CVG preview & impressions

[sassbarman]

One thing that concerns me though is the bit about the well placed shot to the enemy generals head causing the entire army to instantly rout. We all know how easy it has been to simply kill the ai's general or captain to achieve a vcitory. now with the predominance of ranged units is this going to become even easier.
Personnally i was hoping ca would abstract generals on the battlefield this time around since they would rarely become involved in hands on combat in this era.

[Megas Methuselah]

@ gollum:

Yeah, I don't know what he was talking about. Muskets in M2TW are very effective, especially when you take away the fire_by_rank attribute in the EDU and form them in a 2-man-deep line, similar to the linear formations expected to be used in ETW.

One thing that concerns me though is the bit about the well placed shot to the enemy generals head causing the entire army to instantly rout. We all know how easy it has been to simply kill the ai's general or captain to achieve a vcitory. now with the predominance of ranged units is this going to become even easier.
Personnally i was hoping ca would abstract generals on the battlefield this time around since they would rarely become involved in hands on combat in this era.

Yeah, this has been confirmed in a previous preview. Generals will rarely, if ever, participate in a battle and will mostly hang about in the rear lines encouraging the soldiers at opportune moments. I expect to see Generals live long, full lives. Moreover, I wonder if they'll be capturable and ransomable, or perhaps they might be able to surrender and return home in honour/disgrace.

I wonder if there will be a way to achieve a peaceful victory this time around?

You coward!

[Sir Beane]

You coward!

I say! Steady on old chap. Just because one makes enquiries as to the feasability of a peaceful resolution to conflict does not mean one becomes fearful of battle!

Why just thinking about the cry of the charge and the thunder of cannon, the screams of the fighters, the blood on the ground... bodies in heaps, the cries of the dying.... I feel feint, need to lie down...



Peacful would be nice though, just to see a little variety in the enemies goals. If some factions were imperialistic and warlike, some were aiming to makes piles of money, some wanted social and technological revolution, and some just want to be friends it would make the campaign map a much mor einteresting and varied place.

[Martok]

One thing that concerns me though is the bit about the well placed shot to the enemy generals head causing the entire army to instantly rout. We all know how easy it has been to simply kill the ai's general or captain to achieve a vcitory. now with the predominance of ranged units is this going to become even easier.

I'll admit that concerned me a bit as well. I hope the enemy commander was simply killed by a lucky shot, and that we won't see AI generals dropping like flies as we have in previous TW titles.

Peacful would be nice though, just to see a little variety in the enemies goals. If some factions were imperialistic and warlike, some were aiming to makes piles of money, some wanted social and technological revolution, and some just want to be friends it would make the campaign map a much mor einteresting and varied place.

Seconded. While I certainly don't intend to shirk a fight, I really hope that not all factions will be warmongers either.

[Lorenzo_H]

@ gollum:

Yeah, I don't know what he was talking about. Muskets in M2TW are very effective, especially when you take away the fire_by_rank attribute in the EDU and form them in a 2-man-deep line, similar to the linear formations expected to be used in ETW.

I here understood the previewer to be talking about cannons more than muskets. In my limited M2TW experience, cannons can't hit an elephant at 10 meters, let alone target a 2 man deep rank at 3000 meters.

From what I can see, we all want more realism over the previous emphasis of Total War games - which was basically just War. I too would like to see more peaceful ways of winning etc, and also AI that doesn't attack you for no reason. I'm a bit of a history buff, especially for 18th - 19th Century, and I kind of want historical accuracy to a certain extent.

Great preview, ta for the link.

[Fondor_Yards]

Serpentine's had/have no problem hitting infantry.

Hmm even though he says the AI was better, nothing from his comments made it look that way. Let people a not scripted Bunker Hill already CA so we can see the real AI!

[Sir Beane]

While serpentines may be accurate in general the other gunpowder artillery units in Med 2 are not. They should hopefully be significantly more accurate and powerful in Empire.

I noticed the writer mentioned that each volley killed ten or twenty men. That's quite a high casualty rate, and it makes me think unit sizes must have increased to be able to soak up that kind of damage.

If not battles are going to be very short and very bloody.

[Spino]

Yeah, mentioning the AI and how it performs in a scripted battle is pretty much useless. Hopefully some journalist worth his/her salt will ask CA if they can create a random battle and then pay close attention to how the AI handles itself.

[Megas Methuselah]

I noticed the writer mentioned that each volley killed ten or twenty men. That's quite a high casualty rate, and it makes me think unit sizes must have incrased to be able to soak up that kind of damage.

If not battles are going to be very short and very bloody.

[Vuk]

especially when you take away the fire_by_rank attribute in the EDU and form them in a 2-man-deep line, similar to the linear formations expected to be used in ETW.

Could you explain that a little for me?