Napoleon Total War

[Cernos]

Do any of you play the Total War series of games? I just got Napoleon Total War which was released last week and have been really enjoying it. Some epic battles with incredible graphics. But the AI isn't much of an opponent (never is in these sort of games) so was wondering if anyone else has this and wants to do a bit of multiplayer?

[Lasiien]

Nope not got it I'm afraid, I didn't play Empire Total War much really (and didn't like the ship to ship combat). And i have games stacking up still to play (not got around to Bioshock II yet or Assasins Creed II) so think I'll pass for a while at least. However, let me know what you think after a couple more weeks of playing, i'd be interested to know.

I also never got on much with online play in any of the total war games, I played with some friends and it always came down to who attacked and who hid their troops and defended (defenders always won) so the games started to get a little silly Not sure if it's changed much, I did try Empire online but got beaten into a pulp by people that had spent many more an hour playing then I

[Saxif]

I over played Rome and haven't really been able to get back into the series.  I did try Empire (I think) and it was enjoyable but still very similar in core game play, so doubt I'd end up getting Napolean. 

I expect I will play DA:O next and am slowly making my way through it atm but after dling the Shale patch I had a crash (gfx card got to hot) and now cannot access that content for some reason, fairly annoying.  I have seen that they are making Civ 5 though, so thats something I will be looking forwards to in the future

Sax.

[Cernos]

I loved Shogun, skipped Medieval, played Rome but didn't get hooked by it (good game but I'm not a huge fan of Roman era), skipped Empire. Napoloenic era is my favourite historical period, so that plus the fact I skipped ETW means I'm really enjoying NTW. But if you got bored with ETW then I don't think NTW brings anything hugely new to the table, other than polish, buffed graphics and refinement (I hear ETW was very buggy, NTW seems very stable) plus an improved multiplayer part of the game. But you can't beat a mass cavalry charge headlong into the cannons for a bit of fun (just as well I wasn't a real general back then)!

[Lasiien]

hehe You evul general !

I think the thing that most put me off was the guns tbh, Empire was so much more about ranged combat and i prerfer the melee (Rome/Medieval). I also utterly hated the ship battles which were the big addon to the game but not sure if that exists in NTW or if it's any better?

[Cernos]

Well, whilst line infantry and musket volleys and of course artillery are a big part of NTW, melee is still a crucial aspect of the game. Best way to break up a formation is with a well timed bayonet charge (or of course cavalry charge). I don't like the naval battles much either. Luckily they aren't a major part of the game (unless you play Britain in the grand campaign, but you could always autoresolve the naval encounters).