Thoughts after my first campaign

**Werner** · 12-02-2006, 00:52

I started as the Holy Roman Empire because they seemed to have the most connection to RTW and the great infantry armies I was used to - filled with spearmen and heavy cavalry. I chose the short campaign and M/M difficulty, I know how long and strung out these games can get and I didn't want it to be another put down game like so many others have been for me. Also being of Germanic decent myself I thought it would have more of a personal connection playing as a predominantly German faction.

Starting the campaign I found to be very hand held. In other words the "advisors" that constantly pop up can become a head ache after awhile but I guess the extra help is needed due to the new Papal system and the use of Castles vs. Cities. The winning conditions were to control 20 regions and extinguish Milan to the south, and Denmark to the north. I found it easy to do both, and while at first I had some trouble from Venice and Milan, Denmark was easily killed as they seemed to just wander around their own regions without ever taking the offensive.

Later into my campaign I found the seat of Pope, as my own Cardinal took over control. Ironically he started causing problems and eventually the Papal States attacked me. A stop had to be put to this and so he was assassinated and a new Spanish Pope took to the throne. Many of my own Generals battled old age before ever going into battle which is one thing I missed from RTW. It seemed that only a handfull of my own Generals ever saw the front of battle and those who did, while winning most of the time never gained the 10/10 status that was seen often in RTW.

At the end after 119 turns I took my 20th settlement, slow you might say but I'm a player who takes his time and thinks on every turn. The last settlement to go was a Moorish settlement down in the south which after a long crusade of pillage and plunder I finally took with my faction leader, Emperor Sifradius the Malevolent and another 8/10 general who's name I cannot remember. Both armies rondevued at the Moorish capital with over 2000 troops it seems. One army my own and one the AI (seems they won't let you command two armies of that size at the same time), we took the walls and plunged the Moorish leader to his death. I didn't think I would win after 20 regions captured, I thought that after 250 turns if still holding those regions would I only win then. To my suprise it said that I had met the Victory Conditions and gave me the option to continue playing or to quit.

All in all this campaign has probably been one of the best out of the whole total war series for me. The ending was perfect for Victory conditions considering my faction leader fought the last battle.

Now my only thoughts are what to do next...

**Barry Fitzgerald** · 12-02-2006, 01:10

Interesting read. I have to say that I have not really been using generals a whole lot really in the major campaign. One area I did notice is that you don't seem to get punished like you did in rome..for fighting with a captain. I used to remember getting a almighty thrashing when even a 2 or 3 star+ general engaged my captain...it got tough to win, even if you had larger forces.

In MTW2..so far most of my battles have been with captains..and I have won almost all of them....even against 5 star generals etc. Wonder what the story is there?

As you say you found it fairly easy. I am also finding the campaign a bit too easy on medium....

**Shahed** · 12-02-2006, 01:18

What you can do next is play the Turks on H/VH.

Now that will be fun, maybe too much fun.
It would give you a different game all together than what you are used to.

If not you could do the Venetians, good heavy infantry there too, or so they say.

I would say M/M is too easy for veteran TW players. H/VH is good because diplomacy still works and the AI is aggressive enough in most cases. H/H is a good mid ground, and could be worth trying but I think it will be too easy for you. VH/VH just makes it unenjoyable unless you happen to be in a really bad mood.

Your post basically sounds just like my thoughts. I'm really enjoying this game.

You will discover some bugs, and most are already documented in the sticky on top.

**Werner** · 12-02-2006, 04:43

Originally Posted by Sinan

You will discover some bugs, and most are already documented in the sticky on top.

Many of which I have already discovered and made posts about

As for the next faction, I think I may choose the Scots or possibly the English depending on how heavy an infantry faction I want to go. I miss those all Cavalry factions of RTW and STW though. Are there any in M2TW?

**Shahed** · 12-02-2006, 06:26

My all cav favorites are the Turks.

Mongols would be a choice too. Don't know if anyone's figured out how to make them playable yet. I think people like Egypt & Hungary for cav as well. I'm talking mobility, not heavy cavalry.

**popemobile** · 12-02-2006, 09:23

Originally Posted by Sinan

What you can do next is play the Turks on H/VH.

Now that will be fun, maybe too much fun.
It would give you a different game all together than what you are used to.

If not you could do the Venetians, good heavy infantry there too, or so they say.

I would say M/M is too easy for veteran TW players. H/VH is good because diplomacy still works and the AI is aggressive enough in most cases. H/H is a good mid ground, and could be worth trying but I think it will be too easy for you. VH/VH just makes it unenjoyable unless you happen to be in a really bad mood.

Your post basically sounds just like my thoughts. I'm really enjoying this game.

You will discover some bugs, and most are already documented in the sticky on top.

I agree with that VH/VH is incredibly frustrating, just because diplomacy fails completely... just in my last Denmark campaign I formed an alliance with the Poles by marrying my princess to their heir, then 5 turns later they betray me when Germany attacks... bah

**Kekvit Irae** · 12-02-2006, 10:58

Originally Posted by Sinan

My all cav favorites are the Turks.

Mongols would be a choice too. Don't know if anyone's figured out how to make them playable yet. I think people like Egypt & Hungary for cav as well. I'm talking mobility, not heavy cavalry.

All Factions mod

**Shahed** · 12-02-2006, 11:06

Doh ! Thanks for the reminder.

I'd actually breezed through that on the front page and forgotten completely. Looks like a fantastic mod.

**Werner** · 12-02-2006, 18:55

Originally Posted by Kekvit Irae

All Factions mod

What is this???

**Quillan** · 12-02-2006, 19:00

Try the Byzantines. They have a wide selection of horse archers. The later it gets in the game, though, the more they suffer, because the only gunpowder units they get are bombards and ships. No cannons above that, and no handguns/arquebusiers/musketeers at all. Besides, as the Byzantines you get to be the target of everyone. The muslims hate you because you are christian, the catholics hate you because you are orthodox, and the mongols hate you because you aren't mongol.