Empire: Total War

[Kaftan Barlast]

The Swedes havecrossed the ocean and taken Georgia. Hah!

 

 

 

...but the indians are a nightmare to fight, they can run as fast as cavalry, they can change formation in half a second, they regroup in an instant. You cant flank them with cavalry, because the whole bloody army will turn around, countercharge, smash your cavalry and then be back at the front line in the same time it takes line infantry to fire a single volley.

[Pidesco]

...but the indians can run as fast as cavalry,

 

 

What kind of retarded design decision is that? Is it a bug?

[Kaftan Barlast]

No, theyre balanced that way. Very weak on firepower, average in melee but insanely fast.

[Enoch]

...but the indians can run as fast as cavalry,

 

 

What kind of retarded design decision is that? Is it a bug?

I could see it making sense in moderate to restrictive terrain. But on, say, cleared farmland, that's a bit too gamey.

[Pidesco]

So, how long until the stupid is modded out?

[Tigranes]

ETW uses different system for its files and whatnot, and everything is all packed up, so I think it'll take them a bit longer.

 

Got to 1730 in my British campaign, without doing *any* active trading. Just lots of trade agreements. Finally figured out how to do the Golden Anchor, so that should really boost the income. Also remembered that gentlemen can do duels, so we'll see if I can get ahead of the pack on techs now.

 

My only acquisition in Europe remains Amsterdam, after a pretty good, evenly matched battle. I had 2 artillery, 2 hussars, general, 2 grenadiers and 10 line infantry; the Dutch had teh general, one fixed artillery, 2 pikemen and 15 line infantry. I set up most of my line infantry in the centre with trenches, with the flanks curving away, and a unit of grenadiers on each end to create half a cul-de-sac, which opened up to a unit of cannons. Each unit of hussars waited behind cannons, and a spare unit of line infantry occupied a farmhouse near the edge of the right flank. This really meant the Dutch only had two options; try and surround me on both flanks with superior numbers and squeeze the pincer, or just go for one flank in an almost diagonal angle. They opted for the former.

 

As I expected, the AI took the bait of the 'exposed' cannons and sent several units of infantry to either flanks, getting shelled with canister (I think? the close-range 'shotgun' ones) shots in the process. As an added bonus, my deployment area meant their fixed unit of artillery was useless. Anyway, as the Dutch approached, the grenadiers got them with grenades to great effect, then the hussars charged in from the flanks when they wheeled to face the grenadiers. The numerical superiority meant that even with this the Dutch were faring pretty well. On the right flank the extra unit in the farmhouse contributed to a fairly routine victory, but the left saw the hussars rout and the grenadiers, cannon workers and line infantry engaged in some fierce melee combat.

 

Thankfully, the diversion of the flanks meant that the Dutch did not have numerical advantage in the centre, and my long line of trenches gave me the defensive cover needed to slowly wear them down. Eventually realising the battle was not going in their favour, the Dutch as a whole charged over the trenches and began to club me with their rifles. The very centre was especially at risk, with the general unit charging in (my own was reinforcing the left after the hussars routed). A couple of my line infantry regiments routed. Thankfully, the flanks had finally finished routing the Dutch, and they wheeled round to shoot at the Dutch in the rear. The grenadiers were again decisive. I was also lucky in that my General Unit, who I then sent into the centre to try and hold that line, routed - but the general himself survived.

 

I think I lost about half of my ~1k army, while ~80% of the Dutch ~1.5k army died. I then rounded up my other units occupying Dutch towns and farmlands, and took Amsterdam.

 

I just finished taking previously Dutch colonies in America as well, although the massive Huron armies are stil giving me trouble in Canada. Spain is rich and big and scary, so I can't easily declare war on France either (who just took Savoy). I am considering joining Sweden in their war against Denmark, and carving something up along that front.

[Gorgon]

So I got the game at a reasonable price from a games shop, and I realize there is a deluxe version with more units. Bunch of rip off artists. There is bound to be a hack to include those units sooner or later, too bad I won't get to use em anytime soon.

 

Won't have time to play until the weekend, unless I give in to temptation sometime tonight.

[Gorgon]

It's installing,, at one 1 kb/sec. Is this normal, it's been nearly an hour and it's still on disk one.

[mrmud]

It's installing,, at one 1 kb/sec. Is this normal, it's been nearly an hour and it's still on disk one.

It took pretty long but that seems broken to me.

[Gorgon]

I also noticed my drive doesn't make the usual noise, maybe it's dying. Failed a few burns too recently.

[Gorgon]

Regardless, it looks like it's doing it, at x1 speed. Installer still active, about 20% to go now.

[Gorgon]

'Connecting to steam account 'suckmywetfarts'...'

 

 

hmm... maybe I was a bit hasty.

[Tigranes]

Don't worry, you'll have a few hours to chew over it while Steam journeys to Mount Doom and back to give you your patch.

 

I found a weird and disappointing trick where the Pueblo Nations, Plains Nations, Inuits and the Italian States all agreed to become my protectorate and ally in exchange for.... indefinite military access. Like they'd ever get to use it. I suppose they wouldn't mind the protection. I also have Prussia as a protectorate after a succession war following the death of William III (...at age 80+). I couldn't hope to take their capital with about five stacks there, but I coudl easily take Brandenburg and force a peace.

 

Poland-Lithuania is massive now, though, having taken most of the Austrian territory. France has just got into a war with them so I'm hoping that will give me the opening to attack them, but AI wars don't seem to result in anything half the time.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I have Georgia and Florida now but the indians are the toughest opponents Ive met thus far. The most annoying thing is that they always attack and defend with multiple armies, where the other army always attacks you from the rear with lightning speed. Ive learnt not to face them with a straight battle line (use a wedge shaped front, that confuses them so they wont be able to take your flanks so easily) but even that falls flat when 1500 tribesmen come charging into your rear artillery positions

[Gorgon]

I dunno, I kinda wish there were less ships in the average naval engagement. It all gets out of the players hands pretty fast. So far it's pretty confusing, don't like the land combat particularly much. Why can't I have all of my unit volley at the same time to stop a cavalry charge dead in it's tracks, or follow the volley with a charge of my own. More formations and units are researchable, but it seems like an unreasonably long wait with boring line infantry. Cannons aren't much use, not even massing 6 of them made much of an impression. Maybe they get better.

[Tigranes]

I have Georgia and Florida now but the indians are the toughest opponents Ive met thus far. The most annoying thing is that they always attack and defend with multiple armies, where the other army always attacks you from the rear with lightning speed. Ive learnt not to face them with a straight battle line (use a wedge shaped front, that confuses them so they wont be able to take your flanks so easily) but even that falls flat when 1500 tribesmen come charging into your rear artillery positions

 

Indians use their numbers to good effect, yeah. The Cherokee have those two provinces where the cities are right next to each other; they had full stack on both for me. I eventually destroyed them, but needed three full stacks going around seizing opportunities when they wander out. (Also got me Florida because the Cherokee took it off the Spanish )

 

I still haven't had a single proper siege battle, or a big naval engagement, and it's 1750! It just happened that way, but I don't mind. I like open battles with European forces the best. I had a nice one against Westphalia using Fire and Advance, and flanking with grenadiers to great effect.

[Hurlshort]

I'm really enjoying the storyline campaign. I just finished the second episode. They are quick, better than a tutorial, and interesting.

[Niten_Ryu]

I finally got some room to breath and my army recovered from heavy losses (multiple line fire at the same time helped a lot). I think I tried to use cavalry too much early on because that's how I used to play in past Total war games (actually pikemen and cavalry). Now both are marginalized as every musket unit is potentially sort of pikemen too. I still use few cavalry units to attack enemy cannon units (although I have to admit that cannons are not that big problem) and to kill routed enemies.

 

Now I'm taking huge beating in Sea combat, probably because I did most of research on other areas. I'm stuck with ships that turn like trains while enemies run circles around me. Lost battle with 2 to 1 advantage in numbers

[Kaftan Barlast]

The regular cavalry is useless, but heavy cavalry is really good. You dont have to flank the enemy or tippy-toe around them, just charge straight into the enemy lines and break their line. A good old cavalry shock, just like in the history books.

[Pope]

I'll be getting this game soon.

 

United Provinces will conquer the world I tell ya.

 

So does it look like an expansion will introduce the continents that were left out?

[Tigranes]

~1760 now on my Britain H/H. Preparing my armies in the New World to conquer the Iroquois, who drove back the French and got decently big (3-4 provs). Also had a war against Denmark and destroyed it. It meant I also had to fight Poland-Lithuania though, the most powerful and large empire encompassing its original provinces and most of Austria. Basically got myself 4 full stacks that would move together razing their provinces and auto-resolving anything in its path - since dealing with 4 armies coming in through trickling reinforcements is quite bothersome. Eventually got them to give me West Prussia and Lithuania, which I granted to Prussia, my protectorate - got a good buffer state going.

 

Still working out how I can get in a war with France without setting off the Spanish, who are massive as well.

 

So does it look like an expansion will introduce the continents that were left out?

 

I'd be very disappointed if they wanted to chug more things on without fixing and polishing what's there. The Mughal Empire is basically finished but not enabled (and is very cool), and surely it will be Napoleon? They probably will add a little bit of landmass though.

[Kaftan Barlast]

If there is an expansion it will be about the Napoleonic wars, but if that means they will include Africa and South America is doubtful.

[Gorgon]

I'm really enjoying the storyline campaign. I just finished the second episode. They are quick, better than a tutorial, and interesting.

Is that 'the road to independence'

[Hurlshort]

I'm really enjoying the storyline campaign. I just finished the second episode. They are quick, better than a tutorial, and interesting.

Is that 'the road to independence'

 

Yep, it's very solid. George Washington is a pimp.

[Gorgon]

What am I supposed to do with trade ships, leave them in the ports they were constructed in, leave them on top of a green line indication a trade route, Sailing them to neutral trade ports only get's me the option of going to war. Far as I have been able to tell sailing them onto the trade route does not increase the route's revenue, but neither does increasing the number of trade ships docked at a trade port