STW/MTW or M2TW/RTW style campaign map?

[Cecil XIX]

Ideally, M2TW/RTW style should be better. But in reality, I think the MTW/STW style works better.

[DanMasey]

For me it’s definitely the M2TW/RTW style map. Whilst I loved Shogun I just think the new version is so much more enhanced… It’s just no comparable. Play Shogun after a game of M2TW and you’ll understand ;). Even with better graphics, the Shogun one would still be obsolete by far.

[grapedog]

I had a MUCH easier time defeating the AI on the old STW/MTW style maps.

I prefer the new maps, it makes it more difficult for both the Ai and myself. Just dragging and dropping stacks of armies was too simple. At least with the current maps, i have to plan my different armies timeframes for attacks. If I am using two half stacks and heading towards a castle with a full stack defense, I get one stack there too early and it can blow up all my plans...especially if it's in hostile territory with other half+ stack armies hiding out or marching around.

My only annoying thing is having to keep an eye on my civ's when moving them somewhere. If something gets in their way, they can't move around it without my attention. I would really like it if holy civ's of the religions could use their own religions ports for quick travel. An english priest could travel all the way to the Iberian penninsula in 2 or 3 turns just using French/Portugese/Spanish ports(1 per turn). Same thing with diplomats...while say spies and assassins had to move overland or with my own boats...that would be cool.

[dismal]

If I am using two half stacks and heading towards a castle with a full stack defense, I get one stack there too early and it can blow up all my plans...

I must say, I never feel the need to attack with more than one stack. Other than the Mongols/Timurids, there's not much the AI will throw at you that is a threat to a single stack.

Indeed, it would be more accurate to say I worry more about keeping my armies far enough apart so that I don't get let an attack against a second army drag a better army into an unwanted battle.

[Nelson]

I have enjoyed both map styles while appreciating the advantages as well as the shortcomings of each. I prefer the Rome/MTW2 strategy maps because of the far greater terrain variations for tactical battles. In Shogun and MTW you had the very same battle maps time after time.

[ChaosLord]

Since most RTW/M2TW battles end up being seige battles you still end playing the same maps alot of the time. The variation you gain for the rare RTW/M2TW field battles aren't worth the AI getting crippled.

[JCoyote]

The variation you gain for the rare RTW/M2TW field battles aren't worth the AI getting crippled.

Yet another guy who holds a good map responsible for a bad AI. As I've said, facing off against other human players, which would you prefer? I'd say new style every time.

The MAP is great. The AI has problems, but it has problems everywhere. IF you removed everything the AI wasn't so great at, you wouldn't have much game left.

[Puzz3D]

In Shogun and MTW you had the very same battle maps time after time.

MTW chooses randomly from a set of maps for a particular terrain type. Maps can be added to these map sets. The attacker/defender are also oriented four different ways depending on the orientation of the border on the strategic map.

[Nelson]

MTW chooses randomly from a set of maps for a particular terrain type. Maps can be added to these map sets. The attacker/defender are also oriented four different ways depending on the orientation of the border on the strategic map.

That’s true but my (perhaps spotty) recollection is that if I crossed the same border going in the same direction repeatedly I got the same battle map each time. But it has been years since I played it.

Back in the day, I never held the Risk style strategy map system against Shogun or Medieval and I still don’t. They work well.

Regarding AI and its’ relationship to the map style, well, the assumption always seems to be that AI should mirror a competent if not brilliant human opponent. Yet history is chock full of kings, emperors, generals, consuls, chiefs, warlords, etc. who were miserable commanders. For every Black Prince or Richard Lionheart there was a guy who didn’t know his helm from his chamber pot. The AI can simulate him with admirable fidelity! The player meanwhile suffers very little from these knuckleheads in his own employ.