RTS Fans: Medieval 2 Total War Announced

[Deraldin]

I've got it working now! I'll keep you guys updated on my progress.

[Jorian Drake]

Once you get the hang of it, you'll love it (and hate it!  sucks when YOUR guys freak out! :D)

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I've only had my guys routed once and that was because I had a 2000 man stack that had to contend with 4 others of the sames size. I could have won if I had unlimited ammo for my archers/onagers who ran out during the third wave. The 4th group was allowed to approach my battered Legionaires without coming through a hail of arrows. <_<

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I played egypt, and I was attacked when i had to reinforce my army, so my one unit (10 or so of man) of egyptan horse-bowman (chariot or whats the name) meets 6 units of spearman and one merc.horse archers(greek), what to do, I just runned, they runned too, but we had more horses =P

So, after 1-5 min they were exhousted, in the 'runnin time' i had shot down the half of the enemy merc-s and with only 3rd of my man having any arrows at all I had them retreat (they lost forever the merc.-s and 2 spearman units)

The funny was how i had routed the first unit what had the enemy fleein started:

 

With no arrows i just had the egyptans turn back and runned trough with them into the enemy, they got the fear, and fleed. Now think about luck&strategy :D

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Who was that against? Selucids? The Eqyptians have really good military power. I played as the Selucids and defeated them by avoiding the major engagements you just desribed. I broke my armies into smaller 300-400 man groups and scattered them in a territory to block roads and harbors. When larger armies challenged I used heavy Caraphact Cavalry to deal with their archers and phalanx to deal with their chariots. The idea was to wear them out and damage them as much as possible. I'd position on the best ground closest to the edge of the map. Try to break the attack, then retreat. It was a war of attrition and it took years (game terms) but I did win.

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If I remember correctly, then the Spartans, not the Seleucids, as I said they attacked my reinforcement of ONE unit of chariots with 6 spearman and one cavalary, but as I shot down more and more of the cav., they just turned back before they could reach me. Yes Egypt is good, expecialy in fast shock movement tactics and archers. Against Seleucids I used the old roman tactic to 'break them and rule them' (hope ya understand this)

[Jorian Drake]

the hardest faction for me was the Egyptians... I'd always pick a fight to the east after a while I'd be pretty good on the east but the west would be attacked by the carthiginians so I'd be fighting a two front war... usually the only thing that saved me was the fact I'm paranoid and keep a half possible garrison at all my towns (makes it really easy to field a full army real fast).

 

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I always thought the Eqytians were easy because you had rebel towns to your west and you overmatched the Selucids on the east. I think the first thing on Egypts to-do-list would be to take care of the Pathians by taking the lone Arabian city (can't remeber the name) and limiting their expansion. But with Egypt, distance to Carthage is your friend and you can spend the first few game years in peace building up for the inevitable clash with the Selucids and Parthians.

well like I say below... I'm a very concervative commander so I don't expand as fast as most and generally won't attack until I think I can deal with their entire military coming at me at once.

I'm one of the most defensive and conservative commanders you'll ever meet which is why I'm so good with the greeks.

 

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My trouble with the Greeks was not winning battles, it was winning wars.

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the greeks are easy, keep making units in sparta and in thermon (I think) use the spartans to take back what is now greece from the macedonians. Thermon is just there to play backstop against the romans. also if you got really good diplo, try getting the romans to go to war with the macedonians.

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Man, no-one uses here Diplomacy to have easier wars ,just me?

Let enemies(current or future ones) weaken themelves <_<

Let the strongest, and nearest enemy be your ally (for some time), so they could block attack from other empires from their side of border :cool:

If ya not Roman, then have some diplomacy with the neares faction of them work for you too(with false infos and money and alliance you can get a civil roman war happen more sooner)

Use the norman 'island jumping' tactics in the roman era too(burn down everything, have 2 distant citys to be sure to get on foot after a bad-outcome war)

[Guard Dog]

The problem with Greek diplomacy is that the first two Senate Missions handed out are for the Scipii to attack Syracuse and the Brutii to attack Theramon. You are in a war with Rome like it or not. Macedon views you as a natural rival so forget an alliance with them. You can get one with Pontus and Carthage in the first turn for all the good that does. What difficulty do you use?

[Jorian Drake]

The problem with Greek diplomacy is that the first two Senate Missions handed out are for the Scipii to attack Syracuse and the Brutii to attack Theramon. You are in a war with Rome like it or not. Macedon views you as a natural rival so forget an alliance with them. You can get one with Pontus and Carthage in the first turn for all the good that does. What difficulty do you use?

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Try to get a foot on Crete and 'asia minor'(todays Turkey if I'm correct), maybe you lose Athene and your lands there, but you can gain new ones in medditerran and in wars/rebellion citys from Seleukids, gain a foothold on Dacia/later Bulgaria too

[Calax]

The problem with Greek diplomacy is that the first two Senate Missions handed out are for the Scipii to attack Syracuse and the Brutii to attack Theramon. You are in a war with Rome like it or not. Macedon views you as a natural rival so forget an alliance with them. You can get one with Pontus and Carthage in the first turn for all the good that does. What difficulty do you use?

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I'm going to point out that the computer doesn't have to deal with senate missions. Only players do.

[Deraldin]

Well what do you know, first post and I already have some good news for you guys. Heroic victory number one! On with the show!

 

 

As you can see, I managed to get it working finally. We've got the greek cities unlocked there without having to play through the campaign. I decided to go with Very Hard/Very Hard for Campaign/Battle difficulties with Manage all settlements on and most crucially no battle time limit. I really, really hate time limits in my battles. Now on to the campaign where...

 

 

I promptly remove all my actual combat troops from Sparta and send them to lay seige to Corinth. Unfortunatly my spy has declined to open the gates for me on this turn however we shall see what he does on the next turn. In the mean time I can build up some seige engines to help me past the wall should my spy fail to open the gates once again. With that taken care of I decide to build up my economy a little by building ports in any city that does not yet have one. I start with the economic buildings that take the shortest time to build (roads or traders) and move up from there so that I'm getting something while waiting for the larger economic buildings to come in.

 

I head over to Rhodes and pack up my General and his mercenary slingers onto the boats and send them over to the mainland to hopefully have them join up with my Spartans to take Corinth from the Macedonians. My Diplomat from that city in Asia Minor moves as far as he can to the east this turn in preparation for a trip south to pick up the Rebel city on the coast and to hopefully broker a peace with the Seleucids who are usually only all to willing to sign a treaty at this point in the game.

 

Over to Syracuse now and I see that there is a Scipii army sitting outside Messena so I hit the offensive and move my hoplites, archers and general from the city just to the south of the Romans and leave him there for this turn. Since Syracuse is now in revolt mode I lower taxes to make them happier and the little red face becomes a yellow one. Time to end my turn...

 

 

Those crafty Scipii dare to challenge me! They attack my poor little army with their forces and manage to gain their reinforcements right away in the battle. Thankfully he decides not to keep them all together but instead has them split up as the march towards me. I deploy my troops in the far corner from where the enemy is and place them as high up the slopes of Mt. Etna as allowed.

 

 

That looks like a fair fight to you doesn't it? You can see the separation of his forces in the first picture there and my wall o' death in the second, ready to take on those puny Roman scum! They march right into my spears and soon enough...

 

 

I have myself my first heoric victory of my greek campaign. Strangely enough upon the beginning of my next turn I recieve a message.

 

 

I've been officially declared an annoyance. Now I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty sure that I saw him attack me first. Sure I moved military troops into his territory but I was just passing through honest! It's not my fault you attacked me. I had to defend myself you know. Surely being an annoyance is as bad as being an enemy right? I mean we co-exist with the US in the real world without going to war. "

 

I guess it is as bad as being an enemy. This arrived with the letter or annoyance from the Senate. I guess I'll have to try harder next time. Maybe if I hadn't lost a single troop they would have sent me a message asking for peace... In the mean time there are only about 30 troops left in Messena as his two generals managed to outrun my pursuit so I lay seige to the city in the hopes of taking it before they can land any more troops on the island.

 

And so begins the road to Rome...

[Guard Dog]

Well what do you know, first post and I already have some good news for you guys. Heroic victory number one! On with the show!

 

 

And so begins the road to Rome...

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Excellent start! If you can take Messina I would put it to the torch, and recuit as many peasants as possible to boost the pop in Syracuse. Then abandon it when Marcus Scipii comes calling. There are over 400 Hastati in Capua by the 3rd turn. You should reach out to Pontus for an alliance as well as the Selucids. They are usually willing and it will solidify you security in Asia Minor. Attacking Corinth right off was a bold move. I like it. The big question is if the Brutii have hit Theramon yet. If so you might find yourself with your hands full.

[Deraldin]

Well what do you know, first post and I already have some good news for you guys. Heroic victory number one! On with the show!

 

 

And so begins the road to Rome...

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Excellent start! If you can take Messina I would put it to the torch, and recuit as many peasants as possible to boost the pop in Syracuse. Then abandon it when Marcus Scipii comes calling. There are over 400 Hastati in Capua by the 3rd turn. You should reach out to Pontus for an alliance as well as the Selucids. They are usually willing and it will solidify you security in Asia Minor. Attacking Corinth right off was a bold move. I like it. The big question is if the Brutii have hit Theramon yet. If so you might find yourself with your hands full.

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I haven't seen the Brutii yet which is a good thing. With a couple turns I could take both the Brutii and the Macedonians. I usually attack Corinth on the first time. If I get lucky then my spy will open the gates for me and I can take the city on turn one. Unfortunatly my spy failed me this time.

 

Next turn I take Messena and Corinth while trying to broker a peace with the Seleucids. "

[Jorian Drake]

Good, don't forget the Carthagians

[Deraldin]

I'll make another post tommorow afternoon when I get home from school. The Scipii must die. They managed to kill one of my family members in the battle for Messana. In revenge for that act I've razed all the buildings in the city, exterminated the populace and have them currently on very high taxes. I retreated what was left of my forces back to Syracuse.

 

Corinth was taken with less than 50 casualties , most of which were dealt to the mercenary peltasts that I used to clear the enemy archers from the walls.

 

My next post will be in story format.

 

I managed to get trade rights with both the Seleucids and the Carthiginans although neither of them are willing to agree to an alliance.

[Calax]

that reads more like a book than anything else

[alanschu]

It's been a while since I played, but are you even able to move while the Phalanxes are deployed like that?

[Deraldin]

It's been a while since I played, but are you even able to move while the Phalanxes are deployed like that?

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You can although it's not recommended as the don't stay perfectly in formation.

[alanschu]

I'd imagine a strategy such as "the big friggin' wall" only really works on defense?

[Deraldin]

I'd imagine a strategy such as "the big friggin' wall" only really works on defense?

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If you have enough hoplites it could work on offense too. I've seen people do it online where they just walked across the field with this massive line of hoplites. It works best in defense though where you can just sit in a corner and wait for them to come to you. Not as good against the romans because of the pila that they thrown before they charge , but you should have some peltasts right behind the hoplites. "

Edited January 25, 2006 by Deraldin

[Deraldin]

Up and over!

 

With the seige tower completed we cam together for an assault on Corinth. The spartans would be the first over the wall. They would climb the tower and back down on the other side where they would form phalanx incase the enemy tried to rush the walls from the inside. Next would come the mercenaries that we had hired on just outside the city. The peltasts had numerous grievances against the Macedonians so they would be given the honour of clearing the enemy archers from the wall. They would follow right behind the spartans and rush down the walls and be upon the archers before they could fire a single arrow.

 

 

Without warning the peltast fell upon the Macedonian archers. Thier front ranks were trapped between the charging enemy and their comrades to the rear pushing them forward. Some were so eager that they ran over the edge of the wall and fell to their deaths! As the battle pressed on, more troops ran over the edge although this time in the hopes of escaping the enemy that had killed so many of their unit. Once the last archer was killed, the gatehouse captured and the gates were opened...

 

 

The rest of the troops marched into the city with what was left of the enemy force stationed at the main plaza beside the governor's villa. The size of this one building was huge compared to the "spartan" (") conditions that the citizens of Sparta were used to. These fat Macedonians were no warriors, it was no wonder that that their troops were elimintated so easily. All routes into the city plaza were blocked off by phalanxes of troopss just waiting for the enemy general to charge hom into a wall of spears...

 

 

The enemy were undisciplined. They were goaded into attacking by the hurled spears of the peltasts who had hurried off the gatehouse to join the fight. They charged the spartan warriors who stood their ground as the enemy horses came forward and died on their spears. Victory was ours...

 

 

After the battle some good news arrived by runner from Sparta...

 

 

Two days later we recieved word from Syracuse. Our fight against the Macedonian barbarians had gone well, but Dionysios had fallen in battle against the Romans. The battle had started well against them. The ram had been completed on schedule and his forces lined up outside the city ready to attacks.

 

 

Dionysios was the first into the city with his bodyguard. The enemy general was spotted east of the enterance. They quickly formed up within the gates and charged home against the enemy general and rode them down as they tried to flee. Similar to the way the fight occured at the city plaza in Corinth with the hoplites forming Phalanxes in the roadways into the plaza. The second enemy general had twice as many horsemen with him as the one Dionysios had already run down. This time they charged home against the hoplites leaving the rear exposed. Just the sort of opening that Dionysios had been hoping for. His spurred how own cavalry on and tore into the rear of the enemy horsemen. The battle had been going well for Dionysios but the battle soon turned against him and he was struck down by the enemy general before he could pull his troops back for another charge. As the general fell his troops bolted, their morale had taken a huge hit with the loss of the general.

 

Dionysios lays dead...

 

The enemy retreated to the square giving the phalanx time to reform and let the doubt set it. Dionysios was dead? What do they do now? Should the run or should they press forward? The answer to these questions was provided from behind. With a shout of rage a hail of flaming arrows raid down upon the enemy general, panicking the horses and setting fire to their riders. With the first volley the enemy general was struck down. A mighty cheer rose up from the archers as they continued to rain down fire upon the enemy until they were all dead.

 

Enemy General Dead Rain of fire

 

The battle had been won, but at what cost? Dionysios was dead and the troops were now directionless. They sacked the enemy city and put it's people to the sword as the looted the city. It was little comfort to the troops as they marched back to Syracuse, sullen and brooding, as the smoke rose from Messana behind them. A warning to those who dare stand against the might of the greek empire...

 

(Links for the last pictures only as it won't let me put the thumbnails for them...)

Edited January 25, 2006 by Deraldin

[Calax]

Enemy general dead and reign of fire link to the last two pics.

 

even more bookish this time around.

[Deraldin]

Enemy general dead and reign of fire link to the last two pics.

 

even more bookish this time around.

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They should be fixed now.

[Musopticon?]

::applauds::

 

You've made me restart R:TW. ^_^

[Deraldin]

::applauds::

 

You've made me restart R:TW. ^_^

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Heh. Another one sucked back in. "

[Guard Dog]

::applauds::

 

You've made me restart R:TW. ^_^

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Heh. Another one sucked back in. "

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You are doing well Deraldin. Keep the updates coming. Still trying to revive the Western Empire myself.

[Deraldin]

I played a couple more turns earlier and have now made a mental note to myself. Greek generals suck compared to the roman generals. I lost another family member although I've had two 16 year olds marry into the family.

 

I managed to take out the first 1000 man stack from the Brutii with my main stack. I actually made a couple bonehead errors to begin with so I reloaded from my save right after my last update and played from there. Doing much better this time. Focusing more on building troops. I've got 7 more hoplite units this time at +2 experience from a temple of nike in Sparta.

[alanschu]

Hmmmm......

 

 

If you're going to reload after mistakes, then I think that makes your previous claims less impressive. I don't think you can rightly say you've only lost one battle if that is the case.

[Llyranor]

The plot thickens.