IGdood Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 (edited) Hi all! Skitarii/IGdood here! Hope nobody's tired of the Total War LPs I've done on the forums. While I'm waiting for Rome 2, I received news that the The Great War mod, which is a WW1 complete overhaul mod for Napoleon Total War, will be released in approximately 13 hours from the time of writing this post. Here's the obligatory post that I make for my Total War LPs as a quick introduction to the series. For newcomers to the Total War series and those who just want to look at my Let's Play, I welcome you. Total War series is probably one of the most involved strategy games ever. I'll give some basics, but you'll be learning as I go through the campaign and such.The game is mainly divided into two segments: Turn-based and real-time.In the turn-based segments you move your armies around, manage your cities, train troops, make diplomacy, assassinate enemy generals, spy on enemy cities and whatnot. This is probably the part that turns most casual gamers away, it gets very taxing keeping track of everything.Real-time occurs when your armies clash with others on the world map. The game will do a pretty epic zoom-in onto the map (or just go straight to the battle on the much older 2D games). Your general (or captain if you didn't put one there) will give a speech that could be heroic or shitty (if he's insane or cowardly) and you can position your men. After that you can begin the battle and start making your moves.Units are not single individuals, but are groups of soldiers, which can range from 80 (knights, elites) to 200 (peasants, low quality infantry) Growths are static, with every level up increasing attack and defence by 1. There are named characters who are part of your royal family, and they become generals if placed in an army. They develop depending on the situations you put them in on the battlefield, which can lead to very awesome warriors or very....umm...insane people. This can boost or screw over your troops' stats.The main goal of the game is to conquer your enemies, or if you're into roleplaying history, you can be merciful or just do nothing and watch what the other countries do.In battle, the main goal is to rout the enemy, basically break their will to fight. So, with clever positioning and even with lesser soldiers, you can defeat armies who are theoretically superior. Usually if people are getting chopped from the front, shot at in the sides, and charged in the back, it usually guarantees a rout. You can choose to let them run away and fight you on a better day, or you can chase and cut them down like the dogs they are. The game I will use is Napoleon Total War (NTW). For those of you who have read through my Empire Total War LP, NTW is basically a hundred years later in terms of the time period covered. Other than slashing out India and the Americas, firing drills, unit variety, etc. and improving the engine for smoother gameplay, there isn't much different other than changes in unit uniforms and better graphics. That's why I didn't do an LP for NTW. However, TGW is different. It uses the game, but sends the time period into WW1. I don't think I've seen many games nor movies that cover WWI in my lifetime, so I consider this LP an obligation and also a review of the mod. It will also be a good time killer until Rome 2 is released on Sep 3. So what is unique about WW1? It was a time of military doctrine change. People figured out that marching into battle towards machine guns was a pretty bad idea. Colorful uniforms just got you shot, so soldiers made the switch to khaki/dimmer colors. Flamethrowers, gas shells, automatic weaponry, TANKS, etc. made the battlefield a grim place. Artillery was king and accounted for 70% of casualties. Cavalry was pretty much useless. There was always the sort of myth that WW1 = trench warfare. Yes, trench warfare did happen but in places like the eastern front, warfare was more mobile. Units can be named, I believe. Don't expect them to survive for long in such hellish conditions though. Some screens and a little video so you know what I will be getting into. I'm going to play as one of the major nations, but I will leave the choice to you. France Great Britain Russia Austria-Hungary Germany Edited August 10, 2013 by IGdood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGdood Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 Annnnnd right when they're going to upload the modders found a bug that renders the campaign unplayable. They'll upload a version with custom battles only. I suppose we can use the unit rosters to decide which faction I'll be playing with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGdood Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 (edited) IT'S HAPPENED. They managed to fix the bug. Now we can get started. PLEASE CHOOSE FOR ME Russia seems to have the most diverse infantry roster, but I don't seem them having tanks. Germany and UK have the most unique units (UK seems to have NZ and Aussies and Canadian support too) France has some uniques, but not a lot. Everyone else shares a generic unit pool with 1-2 uniques here and there. The main menu. Very very sad piano soundtrack in the background while a montage of machine guns mowing down soldiers plays. The faction list. Choose! One of the loading screens I waited 3 years for this mod. I don't know what to feel right now. Sorry for the small image size. I'd link them in original size here but the forums doesn't recognize the photobucket extension .jpg~original. Anyone know of a better site? Edited August 18, 2013 by IGdood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewjeo Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 I'm afraid I can't say for sure what sites are better than Photobucket, but you've got things like imageshack or imgur that people use.I'll vote for UK/Germany for unit diversity. Between the two I don't really care all that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGdood Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 I'm afraid I can't say for sure what sites are better than Photobucket, but you've got things like imageshack or imgur that people use. I'll vote for UK/Germany for unit diversity. Between the two I don't really care all that much. It's okay, I contacted Jyosua and he added the new photobucket extension (they use .jpg~original now instead of just .jpg) so photobucket can continue. Unfortunately the mod is bugged beyond ****. The team seemed to have underestimated that a self-made game patcher would not work uniformly for their audience and the campaign is broken (economy is dead, no alliances!!!, etc) To be honest I'm not so sure how this many problems escaped internal testing but as a result they're now recruiting for beta testers from the public. Looks like this LP died before it can even properly start....a testament to the casualty rate of WW1. I'm betting Rome II will be out before this TGW can even be made playable for a LP. :\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGdood Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 Annnnd with some help of an internal beta which I was invited to participate in, a new patch has been rolled out and everybody is happy! We can continue now. The campaign opens up with the option to keep it historical or to keep it random. I chose the historical option. Technologies have been given an overhaul to reflect the period. This one looks bugged though George V looks to be an alright enough sort....just a little messed in the head. WW1's massive casualties came about as a result of using 19th century tactics with 20th century weaponry. Marching against machine gun fire and bolt action rifles wasn't the best idea at the time. Cavalry were...well...useless, for the most part. This is reflected in-game by all nations starting in the "Conventional Warfare" era. Units that belong this period will be tightly packed shoulder to shoulder and tend to be vulnerable to attack of all kinds. Due to game limitations, while techs for WW1 ships exist we won't actually be seeing mighty dreadnoughts in battle....they will be represented by Napoleonic-era units. Still, I doubt I'll be seeing much naval action, perhaps.... The most sensible thing to research is probably Trench Warfare Doctrine. Look at all the units it unlocks! Actually maybe not. The economy is pretty bad. I should get a stable economy or I won't be able to afford any units at all! Check out that 'stache. Researchers are Scholars; they hasten research rate to unlock techs faster. Since this is using the Napoleon Total War engine, each turn is half a month, I think. We won't see anyone age to death. Upgrading the university also helps. We only have 1 in Oxford. Barracks give you standard military units, and "autonomy" buildings give you militia and whatnot as well as increasing how many units the region can recruit per turn at the cost of decreasing your income. Not much in unit choice at the moment. We have Pal's Battalion, a militia/conscript unit that fights in the old style of shoulder to shoulder. Ignore the description saying they're professional. They're not. I hope. We have Yeomanry, a cavalry unit that fights with revolver and sword. Horribly outdated by this time period. We have Light Howitzers, an artillery unit with pitiful morale. However, they're our only choice at the moment....and I have no clue if they're the shittiest artillery or not. We have the "Volunteers", a regular rifle unit that fights in the old style of shoulder to shoulder. Now if only I could produce more.... If I recall correctly, Belgium turned into Germany's gateway into France yes? With my starting treasury I pour funds into improving the economy. I need the cash. Gibraltar can be my trading center; it'll make cargo ships that I can send to do trade with nations outside of Europe. Recall that this was after the Victorian era where most major European powers had colonies throughout the world. I researched mortars, but I don't have the facilities to make them. Lahore Infantry are basically riflemen recruited from India. I believe they're actually from the Trench Warfare era. Their stats are rather high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGdood Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 Mod said don't use leftover spies, so I won't. Looks like Belgium has fallen. If I don't help France out, the balance of power will tip too quickly.... An army without a general is much worse off compared to an army with an actual general. I pay top pound for Abercromby. More Researchers are always a good thing. I don't have a use for an airfield at the moment, so industrial farming it is. Sometime later Belgium got their shit together and ousted the Germans from the city. Good on ya. Our first cargo ship from Gibraltar proceeds to obtain resources. More money is poured into economic investment. I'm sure sending a halfstack of men to the continent is a very bad idea. We stop at bridges because they're much easier to defend than an open field. THE HUNS APPROACH! FIRST BLOOD WILL BE OURS! I think the Volunteers and the Pal's Battalion look exactly the same.... I think there's a crossing all the way in the corner. As expected, the Germans decide to go through there. My howitzers can only harass them for so much.....the Germans 3 howitzer batteries have all targeted my own. I quickly dismount my general so he isn't as conspicuous to artillery fire. Meanwhile, the Lahore Infantry take potshots at the German infantry across the river. Time to get the Yeomanry out of there before the big KABOOM The German cavalry get across first, but are turned back by gunfire from the Volunteers. More continue to run across the river. Casualties of those under fire quickly skyrocket to the hundreds. Bolt action rifles are MUCH more accurate than the muskets of old. CONSCRIPTS, ADVANCE ACROSS THE BRIDGE! YEOMANRY! CHAAAAAAARGE. Insert Warhorse reference here. That was a pretty neat movie. Pal's Men continue to cross the bridge. My Yeomanry come under fire from Rifle Cavalry hidden in the trees. Their numbers drop incredibly quickly and I withdraw them. As they withdraw the German infantry charge whilst still under fire from my riflemen across the river. ONLY IN WW1 CAN YOU LAUNCH HUMAN WAVE ATTACKS. Pretty good huh? Well fuck, here comes the next wave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGdood Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 (edited) What's left of the Howitzers bomb the opposing force's infantry. I wonder if they'll make it through this battle. Some leftovers from the previous battle are coming in behind us. The Yeomanry show them cold steel. It looks like they're concentrating on a single spot.... Well more like trying to cross the river. Despite counterfire, our adept infantrymen repulse the assault. The cries of the wounded and the stench of death fill the air. The water from the river will be undrinkable for months to come. Their general flees in dishonor. Just when you thought it was over, the Germans pull a full army out of their collective arses and try to push. I am utterly outnumbered. Let's see if the conscripts can hold the bloody line. The howitzers are still shooting. THEY WILL NEVER FALL The war that destroyed an entire generation. The pointless charging. I shed manly tears for all those who died. Our bullets can't stem the flow, sir! CAVALRY. RULE BRITANNIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA GOD SAVE THE KING, THEY BROKE THROUGH Where are they going though? WHO CARES, SHOOT THEM. SHOOOOOOT The German forces finally begun to open fire on our men. It wasn't pretty. Fortunately for us their general galloped into the crossfire and met his end. The rest follow suit and melt away as a result. With the conscripts spent, it was up to the regulars to advance. At this rate, the conscripts would turn into regulars. Ministers gain experience the longer they remain in a post. Nations fall. Napoleon Total War doesn't require the player to pay for troop replenishment. It's done automatically as long as the army is led by a general and is in a friendly province. I can use the money and the artillery. AND suddenly the economy breaks. For some reason trade income skyrockets and money is everywhere. I'll do my best not to cheat. This is...interesting. NEW UNITS AVAILABLE. Australian Light Horse - Not tough fighters like Yeomanry, but these guys carry rifles instead of pistols....and I think the description might be wrong...I'll inform the modding team. Rifle Infantry - Trench era unit, better stats Rifle Cavalry - See Aussie Lights King's African Rifles - See Rifle Infantry Conscripts - The updated version of Pal's Battalion Light Mortars - Very light artillery, I suppose. Napoleonic Mortars - Very OUTDATED artillery Edited August 18, 2013 by IGdood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGdood Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 (edited) We can now produce "light infantry" in the form of Somerset Infantry in both Conventinal and Trench doctrines. I suppose they are a subset of the Royal Marines? The Germans advance deeper into France. Abercromby needs time for his army to recover. Spain chooses a side. Abercromby hides in the woods, evading a German army. Perhaps we can strike back and liberate that region for France? Some time passes. With Caterpillar Tracks researched, we are on our way to acquiring tanks. Romania bites the dust. The time is nigh. WE ATTACK! As much as we dislike the Frogs, we dislike the Huns even more! These are the King's African Rifles. I like how the officer uses a knife instead of a sword. Light Mortars. That mortar is extremely small. Napoleonic mortars sure look out of place on the battlefield. The top picture is the Trench era Somerset. The bottom pic shows the Conventional era Somersets, with their archaic caps. The Trench era riflemen. And the conscripts. I guess the uniform's the same, it's just their training that's different. This should be a cakewalk. We're facing Armed Citizenry, a mob armed with knives, trenchguns (aka shotguns), or rifles. Keyword: OR. Some of them only have knives and look horribly outclassed. I feel so guilty but...yeah... With the liberation of I-forgot-that-region-name and the completion of a Cavalry Academy back in London, we have MORE NEW UNITS. Royal Lancers - Lance-armed cavalry even more sorely outdated tan the Yeomanry. No pistol, just a sharpened lance. Royal Hussars - Same armament as Yeomanry, but have lower stats but gallop faster. Combat Engineers - Low unit size, said to be able to deploy mines and can easily hide in the battlefield. Otherwise similar to Riflemen but with higher melee stats. Royal Dragoons - Rifle Cavalry with better melee. Italy, I don't think you were supposed to join them. Well, so be it. And Belgium is being cowardly. Thoughts thus far on the mod: Things seem to be in working order thus far. Aside from the broken income that is, but that's beside the point. Germany is aggressive and sends full on armies my way, as it should be. The unit balance seems alright; I do take issue with the lack of friendly fire precaution that the men show. In NTW vanilla, units will take care not to shoot their friends if infantry walk into each other's sights. It doesn't happen here, my friendly fire numbers are much higher. Men will just ignore everyone standing between them and their enemy and keep shooting. Otherwise, for a total conversion this mod is pretty fun. Edited August 18, 2013 by IGdood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewjeo Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 So what are the sides in the war? Is it Germany-Austria-Turkey-Italy against UK-France-Spain-Russia, basically? Or did the alliances breaking cause it to change? Also, what's up with this mod's battle-advantage bar? Every single time it says that one side is all but guaranteed to win. Only that last battle seemed like such a complete blowout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGdood Posted August 26, 2013 Author Share Posted August 26, 2013 (edited) So what are the sides in the war? Is it Germany-Austria-Turkey-Italy against UK-France-Spain-Russia, basically? Or did the alliances breaking cause it to change? Also, what's up with this mod's battle-advantage bar? Every single time it says that one side is all but guaranteed to win. Only that last battle seemed like such a complete blowout. The sides are right, and then the alliances broke so I think the Germany Austria union is sort of dissolved. The mod team gave artillery a big factor in the autoresolve bar. Not like any of this matters much anymore, the devs released a new update and it broke the game. I can't end turn without a crash even with a new game. I'm giving up this LP. Maybe it can be revived when they finally put out a bug-free version. I am disappointed that I never got to the tanks and machine guns; I thought that in the span of 3 years the dev team could actually test out the campaign, but it seems that for the most part they were focusing on getting the units to work in battle. For now...Rome 2 awaits! Edited August 26, 2013 by IGdood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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