Empire: Total War

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Anyone else got and playing this?

I'm really addicted right now, partly cos I'm reading a book on Napoleon's campaigns.

The game is so expansive. I was a big fan of Shogun, then Medieval and got into Rome last year when I got the new laptop then picked up Empire earlier this year when I realized I had shingles (which I never got to play cos of Battle Royale V...)So I've started playing it again and it's brilliant.

I chose the British unsurprisingly and a real plus is the scale of the theatre. Shogun had Japan of course, Medieval had a big chunk of Europe, Rome had that "cradle of Civilization" from the south of England down to North Africa and across to the Biblical lands....but this has the whole of Europe, across into Russia and into North Africa and then India and North America....and other areas you can send ships into for trading (like Brazilian coast, East Africa etc).

The sea battles are pretty grand to watch but I've started auto-resolving those because the strategy for them isn't so exciting (focus on another ship and FIRE FIRE FIRE).

The land battles are brilliant though and I've fought some amazing battles....One of my best probably being a defeat.

Spain and France were allied and Spain declared war on Portugal. Of course Britain and Portugal are close allies so I chose to enter the war but France kept me busy in the English channel and Spain took Lisbon before I could get down there.

France and Britain were fighting for a bigger foothold in North America and I accepted their peace request with plans for a few months rebuilding and then launch an invasion on France's last remaining American outpost.

Still, Spain had to pay and somehow they had control of Belgium which, historically is bad for Britain - France and it's Allies would always be in a strong position if they controlled all of the channel coast up into Netherlands because of the wider scope to attempt an invasion of Britain - which means that my huge naval forces would be forced to stay around the channel to defend.

So, as France and I were at peace I invade Belgium and assault Spanish-controlled Brussels. France respond by launching an attack on the 13 Territories in North America (who are a protectorate of mine) so I have no choice but to be the one to declare war on France so they happily march to Spain's aid in Belgium.

My retreat is cut off so, with a force of 600 men I have to fight a combined Spanish/French force of 1400. >_<

I make a very cool thin red line (A historically successful and folklore-ish tactic used by the British against oncoming enemy - lining up two deep instead of the standard four men deep in a long "thin" line, red cos the British wore red jackets of course, allowing all men to fire at once whereas with four they had to fire in turn) on the top of a hill and hid a few skirmishing troops and pikemen in the woods to hassle approaching troops.

I saw off most of the Spanish force before the French attacked. I saw off a few of theirs too and their lines started wavering but my cavalry who had done some serious damage, were eventually overpowered and retreated and slowly France managed to overwhelm me.

So we had to retreat.

However it was a heroic defeat - we lost nearly 400 of our 600 men (which showed great bravery of the men to take that percentage of loss) but we killed over 1000 of the enemy forces. One of my line troops destroyed one unit with organized fire, then fitted bayonets and charged another, causing them to retreat, and then charged another enemy force who were threatening to overwhelm my line. Beautiful.

The game is just brilliant and includes some really good new stuff like developing towns, farms, science and technology and loads of diplomacy.

[Clawson]

I love Rome: Total War. Don't have the laptop for this one but tell some more battle stories. As a History major I love that stuff.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I have lots of tales of 500+ colonial oppressors "heroically" crushing 120 Iroquais armed with spears.

I was thinking about running a diary on it and chronicling all the big battles.

I'm quite excited about later in the game because after certain chains of research you can get units like the Greenjackets (a.k.a the 95th Rifles - Sean Bean's unit in the Sharpe TV series) and the Black Watch who were mental hardcore Scots.

I'll mention any future major battles in here. There are a couple of major armies massing in Europe - he Spanish have one big force lurking down in Gibraltar and the French dragged one up into Belgium.

I intend to invade Portugal within the next year in-game time - just a shame I can't "liberate" it. It'll just become mine I think but it'll be a great base to have. Also, if I can run the Iroquais out of Georgia then the Thirteen Colonies will happily give themselves over to me which will give me the vast majority of the East Coast of North America......I think the game kinda forces the American Revolution on you and taking the Thirteen Colonies is a precursor as those are the ones who will rise up against me eventually and the French and Spanish will help them.

Still, can't wait to fight that and hopefully I might be able to fare a little better...Maybe if I cause Spain some severe problems now...

[ADG]

Downloading the demo of this now off Steam. If it's as good as I think it is reading what you're saying I'll be getting the full version before the end of the day. Is there a multiplayer online mode?

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Yup, multiplayer apparantly. I haven't tried it yet though.

[Benji]

I want to pick it up but with Tekken 6 and SD vs RAW this month I think I'll be struggling timewise and moneywise, I look at it every couple of months so I might just wait to see it cheap now.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

So I took Portugal after Lisbon had been left with a small garrison. I ordered their surrender so they did and I took the city without bloodshed.

Sadly a big chunk of their mighty force came on over to take it back.

So we went to meet them with 360 grizzled, tough old line infantry, a few horses and just over 100 citizens who had decided to grab a gun and help out.

Under 500 in all to face 900 - loads of horse, four line infantry units (numbering 480), some pikemen and a couple of big old horse artillery units.

I hid half my citizens in a ruin on my flank where I figured they could take untrained potshots at the attackers.

My other citizens stood wider to that flank in some trees.

Sadly the first volley of cannons smashed into the ruins and wiped out half my citizens. Whoops.

As Spain brought their units forwards I figured on a risky tactic of a Light Brigade style foray into their guns. Sadly they pulled back a few units and bogged down my cavalry who ran off to quite rightly save their own skins.

The crazy forces kept coming but my men were incredible and kept firing as the badly trained Spaniards were halted against the overpowering firepower.

My other citizens actually fought off a small cavalry unit which was incredible and then took out half a pike unit before they legged it leaving me with just my line......Who fought like men posessed as the Spanish kept on running and one by one my men claimed back our new land. Glorious.

So they lost 700 and we lost 350 and keep hold of Portugal for now. ^_^

[TEOL]

Didn't pick up the full game cause my laptop couldn't handle the demo, but I might give it another shot next month after I get my laptop upgraded... wish I could play it so bad. You're making me want to play more RTW Hamster. You bastard.

[The Quasi Juice]

Am I right when I say that this game is from 2004? There isn't any new version right? Surely a game from 2004 isn't hard for any modern day computer?

Loving the stories Hamster, because I love history in general. Shame I don't have the patience to delve into the game and like it (I have the 2004 version).

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I believe that the game was released worldwide in March this year....

This is the British cover art but there was a different main flag and uniform for the American cover, French cover, international cover, German (Prussia) cover - 9 in total.

Pleasingly, and quite by luck, there was one copy in my local store here and it was Britain

Check these for the beautiful, computer power sapping graphics:

http://medieval2.heavengames.com/albums/empire:total_war/05_Shot_06.jpg

http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss340/jimato/empire-total-war.jpg

http://img.hexus.net/v2/gaming/screenshots_pc/total/empire1_large.jpg

http://www.infoaddict.com/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/www.ceidot.com/twtr/empire/resimler/Empire__Total_War-Alpine_battle_2.jpg

The third and fourth in particular are just incredible.

Of course I have to play it with lower graphical options

[stokeriño]

Still not been tempted enough to take another dip into the TW series, after my fleeting brush with Shogun TW. I get the impression that the bits it covers that something like EU3 doesn't (e.g. the pitched battles) are things I will suck at and thus get annoyed by...

Plus, given the utter failure my computer recently showed in trying to handle HoI3, I'm not especially eager to buy another new game for it to potentially capitulate to.

[The Quasi Juice]

I believe that the game was released worldwide in March this year....

This is the British cover art but there was a different main flag and uniform for the American cover, French cover, international cover, German (Prussia) cover - 9 in total.

Pleasingly, and quite by luck, there was one copy in my local store here and it was Britain

Check these for the beautiful, computer power sapping graphics:

http://medieval2.heavengames.com/albums/empire:total_war/05_Shot_06.jpg

http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss340/jimato/empire-total-war.jpg

http://img.hexus.net/v2/gaming/screenshots_pc/total/empire1_large.jpg

http://www.infoaddict.com/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/www.ceidot.com/twtr/empire/resimler/Empire__Total_War-Alpine_battle_2.jpg

The third and fourth in particular are just incredible.

Of course I have to play it with lower graphical options

Oh, my fail, I was thinking about ROME Total War I'm gonna download the demo of this, looks pretty cool, although I'm afraid you have to be an experienced RTS player to be able to enjoy this.

[stokeriño]

...And none of the talk of Great Britain, North American territories and Redcoats helped you twig that it wasn't about Rome, then?

[The Quasi Juice]

...And none of the talk of Great Britain, North American territories and Redcoats helped you twig that it wasn't about Rome, then?

I did find it odd Sssh.

EDIT: I downloaded the demo from Steam. It got stuck first start-up on beginning screen, had to reboot pc. Second try, again stuck on same screen but managed to get out via CTRL_ALT_DEL, after verifying game cache/defragging files via Steam I tried again but, you guessed it, again stuck on same screen. Fuck it.

Edited October 19, 2009 by The Quasi Juice

[ADG]

I vaguely recall seeing the game in my work so I'm going to see about getting it on Wednesday.

Also Quasi, I thought my game had frozen as well but it just took ages to get past the first screen.

[Toe]

This game needs a very good computer to run. My home PC just needs a new video card to work, but my laptop that I have with me now is just lame and the game won't work at all on it.

[Gazz]

My laptop cried actual tears just looking at those screenshots Hammy posted :/

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Whoop.

Been involved in a bit of a fight with the Iroquais recently who are trying to claim back lands in the US while I need to take one of their lands to bring the 13 Territories towards me.

Anyway they attack one of my forces en route to one of my weaker outposts.

They have extra brave cavalry, the super brave warriors...the whole lot...I have a few line units and some "American Indian" recruits.

I line up my short and thin line and they send some hardcore cavalry thundering towards me...These guys have a great morale and are hard to break.

I've set up my three line so there's a patch of land where they can all target the enemy.

My Indian troops are hidden in the woods and fire a volley at the cavalry as they thunder past, knocking out a few of them but still they charge forward.

I command my men to wait for my signal then as they get into range FIRE! A massed volley from all three units but still they're coming. FIRE! More of their men and horses fall but they're still coming. I briefly think about ordering my men to fix bayonets and get their hands dirty but I give it one last chance as the cavalry are within just a few yards - FIRE! Devastating! More of their men fall and suddenly they falter, their flag flashing the white of retreat. I order my men to advance slightly and fire again....Their mighty cavalry scatter.

The rest of their troops pose no real threat.

In another battle in northern India we both have heavy cannons so I set mine and fire at some of their shock troops but constantly get nothing. Mid battle and things are turning my way and I look into the distance to see their general's bodyguard protecting their guns which I'll need to take, so refocus my guns on the bodyguard unit and first shot the cannonball screams across and crashes right into the group, flattening six of the 20. Brilliant moment.

[KevinStorm]

I've wanted this game for a while, but I don't have the computer power to run it.

[KevinStorm]

Double post.

Edited October 28, 2009 by KevinStorm