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