I've actually been asked to write strategy guides (couple of years back now) for two companies and turned down both offers:

For the simple reason that the vast majority of of the information in them is out-of-date by the time the game is published.
This isn't some eveil plot mind you, its just simple issues of timing: to produce a guide requires a fair amount of time to go from game-playing to publication. And if the publication is to coincide with game launch (mostly the case) then by definition game-play and feature sets are ALWAYS using pre-release, beta information (which as we all know is most radically changed during later beta-testing stages as balance issues are handled and adjusted for).

The upshot is that assigning your name to writing a strategy guide is an exercise in literary suicide.

No matter how good a job you do your efforts will almost always, inevitably, be out of date, invalid, altered, missing or just lain wrong, by the time the game comes out.

So, don't ever be tempted to do one!

And at the same time have some pity for the poor saps who got lumbered with the job, they inevitably did their best but "launch-day strategy guides" are almost *never* worth buying.

And with specific regard to Total War titles - the ORG and other forums will, within a week to 10 days of release always offer better information and more detailed help.

Its just the way it is, So to the first poster: I'm sorry you wasted your money but do learn from it and dont (ever) buy launch-day strategy guides again! At least that way your money wont have been entirely wasted!