Domination mode or Glorious Achievements?

[Martok]

We haven't had a poll in a little while, so I'm re-asking an old question: Which mode do you prefer playing, GA or Domination?

I myself prefer GA mode these days, although I admit I stubbornly stuck with Domination mode for a long time. I just find it's nice to be able to win without having to conquer as much as the map (although there's certainly nothing stopping you from steamrolling everyone as well). My only complaint is that some factions have better -- and more varied -- GA goals than others, but I still enjoy it.

[Sensei Warrior]

Whoot! What an ambiguous answer for the first vote after Martok. I voted both. I used to always play Domination. One day after fighting a losing battle against Empire bloat, I figured I'd play one of those 'pansy' GA games. Well, I played one of the better factions that had alot of interesting goals, and I was hooked.

In the end when I want to rampage across Europe I play Domination, and when I want to strategize, or attempt new ideas I GA.

[Xehh II]

GA all the way! Exept when I'm egypt, the mosqe GA don't work,

[professorspatula]

GA. Gives you choice. Rampage or target specific things.

Domination is more about a straight 'lets just kill whoever I like the least today' mode.

[Tratorix]

Domination is more about a straight 'lets just kill whoever I like the least today' mode.

Hey, theres a lot to be said for killing factions you don't like.
I usually play a bit of a mix, but I voted Gah! just cause someone had to.

[Brandy Blue]

Personally, I found GA disappointing. First, the Russians always seem to leap way ahead, so you have to wipe them out. (I have only played GA in vanilla, so maybe this is corrected in VI?)

Second, there comes a time sooner or later when I am well in the lead (even if I had to wipe out a faction or two to get there) and there is nothing to do while I wait for 1453, except build lots of buildings I don't need, or wipe out factions so I can get to the end of the game quicker.

Third, I don't always like the GA objectives. I remember playing the Germans/HRE, and it seemed like nothing I did would get me the Hanseatic League points, even if I took over the ports belonging to my trade rivals. I seem to remember that some objectives are not even spelled out too clearly.

In princpal, I think GA mode was a great idea. In practice, I think it could have been designed better.

[Kaidonni]

I always choose GA. I don't know entirely why, but, well, I don't fancy steam-rollering the map. Maybe I might try to create a massive empire, but not immediately, only over time. GA allows one to win without having to necessarily dominate the entire map. You might have to still build a massive empire to match the others and get enough points if you're not way ahead in the game, but at least it isn't always about conquest anymore in GA.

Brandy Blue: I believe that in vanilla MTW, including MTW: VI, the GA system was broken and didn't entirely work properly (including the economic goals). I don't know if this has been fixed by any of the mods, though...

[King Kurt]

GA all the way for me. I like to have a bit of purpose to what I am trying to do. My only complaint is I would like more non conquest objectives for everybody and a wider collection of events/ buildings etc for example it would be great to get points for alliances and getting princesses married or loosing points for being excommunicated. Perhaps the excellent modding community could come up with something.
Another ommission is that I never play the game to a finish - occasionally I have taken the 60% option and once I conquered the whole map. However, in general I take the game so far and when I reach a point where I know I will eventually win - usually that is getting the you have the biggest income and the biggest army messages on a regular basis - I call it a day and start a new campaign.

[Prussian1]

GA Fan from day one! This is, after all Total War and War just for the sake of war is not total. The introduction (as rudimentary as it is) of effective Statecraft completes the picture.

[Martok]

Brandy Blue: I believe that in vanilla MTW, including MTW: VI, the GA system was broken and didn't entirely work properly (including the economic goals). I don't know if this has been fixed by any of the mods, though...

You're unfortunately correct. GA mode is still partially broken in MTW/VI as well, although I don't remember exactly how. I know it's something to do with the way GA points are counted, but I forget the specifics of what's actually wrong with it.

GA all the way for me. I like to have a bit of purpose to what I am trying to do. My only complaint is I would like more non conquest objectives for everybody and a wider collection of events/ buildings etc for example it would be great to get points for alliances and getting princesses married or loosing points for being excommunicated. Perhaps the excellent modding community could come up with something.

Agreed. That's partially what I was referring to in the first post when I mentioned certain factions having a better variety of goals than others. It's unfortunate that the Danes, for example, can only gain GA points via Homeland & Conquest goals.

Another ommission is that I never play the game to a finish - occasionally I have taken the 60% option and once I conquered the whole map. However, in general I take the game so far and when I reach a point where I know I will eventually win - usually that is getting the you have the biggest income and the biggest army messages on a regular basis - I call it a day and start a new campaign.

Ditto that. I don't think I've ever conquered 100% of the map, and I don't even get the minor victory that often either. Once I've reached a certain "critical mass", the game stops being a challenge and so I end up starting a new campaign.

(By the way, good to see you, Kurt. )

[bamff]

Put me in the "GA" camp, purely and simply because it adds that extra dimension to the game.

[Geezer57]

+1 for the GA group - it's just got more "flavor" compared to Domination. But it helps to pick the right faction, as the GA goals are not particularly well balanced.

[King of Bavaria]

Glorious Achievements.

GA mode adds a bit more flair to the game.

But I normally don't finish campaigns, because I usually get bored when I'm mighty enough that the AI can't stop me. Unfortunately at a quite early stage in game, when I'm not turtling.

[Brandy Blue]

Brandy Blue: I believe that in vanilla MTW, including MTW: VI, the GA system was broken and didn't entirely work properly (including the economic goals). I don't know if this has been fixed by any of the mods, though...

Thanks for the info Kaidonni.

Anyone out there know what I can do to fix my GA system?

[drone]

Domination mode, but that's just because of the way I play. GA has it's advantages, but I just don't enjoy it as much. And there is no GA mode for the VI campaign.

[gregori99]

In theory GA, but there are too many factions with nothing but Homelands. My current campaign has the useless requirement of holding just a single province, so even though it's a GA game it's being played as a domination game.

[Passatempo]

actually, i've never tried GA...
but i just love dominating the whole Europe

[The Unknown Guy]

I prefer domination because many factions don't have any GAs but "Conquer everyone". And the AI doesn´t bear in mind those goals anyway.

[Noir]

Some time the one - sometime the other; variety makes life a bit more colorful, in the table, in bed and of course in TW.