Ok, let me just start by saying that I feel bad posting this here. Simply because I have posted it in the stickied bug thread already but, honestly, I need a little feedback instead of just posting it in a large (and ever growing) thread.

That said, I formally request that this post not be moved or deleted, for just a little while. After I get a little dialouge going I will move it to email or something and then, please feel free to delete or move. Many thanks in advance!

I will post my stats before I go any further

Vista 32-bit Home (hate Vista)
Intel 2.4 ghz Quad Core
3gb RAM
Nvidia 8600GT

Ok here goes..........
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Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OK, new CTD problem.

I just finished RtI and went to start a GC
When I click the GC button at the title screen it instantly CTD.

I have tried after the update on the 10th, still CTD.
Restart Steam, CTD
Run off the CD, CTD
etc, etc, etc. You get the idea.

I did see a possible fix posted by TB666 so I hope that works.

Otherwise I will have to reinstall Empire which I really dont want to do because I literally JUST finished RtI. If the fix works I will post my results.

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Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
Nope. No dice.

I did a bit more fiddling around with the RtI.

When I took the last capital to finish RtI it dumped me directly into the title screen. At first I thought, sweet!! I was going to start a GC anyway! But then I ran into the CTD problem I posted above.

So, when I went back to my RtI I went and recaptured, Martinique I believe it was, got the cutscene, and the congratulations box. This time I got the text box that said "keep these states for the rest of the campaign". Ok no problem, its just 20 turns or so, I will just garrison all my state capitals and let the countryside burn. I click on the checkmark and I get dumped to the title screen again. And the vicious cycle begins anew.

At the moment I can either, keep playing the one turn I have in RtI over and over again (weeee), restart a new RtI and hope for the best, or reinstall.

As it stands now, Empire is totally broken for me short of a reinstall. Not really a big deal considering I have a hard copy but still, I shouldnt have to go through that.

That said, I absoutley LOVE the game and time period, and I will probably always buy TW games just because they are almost unique in the industry. I just hope and pray that one day I will be able to play the Grand Campaign.
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Hmm..I should probably spoiler box those. Ok there we go.
Alright on to my questions.

1) Does anyone else have this problem? I only ask because in all of my searching, at all of the TW fourm sites, I have not seen one CTD post that describes my particular problem.

2) I believe this to be a E:TW problem rather that a Steam problem? Please correct me if I'm wrong before I post on the Steam Tech Support site. (They are backloged as it is)

3) Does anyone have a possible fix or workaround for me? At this point I am willing to try anything.