Shooooooogun!

[Gorgon]

All of that talk about duty and ritual suicide, it betrays a much more practical and mercenary reality. Why else would the Shogun demand that your children, your household, live in the imperial city if not to make sure the local Daimyo stayed in line.

 

It's largely myth and wishful thinking, like the chivalrous ideals of knighthood.

[Calax]

Partly Gorgon. The ritual suicide for honor came into effect AFTER the Tokugawa were installed and all the samurai had no real job but to sit around and carry swords. It became heavily ritualized because there was nothing else to do. When the Samurai actually were WARRIORS rather than glorified magistrates with swords, they were more pragmatic about their lives and situations.

[Niten_Ryu]

All fighting styles evoled in their own areas and always had a reason why some technique became popular. Vikings like Harald Hardrada were so unorganized and impulsive that they lost to Harold Godwinson, who few week later lost to William the Conqueror. But before that Vikings did great campaigns all the way to Byzantine Empire, who still had old Roman army knowledge (but also much was already forgotten or re-invented).

 

East has the advantage at least untill the firearms with the help of their recorded knowledge of warfare, strategies and tactics. Sun Tsu and other historical figures had huge impact in the east.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I donno kafty. Not many Vikings would yank out their own eye so as to prevent weakness. Although Xiahou Dun did it better (he yanked it out and ate the sucker in the middle of a fight after being shot by an arrow IN SAID EYE) but he's a chinese guy from years before. Nor would they write an entire book on history, tactics and philosophy after beating another guy to death with a boat paddle.

 

Yeah, and Kim Jong Il can fly and shoot laser from his armpits. Its all just the olde asian "Im short so I have to make up stories to make people think Im cool" syndrome.

 

 

 

 

p.s

 

As a comparison, our king Karl XII actually COULD jump 5 meters up in the air and kick back cannonballs like a superhuman Zlatan. No lies, he did it like twice and a thousand billion people saw it.

[Gorgon]

Swedes are the only ones who actually remember stormagtstiden, just saying.

[Calax]

but swedes don't have the super awesome dance time!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjczJNefsME

[Labadal]

We have the most beautiful women in the world. We need nothing else.

[Monte Carlo]

Ninjas versus Vikings. Meh. English football fans pwn them both.

 

Anyhoo, let's hope CA sort out the AI, despite loving the series Empires put me off and I'll need to see some glowing reviews to drag me back.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Tried it late yesterday and got demolished in 10 minutes in the historical battle, but I wasn't paying attention. Play looks too fast, hope there's a way to slow down time. First impression is it's more involving than ETW, but have to play a bit more.

[Niten_Ryu]

Tried it late yesterday and got demolished in 10 minutes in the historical battle, but I wasn't paying attention. Play looks too fast, hope there's a way to slow down time. First impression is it's more involving than ETW, but have to play a bit more.

 

In singleplayer games you can even pause (that's weaksauce but possible) or run at half speed - Check obvious controls on top of the minimap (default upper right side of your screen).