M2:TW Generals Expansion

[Aquitaine]

I think, either in an expansion or perhaps the next iteration of the TW series, they should go the semi-RPG route of a game like Romance of the Three Kingdoms and allow you to play as a Knight, a Lord, a Duke, or a King, and essentially 'work for' the AI. But then that's why they don't pay me the big bucks to make these decisions for 'em. :)

[econ21]

I think, either in an expansion or perhaps the next iteration of the TW series, they should go the semi-RPG route of a game like Romance of the Three Kingdoms and allow you to play as a Knight, a Lord, a Duke, or a King, and essentially 'work for' the AI. But then that's why they don't pay me the big bucks to make these decisions for 'em. :)

Excellent idea. The series seemed to make some moves in that direction with the Senate missions and offices, the family trees, vices and virtues etc. They just need to make a more determined push. We are trying to do something semi-RPG in the Throne Room with the Will of the Senate PBM. Players assume the role of an a particular general (their avatar).

I'd be inclined to take it further, and put your character on the battlefield, so that you control him issuing orders and/or leading a charge etc. I'm probably not the only person here who has dreamt (literally, I am ashamed to say) of combining a TW strategy battle with action/RPG-type individual combat of the Mount and Blade type. Having done Spartan Total Warrior, the idea of melding of the genres must have occurred to CA. The gaming technology is probably there to do it: apparently, a new game (is it called Civilisations at War: Rise and Fall?) tries to mix strategy and action but it sounds far from TW/Mount&Blade quality in both elements.

[4th Dimension]

The problem in that idea is AI. In current times RTW AI is just not smart enough to give you briliant orders.