Empire Total War, Again

[Fate]

Generals seem to die much too easily.

For example Napoleon was put out of commission in my first battle against the Austrians. It's not like I was having his bodyguard charge straight into enemy infantry. He died standing behind a wall of Line Infantry. Generals give out a leadership aura so you want to keep them near your units, but enemy volleys seem to pass through infantry straight to your general.

I guess you're supposed to park them behind your artillery battery far from the front lines. But this makes their command aura relatively useless.

Actually, that's fairly realistic. Generals of the era did die a lot in battles, since they stood out and normally one can expect a lot of guns firing in their direction.

The problem with TW games is their small scale - just a few thousands of men per side, which means that your leader will basically have to take the same risks than a brigade leader. And those ranks died quite often in battle.

I suggest you do keep very important leaders like Nappy safe behind the artillery.

Why add command auras to the game if you aren't supposed to put your generals near your men? Seems like they just made general units too fragile.

[Tamas]

There is a patch in the works for ETW which is supposed to greatly improve the BAI, much like how it supposed to be improved for NTW.
Now, I am not sure I will be happy to return to ETW after seeing NTW's much better interface and graphics.

It's a pretty good looking Hollywood warfare you get there. Dust, smoke, dirt, horses without riders running around etc. Very good.

Still, I might be not in total waring mood, because I am not enthusiastic. I was happy for the smaller campaigns initially because even for medieval, the teutonic and other campaigns worked much better imho than the europe map. But the Italy and Egypt maps at least are very mission-driven, initially against inferior enemies (Piedmont and Mamluks) so I see no replay value. There is also a Europe 1805-1812 campaign which I havent checked yet, plus the coalition campaign which is like regular campaign play as one of the anti-french majors.
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I am not overwhelmed by the AI so far but it does seem to be much less retarded than Empire's, not that its too hard to achieve.

Also I dont get why the drop-in feature is so limited. I understand that only balanced battles can be used for it, but only big-ass battles as well? Why would I risk the course of my campaign with a human opponent leading the enemy at the decisive battle, after I spent lots of little meaningless battles moppinp up the AI to get to that point? Why would I risk having to start that all over again if my human opponent beats me?

Still, modders could do wonders with this. Lets hope.

[Martim Silva]

Why add command auras to the game if you aren't supposed to put your generals near your men? Seems like they just made general units too fragile.

Actually, that was a dilemma of the time. Leaders near their units managed to coordinate and command them much better (even Corps commanders went up to the shooting line), but in exchange they put themselves at immense risk. It's a trade-off, really.

Remember Gettysburg: in order to better defeat the Confederates, the commander of the III Union Corps, general Hancock, moved up to the line to encourage and lead the troops. It was effective, but he got shot.

Same happened with the French during the Franco-Prussian war: their general losses were huge. The great battle at Sedan was made worse because even the Army commander, McMahon, got shot because he got too close to the line.

[grumbler]

Actually, that's fairly realistic. Generals of the era did die a lot in battles, since they stood out and normally one can expect a lot of guns firing in their direction.

Only the French suffered a significant percentage of general officer casualties.  IIRC, the French suffered more generals killed at Aspern-Essling than the Austrians suffered killed in the Napoleonic wars.  There were a few celebrated instances of soldiers or gunners sniping officers, but this was quite rare, as no one had that kind of control over their troops (and the troops generally couldn't see well enough to distinguish generals).

[Tamas]

Just lost a battle against a numerically superior Sardinian force led by the AI.  Probably because I did not care much. The AI concentrated its quality units against my left flank, where "no man's land" was a forest, kept my line occupied with the rest of its army musketeering away, and used local numerical superiority to methodically gobble up my left flank.

Nothing revolutionary, but after what I saw from the AI in Empire, it was good to see. I did see a similarly adequately pllaned attack from the AI earlier, but then the quite dangerous flanking charge was led by its general so nothing is all rosey.

I have bought it, though.  there is a friends only option for drop in battles so if someone will want to have me fight him in his campaign battles...

[Cecil]

Just lost a battle against a numerically superior Sardinian force led by the AI.  Probably because I did not care much. The AI concentrated its quality units against my left flank, where "no man's land" was a forest, kept my line occupied with the rest of its army musketeering away, and used local numerical superiority to methodically gobble up my left flank.

Nothing revolutionary, but after what I saw from the AI in Empire, it was good to see. I did see a similarly adequately pllaned attack from the AI earlier, but then the quite dangerous flanking charge was led by its general so nothing is all rosey.

I have bought it, though.  there is a friends only option for drop in battles so if someone will want to have me fight him in his campaign battles...

Sellout.

[Octavian]

Bought it last night 

Bought the standard version dl for 25 £.

[The Brain]

If the Total War games could use historical tactical units they would be great. As they don't they kind of blow.

[Syt]

I think I'll rather just finally learn Crown of Glory: Emperor's Edition that's been on my computers for a while.

[Faeelin]

I caved. The AI's actually very good in the campaigns, but otherwise, not so much. It's like they programmed it especially for campaigns.

They've improved the maps a bit too. Although WHO THE FUCK MAKES EGYPT WITHOUT A BATTLEFIELD WITH PYRAMIDS?

[The Brain]

FIAL

[Ape]

Remember Gettysburg: in order to better defeat the Confederates, the commander of the III Union Corps, general Hancock, moved up to the line to encourage and lead the troops.

II corps, III corps was commanded by Sickles

[Tamas]

The battle of my Napoleon's force of around 1200 against the AI's 1500s when they tried to break out of Turin was particularly gorgeous.

This is what Empire should have been! 

[The Brain]

This is what Empire should have been! 

What are the main improvements?

[Tamas]

This is what Empire should have been! 

What are the main improvements?

Well, nothing dramatic, but:
-somewhat better AI, not totally braindead
-campaign map is not completely retarded
-better interface
-very good graphics
-drop in MP feature I still haven't tried but should be fun