Roman units (info pictures) from the game Rome: Total War. Armies in the Rome Campaign Total War Chronology total war
(roman peasant)
Peasants are reluctant to go into battle, but their sheer numbers force them to be used in all armies. Making the peasants fight is a great way to quickly and cheaply get a lot of people to the battlefield. They understand little of tactics and even less want to fight - they would rather defend their homes than participate in a battle that they don't care about. But, for that matter, they can be used to dig tunnels! However, they are great experts on the terrain and are excellent at hiding in shelters.
(roman archer)
Roman archers are usually used as reinforcements for heavily armed infantry and play a fairly minor role in Roman military affairs. They are almost exclusively used for ranged combat, as their lack of armor and low quality melee weapons mean that only a callous or desperate warlord would order them to fight hand to hand. Ranged combat is by no means a significant part of the Roman way of warfare, but since the need for archers was obvious to Roman generals, these archers began to be recruited from the lower classes of society.
(roman archer auxillia)
These archers are used as support for heavily armed legionary foot soldiers, an important, if minor, role in Roman warfare. They are not designed or adapted for close combat; their job is to provide support long distance and not interfere with the legionnaires to decide the outcome of the battle. Since the Roman army is built around heavy infantry, other types of troops are used as support. However, their training is almost as intense as that of the legionnaires, and the discipline in the auxiliaries is no doubt just as harsh and unshakable. Historically, after the changes made by Gaius Marius, professional support fighters began to be recruited along with gaining experience in legionnaires. A large-scale shake-up of the Roman military machine was the transition of the army to a permanent and life-long basis, with support fighters being awarded Roman citizenship at the end of their military career.
(roman velite)
Velites are lightly armed skirmishers who covered the bulk of the early Roman legion during the offensive. They are armed with throwing spears and thrusting swords and wear no armor other than a small round shield. Their task is to wear down and weaken the enemy before the start of the battle. Velites are recruited from among young citizens who do not have enough experience (or money to buy their own weapons) to enter the service as hastati or other heavy foot soldiers. After the reforms of Marius, the Roman velites gradually fell into disuse. Marius professionalized the Roman army and in the process completely abolished age and property qualifications. Roman citizens now went to war not in case of danger, fulfilling their civic duty - they became professional warriors, in fact, mercenaries from among their own population.
Lightly armed supporters(roman light infantry)
These supporters are skirmishers who act as cover for heavily armed units. In addition, they seek to break enemy formations with a rain of javelins that have a greater range than the heavy iron-shafted pilums that Roman legionnaires are armed with. They don't wear armor and won't last long in close combat, but they will try if need be. Their training is nearly as intense as that of the Legionnaires, so they can fight for long periods of time without tiring, and their discipline is no doubt just as harsh and unwavering.
(roman city militia)
City guards are local workers and peasants who have received sufficient training to protect their homes and maintain order on the streets. They are in no way able to compete with the well-drilled Roman legionaries, but, on the other hand, they are only intended to serve as a civilian militia interested in maintaining peace and tranquility (and, perhaps, sometimes used to put out fires). They do not have too many weapons, as the most that is expected of them is to cover themselves with spears and shields and hold their positions when attacking the enemy. In general, they cope with this.
(roman hastati)
In the legions of the first years of the Republic, the hastati are young warriors who fight at the forefront in any battle. They are used to wear down the enemy and hold him until the next Roman battle line is attacked. As a result, in their own way, they are skilled fighters. They are armed with two pilums, which are thrown at close range at the enemy before hand-to-hand combat begins. They also carry a sword, a bronze helmet, a large shield, and a breastplate. The pilum is a cleverly constructed spear: its iron shaft is soft enough to flex when struck so that it cannot be thrown back; if it hit anyone, then considerable inconvenience is caused to its movement. Hastati traditionally purchased weapons at their own expense and often could not afford anything better.
(roman triarii)
The triarii are stout, heavily armed spearmen who made up the third and most experienced part of the Roman legion before the reforms of Gaius Marius. They are armed with a long hoplite piercing spear (gasta), a long shield and a gladius. They are veterans and well-armed - not surprising, given that they were recruited from the richest circles of society. In the legions of the first years of the Republic, the triarii occupied positions at the end of the army. Went to the triarii- a Roman saying meaning the onset of hard times, because these troops were used only at the decisive moment of the battle. Traditionally, the triarii purchased weapons at their own expense and could afford all the best.
Auxiliary troops
Auxiliary troops are strong, disciplined spearmen who provide cover for the Roman legionnaires in battle. They are used as defensive infantry whose purpose is to protect the flanks of heavily armed soldiers from cavalry and other such threats; they were trained no less severely than the legionnaires, and the result was warriors with about the same level of discipline and endurance. These fighters should not lag behind other types of Roman troops in any way, so they do not have the right to tire quickly. They are recruited from non-Roman citizens living in the Empire, which is easy enough, since Roman citizenship is very difficult to achieve. Traditionally, Roman generals made sure that auxiliaries were stationed far from their home area to avoid rebellions. The changes introduced by Gaius Marius meant that professional support fighters would serve alongside the more experienced legionnaires. A large-scale shake-up of the Roman military machine was the transfer of the army to a permanent and life-long basis, and at the end of their military career, the soldiers of the auxiliary troops were awarded Roman citizenship.
Cohort of Legionnaires(roman legionary cohort)
Roman legionnaires are strong professional warriors, armed with excellent weapons and protected good armor. Their hallmarks are discipline, willingness to obey orders, and tactical flexibility. For example, approaching enemy fortifications, they can form a turtle, closing their shields to achieve the highest degree of protection. The flexible plate armor of each legionnaire, lorica segmenta, is of very high quality, as is the rest of his equipment: a metal helmet and a long, curved shield. They carry two throwing spears, the pilum, and a short stabbing sword, the gladius, into battle. The shaft of each pilum is made of a soft metal that bends when it hits a target, making it difficult to pull it out and throw it back. A pilum that hits the shield hampers the movement of the enemy. A pilum that hits a person usually kills him. Throwing pilums at the enemy, the legionnaires approach him and continue the battle with a stabbing smooth. The armor of the lorica segmenta was accepted as the main armor, since the process of their manufacture is cheaper, and the protection is better than that of the chain mail of the previous time.
The first cohort of legionnaires(roman legionary first cohort)
The first cohort of the Romans consists of well-armed and equipped foot soldiers, going into battle with the symbol of Roman power - the eagle of the legionnaires. This inspires the rest of the Roman troops.
Praetorian Cohort(roman praetorian cohort)
The Praetorian cohort is made up of an elite legionary force chosen for their superior combat skills and political integrity. The commander can completely rely on this unit. Praetorian training is, as you would expect, incredibly demanding and rigorous. These people are some of the best, toughest, most determined soldiers of Rome, and they know it! Their equipment is in many ways similar to the equipment of legionnaires, only better. Historically, Praetorians have been the bravest of the brave warriors chosen to guard the praetorium - the tent of the legate, when he was on the field. They began to be used as bodyguards for all important commanders before being made into a distinct formation that played a prominent role both in politics and on the battlefield. Emperor Augustus turned the Praetorians into a force used to suppress unrest in the city, not forgetting their functions as guards. It was during the reigns of subsequent emperors that the Praetorians developed a taste for conspiracies and assassinations.
(roman praetorian cohort urban)
The city's cohort is made up of elite legionnaires, chosen for their loyalty and superior fighting skills. They are heavy infantry who, except when stationed in the most important cities of the empire, fight like heavy infantry - these soldiers do a real job in the Roman army! The training of any warrior of the urban cohort is incredibly demanding and turns a person into a truly strong fighter. The result is the best, toughest, most determined soldiers of the Roman world, stopping at nothing to achieve their goal. The urban cohort is equipped in the same way as ordinary legionnaires, because it is the people inside the uniform who make it effective. Historically, the urban cohorts founded by Augustus were Rome's police force to maintain order. Though outnumbered, they provided a sort of counterbalance to the strength of the Praetorian Guard in the city. The life of the warriors of the urban cohorts was better than that of ordinary legions, because the conditions of service and pay were better. Later urban cohorts appeared in other major cities empires, and the prefect at their head often became an important political figure.
(roman arcani)
They are the reconnaissance unit of the Roman army, divided into small groups and adept at using deception and camouflage to achieve their goals. The Arcani are in fact a secret society whose very name should not be spoken aloud. Their armor is of such high quality that, while providing a high degree of protection, it does not slow down or tire the fantastically physically developed arcani warriors. And the masks they wear on their faces mean that enemy soldiers can even run in fear, suddenly surrounded by a group of bloodthirsty assassins!
War dogs(roman wardogs)
War dogs are bred for their sheer size and ferocity, but hunting humans is not much harder for them than mountain lions! These creatures are strong and muscular. Originally bred for hunting big game, they are now used for spying and attacking people. War dogs are usually released on the enemy with the aim of breaking the line of formation and breaking his morale. Few can withstand the onslaught of snarling, half-starved monsters. Dogs are trained to drag riders to the ground, biting into them with their teeth and not letting go, and to bite the sinews of horses. Their trainers are brave and succumb to little threat: many are missing fingers, hands, or even limbs!
(roman incendiary pigs)
Set on fire pigs are tools designed to sow terror and panic among enemy warriors, especially horsemen. Pigs are covered with tar, tar and oil and driven towards the enemy. At the right moment, the trainers set fire to them with torches and, naturally, the animals run away from pain and fear - it remains to be hoped that in the right direction. Besides the fact that they butt anyone who gets in their way, pigs upset enemy formations. They also greatly frighten elephants, and this is their main use in combat. During the course of the battle, pigs can only be released once, and few of them remain alive for long.
(roman samnite gladiator)
Samnite gladiators are more than soldiers. They are excellent at fighting alone, outperforming ordinary warriors head and shoulders. They go into battle, not protected by armor, because their mission is not to survive, but to die beautifully. Usually the Samnites fight one on one, but on the battlefield they form their own units. They are a specialized elite with little regard for their own safety, because victory is the only way achieve some sort of reward. After all, gladiators are part of the damnati, people disgraced, condemned and recognized as untouchable by society. They have nowhere else to go in search of freedom.
(roman mirmillo gladiator)
Myrmillion gladiators are excellent individual fighters, unparalleled among ordinary warriors. They wear armor that seems impractical at first glance, but it's designed to stop opponents in the arena, not to help them last long in battle. Usually they fight one on one, but on the battlefield they form their own units. They care little about their own safety, because they are part of the damnati, people disgraced, condemned and recognized by society as untouchable. They fight; they win; they might get their freedom... sooner or later.
Riders(roman light cavalry)
Riders are light cavalry armed with spears. In the Roman military system, they are designed to force skirmishers to retreat and pursue a fleeing enemy. They are recruited from the wealthy sections of society. They wear no armor, only shields and spears. As a result, they can quickly attack the enemy, but the spearmen's defensive lines prepared for the offensive will simply cut them to pieces. On the contrary, they should be used against the flanks or rear of enemy units, or to keep archers and skirmishers from approaching heavy infantry (which is the main strike force Roman army). Historically, the class of society from which these warriors were recruited was called horsemen - literally, these are people rich enough to afford their own horses - and they acquired both a horse and weapons at their own expense.
Auxiliary cavalry(roman cavalry auxillia)
Auxiliary cavalry riders are skirmishers armed with javelins, striking swiftly and retreating just as swiftly and cautiously. They are not protected by armor, but carry shields and swords to engage in close combat in case they are attacked. However, they are best used to wear down enemy units such as heavy infantry. Such victims cannot even dream of capturing these riders! They are not ideal for fighting other skirmishers - after all, many spears will be wasted on targets that can dodge them - but can be very useful when pursuing a fleeing enemy in order to completely drive him from the battlefield.
Legionary cavalry(roman heavy cavalry)
Legionary cavalry - a group of heavily armed horsemen who advance rapidly using their mass and force of pressure to achieve victory. They are sturdy and disciplined riders, a marked advantage over many types of cavalry made up of impulsive and assertive aristocrats. It makes no sense to force them to pursue skirmishers and archers, but they are powerful enough to break up formations of heavy infantry and break up cavalry formations. However, one should be very careful when attacking spearmen prepared for the offensive and, if possible, avoiding a frontal assault. They wear quality armor and shields; their weapons, the spear (lancea) and long sword (spatha), are deadly in the right hands. Historically, the best forces of the Roman cavalry were divided into wings (alae), not cohorts, and the warriors were recruited from small tribes of nomads living in the Empire. In general, this meant that the cavalrymen, unlike the legionnaires, were not basically Italians. The Romans themselves developed the art of infantry fighting and relied on other peoples to supply what they considered to be minor troops such as cavalry.
(roman praetorian cavalry)
The Praetorian Cavalry are an elite within an elite: dedicated bodyguards serving as heavy cavalry. Praetorian training is, as you would expect, incredibly demanding and meticulous. These people are some of the best, strongest, most determined soldiers of Rome, and besides, excellent riders! As heavy cavalry, their task is to break enemy formations and drive them from the battlefield, fighting in close combat with swords specially designed for cavalry (they are longer than legionary gladius). Historically, praetorians were warriors chosen to guard the praetorium - the legate's tent. They began to be used as bodyguards for all important commanders, and then made into an elite formation, quite different from the legions that gave birth to it. During the Empire, the Praetorians developed a taste for conspiracies and contract killings, which eventually led to them putting the empire itself up for auction!
The strategy that marked the beginning of the entire legendary series total war and the first game in the Shogun series. The game takes place in Japan, in 1542, at a time of global crisis, when the last shogunate collapsed, leaving behind numerous factions under the control of daimyo. June 13, 2000
Medieval: Total War
The second game of the series and the first part of the Middle Ages. The game takes place in the period from 1087 to 1453 and covers the territory of medieval Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. August 19, 2002
Rome: Total War / Rome
The first game about the Roman Empire and the third in the Total War series. The events of the game unfold in the period from 270 BC. e. up to 14 a.d. e. This is an epic story about the Roman Empire, the time of its founding and flourishing. September 22, 2004
Medieval II: Total War / Medieval 2
The second game of the Middle Ages and the fourth in the entire series. The game takes place between 1080 and 1530 in medieval Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central America. November 10, 2006
Empire: Total War / Empire
The fifth game in the series, describing a period of fierce imperialism, colonization and bloody wars. The events of the game cover the entire 18th century. You have to lead a faction of one of the ten powerful powers of the world at that time. March 3, 2009
Napoleon: Total War / Napoleon
The sixth game in a series of historical strategies, completely dedicated to the great commander Napoleon Bonaparte. You have to go through all the key moments in the life of the emperor, from his ascension to the throne, to the inglorious fall. February 23, 2010
Total War: Shogun 2 / Shogun 2
A remake of the first game in the Shogun series and the seventh game in the entire Total War series, completely dedicated to the period of feudal fragmentation of Japan in the 16th century. Become one of 10 legendary commanders fighting for the right to become the new shogun. March 15, 2011
Total War: Rome II / Rome 2
The eighth game in the Total War series, the sequel and remake of Rome: Total War. Take the title of emperor of the most powerful empire of the Ancient World and turn your state into a great empire. Command a huge and invincible army. September 3, 2013
Total War: Attila / Attila
The ninth game in the series. New part The legendary historical strategy series takes you to the year 395, a dark time for the entire Western civilization. Burn the enemy's fortifications to the ground, bring indescribable horror to the enemy and wipe out huge cities from the face of the earth! February 17, 2015
The tenth game in the series and the first in a fantasy trilogy. Action awaits you fantasy world Warhammer Fantasy Battles combines an exciting turn-based epic empire-building mode with explosive, massive real-time battles. April 28, 2016
The eleventh game in the series and the second in the fantasy trilogy. Strategy game truly on a grand scale. You have to choose one of four races and start a war to save or destroy a huge fantasy world. September 28, 2017
The twelfth game in the series. 878 from the Nativity of Christ. King Alfred the Great put up a heroic resistance to the Vikings and stopped their invasion. For the first time in 80 years, peace has been established on the islands. April 19, 2018
The thirteenth game in the series. In will take us to the era of China and will be in the year 190, when the fall of the Han dynasty took place. As the country is usurped, decline sets in. March 7, 2019
Well, now it's time to talk about the most important thing: directly about the games. In total, the Total War series has released seven independent games and six add-ons to them, not counting the many small DLCs, the listing of which will take more than one hour.
And so, before you is a list of games and their brief description.
Shogun: Total War
First game in the series Total War,s which actually began a great series, released in 2000, the game tells about the confrontation between the ruling houses of Japan in the 16th century. We had 7 different houses to choose from, the goal of each was to seize power over the territory of the entire countries to the game The Mongol Invasion add-on was released, adding, as you already understood, the Mongols. It told about a possible Mongol invasion of Japan.
Medieval: Total War
The second game in the series appeared in 2002. Now the action is the Middle Ages (from about 1087 to 1453), the factions are divided into groups depending on their religion, each has its own, different troops. In total, there are 12 playable factions. Appear popular riots, characteristics of generals, personal traits, those same mercenary units and sieges of fortresses. An addon Viking Invasion was released for this part, dedicated to the Viking raids on Britain.
Released in 2004, Rome: Total War was a new, very bold step in the history of the series, for the first time the game completely switched to a three-dimensional engine, the number of factions increases to 21 and the action takes place on the territory of the ancient world of the era of the Ancient Wars. The possibilities of diplomacy are expanding, among important persons retinue appears, the siege undergoes a change, many other, less noticeable improvements are introduced. 2 additions Rome: Total War - Barbarian Invasion (dedicated to the fall of Rome) and Rome: Total War - Alexander, which tells about the campaign of Alexander the Great, were released for the game at once.
Medieval II: Total War
After 2 years, in 2006, the second part of the medieval milestone in the development of the series was released, Medieval returns, on a modified Rome engine and, of course, with a whole sea of innovations. Among them: Settlements have changed - now there are several types: cities and castles. Cities are the centers of the economy and castles are the producers of elite troops. The concept of hiring units is changing: now you can hire several of them at once in one turn. New agents have been added: a priest who helps support religion, a merchant who gives additional profit, an inquisitor, available only to the NPC Church, who can burn heretics and accuse clerics of other powers .. The ability to marry off daughters is returning. Guilds appear - buildings that have effects or allow you to train certain types of units. In general, Medieval II is the quintessence of all the good things that happened in Rome, the number of factions increases dramatically and although at first only a few are available, you notice that after the destruction of one or another faction, it becomes available for the game, the battles are entering a new round, it becomes interesting to watch the yuoi, for those years the game looked simply incomparable and even now it can deliver a lot of positive emotions. As for the add-ons, there were already 4 of them, but they all fit under one capacious name Kingdoms which included the struggle of the Teutonic Order with Lithuania, the wars in Britain, the crusades and the confrontation between the Spanish conquistadors and the indigenous population of America.
Empire: Total War
In 2009, the next part is released, which becomes the largest (at that time) strategy of the series. And it is not surprising, because the actions are developing on three continents - Europe, India and America. This is a giant world with a huge number of factions and a whole bunch of new features, the main of which , perhaps, is the fleet, if earlier battles on the water took place only in Automatic mode, now water squadrons can be led personally, a well-chosen era (1700-1799) the emergence of new, firearms units (although the first appeared in Mideval 2) long-range firearms artillery and a completely new concept of sieges (troops can storm walls without siege weapons, with the help of special hooks and cats) ministers appear, a technology tree is introduced (now the player decides what and how to develop), the intelligence of opponents is significantly smarter, it becomes possible to return the destroyed faction by recapturing its capital and granting her freedom (protectorate). The graphics are even prettier, it becomes possible to occupy on the map, use fences and stone walls as shelters, the game makes a sharp evolutionary leap. Many add-ons for the game have been released, the largest Warpath Campaign tells about the war of Indian tribes and European colonialists.
Napoleon: Total War
Released in 2010, the game tells the story of an era Napoleonic Wars. Economic, diplomatic and combat components are undergoing significant processing. Graphics are improving, a clear plot appears (for the first time in the history of the series), the computer begins to act more adequately.
Total War: Shogun 2
Released in 2011, the continuation of the Japanese history of the game takes us back to the era of feudal Japan, the struggle for power between houses, brings a reworked siege, a fantastic picture and excellent optimization. A wide variety of innovations elevate the game several steps up the evolutionary ladder. Many DLCs have been released for the game, the largest Rise of the Samurai, (tells the history of the formation of the first Japanese Shogunate) and Fall of the Samurai, which can actually be called a new game (besides, it does not require the original). The supplement covers the period from 1864 to 1869 in the history of Japan, appear railways, becomes available firearms(even such an innovation as a Gatling machine gun), on this moment it is in this game that the latest period of our history is represented.
Total War: Rome II
The last and perhaps the most ambitious game in the series at the moment, returning us to the era of the Ancient World, brings many new features, improves AI, introduces provinces, changes diplomacy, allows you to use troops and fleets in battles at the same time, puts a limit on armies, allows them to be improved and restored after the loss, as for the factions, then there is an absolute record of them as much as 117! We choose from 9 (not counting the DLS), the number of new features is amazing, so I will provide a link to my review, if anyone is interested.
Of the add-ons that have been released so far, the most interesting are Hannibal at the Gates and Total War: ROME II - Caesar in Gaul, which tell about the campaign of Hannibal and Caesar, respectively.
War in its original form.
Judging games from the Total War series is surprisingly difficult. The fact is that it all depends on your mood - I personally like all of them, and I alternately play one or another part, inspired by the topics of recently read books, watched movies or completed games. For example, looking at the battle for Helm's Deep makes me want to launch Total War: Warhammer; after the books about the crusades, i want to play Medieval 2. In other words, these games are not limited to battles with a well-thought-out strategy. They are ideal for the current mood and will allow you to literally change the story, inscribing new twists into it, and get used to the role of your favorite military leaders.
And each of these games is good in its own way, so placing them in order on this list was quite difficult. Each game has those elements for which we love the series, and often it is only thanks to the setting that the next part stands out from the rest. Of course, not all of them are made according to the same template - Empire and Napoleon look like they are set in a parallel universe, but they offer the same mixture of military conflicts, defeats and conquests.
Therefore, based solely on my own preferences, I present to you the best parts of Total War.
The game, which ended up in 10th place, is very worthy project(Which says a lot about Total War in general), but it just didn't turn out as good as expected. The original setting set the bar high, but that's not the only problem: Rome 2 was rife with bugs in the first days after its release, and the gameplay mechanics became noticeably more complex. That is why the game fell in love far to every fan of the first part.
To be fair, the game isn't as bad as the thematic forums make it out to be - bugs and silly AI have been fixed in patches, and when everything works as it should, we still have the same deep strategy that we're used to seeing in other Total Wars. Another plus of the game is a huge set of unique factions, which surpasses all previous parts in scale.
Medieval continues to delight many gamers with groundbreaking elements that have only gotten better over the sequels. The game boldly scaled up the action, adding concepts such as loyalty, religion and espionage, thanks to which it managed to accurately depict the cruel historical times. Worthy of praise and local combat system, because to see how the orderly ranks of soldiers in shining armor collide with each other to epic music is a real aesthetic pleasure.
Of course, if you compare it with later parts, then it looks too simplistic, but you need to pay tribute to the impact that it had on the series. Shogun set the direction, Rome continued the movement, and Medieval was the culmination of all the achievements of all its predecessors.
Like the first part of Medieval, Shogun was at the bottom of the list, not because it bad game, is just a strategy from another era. She remained in the shadow of the sequel, which turned out to be one of the most dramatic and convincing parts of the series. But even so, the first part is replete with moments that are guaranteed to be deposited in your memory after passing - like Kensai with a sacred sword, fearlessly attacking a squad of spearmen or a desperate volley of doomed musketeers opposing a cavalry squad.
If you want to play a Total War set in feudal Japan, then you might be better off running a sequel, and this part is just for fun, to see the roots of a great game series.
With Empire, everything could go wrong - melee combat faded into the background, shooting became rather clumsy, and the specifics of the naval conflict frightened in advance with its intricacies, but the game managed to gracefully integrate new systems and mechanics into gameplay that was previously limited to collisions infantry and cavalry. New elements were polished until the release of Napoleon. Empire has been criticized for its weak AI and too much action (especially compared to Medieval 2), but it's still an outstanding game. It implements concepts that could not be implemented in past games, and technology development branches now directly affect the passage (in addition, the abolition of slavery as the highest stage of the enlightenment branch looks encouraging).
The fights lack the brutality that was present in previous parts Total War, however, the cannon salvos heard on the battlefield sound impressive. And one more thing: the theme music from the main menu is simply excellent.
Napoleon took everything that was good about Empire and improved on those elements. But the matter was not limited to this: the Creative Assembly studio finally learned how to combine gameplay with interesting history. The game itself is a tribute to the military genius of Bonaparte, and the conquests themselves are made as close as possible to real events.
In addition to being a great part of Total War, this is also a meticulous study of a turning point in the history of Europe. You have to go through all the victories and defeats of the legendary commander, and the presentation of this story is more than worthy. Seeing a massive conflict through the eyes of multiple parties is an incredible experience.
The most characteristic moments of the classic parts of Total War begin with the fact that a brave army of mercenaries led by cruel generals approaches the borders of your empire. Attila was the first game to successfully build on this story campaign. It's funny, but the war, rendered in the name of the series, is far from being in the first place here. Attila is not only battles, it is political intrigues, feast and famine, the extinction of entire cities and large-scale migrations, and all this happens in one of the most troubled periods of history, when Europe has not really formed yet and its future fate depends only on you.
The game does a great job of capturing more complex elements like weather and guerrilla warfare, making it a great game for fans of early Total Wars games. Just like in Warhammer, you are forced to act in uncertainty, because Attila's army can swoop in at any moment. This is a harsh and unforgiving part of Total War with well-developed strategic details.
Rome
Rome was the first game where the scale of action really impressed me. Each battle could be pulled apart into hundreds of spectacular screenshots - especially for battles in which elephants participated. My favorite element of the series also appeared here for the first time: the ability to fight enemies beyond the boundaries of the territory until one of you breaks through the defense ring and sends his army to enemy lands. It is also good that the local setting is familiar to everyone who has not skipped history lessons (or at least watched films about the adventures of Asterix and Obelix).
The game captures from the very first minute, because nothing compares to the systematic advance of the Roman army across Europe, which seemed to have descended from the pages of history books. Suppress the barbarian uprising and enjoy the best part Total War, which recreated the times of legionnaires and gladiators.
2. Total War: Warhammer
The best moments of Total War are associated with conflicts, during which one power is overthrown, and another takes its place. Warhammer ended up at number 2 on this list precisely because there are plenty of such moments in it. Before us is a real battle for survival, where the best mechanics of the series are combined, and the aesthetics of the series have changed to a fantasy setting for the first time.
The scope of the battles is truly amazing, but the main trump card of the game is the forces of Chaos. When they arrive, each fight turns into a desperate attempt to survive; races unite in fragile alliances, trying with all their might to delay the sad end. In addition, this is the most diverse Total War: each race has its own systems and mechanics, thanks to which the game maintains the necessary balance (unless, of course, the developers are forgiven for pre-ordering with the ability to play for the side of Chaos).
Yes, the game is not perfect - the campaign sometimes lacks momentum, and the victories do not feel like really serious achievements, but this is the best presentation of the world of Warhammer at the moment, which does not exist yet.
Medieval 2 owes its success to the first game, but there's something about this game that makes it stand out from all its predecessors. For Total War, this is a classic setting - times of conquest, Crusades and instability, thanks to which each faction always has the opportunity to capture neighboring lands. And the style of the game depends on the chosen side. Playing as England, it is difficult to cope with the desire to expand your territories and turn enemy lands into your colonies; and playing as Egypt, you will understand how bad it is when the Christian barbarians start another Crusade against you for no apparent reason.
In mode kingdom game focuses on historical moments that bring important nuances to the conquests from the main passage. The AI is not smart at times, but you should wait for the Mongol invasion. And even if they seem too easy to you, then I advise you to familiarize yourself with the Stainless Steel and Broken Crescent mods, which bring a lot of new things to your favorite gameplay.
This sequel manages to outdo its predecessor Total War: Warhammer thanks to an engaging campaign and unusual factions. high elves- perhaps the least outstanding of all, but even they have dragons and magic. Lizardmen stand out the most. There are also skaven-rats, hidden from the eyes of other peoples underground. The maps are more varied and interesting than Total War: Warhammer I. Dinosaurs vs. Rats vs. Elves vs. Bad Elves - what's not to like?
Special additional campaigns such as Curse of the Vampire Coast make an already great game even better.
There are games on the list with larger scales, more units, and more customization, but Creative Assembly's Shogun 2 is the perfect example of a project where all the links work at full capacity. The global conflict was replaced by a campaign to unify Japan, but this did not make the game worse. What's more, the world of Shogun 2 is richer and more realistic than anything we've seen before. It also fixed a number of traditional problems for the series.
AI has learned to use ships and on high levels complexity does not hesitate to use aggressive methods to seize land. And the clans presented in the game are very different from each other. And, most interestingly, the shogun can declare you an enemy if you gain enough power. And instead of taking over one faction after another, you will have to protect your own resources.
Separately, it is worth noting the excellent design of the game, thanks to which even beginners can easily get used to it, and Total War veterans will find an exciting game with a great storyline and all the moments for which we love the series so much.
