Looking for the latest Total War Game? Then go pick up a copy of Medieval Total War II and grab the newly released expansion Kingdoms while you are at it.

MTW II is an upgrade of RTW as far as graphics go. Its set during Medieval Period, with factions and units to match, along with the invention of Gunpowder and early gunpowder units. Religion plays a factor, Crusades and Jihads are possible, and the Pope will excommunicate you if you continuously attack Catholic nations. Getting your priests to become Cardinals gives you more sway with the Pope - getting a Cardinal elected as Pope is priceless! Beware the Mongol Invasion! They'll destroy every army not protected by a City! If you're lucky enough, you'll be around for when the Americas are discovered, though the Aztecs might prove a worthy foe.

Kingdoms, the expansion, is improved upon graphics and AI, 13 new factions, and 110 new units. There is no grand campaign though i imagine some one will make a mod to fix that. Instead, there are 4 Campaigns covering different regions. The first is the Americas Campaign, where you can play as the Aztecs, Mayans, Apaches, or a few other tribes and New Spain. Map covers South and North America and has some cool features. Britannia is another Campaign, pitting the Irish, Welsh, Scots, English, and Norwegians against each other.

The Teutonic Campaign focuses on Eastern Europe and the Teutonic Orders crusade against the Pagan Lithuanians. The Polish, Novgrod, the Danes, HRE and Norwegians also play a large role in this one.

The last Campaign is the Crusades, focusing in the Mid East. Allows you to play as one of several Crusading countries, or their Muslim counterparts, also with a bunch of cool gameplay features.

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I will be getting this!!

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Wow - i just played a custom battle as Byzantines against...Venice i think, in the Crusades Campaign, because i wanted to check out the Greek Fire Units.

So i got 5 units of them (20 men in each unit) with 4 Catapaults that throw barrels of oil into the air (with a fuse) that explode in mid air and rain fire down on the enemy. Backed them up with 4 Sword Units and 3 Axe Units (best Byzantine Inf unit) and i made the Venicians a mix of Inf. So it was my 600 against their 1300. Wish i had taken screenies.

So my first Barrel Barrage fell short, and left the desert smoldering. Second barrage as Venetians attacked didn't do too much though i did notice several burning bodies. By then the Venetians were charging full steam at my lines. And the Greek Fire Throwers opened up.

WHOA! Jets of fire incinerating ranks deep into the Venetians. Their entire army routed as 1/3 of them were practically instantaneously killed! As they tired to retreat, barrels either landed amongst them or exploded mid air, adding to their demise.

It was a rout from there. Nearly lost one unit of Greek Fire in close combat before my axemen rescued them. All said and told i lost maybe 100 men while i killed 1200.

Woot woot for Greek Fire!

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This is my favorite faction to play/campaign.

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Man, I have got to find time to play again.

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Service

It is probably my all time fave game, going to buy a copy to play on my new all singing all dancing PC next month. One thing I'd like to correct though, the Pope will excommunicate you whatever happens! I had one of my cardinals made pope, I dominated the college of cardinals, I had crusaded my fingers to the bone and then the French attacked me. I defeated them, the Pope threatened to excommunicate me and so I made peace. They attacked again, once again more threats, peace. The forth time this happened I defeated the French in two battles and was excommunicated for the privilege of being attacked!

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There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

I say 'F the Pope' and attack the Papal States!

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I loved MTW & just picked up II the other day.
I know, i'm fashionably late.
Regarding the pope, his knickers are always in a bunch in that game.

MTW is too inaccurate for me. I plaied it with some heavy mods and I am eagerly awaiting for Europa Barbarorum 2. Bringing Roman era to the medieval 2 engine




Cheer...

GameSpy: Empire: Total War Preview

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If be honorest I don't like this new addon Kingdoms! Don't know why but its not interested how it was in simple midieval total war 2. My favorite country in medieval 2 is Britain. I like to do crusades! Often I begin war with muslims. Specially with mongols! There're nubers so many and its very interesting to fight with them!

Yes I have just recently started to follow this one too. Cant wait for it to come out, I will loose many hours of my life enjoying this one!

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Me too - i just hope my PC can handle its awesomeness!

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That's what worries me too.

The screenshots look awesome. Can't wait.

Well, I got the PC for it, but not the patience. Looks great but I have yet to see a screenshot of the world/battle map..... interesting to see how much naval battles affect your outcome now....

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I wonder what the requirements for this game are in comparison to Rome Total War...

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Based on the Naval Battle screenshot, and reading that article, pretty high.

This PC of mine is starting to have issues. So I am dropping close to $4K on a new one- dual core, etc.

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Just saw the land battles, I cant wait till it come out!

The release date is Feb. 2009

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Well I am getting a new PC soon, so hopefully it should be able to handle it.

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