Let's Play: Shogun 2 Total War

[IGdood]

Total defeat. This defense wasn't even glorious for us in any manner. It was a slaughter.

With the loss of a daimyo....wait why is his wife ruling as regent? How come Shigehira doesn't get to be daimyo?

Blah, didn't really care much for him anyways.

This fuck-huge Hata elite army is a serious threat. MICHIARI, HAMPER THEIR PROGRESS UNTIL SHIGEHIRA CAN GET HIS ASS OVER HERE. HAI TONO

Just like a pokemon battle. When paralyzed, you are absolutely useless. (Usually).

Shigehira conquers Sagami! Now we just need to fix up the garrison and repression there and conquer Harima and THEN he can march home. That'll take a lot of turns. Maybe I'm better off raising an army from Kawachi and Settsu.

Need money, we loot! One good thing about having a female regent ruler is that you don't need to care about a bad honor rating. So I can loot all the fuck I want, but then it's Realm Divide anyways so who gives a shit about honor......

Upgrading the Shinden in Kyoto to a Mandokoro.

Direct Land Tax mastered (watch my income increase)

Now time to master Bow Expertise to make my archers more accurate.

How does it feel, Hata? TO have an all-powerful army looking at some rather undefended provinces? Piss you off much? U MAD, BRO?

Yeah, I didn't really make any plans but I saw Awa (on that little island to the west) was a required province, so I sent a invasion army there....heheh. Maybe I should've sent this group to the Hata? But don't worry, Michiari can stall them because he's awesome.

Awa has no Stronghold, so while I'm building 1 (it'll take 3 turns), I'll put a general here to improve my chances of a possible counterattack from the Yashima Taira.

Harima has fallen to Shigehira. Now he can truly march back. I think.

Lol wut

What the

AGAIN. AGAIN.

My vassal Takeda kills off one of my enemies.

Don't remind me. I've got 8 turns left.

After what I feel to be an adequate fortifying of Tango, I don't sabotage the Hata army. I'll defeat them here.

Nice scenery.

May Buddha guide us to victory...oh wait, Buddha doesn't handle war.

May our arrows fly true!

We'll make 'em pay! They may have experience, but you have...umm...you have...WALLS!

Archers pull back! GO NAGINATA LEVY!

Fuck, are they actually carving through my troops!?

Keep shooting, keep shooting!!

SHOOT DAMMIT

There's so many of them!

Finally managed to get a screenie of one of them dying.

Their generals show up.

They dismount. Do they want to join the assault also or something?

Yup.

Either the lighting is funny or that tachi sword is golden.

[IGdood]

Congratulations, you conquered a province named "vocabulary." Now you can reply to those declaring war on you with a broader vocabulary.

Unfortunately my broad use of vocabulary usually only involves f-bombs. INDEED.

Everyone, get 'em!

Die, motherfucker.

Next general incoming.

DIE. DIE. DIE.

Now their archers climb up.

Still killing some bodyguards.

They...they must rout some time soon!?

KILL 'EM!

Enemy archer screams at my camera.

What the fuck. Those archers are actually kicking my ass in melee.

Urgh, last Taira soldier.

WHHHHHHYYYY!!!!?????

I am disappoint.

Suddenly as I end my turn I am greeted with this video. I also saw one of my vassals steamroll through Tango and Tajima.

I actually won a campaign. Wow!

chrome://ietab2/content/reloaded.html?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYJzCDDJIKw

Not sure how I got such a high per-turn expenditure, maybe a bug?

The Fukuhara Taira rule Japan. Wow. Well, I won't stop this LP until I've conquered every province (except vassals).

Bah, some levy got bribed.

New dood.

o_O;;

Well, didn't notice Sagami had a Weaponsmith that could improve the armor of soldiers trained there....

Morikage may have potential, provided Shigehira doesn't conquer everything by the time Morikage gets an army up.

[IGdood]

Sorry for the lack of updates.

I had 2 midterms today. Then my AVG Free Anti-virus decided that a boot file in the Windows directory was a virus and deleted it. Just installed Windows 7 and I need to reinstall my games so it'll be some time before I can fucking get back to the LP. I think the game saves are.....saved. I think. Will need to test.

[IGdood]

Hey guys, sorry for being so late on the update.

I decided to learn how to mod Shogun 2 Total War regarding units. My goal was to bring the Rise of the Samurai Genpei-era units into the Sengoku Jidai campaign. It failed. I'm not sure why, but it seems there's some hard-coding involved that restricts units to their respective campaigns for some reason. I'm looking for help from some of the more experienced modders; unfortunately the most veteran of them is in surgery and hasn't been seen for months. Pity.

Anyway, here we go. Last time we Fukuhara Taira (also known as Fuck-You-Harder Taira) completed our mission objectives in the nick of time, but it's not enough. Our sister clan is a utter bitch and needs to be wiped from the island in the south. The Fujiwara and the Hata are still at large, and the Minamoto are pissing me off.

Now our guys will hit slightly more often now! And our samurai will kick more ass than they usually do!

Now we move on to master a different way of thinking. Whatever, I must unlock the Naginata Warrior Monk Hero, Genpei Version. I like the tetsubo version though.

Firebomb Medium Ship - The ancestor of the Firebomb Kobaya, except with the ability to Bonzai.

The Armoury is the upgrade to the Encampment building that grants +1 armor to all units recruited in the province and -10% recruitment cost. In layman's terms, it makes your units cheaper and harder to be killed.

Though we are a dominant power, there will be no rest for Michiari. Continue killing pl0x.

Like a bau5.

If they can't be killed, we can brainwash them and tell them to fuck off.

Ohohoho wait what the fuck am I reading.

We're nice to the monks. I don't get what Enlisting Aid does. It didn't help in the beginning of the game.

Good thing I have healthy stacks in the area they landed. Had they landed somewhere not so heavily-defended......

Vassals pave the way. Moving to Izumo.

Wait wait wait what? Shigehira? my best general? No fucking way. I refuse to believe this. Treason? No, I will not order him to commit seppuku.

Oh fuck. Only 1 loyalty mark.

What buttfuckery is this. All my generals have either 1 loyalty point. That really is treason. I suppose no 30-40 year old veteran wants to listen to some 20-year old noob rant about his daily visits to 2chan Tea House and Co.

In a fast attempt to remedy things, I assign positions of rank to my 3 generals and adopt Shigehira into the family, boosting his loyalty from 1 to 5.

Taoist Thinking mastered. Made in China.

Rival daimyos throughout Japan consider us faggots for allowing disloyal generals to not die.

And it's a hefty diplomatic penalty. -50. That's akin to 1/4 of the war penalty. Shit.

We will continue to master Ceremony and Ritual. Then what the hell did we do in the temples prior to this?

Izumo is barely defended, and thus taken without many casualties.

Vassals vassals vassals.

Shigehira continues to level up.

Peer contempt truly is contemptuous. The Takeda are the first to backstab me; bloodthirsty fucks.

Adachi quickly follows suit.

Fuck you, traitor.

The Fujiwara army that landed who knows when has finally taken action.

Finally getting married?

My attempts to level up another new Sou have failed miserably.

Fujiwara, I'll show you the power of my military.

Dry weather. Good. It was raining from before.

I didn't like this starting position, so let's run here.

Yawn.

Psssh. Greenhorns. I bet they don't have Bushido mastered yet.

Wow, they're wavering already. Cowards.

Push forward, levy!

Their general is smalltime.

Meh. Give me something better to fight next time.

This might be challenging. Might be.

[IGdood]

Well, I have been...absent again.

Thing is....my modding was successful.

With some tears and sweaty hands, I have ported over the Genpei-era units to the main campaign.

However, I have not released this mod on the twcenter forums due to legal issues regarding the fact that this mod may (untested, and I don't know if it can be tested without violating rules) unlock DLC content for those who have not purchased the DLC.

Granted, the versions of the units imported to the grand campaign are modified (for balance purposes) versions of the original DLC units, but still, I am suspicious.

Here, have some screens as proof.

All the (well, almost all) heroes.

Genpei era and Sengoku Jidai era monks standing side by side. Note monk on the right glancing at the guy on the left.

Levy and ashigaru. Except levy suck more (but I let them compensate with increased numbers)

Onna Bushi Heroine cutting up ashigaru

Tetsubo Monks bash some heads in while Katana Hero slices them off

Well, enough eye candy. This is proof that they can be recruited in the grand campaign.

So, now I have to make a choice. Should I just abandon the Taira campaign (I kinda "beat it" already) and do another grand campaign with all the units together (including some special dlc units that are available to the grand campaign only like Mortar Troops and Mounted Gunners (aka dragoons))?

[IGdood]

Missed me? Doubt it, but here goes.

So previously we were about to engage of the Hata clan's armies; they outnumbered us but we have the advantage in 1337-ness.

So here goes.

Does anyone notice a change in screenshot quality? How about graphical quality? i turned down the settings a bit so the gameplay is a bit smoother for myself.

Man this map's got more wood than Chuck Norris. I put my archer line to the side of the trees so their arrows won't get tangled up; I put my melee troops behind the bow levy and the monks while those who would've been backing up the foot samurai have been placed in the forest for hiding purposes....eheh.

The Hata stay put; preferring to let me come to them instead.

So I use the tried-and-true extended-range-monk-bait trick. They fall for it, and they react stupidly by sending their ranged units 2 at a time to engage my archers. It works out extremely in my favor, and I quickly take out their bow monks and bow levy.

Tani Tomofuki: IN THE NAME OF HONOR I DEMAND A RANGED DUEL GENPEI ST----

Shigehira: LOOSE ARROWS

Tomofuki: FUUUUUUUUU--HRRRNNGGGGGHH

This battle calls for massive firepower

Your giant shoulder pads will not protect you.

You know, when you skirmish with your foe, you send your whole fucking archer line forward. Not bits of it for me to focus fire on.

Hey look, another general. And yes I do see casualties on one of my foot samurai units.

Tamoe Gozen, might Onna Bushi Heroine, general-killer. SLAY THAT FUCK. Oh, and take some attendants with you.

Hey. SURPRISE.

Foot Samurai, go teach those levy how a real soldier fights.

Well that general is down. Now let's make a u-turn and charge back into the enemy!

Units from the forest dealing with a few of their units; my cavalry archers withdraw from their pursuers whilst archers pelt them.

Well, I send in some bow levy to stall those attendants. If there's one thing I did incorrectly in this battle it's that I put 1 too many melee units into the forest.

Now my cavalry archers can hit at them.

Moving out to take on another group of cavalry...

1:5 loss:kill ratio. Nice.

We must press forward. Take the Hata lands and make their women lament!

Still more forests than I would've liked. Let's just march forward for now.

The right side (from my perspective) of their army consists mainly of melee units. Their bow units are to my left. I move my mounted units to the right so they can harass the enemy without fear of reprisal.

Monks....get up there.

Yo dawg I heard you liked increased range in your arrow so I put some range in your range so you can arrow while you arrow. What?

They take the bait. Fools Into the killzone.

You don't stand a ghost of a chance.

Tamoe Gozen, go to their flank.

Nyah nyah nyah can't hit me

Well they're charging. With no missile units giving them covering fire, I 'd like to see how long they can last. Or how far they can get.

Yeah they didn't get very far.

Hm, didn't spot that group of Foot Samurai earlier on.

They didn't last too long either.

Got him in my make-up obscured sights. - Onna Bushi

The Hata get their collective asses together and decide to charge. I pulled back some of my other units but neglected this one...

Hey. Look the other way.

Now is the right time to charge.

And forward!

Pwnage occurs.

Another triumph against the Hata.

By the way, the smoother frame rate allows a much smoother video recording than before, which I kinda like. Where screenshots give the outline of what happened, the video shows my exact movements, so you can kinda learn from it....I guess?

[Rewjeo]

Oh, hey, this.

Wouldn't it be nice (but terribly frustrating at times) if the AI learned what strategies you used and would stop falling for them?

[IGdood]

Yes...it would lead to some interesting developments, and at least I can improve my chances at multiplayer, which I'm planning to get into. At least, in multiplayer we have CUSTOMIZABLE, NAMEABLE UNITS THAT WE ALL MISSED FROM EMPIRE TOTAL WAR >_>.

Maybe I should do a multiplayer LP just so all of SF can watch me get raped but at least you can name units, decide their uniform colors, decide their abilities, decide HOW THEY LEVEL UP. EVEN THE ASHIGARU.

Anyways, back to analyzing the previous battles. The Hata had two responses to my bow monk bait trick.

1. Don't do anything and wait for my monks' ability to wear off. At this point I'll either play it cheap, wait 5 minutes for the skill to be available again, and continue shooting them from afar and wiping out what's left 5 minutes before the time limit hits. Or, I'll grow impatient and because I want my screenshots to be filled with glory, just send my troops forward and do something stupid.

2. Send their whole archer line forward. At this point I'll be engaging in a full on archery duel. I'll move my melee line forward to get their archers, which they can counter using their own melee line. However, I had previously-hidden units in the forest who can run around their flank and hit their archers from behind. Still, there's still some room for uncertainty since they may have mele units in reserve if they're smart, but that's unlikely.

[IGdood]

Thought for the Day: Just when you thought you had it all, you start to lose it all.

After a few turns of stabilizing Taira Morikage marches on to Bitchu with a crack team of Attendants and Monks.

Meanwhile, Michiari has fun sabotaging armies, poisoning the water, performing arson, murder, and jaywalking.

For reaching max level he gets a badass mask. But he's old. And I don't have the cash for him to do his jobs. Wasted opportunity.

Placed points in Invisible, just so he can gtfo if he ever fails missions, or if enemy agents try to go after him.

And he gets another pretty sword to his collection of death-dealing instruments.

Shigehira continues his conquest up north. OCCUPY IWAMI!

I forgot if I ever showcased this unit. Mounted Naginata. The Genpei version of the Yari Cavalry, except better at staying alive.

For not executing Shigehira, my vassals think lowly of me and betray me, one by one. Cowards.

Morikage gets married....to a beautiful wife...wheeee..

Yeah, fuck you.

Gathering what little garrison forces I have, I roflstomp Wakasa into submission.

Whereas Morikage gives up his quest for Bitchu, and turns around to besiege Bizen instead. Gotta keep my provinces connected.

Movin' out, assuming leaving only a skeleton garrison in Harima won't encourage the dissidents to take up arms against me.

Meanwhile, Kaneaki (the general that's on a lonely island) levels up as he fights off a few small armies.

Feeling emboldened by the new star floating next to him, it's off to take Sanuki.

Never seen this retainer portrait before.

He can use the extra defense.

A small group of levies make it to the Minamoto province of Izu. I don't believe I can hold it if a rebellion occurs, so perhaps I'll conquer it, loot it, and then trash its buildings for some extra cash before getting the hell out of there. Scorched earth policy is in effect, as my treasury is hungry for moar money.

Everyone hates me anyways. Losing honor isn't going to hurt me more. I've got that peer contempt status effect right now anyways....for the next 4 turns.

Bizen's garrison salies! We will defeat them honorably (somewhat).

I don't like that tiny elevation. I'll move to the right.

Hm...seems like they have plenty of bow troops. Since I feel like having fun, I will have Morikage charge into their archers. Meheheheh.

CHAARGE

I think my bodyguards are dropping at an outrageous rate. WHO TOLD YOU TO DIE? KEEP FIGHTING.

Y U WAVER

Why they waver too?

After a minute or two they break, and we begin cutting shit down.

Wow, seems like everyone suffers from chronic backstabbing disorder in Rise of the Samurai. I guess the idea of Bushido hasn't taken hold yet.

Yeah...I lost Etchu after one of those valiant last-stand type defeats.

Izu garrison making their way back to Suruga, hopefully before rebels appear.

Bizen has fallen to us after our somewhat honorable triumph over its garrison.

Morikage levels up as a result.

Sumo retainer? lololol

I think I'll build Morikage as a leader, not a warrior. Or maybe I can mix both down the line...we shall see...

You don't stand a chance, garrison of Sanuki.

Argh...why can't people march further?

Yup, the whole of Japan hates us because we didn't execute Shigehira for being disloyal, yet for some reason that's enough of an excuse for vassals to DISHONORABLY to backstab me and generally be DISLOYAL sons of bitches.

Great.

[IGdood]

FML.

We must conquer! Need money!

Not sure what I was thinking; I made a vassal instead of just occupying the place. Yeah I was hoping it wouldn't backstab me....

The Hata are really leaving some provinces undefended....such as Nagato.

Fuck you, new vassal by the name of Seno. Fuck you.

Izu is lost, but its new owners will not find much there. The new owners are rebels anyways, and will not be doing much besides staying in their newly-acquired province.

Ceremony and Ritual mastered, woot woot.

Interesting dilemma. Young thief claims to be poor so he steals (Rickard, Julian, anyone?) I decide to let him go instead of yelling at my guards. Not sure what will happen from the result of my decisions...

A son is born, whoo. Taira Yasukiyo will be his name.

Meanwhile, Iwami rebels and spawns a huge-fucking army. Time to get the hell out of there. The iwami garrison joins Shigehira next door at Nagato.

I also cancel all construction at Iwami to recoup some money. That money will go into training troops at Nagato to pacify it.

[Rewjeo]

I love when provinces rebel and spawn huge, elite armies out of nowhere. Oh so much. Especially when the spawned army is bigger than the population that was in it because you decided to loot/exterminate when you captured it...

[IGdood]

I love when provinces rebel and spawn huge, elite armies out of nowhere. Oh so much. Especially when the spawned army is bigger than the population that was in it because you decided to loot/exterminate when you captured it...

Annoying as hell. -sigh- At least Empire Total War got it right by spawning shit armies in your revolutions...

Somewhere in Sagumi, the Minamoto show up with a big fucking elite army and wish to take it. No I say, I have levy with improved armor!

We are surrounded. All archers, stay on the upper levels. We'll send a few naginata down to the lower levels.

Sword Attendant spam on our behinds. Let's keep moving.

Loose arrows! That's a shitload of enemy foot samurai. Put 'em down!

Fall back, fall back!

The naginata levy will hold them off. All archers, to the western walls! Shoot the enemy samurai!

They're getting confident. They're actually climbing up.

Sir! What are your orders?! We're dying down here!

I DONT KNOW SHEESH

Good, we drove back those sword attendants.

FORWARD! Try to rout them!

Gaaah, we are being overpowered! Negative negative, we gotta fall back!

Gaaaah, keep shooting!

This armor will protect us! I think....

OMG Y U NO DIE?!

Crap, the sword attendants are back. With a vengeance.

Eventually, the Minamoto foot samurai seemed to have run out of arrows to shoot at my levy. They're gonna climb up now...

And I am forced to charge my valuable sword attendants at theirs. Guess the levy aren't stopping them very well.

Well, that took them out.

They're combing, keep shooting! Hey wait, I think one group of them are fleeing! Sweeet.

Now let's see if we can get a flank attack on them. GO!

Argh, , taking fire from their generals' bodyguards. We gotta capture our tower back so it can shoot at them!

KILL! KILL!

Ah, crap, now's not the time to give up! Fuck. Fall back to the inner walls!

Yup. All these screenies are depicting a retreat.

The shooting continues.

To the last man and the last arrow! SHOOOOOT. Where's 3-13 Archer when you need him?

Oh boy, let's see if we can win this final melee.

RUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH!

VICTORY! WE WIN!

That was...stressful. Now where am I going to get the money to retrain all those troops? I suppose I can loot some provinces....

Looks like those new rebels don't like me.

Tango north! Smoke 'im! Wait wait wait this isn't Call of Duty.

Morikage figures that Bizen has stabilized, and moves forward to Bitchu.

Autoresolve, then loot for cash.

Next tech to master: Sumo Retainers. Need to repress the population to ensure their loyalty.

Tango down, tango down, but was it worth it?

Yes, yes it was. Loot the place for money, destroy all buildings there, and move to the next poorly-defended settlement aka Tajima.

We'll keep this province.

[IGdood]

Hmm, I can't believe I forgot to distribute Shigehira's skill points. Guess I'll make him a good warrior then.

Moar accuracy is always good for the bow generics.

Taking over Iyo....at that tiny island down there.

Now that I don't have a diplomatic penalty over my decision to not execute Shigehira for disloyalty, I'm back to making vassals. Hopefully they'll do something about Clan Hata's crazy-powerful navies.

Well they like me enough to settle for a trade agreement, it seems....

Hm, finally one of these random event things pops up. I choose town growth!

Whoaaa holy shit, where did you come from?

Meanwhile....I'm going to attempt to decapitate the Yashima Taira.....Dear sister clan, you will pay for your betrayal. Love, Fukuhara Taira.

A Hata army encroaches on Bitchu. We will fight it off!

Walkin' in a winter wonderland~

Oh wait, it's only November.

Elites at the back...as usual.

Open fire! We've won plenty of field battles before, this should be no different.

Fuck, get your facing together people. The enemy is THAT way. Stop looking around like a bunch of numbskulls.

Cavalry, CHARGE! Pursue their general! Crush him!

Fast and easy.

Die. On your knees.

Meanwhile, just to piss the Hata off, I capture Bingo, loot it, and run back to Bitchu. Come at me.

How do I win this?

Let's see, all archers to the direction of the enemy. All melee units stay out of sight. We'll let the archers get shot at under the cover of the walls.

It didn't take very long for them to put arrows into my militia. C'mon, move up! Hold the walls!

It's do or die, gentlemen! For your lords, your families, and your farms!

They're climbing! Time to pull the archers back.

We will hold you back! THOU SHALT NOT PASS.

Things are heating up. Literally.

Finding yourself to be a bit claustrophobic?

Okay, we drove off the first few groups. Run back, run back!

Their general is dismounting!

We cannot lose this battle! If Omi is lost, Kyoto will be threatened!

BURY THEM WITH OUR BODIES MEN

Archers! USE SWORDS!

HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGH

Have you had enough!!!? HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH!?

We...survived. Against all odds.

Whew, now I don't need to wait so long in waiting for newly-conquered provinces to warm up to me.

Next up: Reducing the tax inefficiency even more. With a Police Office.

By the way I believe I have forgotten to put up a screenie of the Sumo Retainer info.

You know guys, I think I'm afflicted with Total War fatigue. I wish to take a break from this Total War LP and do something else. I've got Skyrim and other games that demand to be finished....and....shamefully, I am going to put this LP on hold.

Sorry guys....unless you're feeling fatigued watching this, haha!

[IGdood]

JEEZ JUST WHEN I FRICKIN PUT RISE OF THE SAMURAI ON HIATUS THEY ANNOUNCE THIS:

http://blogs.sega.co...urai-announced/

FALL OF THE SAMURAI.

TOM FUCKING CRUISE?

By the way, anyone watch the Last Samurai?

Also, this trailer is fucking hilarious.

Edited November 29, 2011 by skitarii

[Rewjeo]

Awesome timing for me! I just got a new laptop that should be able to run Shogun 2, and therefor this new expansion.

YOU'D BETTER FINISH LETTING THE SAMURAI RISE BEFORE THEY FALL BECAUSE OTHERWISE THAT WOULD JUST BE DEPRESSING

[IGdood]

Even better timing for you is the release of the Blood Pack DLC and the Hattori Clan DLC....

Seriously, why the fuck did they not release Blood Pack earlier?! It could've made my screenshots a LOT more beautiful!

AND WHY DOES IT COST $1.59 TO BUY BLOOD!? WHHAAAAAAAT!?

[IGdood]

Hey interested people, you can apply to the closed beta for Fall of the Samurai.

I sent in my application.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=502165

[IGdood]

Just in case anyone's still interested there's a new DLC adding 9 heroes to the game.

Edited July 26, 2012 by skitarii

[Rewjeo]

Well, that trailer... didn't do much. Anyways, I doubt I'll buy it unless it drops to ~$1. Not paying five bucks for units that won't get much use.

[IGdood]

Bought it.

Basically it just gives heroic versions of the nodachi, cavalry, matchlock, and ninja units.

And adds in 2 more naginata users and brings a tetsubo club hero to the Shogun 2 campaign.

Edited July 27, 2012 by skitarii

[IGdood]

In case anyone still cares this clan DLC will be released soon.

DAT STACHE

http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/Otomo

[Rehab]

Please let me stop spending throwing money at Shogun 2 eventually, dudes.

Edited November 19, 2012 by Rehab