Previous threads: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1118933-total-war-discussion/, http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1180016-total-war-discussion-2/, http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1305493-total-war-discussion-3/, http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1366074-total-war-discussion-4/, http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1383780-total-war-discussion-5/, http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1397396-total-war-discussion-6/

I can also provide some useful links to the Total War games series as well and here can you find more news about http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=331.

http://forums.totalwar.com/

• http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/Main_Page
  
• http://forums.totalwar.com/showthread.php/124-The-Medieval-Total-War-and-Viking-Invasion-FAQ
  
• http://forums.totalwar.com/showthread.php/118-Frequently-Asked-Questions-amp-Game-Fixes
  
• http://forums.totalwar.com/showthread.php/119-Frequently-Asked-Questions-and-Game-Fixes
  
• http://forums.totalwar.com/showthread.php/46-A-guide-to-the-guides-%28Empire-Total-War%29
  
• http://forums.totalwar.com/showthread.php/263-Guide-to-the-Guides-%28Napoleon-Total-War%29
  
• http://www.totalwar.com/en_us/totalwarbattles-shogun

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/index.php

• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=735
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=736
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1549
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?p=9871125#post9871125
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1893
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/Released_Mods
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/downloads.php

http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/Main_Page

• http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/Modding_Portal
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=734
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/Released_Mods
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=483527
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92488
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=477691
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=477898
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=443435

Gameplay and strategy for each game

• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1078
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=406671
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1448
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=136409
  
• http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1695

I'll update the OP if anyone want to have a list of mod recommendations or solutions of troubleshooting in the OP.


Game solutions

Thanks to http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1442496-total-war-discussion-7/page__view__findpost__p__22367594 I can add a http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?103656-NEW-Fix-for-CTD-when-starting-campaign-%28Nvidia-High-End-Cards%29-10 (don't use the Gamefront link since it's broken) in the OP of how to fix CTD in Medieval TW - Gold Edition 2.01 with Nvidia 8xxx series cards.


Mod recommendations


DarkOneVenzar has a tool for managing your Medieval2TW mods. Thanks for sharing this M2TW-mod tool.


How to install mods on Steam versions



Since http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1305493-total-war-discussion-3/page__view__findpost__p__19788436 I realize that were no such list of Steam version games in the OP, but below they are listed and let me know if there is something to add or correct that game list.


Retail Version

• Medieval TW
  
• Medieval 2 TW
  
• Rome TW
  
• Shogun TW

Steam Version

• Empire TW
  
• Napoleon TW
  
• Shogun 2 TW

Please note that most retail games is also available on Steam except for Shogun TW and probably Medieval TW, because the older titles was development with either DX7 or DX8 for Windows 95/98 when they were released in the 90's.

Gondor's defeated in your campaign? That's some tough luck. It might be tough to move south into Isengard as you'll most likely actually have to take the city, and it's a pain in the ass even with a full stack of the best units Khazad-dum can offer. I would suggest making Khazad-dum your capital, upgrading your barracks, and producing a ton of Guards of Khazad-dum. If the invasion is still going on and it's limiting your productivity, let the enemy take it, keep a full stack of units outside, and take it back. It won't matter in the long run.

Try and focus on Rhun and destroy them. Once they're gone, everything will be much easier.

Isengard shouldnt be too hard to handle. The last thing I knew about them was they were having a tough time with the High Elves and Arnor.

For now though, I think focusing on Rhun would indeed be the best idea. They are getting bolder and based on what my spies show me I can only assume they have regained the power that they had before I turned my attention to them in the first place. It's going to be tough but I'm going to have to really sink my teeth into them. I need to strike hard and thoughtfully or they could very likely assure a successful invasion into the north by Mordor and Harad.

http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/Total_War:_Rome_II_-_Arverni_Faction faction up now.

Not really sure what to make of the screen shot...

I remember the Averni being mentioned in the Comentarii de Bellico Galii. By the time Caesar wrote that, the Arverni alliance had splintered into its respective clans. Should be interesting to see how that faction turns out.

http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/Total_War:_Rome_II_-_Suebi_Faction faction up.

Cool picture.

Thanks for keeping me informed. Folks on the TWC Forums seemed to believe the next faction would be a Germanic faction. So thats six of eight factions. Three Western Civilised factions, three Western barbarian factions. My guess is that the last two will be more eastern factions, like the Ptolemaic Empire or Parthians.

Yeah, I mean, the Ptolemaic is a given... but the last faction could be Armenia, Parthia, Selucia, Numidia, I mean... pretty much anything...

But why in the hell are there only 8 factions? Is it because they can't really imagine what all the others would be like if they came to power?

I haven't followed the game too much but maybe these are just 8 "default" factions you get right at the start but you unlock more by completing the campaing like in the original RTW?

Yeah, that's what I'm hoping, but I almost doubt it. I think they took a lot of liberties with the first Rome TW with some of those factions to the point of having absolutely no historical basis, and most of the factions that weren't major didn't offer anything at all in terms of end game tech.

I hate to say it but, I think they might actually only give us 8 thought-out factions.

I know Rome is the focus. But I was hoping there would be more focus on Alexanders Successor kingdoms, as they helped shape the Mediterranean at the time and Rome had lots of contact with them. The Antigonids, Ptolemies, Attalids, etc. But I'm guessing with only 2 more spots, one will be Ptolemaic Egypt and the other will be a generic horse-archer faction. I suppose there could always be mods (hopefully!).

While we'll are waiting for more information about Rome2TW from CA, so why not share our experience of previous game titles here. Since I brought this up I'll share of what I just discovered in the Barbarian Invasion and that's about something that CA had hidden from us in vanilla. What I'm referring to is about the mining facilities for the Sassanids Empire plus other factions too such as the Alemanni, because if you edit the vanilla \The Creative Assembly\Rome - Total War\BI\data\export_descr_buildings.txt (always backup the original files first before editing them) file shown like this...

building hinterland_mines{	levels mines mines+1	{		mines requires factions { barbarian, carthaginian, eastern, hun, nomad, roman, }  and resource silver or resource gold		{			capability			{				mine_resource 4			}			construction  2			cost  2000			settlement_min town			upgrades			{				mines+1			}		}		mines+1 requires factions { barbarian, eastern, roman, }  and resource silver or resource gold		{			capability			{				mine_resource 7			}			construction  3			cost  3500			settlement_min large_town			upgrades			{			}		}	}	plugins	{	}}

...and change a few lines shown below you'll be able to construct mine buildings in three regions (Babylonia, Media, Assyria). I did that but I'm not sure why Media already has constructed a mine since I haven't touch it plus I can't see the building on the campaign map and I wonder does anyone here know why Media already have a mine constructed.

building hinterland_mines{	levels mines mines+1	{		mines requires factions { barbarian, carthaginian, eastern, hun, nomad, roman, }  and resource silver or resource gold or resource iron		{			capability			{				mine_resource 4			}			construction  2			cost  2000			settlement_min town			upgrades			{				mines+1			}		}		mines+1 requires factions { barbarian, carthaginian, eastern, roman, }  and resource silver or resource gold or resource iron		{			capability			{				mine_resource 7			}			construction  3			cost  3500			settlement_min large_town			upgrades			{			}		}	}	plugins	{	}}

All you need to do is to add the iron resource after were you find what factions that's require to build mines and viola you have an extra income.

I think I'd prefer it if they released the game with eight default playable factions, each of which has unique abilities and gameplay mechanics that set it apart from the other factions. For example the Ikko Ikki are a unique experience because they are very defensive in nature and rely on popular uprising to expand their territory.

Maybe we only get 8 playable factions, and the rest more generic/less focused on and are locked. (and can possibly be unlocked)

I think they'll add more factions as DLC.

If Shogun 2 is anything to go by then I doubt it. In my most recent FoTS campaign the Choshu, one of the 3 major Imperial clans, was wiped out after the first turn. Similarly, I am the only playable Shogunate faction left alive, the two other largest Shogunate clans are both unplayable.

So in my experience, unplayable factions often come to power. My guess is that after Shogun 2, where every faction had an identical roster, they want to focus on making eight very unique factions.

What I'm most curious about at this point is if they're bringing back avatar conquest mode and if so, how that will work. For those who don't know, in avatar conquest mode you have a persistent general that can level up, select skills and select retainers (which are like perks). So start off in a region in Japan and conquer one region at a time, if you win a multiplayer battle while in a region, you conquer that region. Every region gives you a reward, whether it be a new unit, retainer or cosmetic item. If a unit does really well in a battle it will become a veteran and will also be able to level up.

This works for Shogun 2 because all the factions have the same roster. But if they brought it back in Rome 2 I don't know how they'd set it up, because obviously it would be a bit strange if your Roman general unlocked Averni Blood Howlers (I made them up) or had a Priest of Baal as a retainer. So do you think we'll have to select what faction our Avatar is or do you think Avatars will have access to all units?


Unfortunate but inevitable. I just hope they take the opportunity to improve the factions they release as DLC. The Ikko Ikki is good DLC in my opinion, because it gives you a new and unique faction to experience. The Otomo DLC is not so great, because it gives you overpowered units to use in multiplayer.

I haven't been following Rome II enough. Only 8 playable factions? Wow. Weren't there 18 factions in Rome? Ha. I hope this game is moddable.

Rome had three initial factions (all Roman), if you completed a campaign with any of those you unlocked eight additional factions. The other factions you had to make .ini tweaks to play.

Each of the major factions has 3 political factions.

Which will probably mean that they have some minor differences in tech trees and unit stats. I wouldn't expect too much of that.

Well time is rushing by these days. That's what I know and yes you're right about the factions in Rome, but remember only 3 factions was playable in vanilla unless you actually played the prologue and destroyed a faction then the same faction will be playable in the imperial campaign. I'm quitesure it will be moddable and if it isn't then TW community will make it moddable that's for sure.

Oops... I just notice that I forgot to add a "gameplay and strategy" link for Empire TW.

So its now turn 260 something.

The invasion on Khazad-Dum was a failed one and is long over with. Throughout the invasion I was setting up for an offensive south and south east of Khazad-Dum so after it ended I promptly got to work. I beat back the encroaching forces of Mordor and restored some land back to the Silvan Elves. I have also taken Barad Dur. Surprisingly Mordor isn't putting up a very good fight. Arnor has mopped up most of Isengard and I am besieging Orthanc as we speak. However, they (Isengard) still have a couple of regions to the south. Rhun is doing a good job of holding back my forces and the forces of Dale, but I'm slowly and surely winning the war.

Now for the hard part. Harad has finally acted and moved into Rohan. What was once a resilient and stead fast country is now going to be gone within the next few turns. My spies have shown me the armies of Harad and its not good. They have stacks upon stacks of elite infantry moving into the lands south of the Misty Mountains which brings them nearly to my door step. The only hope for survival is to team up with Arnor. I take solace, however, in the fact that were Harad to take Khazad-Dum and move north through the Misty Mountains, it would be a severely uphill battle for them; my dwarves excel in mountainous terrain. I have also wisely built up the military industry of my settlements far from the front lines, so that every step of the way, the enemy will meet fierce resistance.

New Rome 2 Total War video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7fqb3cPPfuM