Empire Total War

[Reschke]

Well I started the Road to Independence after a few days of wanting to get playing and hating the Steam service and everything else. I finally got through and was able to get a good working installation after emailing with a guy from Steam and having to re-download the entire game from them. All of their problems with "the game....unavailable..." seems to stem from Direct2Drive. Even though the file shows up as complete it is missing something according to Steam they hope to have it fixed soon.

Anyway I am now in the colonial stage in the French and Indian War and have lost George Washington in a repeat of the battle at Fort Duquesne. I won the battle but lost Washington to a cannon ball during part of the French barrage coming from the fort. So now after recruiting a few new generals and a small Fifth rate navy at Williamsburg I now run into CTD's for no reason. BUT overall I like the way the land battles happen they seem to be better than in the previous versions of the Total War series.

[Saurdaukar]

Saurdaukar,

Importance of seas depends on the country you play. As the UK it's vital to secure the trade routes, and most of all secure as many trade posts in the beginning as possible. However, playing Russia I've had no real need to secure the seas.

Sir, I believe we have discovered the core of the problem!

You will note the title as being "Empire" Total War, not "Mindless Rabble in Burlap Clothes" Total War.

As such, I find it shocking, shocking indeed, that someone would assume the role of any other, would-be "empire." 

[mechanic]

well said, Mazz

[iTunes]

I stick a 4th rate with a few of those Cannonade Frigates in the nodes near the trade zones, that way if my Indiamen ships get ganged then I can send the boys in within one turn, Anyone having Issues with Pirates? I'm constantly being jumped by them.
I also never realized those pesky Cherokees just don't know when to quit

[Fishu]

I stick a 4th rate with a few of those Cannonade Frigates in the nodes near the trade zones, that way if my Indiamen ships get ganged then I can send the boys in within one turn, Anyone having Issues with Pirates? I'm constantly being jumped by them.
I also never realized those pesky Cherokees just don't know when to quit

Ridding pirates is only a matter of cleaning up two islands. Cherokees possess tasty regions, especially the cherokee lands, there's alot of wealth. Ridding them doesn't either cause too much discontent among the other nations.

I've also used 4th rates for patrolling, while the bigger ships I've usually kept in Europe and sometimes briefly at America. No real need to go out with bigger ships and it's usually a good idea to keep them close in case an another european naval power decides to act up. Unless of course there's too much income, which is often the case by the time you come up with 2nd and 1st rates, and therefore enables multiple fleets of big ships.

[mechanic]

I am a heartless tyrant. It's 1776 and GB owns the whole of india, 90% of Europe, Africa and the Carribean. The USA has just been born and I'm letting them kill the indians for me.

[Fishu]

I am a heartless tyrant. It's 1776 and GB owns the whole of india, 90% of Europe, Africa and the Carribean. The USA has just been born and I'm letting them kill the indians for me.

My first campaign was GB empire, but then came to a crashing halt. Instead of trying to figure out how to go around it I started a prussian empire. Eventually it too came to a crashing halt by around 1775 and I got enough of trying to bypass the crashes that became ever more challenging to bypass. All the problems started when I began to conquer like a golden horde. Russian campaign hasn't yet been thwarted by the divine powers by 1750. Hopefully it will not happen, there's been two updates since I began anew for the third time.

[mechanic]

Fishu my first GB empire ended the same way. I had not killed France or Spain and their navy/army was so large it made each turn take 15 minutes for the CPU to think. Second time round i marched from Gibralta to Paris in the first 15 turns. Game has been running alot smoother without those two factions, and a loss in Europe destroys their American colonies and creates Mexico and Columbia factions.
 In the first empire the Spanish navy alone is enough to crash the game at times, not to mention the 10,000 troops they had defending the Spanish mainland.

[Fishu]

I've had only twice some 20 minute round, otherwise significantly less. Both times it was Denmark's turn during a same campaign.

[mechanic]

I geuss it is different everytime, the player changes 'history' a little differently in each game. I'm more cruel than the Romans. Everybody hates us.

[Vudak]

So how are you guys enjoying playing as a Britain that is entirely safe from naval invasion?

Maybe I'm weird, but I always liked how in EU3 I had to keep a strong home fleet nearby.  In Empire, there's no need as of yet.

[bongaroo]

Probably bugged like it was in MTW2. The game designers seem to struggle with the AI as far as naval landings go.

[Urchin]

So, this puppy is going on sale at Best Buy for $30 next week. 

Is it worth getting yet?

[Swoop]

Not yet, they're getting there though.  Next patch should improve the speed apparently.

[Urchin]

I think I'll pick it up anyway.  Don't really have the willpower to pass it up for $30 - even if it isn't worth it yet it sure as heck isn't worth $50 to me.