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Tsar-Ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted May 28, 2012 01:51 AM |
bonus applied by Doomforge on 16 Aug 2012. |
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Total War.
I've been playing total war since my very first computer; since the beginning I was mesmerized by the mass of troops and control, and since then I've also shunned games that tried to get you to pretend that a few men = an army (sadly TES games fit into this, but it isn't a massive drawback for them)
Rome: Total War
Even on a crappy laptop I could run Rome total war on max settings and have full armies (roughly 3000 men on each side, that's without reinforcements) I did take a few pictures of my badass battle formations in RTW, but unfortunately they weren't saved ( ) I had mercenaries in the front with legionaries behind, with archer and cavalry support deep in gallic territory. (though rome is very 'generic' it's tons of fun and armour detail is decent imo) One of the big 'phews' of the game I think, is that units never 'overlap' each-other, you can pack 'em real tight, but they never overlap, which is something I adore, as well as corpses remaining on the battlefield (I'd also wish for arrows to remain, but hell, the place would be literally 'swarmed' with them.  )
Each faction (there's a few dozen of them) are relatively unique, in units and buildings, and I also like that when you subdue a city, you can delete their shrines to pagan gods and convert them. The AI is pretty dumb, but they mass massive armies to keep me occupied in an un-generic way, each play-through is different, one I might be stuck in the alps the whole game because 3 gallic 'full' armies are trying to swarm through every other turn, and there are times where you can steam-roll the gauls (or Britain rapes them from the north  ) and GG. One of my favorite aspects of rome though, is the fact that even once you control half the world (I'm talking about one of the three roman factions for simplicity) You will still have to contend with the other roman families when the time comes (who all equally own a corner of the world, from carthage to Greece)
My legions were traversing across Spain (****ing slow I might add, damn mountainous as hell) and northern gaul when the people wanted me to lead them (bless) so I agreed thinking nothing of it, I quickly sacked rome with the two garrisoned legions in italy, who now had the task to hold the city against over 30,000 men of the brutii family, and a few thousand scipii. I lost rome and entire Italy before my legions finally got things under control, (no matter how dumb the AI is, they won through sheer numbers and general commands, since my leaders were off on the frontiers)
I absolutely adore RTW, quick paced combat, with 'age' and army advancement keeps you hooked for the later centuries, also the civil war spices things up. I played with Macedonia and Greece quite abit as well, but holy crap I'm going to grow old before I master every nation.
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Medieval 2: Total War
This game is pure epicness, I'd bless the lord for this game if only my allies weren't all such backstabbing ****s. I began playing as England, very lay-back faction (played them for the archers, I love archers) the scots bent over backwards to appease me but they burned out fairly soon into the game, and from then on it was all about launching attack from northern France into central France or Belgium, the only worry was French fortresses and random Portuguese ships laden with troops raiding my sweet England, but overall it was very easy (had to mount a mini invasion of Rome to get myself excommunicated to get some decent fights) the game didn't get overly challenging 'til very late in the game when the 'new world' becomes available, so I sent a professional army consisting of pike-men, musketeers and cannons to the new world to steam roll the natives and Europeans alike.
Upon arrival I encountered some natives that quickly fled to a nearby town. Good I said, I cannoned the living **** out of that place and burned down half the town before moving my troops in (native towns are unique, but a little 'buggy'? or unpolished I don't know) I crushed what was left of the defenders with ease. All-righty then I said and after exterminating the population I moved on in search of riches and conquest, when I encountered yet another native army, (quite size-able this time). "All righty then" says I again, looking forward to an easy victory through gunpowder and mayhem.
"Holy ****" says I, when I realized that the battlefield consisted of massive hills with an endless jungle between them, pike-men = screwed, cannons = screwed (can't even set the damn things to shoot properly) and the musketeers are relatively 'ok'. I dispersed all doubt thinking that these barbarians will fall easy prey to musket fire. My god the butcher was heart rendering, I must've killed like 50 of them before my entire army routed and were utterly annihilated. 
After that defeat I lost all taste for England, and began playing with Hungary, I refrained from doing so initially, because everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, claimed they were 'over-powered' (OP) I couldn't tell why exactly, they had horse archers, but so did every other 'eastern' faction, though an OP faction by nature, Hungarians were by far a very fun faction to play, since they are at a crossroads between a lot of other nations I was attacked brutally from every corner. Started out easy then got challenging when I was attacked by a combination of Venetians; Holy Roman Empire, Poles, and the Byzantines (funny thing is every single one of them were my allies, the Byzantines were my allies through marriage as well ), though once I vanquished all of them, though challenging, there was no way that the AI could top it, so that game died away with time.
Now I play Venice, and I must say the most RP and fun I've had with Total war, trade and commerce through Italy, and bloody battle through the crusades, myself and the pope were close, so I got him to call a few crusades primarily against Alexandria (<3) from which I conquered much of the holy land (though after 400 years I lost most of it to the Mongols after many a bloody battles) When the Turks invaded the Byzantines and Byzantium itself, (they were my allies in this game too, I have a soft spot for them ) I thought it my personal duty to protect them, though the city fell shortly I called a crusade on the Turks and hired a mercenary army to defeat them and claim Constantinople. Trade, wealth, and military supremacy began to rise greatly from that point on, and reached its peak right before the Mongol invasion (though I repelled their hordes most heroically they are goddamn persistent) I also fell out of favor with the pope for my war against the Germans (holy roman empire) and the Milanese (they were my allies for a 100 turns, ) I first took Genoa and sued for peace once I'd proven my strength and I won some temporary peace with them, 'til my allies the French invaded Milan's territory in the west, that ruined everything and war rekindled. (By this time 1315 I think I built my first cannons) Genoa fell for a second time, followed by a joined invasion of Milan itself, from the north with knights of Innsbruck the supreme protector of Venice marched, (he was just a noble, all the Doges and heirs were at Constantinople) a professional army from Venice, and from the south the veteran army from Genoa.
Milan's forces numbered roughly the same and had two stationary armies right outside the walls, with my Genoa army I vanquished the western army, while my eastern army suffered a defeat. After this Milan's defenders and her armies took initiative and attacked my Genoa forces to the south-west and I must say they were utterly annihilated in a 'heroic victory', my knights and massive command general had an easy job of strolling into the city and 'planting the flag' followed by an extermination and prompt sacking of Milan sealed the fate of the entire nation. France was most pleased and my heir married their princess and they lived happily ever after, that is 'til a two-bit Roman assassin killed him (I mean seriously he had two skill points lol, I had half a mind to load back in anger )
With the defeat of Milan, I was excommunicated by my own pope, he was 30ish which is VERY unusual,(and would've been good if he didn't hate his own nation) now though it meant that the SOB won't die for another 30-40years, I couldn't have that so in went the assassins ( i had two good ones) though one of them killed himself with a snake, very dramatic and all, but now I was at war with the papal states, because they obviously knew that the assassin came from me , the second assassin finished the job, but it still left me with a war on my hands that's very bad, (the papal states had piss-poor amount of men, but very good relations, including the entire catholic world) Screw it I said and marched two fresh armies south under the command of he general of Genoa, he didn't have much command, but won a heroic victory at Milan that earned him much prestige among the lords and commoners alike, while a roman incursion from the north required immediate attention from the northern army composed of veteran knights.
One of my southern armies pinned two papal armies by the sea, while my second army (under the command of the illustrious general) marched on rome and crumbled her walls, (there was a papal election where I had more votes than anyone thanks to my very advanced bishops in orthodox Constantinople and Arab Jerusalem which meant that a new pope was elected who now had to defend the walls even with all my power the church wouldn't pay heed to my supremacy in the collage of cardinals, because of my war with the papal states) anyway Rome fell with ease the population, put to the sword. After regrouping with my second army I attacked what's left of the Papal forces in Italy (though I had to put the other half of my army under computer management in order for them to be able to participate) I vanquished their outdated army with ease.
The pope now moved to Cairo (the new one) which was a gift from me to the papal states over a century ago, I mounted an army from Acre and Alexandria and promptly sacked Cairo, unfortunately for me Acre had been the sight of much slaughter due to the mongols but it held fast against 5 separate invasions, and much to my folly I thought I had drained the mongols of men, (for long enough for me to be able to sack Cairo). During this time the Mongols took acre and marched on Jerusalem before I finally brought them to heel (mongols are without the doubt the most hardest enemy I had to fight outside of the protection of castles). My victory was short-lived, for the mongols mounted another swift invasion to which I lost near the entire holy land, only Alexandria and Cairo remain mine, and they will fall, since they can't field professional armies to match mongol fierceness.
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I'm sorry that I turned my passion for the Total war franchise into a story of my most prominent throughways. I've just bought Empire and Shogun total war, so I will be much eager to comment on those games, but for that I need a thread where I can eagerly tell of heroic victories against all odds, aswell as strange happenings and cruel twists of fate and luck. (I'll edit the post for errors once I've had some sleep)
Edit: Doing another round of spell-checking. (I missed alot last time)
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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markkur
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Once upon a time
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posted May 28, 2012 02:33 AM |
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My brother got me going down the RTW road with the 1st MTW. You're correct it is an epic game. (Nice seige-pic btw) Their modding community is amazing.
Did you ever try the RTR mod?, I liked it better than the original RTW because of starting out with lots of choices. I've played the 3rd-age mod recently but <imo>it needs some serious tweaking to be really good, so I've went back to trying the MED II campaigns again.
Diplomacy is always my lone gripe with the game. I wish they would get that ironed out some day. In third-age it's even worse; because it makes zero sense to ask an Elf to give a hoot about establishing relations with the Orcs or the Dark Lord
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Tsar-Ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted May 28, 2012 03:27 AM |
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Quote:
because it makes zero sense to ask an Elf to give a hoot about establishing relations with the Orcs or the Dark Lord
Only if you look at it from the movies perspective, which boils down to a story about good vs evil; all or nothing. While the books fortify the feeling that there are over a dozen nations with each their own problems. Gondor fought pirate incursions, harad invasion (before they were allied to mordor) and then there was the civil war, and the nomadic invasion aswell (the one where horsemen aided the gondorian army to crush the enemy, whom later become the Rohirrim)
Though I agree elves are unlikely allies to orcs; they could make fine tributaries in exchange for 'preace' or truce. Hell even in the book hobbit, I felt inclined to believe that the goblins were going to let the dwarves go, even though the goblins plundered and pillaged they did seem to have a certain air of 'decency', and accused the dwarves of spying rather than outright killing them as one would expect.
Back to Total War, I've been eyeing massive mods to make Hungary a better faction (more historicaly accurate units and additional towns, no belgrade? lol it's the site of one of the most famous battles in all history) though I've had trouble getting it to work same with all medieval and RTW mods sadly.
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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Darkshadow
Legendary Hero
Cerise Princess
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posted May 28, 2012 08:24 AM |
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Sooo, you failed to beat back the Mongols as Venice?
The Timurids are going to have plenty of fun time with you
Also, a bit of advice for Empire and Napoleon:
1.Find out what Gustavus Adolphus did
2.Do the exact same thing
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Zenofex
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Kreegan-atheist
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posted May 28, 2012 09:48 AM |
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Edited by Zenofex at 09:52, 28 May 2012.
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Shogun 2 has the best AI in the Total War series by far. It's not really smart and after you figure out how it is scripted you can force it to do pretty dumb things even on Hard (haven't tried Hardest) - but still it requires you to pay attention more than before.
As for the rest - Rome is my favourite. The best setting of all as far as my preferences are concerned , pretty innovative compared to the first two Total War games, the most massive battles in the series until Shogun 2, great music and whatnot.
Next come Medieval I and Empire, sharing the second place.
I don't know how much time I've spent with the first Medieval but it's definitely a lot. I love the chess-like gameplay on the strategic map, even though it is a logistical nonsense (it is the same in the first Shogun but my experience with it is pretty limited), I like the historical realism and especially the fact that you'll be hard pressed to find a single good-looking princess in all European courts  and I love the completely unrealistic, yet cute battles where your army of 1000 super-veterans led by a military tyrannosaur wins against 10 000-strong enemy horde (hell, one such battle lasted more than an hour and a half).
Empire is the second most innovative Total War after Rome, changes the land battles quite a lot and introduces real-time naval battles which look nothing short of beautiful (no matter that the controls during a naval battle are a pain). Spain finally got to dominate Europe under my enlightened absolute leadership... erm, until it became republic a bit prematurely but then it turned into the vanguard of progress, smashing conservative states under the boots of thousands of troops and the wheels of... dozens of cannons.
Shogun 2 takes the third place. There's nothing really new compared to the previous Total Wars but everything is polished and the AI finally begins to fight for its own. For the first time in the series the diplomacy is actually meaningful, especially early in the game - getting attacked from all sides is 100% certain death, unlike in the previous games where you could beat the whole world allied against you. Gaining military access to another clan's territory (instead of just marching through the lands of the morons and slaughtering them if they object), ensuring someone's neutrality or friendship against certain rival, breaking hostile alliances and so on become viable strategical approaches. And finally - winning against a numerically superior force led by a competent general without losing 80% of your troops in the process really feels like an achievement now.
Medieval 2 is a nice game but it's completely "seen it already" given its predecessor, i.e. Rome. Slightly changed battle mechanics and 1-2 extra strategic map options don't really make a new game for me. I enjoy it, no doubt about it, but not as much as the above.
By the way I don't know about the Hungarians but the Byzantines have access to extremely powerful mounted archers very early in the game (competent both for ranged and melee combat), pretty good heavy infantry a bit later and excellent heavy cavalry in the late period + of course the Varangian Guards who treat everything like butter.
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Darkshadow
Legendary Hero
Cerise Princess
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posted May 28, 2012 10:08 AM |
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Shogun 2 has the best AI even though its tactical decisions are still completely atrocious
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Tsar-Ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted May 28, 2012 12:43 PM |
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Quote:
Sooo, you failed to beat back the Mongols as Venice?
I've held Acre against four consecutive mongol attacks (each of their generals had full command  ) I built pikes and venetian infantry and packed them around the gate, with two knighs on the walls (mongols have every unit as archers, but their infantry are still marginally weaker than knights in hand-to-hand) It was pure a pure butcher as their entire cavalry force just swept across my pikes, then it trned into a slugfest and constant "defeat is almost certain!" until their general finally fell, and with a few hundred men I slowly overcame the 70% to 30%, by 80% it was around 70%.
Oh and I forgot to add, that by the time of the mongol invasion, the pope called a crusade on rome, so I gathered my massive armies and assassins and dug in deep. Unfortunately I didn't realise that if you assassinate a crusading armies general they all disband , It was cheap and I would've preferred to use my men, but there was nothing so sweet as watching a few badass armies 'melt away'.
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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JoonasTo
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
What if Elvin was female?
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posted May 28, 2012 12:50 PM |
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Tsar-Ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted May 28, 2012 01:11 PM |
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Wow, never knew that there was such a thing. 
Downloading nouw.
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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Zenofex
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Kreegan-atheist
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posted May 28, 2012 01:15 PM |
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Bah, assassins are useless in Medieval II, even if the target is some lowly captain. Good luck trying to kill a general, especially a well-guarded one.
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Tsar-Ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted May 28, 2012 01:19 PM |
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? I can assassinate kings with 20% probability, any lower generals are 40%-95%. (though one of my elite assassins is kaput)
I do like the movies for assassinations, though some of them make my assassins look downright retarded. (especially the one where you put a dagger in the guy's back rather than silently slit is throat)
I don't want to spoil the assassination movies in Shogun, but I did have a peek at them and they look simply sublime.
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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NoobX
Undefeatable Hero
Now, this is a paradox...
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posted May 28, 2012 02:04 PM |
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I LOVE RTW!  I've won with Red and Blue Romans, Britons and Gauls. Egypt, too. The key to winning with Romans is to bribe the Senate army becouse it's made of strong units.
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Ghost said:
Door knob resembles anus tap.
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Lexxan
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Unimpressed by your logic
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posted May 28, 2012 02:09 PM |
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Edited by Lexxan at 14:36, 28 May 2012.
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Medieval Total War 2 sounds and LOOKS amazing. ::adds to cart::
Rome Total War I haven't played in years, but from what I remember, I LOVED IT. I'm a poor strategist though. My strategy usually consists of bringing high numbers and charging blindly
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Tsar-Ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted May 28, 2012 02:31 PM |
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The battles in rome total war are reletively fast paced, in barbarian expansion it's a little smoother, while in Medieval total war 2 it's downright slow (to give you time to maneuver)
With Venice for the first time I've started using merchants, and they're bloody brilliant , each of them yields near 1000 florins a turn (trading silk around constantinople, and slaves in egypt and russia)
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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Darkshadow
Legendary Hero
Cerise Princess
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posted May 28, 2012 02:33 PM |
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Quote:
With Venice for the first time I've started using merchants, and they're bloody brilliant , each of them yields near 1000 florins a turn (trading silk around constantinople, and slaves in egypt and russia)
D'oh, that is small cake compared to the yields you could get in Mexico
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Zenofex
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Kreegan-atheist
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posted May 28, 2012 03:38 PM |
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? I can assassinate kings with 20% probability, any lower generals are 40%-95%. (though one of my elite assassins is kaput)
My assassins never had more than 15% chance to kill a mediocre general and the only thing which they were good as was escaping the scene alive... sometimes. I've never patched the game though so this could be the reason.
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Tsar-Ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted May 28, 2012 03:38 PM |
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It's just a little side business, I don't want to build a whole empire of the backs of slaves , American natives that is, whouldn't mind if the pope were to scrub my floors 
Quote:
My assassins never had more than 15% chance to kill a mediocre general and the only thing which they were good as was escaping the scene alive... sometimes. I've never patched the game though so this could be the reason.
I'm using the gold editon so I agree, it's probably patched.
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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Geny
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
What if Elvin was female?
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posted May 28, 2012 06:16 PM |
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I only played Rome and I must say it was amazing. On all the levels. Great tactics, awesome feel and not too much micro-management even for my taste (I hate it).
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DON'T BE A NOOB, JOIN A.D.V.E.N.T.U.R.E.
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Tsar-Ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted May 28, 2012 06:34 PM |
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Europa Barbarorum
The unit detail is static, but I adore the models and animation (sword models and spears are greatly improved) Problem is the insane loading times, and costs? I start with 5,000 gold, and a single unit costs over a 1,000, not to mention buildings ranging from 1,000-12,000 (turn one) and mercenraries from 3,000-5,000  .
Overall an insanely good mod, but the drawbacks greatly reduce the 'enjoyment' and playability.
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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Tsar-Ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted May 28, 2012 10:34 PM |
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Continuing my Venice game, I had to halt the mongolian invasion, it was utterly hopeless after the fall of Jerusalem and Acre, so I saved the King of Jerusalem and Sir Roderick the crusader (more on him later) and fled by sea, only to come to the epithany that losing Alexandria my heartland and the last bastion in the holy land without so much as a battle would be the greatest blunder in all the great history of my nation. So I turned ship and dug in deep. (the mongols were taking their time giving me two turns to mount a worthy defense.
I was certain all is lost, and made a last stand before I meet my maker, that is 'til I heard the greatest news in a long time, the Timruids have invaded, this means that the mongols are going to get raped, and hopefully in time for me to be able to save my cities, even if I don't, it's good to know that the mongols get what they deserve.
The tale of Sir Roderick the Crusader of legends, as sung by the bards:
There was once a lowly peasant born who served the young heir as a squire with the uttermost loyalty, and when the heir to the Venician throne (no throne but it doesn't sound epic that way ) Anthony was personally asked by the pope to reclaim the holy land, and he in turn requested his most trusted servant to go with him as a knight, and personal squire. Roderick accepted most humbly, and so began his lifetime adventure across the venetian empire and fiefdoms, from the scorched glory of Jersalem to the god-like walls of Constantinople.
Roderick shed much blood in the name of the lord, but all he ever really cared about is to serve his master and friend, after the fall of the holy land to the crusades, Roderick assisted in the capture and subjugation of both Alexandria and Cairo, the latter which he was persnonally tasked with in handing over to the Papal forces as a 'gift'. Roderick spent many a year feasting in the palaces of both Alexandria and Jerusalem, and inspecting the mighty fortress of Acre, and was also the best-man at Anthony's wedding to the Byzantine princes, sealing an eternal friendship in blood.
The Holy land and Roderick finally had peace, something they had never known. After many a year the call to arms finally broke the peace that has enveloped the land, and news arrived that the turks have sacked Nicea and were headed for Constantinople. The lord of Venice made it his personal duty and quest to save Byzantium, no matter what, and his right-hand Roderick knew his charges; they set sail with the tide, leaving behind a wild land that has grown on their italian hearts.
The voyage was slow; not everyone in the empire was concerned with the fate of Byzantium due to their religion (this was at the time when venice had the most favour in the Vatican of all the catholic kingdoms) the relief force led by Anthony, and the Duke of Greece were still months away, so it was no surprise when the news reached Anthony's ears, that byzantium has fallen. Roderick saw rage burn in his master's chivalrous eyes for the first time in all these years, the pope responded (though reluctantly) by calling a crusade to sate Venice's rage and hone it to be a spear against the infidels. Constantinople was reclaimed by the holy league, though her legacy was now history, and what's left of her people became a bastion for venitian dominance in the mediterranean.
Doge Anthony grieved and grew resentful, and when his age long allies the hungarians invaded to capture the jewel of the mediterranean; they met the fury and dread of the legions of Venice, and were utterly crushed by its might. Anthony died peacefully at the fortress of Sofia after much conquest and a lifetime of war. As for Roderick, with his master and friend dead, he returned home to Jerusalem to live out his life in peace. If only things were so simple, for the mongols invaded the following summer, and Roderick took up arms to meet them.
Though with the Doge dead he returned to being a lowly knight, but made a name for himself in the defence of Acre, where he single handedly slew the barbarian king and won the battle. At the siege of Damascus he was the only one to survive the annihiliation of the last crusading army. Alone he led the of Acre's denizens and remaining soldiers and held the mongols at-bay, his heroics got him invited to an audience with the last king of Jerusalem to be formaly acknowledged as a hero of the Holy land, and a true warrior of god. Acre was sacked and it's population slaughtered during the 14 day festivities. Roderick is the only hope for the defence of the catholic kingdoms in the holy land, his fate is sealed and he will die in the defense of Alexandria, and his 300 year lifespan and legend, will finally be at an end, if only it were so simple.
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Inspired by a single crusading soldier who has survived near 300 years of war, and travelled the breath of my empire gaining 3 gold stars along the way. Strangest thing is I've never kept him from battle, on the contrary I sent him where the fight is thickest, and he just wouldn't die, but more exp and more, and my men rallied to an ordinary soldier, it's truly epic, and well deserves a bakckstory.
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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