IGN Faction Feature: Holy Roman Empire

**Comrade Alexeo** · 10-14-2006, 23:38

Originally Posted by aWisler

does the holy roman empire start out with control of the pope or what?

As Voltaire famously said, the Holy Roman Empire "...[was] neither holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire."

The HRE arose from Charlemagne's attempt to reestablish the western half of the Roman Empire. He never succeeded in doing so, able to control only what are now France and Germany and some of northern Italy. He was crowned by Pope Leo III as "Imperator Augustus" on Christmas Day of the year 800, and so it was accepted, although not fact, that he was the protector of what would become the Catholic Church. The name vaguely comes from this, although nobody is exactly sure where it actually came from.

The Frankish practice of dividing one's lands amongst one's sons eventually led to the fracturing of Charlemagne's lands into 3 parts; Charles got France, Lothar the Rhineland and northern Italy, and Lewis got the other part of Germany. Eventually, a man named Otto gained control of the German parts of what was Charlemagne's empire, and was crowned in 962.

Otto and his followers considered themselves the new "caretakers" of the Roman Empire, but they didn't make it too obvious so as not to anger the Byzantines (whose kingdom really WAS the Holy Roman Empire).

In all but name the "Holy Roman Empire" is really just a collection of the various German states in Central Europe. Thus, when Hitler declared Nazi Germany to be the "Third Reich," he was essentially saying "Third Holy Roman Empire" (he First was the one Otto gained control of, the Second was the one that was created by Bismarck in the late 1800's), or, although he never actually said it, "Fourth Roman Empire." Oddly enough, Hitler got closer to controlling the former lands of the Roman Empire than anyone else...

**Praetorian308** · 10-15-2006, 00:04

I will also play as them first.

Unfortunately they have a lack of quality missle units.

Those Reiters don't look bad at hand-to-hand combat.

**econ21** · 10-15-2006, 00:06

Originally Posted by Praetorian308

Unfortunately they have a lack of quality missle units.

Not sure about that. I guess they do lack elite missiles. But I developed a healthy respect for those French crossbows at Pavia. A couple tore up a unit of Zweihanders when I was not paying attention. And the French cannon seemed tasty enough. The HRE get equivalents, so they should not be too bad at range. And I have not even mentioned the mounted crossbowmen, who were great in MTW.

**TB666** · 10-15-2006, 11:48

Still torn wether I should play these guys first or Venice or simply unlock all factions so I can play my danes.
Oh decisions decisions

**Redtemplar** · 10-15-2006, 15:31

In my opinion HRE and Danes have many armored troops. It is very incorrect historically.
It was said that the game is balanced in multi, but I don't see that really. When I had compared polish troops and HRE troops I saw that HRE has armored ground troops and good heavy cavalry (polish side has it also). Well the armored heavy ground troops weren't in such numbers on the HRE's side and HRE wasn't such powerful faction, because after the XII it was weak and divided in many small kingdoms (the game take place from X to XVI century).
I wait for other factions to see if other nations have such good units.

**TB666** · 10-15-2006, 15:51

Well you gotta remember that upgrades are visable now.
Units may not start out as armored but after a few upgrades they will be.
Also the danes according to the beta pics doesn't have that many armored troops, mostly chain-mail.
But of course after a few upgrades they will probably wear plate which is good.

**Siris** · 10-16-2006, 18:40

I have been planning on playing the HRE first.

It was my first faction that I played in MTW as well, so it is fitting, that I do the same for MTW2.

That and I am 1/4 German.

**Callatian** · 10-16-2006, 20:59

And this is the serpentine:

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y2...2/DSC01035.jpg

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y2...Cannonfire.jpg

Halebard militia:

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y2...2/DSC01047.jpg

Teutonic knigts:

https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y2...2/DSC01046.jpg

And you know were to find the rest.

**MSB** · 10-17-2006, 20:20

Gah! In the video the units look less detailed than the ones in RTW. It just shows all of that lovely shading that you see on screenshots is post-processed.