Rome total war 2 secrets and codes. Rome: Total War Guide and Walkthrough

Even though I died under Acheron,

Let my blood go to the dogs -

Eagle of the Sixth Legion

Everything is still striving for heaven.

He is still proud and careless,

He is still undaunted.

Let the soldier's age be fleeting -

But Rome is eternal, but Rome is eternal.

From the folklore of archaeologists

I still remember my first skirmish with the Punyans. It was in Sardinia, while I, young Gnei Scipio, were scouting the area. The sentinels reported that several detachments of infantry were marching towards the crossing and were about to be here. My centurias were lined up in a convenient spot between three hills, five stadia from camp.

I was just making a short speech in front of the formation, when suddenly everything went awry. The scouts in panic fled from the hill and reported that there were many elephants in the rearguard of the Punyans. It was too late to rebuild, and the order to the first detachments to thin the ranks could not change anything: the advance detachments of the Carthaginians had already appeared at the edge. Behind them, from behind the forest, dwarf African elephants taxied and trotted towards our positions. Their kind eyes terrified the hastats, and behind the soldiers slowly gathered in a short semblance of a phalanx ...

The soldiers, pushed by their tusks, flew through the air like cannonballs. The Gastats wavered, the Triarii tried in vain to get to the skins of the merry elephants. The phalanx was already approaching, spears insolently exposed. I was saved by a single auxiliary squad of archers led by a quick-witted captain. Volley after volley, they showered the elephants with burning arrows from a distance, and, finally, one after another, the gray giants became nervous and ran away - through their own phalanx. At the signal of the horn, an ambush centuria fell from the hill and struck the disordered phalanx in the rear. Soon it was all over, the Punyans shamefully scampered into the forest.

And then we caught the elephants and fried them. The most delicious is the trunk.

Rome: Total War is the third game in the British team's acclaimed Total War strategy series Creative assembly... After the resolution of Japanese troubles and intrigues against the Pope in Europe, the theme of antiquity naturally suggested itself.

The developers could easily remake the squads, add an antique flavor and release a “quick” craft called “Caesar Strikes Back”. Fortunately, this did not happen. The brave British swung at a global redesign of the strategic and tactical parts of the game. Last fall, it became clear that the strength to finish the game in time was not enough, and Rome: Total War was postponed for a whole year. However, what is a year in terms of history? Just one moment.

In this guide, I will try to cover all aspects of the game: from simple tactical maneuvering to complex and not entirely obvious subtleties. game mechanics... There are three large sections.

• Introductory. Here I will show you how to set up the game and complete the tutorial.
• Strategic. Global strategy has changed the most since Medieval times, and the old skills will have to be mercilessly outlived.
• Tactical. Often winning battles, you can easily correct not very successful strategic decisions. Here I will tell you about the individual types of troops, how to use them and fight against them. Detailed description of all game units (except for the fleet) look at "Useful poster" v " LCI”No. 12 (37) for 2004.

Rome was not built right away

“Rome” is a very deep and difficult strategy to understand, especially from a habit. Realizing this, the developers have done everything to make the interface friendlier than a playful puppy. They even went to the "restriction of rights" - to start main campaign not until the player completes the tutorial. But even after that, you are limited: you will not be able to play for the Gauls or the Egyptians until you get comfortable with the Roman legions. The selection of squads with a "frame" and the ability to include the classic "Warcraft" control say the same: the authors are afraid that the game will seem difficult for the average American.

They achieved their goal: now the strategic interface makes Sid Meier hiccup with his “Civilization” (which still serves as the standard of simplicity and transparency of management). The tactical screen is the pinnacle of brevity. Finally, for the most talented there are built-in advisors (remember the famous Word clip): “Are you sure you want to attack the phalanx with light cavalry? (Y / N) ”. However, you can turn them off at any time.

Where does the player go after starting the game? Of course, in the settings menu. Let's take a look at what's worth tweaking first.

It is important: to avoid the problem of crashes when contacting the Senate, do not be too lazy to install the video codec supplied with the game when installing.

Tweak settings

Video

Select the load on the computer's video system based on the power of the video card. Rome is a tough game and you will most likely have to compromise between quality and speed. Full-screen anti-aliasing takes up the most frames per second. I advise you to turn on "desynchronization of movements" so that the horses' tails do not hypnotize you with friendly swings from left to right.

It would seem if video settings can affect game process? As much as they can - through choice of squad size... There are four options in total: small, medium, large, huge. By default, it stands as “Large”, while the size of the average infantry unit is 80 people, and the equestrian one is 54 people. You can, of course, set a "huge" size - then there will be more people in each army, and the battles themselves will become simply epic. But remember, size matters and is a game changer.

• Larger units are beneficial for the phalanx (more difficult to surround) and for archers (there are more arrows with each volley).
• Small units are beneficial for cavalry (the first assault destroys half of the enemy unit).
• The larger the squad, the more difficult it is to recruit. The fact is that the units that train in cities are taken from its population. There is a big difference between whether eighty "conventional inhabitants" or a hundred leave the city with a detachment of infantry.

Sound

There is nothing overly entertaining about sound settings. The volume of sound, music, the choice of the playback method (EAX, of course, is included).

Control

The player has the opportunity to customize the keyboard for himself, leave the old controls or switch the layout to the fashionable “Warcraft” one. I advise you to remember the hotkeys - in battle it helps a lot, especially in online mode, when there are simply no pauses.

Camera settings

Here I advise you to make the camera movements faster, and disable the limitation of "flights" over the battlefield.

Everything, the game is set up. Now you can start a training campaign

Survive learning

Tutorial Mode is a short campaign in the Apennine Peninsula and a slice of the Balkans. First, you will be led by the hand through the battle with the barbarian Dumnorix, known from the demo version. Then you will be taught how to use the map and will be offered to conquer several provinces.

For both experienced Total War players and beginners, I advise you to carefully consider the tutorial mode. Battles can be skipped if desired, but the strategic mode must be mastered from the very beginning. At the same time, for some reason it is impossible to leave the game with impunity: until you conquer two or three provinces, saving simply will not work.

Imperial ambitions

At first, you can start an imperial campaign only for one of the three Roman families - Julia, Brutus, Scipione. To be able to play for other peoples, you must either exterminate them during the game (with each exterminated “playable” people immediately hatching in the menu), or successfully complete the campaign (then you can choose any people in the menu).

Did you know: all playable nations can be unlocked easier by editing the game. Find the file descr_strat.txt and in it, transfer all the lines from the section unlockable v playable.

Choose the rules for calculating the victory. Normal rules call for capturing fifty provinces (exactly half the map) and defeating the Senate. Simplified rules require you to defeat a specific people and capture fifteen provinces first.

I advise you to check the box “Manage all cities”, otherwise all cities without governors will be controlled by AI. However, this and everything else, including the level of intrusiveness of the advisors, can be changed already in the game.

Difficulty levels are a separate topic.

Easy, normal, hard

There are four difficulty levels in total - easy, medium, hard, super hard. You can adjust the difficulty of tactical battles and strategies separately.

What affects the difficulty of tactical battles? First, it determines who gets the advantage in combat. At the middle level, your units are equal in strength and morale to the enemy. On heavy enemy units, they receive increases to both. On easy, your units are stronger.

It is argued that the choice of level determines the depth of tactical thought of the silicon enemy. It is difficult to check this, besides, I do not see any point in artificially “dulling” the computer - it is already limited.

Which level should you choose? Medium is good for novice players, more difficult - for experienced "sprite breeders", for those who still led the Japanese and knights into battle. Average level I also recommend it to those who do not like the very principle “all foreign peasants are twice as strong as yours”. At the same time, if a strong enemy can be outplayed tactically on the battlefield, things are worse with the fleet. Battles at sea are calculated only automatically, and the corrections introduced by the “hard” level of the game can upset someone. It's unpleasant when one enemy bireme drowns a dozen of your triremes in battle.

The strategic level of difficulty is even less transparent. At the middle level, the computer is defeated without any special frills, so there is a temptation to twist the point to the maximum (and leave the tactics “middle”). It's not that simple! At difficult levels, cities with a large population become unmanageable (it seems, due to the imbalance of the game). The usual levers of control (tax cuts, a large garrison, temples, gladiatorial games) are no longer enough. Instead of battles and victorious wars, the player has to urgently figure out how to deal with uprisings - and not on the borders, but in the very heart of the empire. The sea offered options, here are the most exotic:

• Infect the city with the plague. The population is decreasing, everyone is happy. A special "plague-ridden" detachment walks around and "prescribes" such treatment for the most restless villages.
• Destroy temples, the Colosseum, withdraw troops, raise taxes and wait for a full-scale rebels' march. Suppress it with fire and sword, and cut the captured city. The survivors behave quieter than water, below the grass.
• Create large peasant detachments (the population decreases), transfer them to underdeveloped cities and disband them there (the population increases).
• Throw the same detachments of peasants into hopeless battles with the rebellious slaves.

If you don't want to do all of these no doubt fun activities, think carefully before maximizing the difficulty of your campaign.

Strategy

You are on the strategic map. Before you is the entire Mediterranean, Europe to the Urals, the Middle East, the British Isles and the edge of Africa. Just over a hundred provinces. This is a lot, but you also have enough time. The interval between the first Punic War (270 BC) and the death of Augustus (12 BC) is at your complete disposal. Each turn is half a year, winter or summer. More than five hundred moves will allow even the most peaceful and lazy emperor to conquer the world.

I am sure that many, looking at the strategic map, will exclaim: “Civilization, how prettier you are!” Cities, symbols useful resources, roads, detachments - everything seemed to come from the famous series by Sid Meier. The 3D map view allows you to raise and lower the camera. Take a closer look at the funny little things: the trees sway quietly, the squads impatiently shift from foot to foot. In winter, the north of Europe is covered with snow, and the rampant of the elements - be it the eruption of Mount Etna or a simple storm - is impossible not to recognize on the map. Such a “live” map has never been seen in any strategy game.

Before pressing the “End of Turn” button again, the player is engaged in his usual routine:

• examines the general situation on the map and makes strategic decisions;
• carefully studies strategic menus, decides on budget, foreign policy and, which is especially important, deals with the Family (generals, governors, heirs);
• checks settlements, adjusts tax policy, lines up construction and training (or replenishment) detachments;
• moves troops and the fleet around the map, builds defensive structures, enters the battle or leaves for an advantageous position to take battle there. Army Affairs is the most important stage of the turn;
• moves agents - diplomats, spies and assassins. Gives them the opportunity to go about their dark deeds. Diplomats, if necessary, enter into dialogue with other peoples.

All this can be done in any order, and any item can be skipped. I'll tell you a secret - the game can be won without diplomacy and without a clear tax policy. Only this is more difficult.

Political cuisine

Policy menu (hotkey O) is a very useful thing, although in the midst of hot battles it is not difficult to forget about it. Visit it regularly. This is where the “big” strategy is presented. Here you will find out details about your state, finances, foreign policy, family and the position of the Senate.

• State. Have you forgotten the name of your country? Remember where the capital is? Do you want to know how many adults (potential generals and governors) you have in your family? Here you will be reminded of the number of your provinces, victories won and lost. In the same tab, you can set automatic tax collection (it works well, I recommend it). The laziest can leave all the management of cities in the hands of a computer. I do not advise you to do this! You never know how the AI ​​controls and what will set up in the cities. In case you do decide to offload the care of cities onto the shoulders of a silicon friend, you can immediately set the "save-spend" slider to the desired position.
• Finance. A complete report of all your country's profit and loss. It is difficult to understand it out of habit, but it is very useful. Who would have thought that a huge army could gobble up the entire budget of the empire!
• Foreign policy. Nineteen countries is a lot. On this page, you will remember with whom you are at war and with whom you are friends.
• Schedule. Translated from "Civilization" as a carbon copy. Reflects the ratio of the greatness of your country and other countries in several ways. Years are plotted on the horizontal axis.
• A family. Complete genealogical tree of your family. Only here you can take a look at all the members of your family - children, deceased ancestors, adoptive parents and foreigners overbought by diplomats. Only here you can quickly recall the age, talents, bad traits and retinue of each of your loved ones. The crown prince is appointed here.

I'll tell you a secret, the game can be won without much attention to the affairs of the Family. But if you are a real Quiet Don and manage your clan correctly, then victory becomes much closer. Therefore, the family is the main thing. Let's start with her.

"Let him be a strong boy"

Together the whole country

At the very bottom of the family tree are children, sons and daughters. They grow up, enter the time of maturity. Only from that moment on, the sons become full participants in the game, acquire a detachment of bodyguards and appear in the capital.

Daughters are classified as “brides”. Unlike Medieval, here you do not need to rush all over the map and look for a prince for precious Julian, who has sat up late in the girls. The husband candidate will appear himself and offer his daughter a hand and a heart. As a rule, it will be a simple soldier, without any special merits. Take anyone! First, in a large family there will still be a good choice of brave generals and talented governors. Secondly, if need is attached, from any mediocrity you can raise an epic commander in five to ten years, there would be a desire.

Be sure to educate young people, do not rely on old generals. When a strong character dies (by natural death, in battle, or at the hands of an assassin), the army is left decapitated. If a talented young man or a mature husband does not immediately come to replace him, your affairs are bad.

I advise you to immediately decide with your sons - whom to send to fight, whom it is better to put on the periphery and prepare for managers.

Tsar, prince, king, prince ...

At first glance, all the sons-generals seem mediocre. But let the guy fight a battle or two. And now we see two stars. Three stars. Four stars. Best of all, of course, when a guy has ten stars. This is the "command" parameter, the most important for the general.

One “ten-star” (maximum) general is worth half an army. He not only improves the morale of his subordinates - under his command, the troops objectively fight better. That is why raising at least three good generals is your first priority. It is best to use the head of the clan (the very fact of the "crown" gives him an additional star) and the heir. The main thing is not to risk them beyond what is necessary.

The best way to get precious "stars" for the epaulettes of generals is to fight fugitive slaves, rebels and robbers who rule the roads. Robbers do not attack cities, but you still need to get rid of these brave guys: they poach, burn fires in the wrong places and greatly curtail profits from the trade of nearby cities. Most often, the morale of the rebels is low, they are easy to break in battle, so the general's detachment can be thrown into battle - but only at a decisive moment (and certainly not with spears). Be sure to use the general in chasing and beating the fleeing ones. The likelihood of getting the "star Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov" after the battle depends on the participation of the detachment in the battle and on the number of scalps it removes.

Retreating, the general loses the "command" stars with extraordinary speed. Even if this is not just a lost battle, but a tactical retreat in front of superior enemy forces.

It is interesting: if a general retreated and was defeated too often, his command level could drop to negative values. In this case, the troops will receive a penalty to morale and skills. In Shogun, a general committed ritual suicide in a similar situation, but in Rome, it seems that no one is going to throw themselves at the sword.

Initiative from below

If the general is not at hand, but you have to beat the enemy, then there is nothing to do - we will beat. The squads will attack under the command of an unnamed captain. Of course, they will not receive an increase in strength and morale. But it doesn't matter. A competently conducted battle, a heroic and pure victory (this is when few of yours died, and even fewer enemies survived) can lead to the fact that the captain will receive stars and turn ... into a general. Rather, you will be offered to "adopt" the captain, taking him into the family. By agreeing (and securing the consent of the captain), you will have a new family member at your disposal for free. And family members are never superfluous.

New mayors

Governor's life is quieter than hectic field life

commander.

There is one rule when appointing governors - the more important and larger the city, the greater the control parameter of the family member present in the city should have (depicted in the form of small scrolls). The city can do without the governor at all, but the presence of an experienced person in the settlement is always better. The city will bring more money, corruption and losses will decrease.

If the governor has influence (depicted as palm branches), then the city will become a calmer place and less likely to revolt in difficult times for him (for example, when the population exceeds thirty thousand conventional units).

Vice and virtue

Each member of the virtual clan has its own set of qualities. In Medieval they were called “virtues and vices”. Basically, qualities determine both the number of "stars" and the influence. They are good and bad.

Some are given by rank (for example, the position of the Most Main Boss gives influence and good protection against assassins). The general picks up others throughout his life. He fights a lot - the stars are added. Manages a growing city - the experience of a mayor appears. Among the Romans, additional increases are given by the position in the Senate (quaestor, consul, praetor, former consul, etc.)

Qualities are the entire personality of the character in the game. They affect everything: on his abilities, on the morale of the army, on personal security, popularity in the Senate and among the people, on increases in loot and even on discounts when hiring troops. The most striking qualities appear in the form of the character's nickname. "Gnei the Conqueror" - this kind of thing looks good on a resume.

Qualities do not grow by themselves. They are influenced by the general's environment and every player's action. Wins a lot - get stars. Fighting with Carthage - you get increases in battles with this people. Often you fight yourself - it doesn't matter: battle scars increase your authority among the soldiers. But with other character traits, everything is far from so transparent. One thing is for sure: the inaction of a general or a governor contributes to the appearance of unpleasant personality traits.

Comes to the ridiculous. For example, the temple of Bacchus, the god of wine and joy, helps to keep the people in obedience much better than the temple of Ceres. However, there is also a pitfall: the governors who run the city with the temple of Bacchus drink themselves too much in a matter of years.

"I was surrounded by kind people"

And this is something new in the series! On the path of life, an environment is nailed to your family members - companions and friends. Each of them is a living “quality” in the sense of end effects. The philosopher will give the mind. A seasoned mercenary will allow you to knock off the cost of purchasing the services of colleagues. The harsh corporal will increase the mobility of the army, and the personal dog will sense the enemy's army in time. Enemy defectors, captured slaves, servants of Mars and Aphrodite - they will all take their place in the retinue. Doctors are especially useful - they can not only reduce the loss of troops in battle, but also improve the fertility of the general. The august children are the future of the empire, don't forget.

Not every person around you is useful. For example, an idiot jester will reduce influence, a personal slave massage therapist will lower the level of personal safety. There are also special named characters in the game: Aristophanes, Cicero, Seneca and others; getting one in the game is a great success.

Like the usual qualities, the retinue is selected by the general or the governor on the path of life. Staying in a city with a temple increases the likelihood of getting a priest. In the woods, dogs are nailed to the generals. If, for example, a commander sold a couple of captured cities into slavery, then, most likely, he will acquire a slave trader and will continue to receive more money from sales. Idleness is a chance to get hold of a useless environment.

But how does this general retinue, by and large, differ from ordinary character traits? The fact that it can be transferred from one general to another. To do this, they must be in the same place on the map. Grab the face of the retinue's representative and drag it onto the portrait of another general. Throw off all human "ballast" to some supernumerary governor, whose drunkenness and debauchery allows you to put an end to him in advance.

With the death of a character, his entire retinue disappears irrevocably. As soon as the general turns sixty, it makes sense to send him to rest, and give useful people to another person.

The main thing is to remember two rules. Firstly, there cannot be two identical representatives in a retinue. Secondly, the maximum size of the retinue is eight people.

It is interesting: in the last game, agents and diplomats were immortals. Here the diplomat may well die of old age, but the retinue took the place of the Duncan MacLeods! The general's entourage, if transferred in time from the old man to the young hero, can live at least two hundred and fifty years! This also applies to dogs!

SECOND PAGE

A tale of many cities

The city is the center of the province, the key to owning the territory. The city is inhabited by residents, and improvements are also built here. The city is a center of trade and a tasty morsel for enemy armies.

At first it is just a small settlement, open to all winds. But the number of "conditional inhabitants" in it increases, and upon reaching a certain limit, it becomes possible to build an improved governor's building. This is the next stage, the transition of the city to a new quality. From a village to a town, city, big city and, finally, a huge antique metropolis. Each transition unlocks new buildings and improvements. But, at the same time, the increase in the number of inhabitants threatens to become uncontrollable, turn into uprisings and bloodshed. “Regular residents” are ungrateful gentlemen, and they do not understand a good attitude towards themselves. This is especially true for the inhabitants of the captured cities with an alien culture.

Debit and credit

Income in the city consists of three components: in kind (the product of farms and mines), tax and trade (land or sea). The managerial talents of the governor stand apart - they usually add a small increase to the city budget.

By regulating taxes in a city, you control not only income, but also the rate of population growth. These scoundrels love to breed only where the tax burden is not too heavy. The level of taxes is also the degree of loyalty of residents. Addiction, I think, is not necessary to explain. V general case I advise you to twist taxes to the maximum, so that the people do not riot. When there are many cities in the empire, tax regulation can be blamed on an automatic assistant.

Profits from farms and mines depend on the province (fertility of the plains, minerals in the mountains) and infrastructure (farms, mines). It is always better to develop profits at the expense of mines - farms provide a tangible increase in population growth, and this is not always desirable.

Income from trade depends on many parameters: whether roads are built in the province, how much they are good quality whether a market has been built in the city. Are there any valuable trading resources nearby, such as wine or paint? With how many countries has a trade agreement been concluded (this is the business of smart diplomats)? Are there bandits on the roads, is the enemy fleet blocking the city port?

The development of maritime traffic is also important. The larger the port, the more trade routes it supports. You will recognize trade routes at sea by the lines and small ships sailing from town to town. Overland trade routes are also easy to recognize: once you see miniature carts scurrying along the roads, you will no longer confuse them with anything. The more “miniatures” on the screen, the better the trade goes. Doubters can deliberately look into the menu and see all the numbers.

But don't forget about city spending. Apart from small spending on generals, the main item of city spending is support for the army. The cost of maintaining the entire army and agents is summed up (now they are hungry too!). After that, the expense is a burden on all cities according to the principle: the larger the city, the more it pays. With an uneven development of the empire, an unusual effect may appear: the largest cities go far into the red and frighten the player with terrible negative balances. In fact, this is normal and there is no reason to worry.

The remaining money goes to the country's budget. From there, the player spends them on building, repairing buildings, hiring, training or replenishing armies.

It is interesting: in the country's budget section "Corruption, etc." is not only in the expense section, but also in the income section! What are taxes on bribes?

"We live - we do not grieve!"

What determines the peace and order in the city?

Here are the factors that reduce it:

• Poverty (poor, undeveloped infrastructure).
• High taxes.
• Remoteness from the capital (as in "Civilization").
• Enemy spies who have infiltrated the city. A scout can only be revealed by another scout.
• Cultural differences. Conquered barbarians do not immediately accept Roman culture (the reverse is also true). Such discontent only diminishes over time. It can be reduced by destroying the temples of a foreign culture and building your own in the city.

Here's what helps keep citizens in subjection:

• The garrison comes first. City guards or peasant squads are ideal for this.
• A competent governor is the second priority.

At such moments, centimeters decide everything.

• Low taxes.
• Public health (baths, aqueducts).
• Buildings intended for the entertainment of the public (among the Romans, for example, the gladiatorial amphitheater). Having rebuilt the city amphitheater, you can adjust the frequency of gladiator games. The more often, the quieter it is in the city, but at the same time, there is less money in the treasury.
• Education (academies).
• Law. Higher in developed cities and in places close to the capital of the empire.
• High population growth.
• The action of the wonders of the world.

It is easy to monitor people's mood in small towns. If problems are outlined, you can build a couple of useful buildings, replenish the garrison or, in extreme cases, reduce taxes in the city.

Big cities are big problems. Combined with the high level of difficulty of the game, the problem of revolutionary-minded townspeople can become a real headache for an unlucky mayor.

Fertility problems

The rate of population growth in a city depends mainly on two factors: the general fertility of the province and the level of taxes. Everything else (public health or poverty) does not have a particular effect on the people's desire to be fruitful.

If the city hardly grows (two to three percent per turn) - don't worry, as long as it gives good tax revenues. Money can always be spent on infrastructure and the army. Extensive development pays off early on in the game. Rather than tinkering like a nanny with a city that “doesn't want to multiply,” it's easier to capture an enemy ...

Usually during the game you have to choose several cities that will serve as the “forge” of the army. They must be "prolific", otherwise after training several units, the city will simply be empty. Choose cities on the most fertile plains for such "donor" settlements. Reduce taxes in the city if necessary.

Did you know: sometimes an epidemic can break out in the city. At the same time, the population and military units are quietly dying out. You can start building sanitary facilities, but your main task is to ensure quarantine. No squad or agent should enter and leave the city. In a few years, the isolated plague will subside by itself.

Alien cities

You have taken a foreign city! The province is yours! This is a joyous event in the life of every commander. Immediately after that, you will have a choice. What to do with the city: just occupy, sell the inhabitants into slavery or exterminate? Don't rush to choose the first option. Better let's think about it.

The occupation of the city is almost always the disgruntled inhabitants. To ensure peace, you will have to leave a large garrison in it and spend money on it. The war is already expensive, and it usually does not end with the capture of one city. The army will still come in handy, and the treasury receives money from a gulkin's nose - rarely more than a hundred coins. But even a simple equestrian detachment is more expensive!

Selling residents into slavery is already more interesting. Half of the inhabitants are evenly distributed across your cities (but only across those that have governors). This will both reduce tension in the city - keeping fewer residents in check is easier - and spur the development of your empire. You can get a little more money from the sale.

But, oddly enough, the most strategically profitable option is the extermination of the inhabitants. Yes, everyone is on spears, and let them hang on crosses along the road! At the same time, only a quarter of the city remains alive, and huge funds go to the treasury, which are measured in thousands and even tens of thousands of coins. With this money, you can spur the rebuilding of the empire's infrastructure, gather new units and hire mercenaries! The destroyed city will not riot, even if only one or two small detachments are left in it.

The only reason why it is sometimes worth leaving a settlement intact is when the number of its inhabitants approaches a critical size (for example, six thousand is the border between an ordinary and a large city). The benefits of an improved city may outweigh the desire to replenish the budget. If the border of the “division” was recently crossed by the city and the new building of the “head of administration” is already flaunting near the main square - boldly exterminate the inhabitants! The village will not go back to the “small towns”.

It is interesting: in order to fit into the rating of "games for teenagers", the developers were forced to completely remove the blood in tactical battles. But the destruction of cities on the strategic map is accompanied by eloquent sounds and unambiguous illustrations. However, who cares if the rating is formally met?

Where construction is going

First of all, it is necessary to build in the city:

• Roads. More money and better opportunities for moving armies.
• Market. Profit in the form of taxes.
• Temple. For the Romans, the temple of Jupiter works best to calm the restless. The Brutus have a good temple of war, supplying the newly built troops with valuable experience. Watch out for the effects of the Temple of Bacchus (I talked about them above).
• Port. Gives money and the ability to build a fleet.
• Mines(if possible). Long-term investment of money.
• Farms. I advise you to develop agriculture last. An untimely population explosion can become dangerous.

Choosing two or three cities as "military towns", reduce taxes in them and build a military and industrial infrastructure (the Brutus are building a temple).

Look further according to the circumstances. When the city reaches the limit of development (you will be told about this), do not forget to build an improved “city hall” - only after that you will be able to build advanced buildings. Border towns, which the enemy is looking at, licking their lips, do not hesitate to enclose with a wall. So that your dear people do not sneeze, do not forget the water facilities.

And, of course, the army!

Komsomol members were leaving

For their sake, taxes are collected. For their sake, stables and barracks are being built. Without them, even the most talented generals will not do anything with the enemy. I'm talking about the army, about ordinary soldiers. Proud legionnaires, restrained hoplites, simple and noisy barbarian lads - all units must be taken care of first of all on the strategic map. Only then will the army enter the battlefield armed to the teeth, trained and fully prepared to face the enemy.

Autumn call

Even in the most remote city, where there is not a single building, you can call a crowd of peasants or a basic defensive detachment of city guards to the banners. I advise you to immediately forget about the peasants - even the simplest infantry detachment is better than them in all respects, and its food costs the same. Do not think about the workers of the plow until you want to arrange a “small resettlement of peoples” - for controlled migration it is better to think of a gang of villagers.

With the construction of military installations and with the growth of the city, there will be much more options. Specialize developing cities.

But it is not only in cities that a general can find people for his army. Almost anywhere on the map you can find and take on the service of "dogs of war" - mercenary units.

Mercenary affairs

In Medieval, mercenaries were expensive and only asked to be recruited in cities. Now the general can recruit a detachment even in an open field, even in the middle of enemy territory! Firstly, there is no better way for a defeated army to replenish the ranks, especially if their own cities are far away. Secondly, mercenaries now cost less (however, they demand to eat regularly). Thirdly, mercenary units have found their niche in the game. And this is support for the weaknesses of the army.

A simple example: the Roman army is not friendly with long-range units. At the very beginning of the game, there is nowhere to even get archers! But Caesar is not grieving. He puts his son on a bireme and sends him to Spain. There, for a fair price, you can buy several excellent bands of Balearic slingers. That's all, we have slingers that are exactly twice as good as ordinary ones. And in Greece there are Cretan archers - no match for the Roman ones.

It is interesting: as a sign of belonging to the "dogs of war" caste, all the mercenaries of the game are dressed in green.

In the forests of Gaul you can always find light infantry and light cavalry to support your pants. Phalangites are looking for work in the Macedonian fields. Even a squad of elephants can be bought and used as tanks.

The main thing is to remember a few simple rules.

• Specific units can be bought usually in several neighboring provinces, which form their integral “habitat”. This means that if you hire a squad in one province, it will disappear in others. Usually the number of available units is small: maximum three to five.
• With regard to mercenaries, the rule of crackers applies: whoever succeeds, he ate. If all the mercenaries in the area are “ransomed” by the enemy, then you will not do anything - the “area” is empty for several years. Over time, units of mercenaries again appear in the "area", and again someone gets a chance to buy an elite unit for their army.
• It is impossible to replenish the number of mercenaries in cities - you can only improve weapons and armor.
• If in the city you have only a governor with peasants, and the enemy is advancing, then a quick hiring may be the only way to repel the attack. To do this, you need to take the governor out of the city and return him back with the troops on the same move.

Forced march

Individual units and groups move around the strategic map very easily. Having selected a unit, the player sees the entire area within which the army can move during the turn.

With the right mouse button, the army is sent to the desired area, to the city or to attack the enemy. The spacebar will allow you to skip the movement animation - the squad will be immediately in the right place.

If suddenly an invisible enemy appears within sight of the detachment, the detachment will stop and wait for your instructions.

Did you know: if you hold down Alt and click on the map, a rally point will be set in this place. All created troops will automatically gather there.

The range that an army can go to during one turn depends on the terrain and the units that make up the army. Roads, especially high quality ones, allow you to go much further. Mountains and rivers completely block the passage - it is necessary to look for mountain passes or crossings.

If you order the army to go outside the green area, then the army will move on its own every turn until it reaches the place.

The army moves at the speed of the slowest unit. Cavalry moves fastest, then infantry, and siege engines are the slowest on the map.

Did you know: Onagers (stone-throwing siege engines) in the army allow you to take poorly defended cities "on the move", without wasting time building siege engines. The payback for the onager is the slow movement of the entire army across the strategic map.

Roman construction battalion - buildings for centuries

On the way, the army under the command of the general can build watch towers (only on its own territory). This is the easiest way to get rid of the "fog of war" in the country. The towers allow you to constantly view all roads for bandits and keep an eye on the borders.

The towers are inexpensive, unmanned and maintenance-free. But the most interesting thing is that they cannot be destroyed. Neither your army nor the enemy will do anything with the towers. For hundreds of years they will stand in one place and “illuminate” the map.

A Roman army with a general, according to tradition, can build a defensive camp for five hundred coins. If a strong enemy is located nearby, it makes sense at the end of the turn to equip this “fortress, which is always with you”. The view of the camp is classic: tents, two streets with a cross, "praetorium" square. True, there is no ditch, and instead of an embankment, the camp is surrounded by a square palisade.

Skirmish after skirmish

To attack an enemy unit or army, you just need to select the army and right-click on the enemy. The man symbolizing the army will shout something warlike and wave his sword. If the enemy considers himself too weak for a fight, he will retreat (you can try to catch up with him).

If the enemy decides not to retreat or he has no “turn points” left to retreat, the pre-battle menu will open. In it, you can see the enemy's army and estimate the approximate balance of forces. You have three options for behavior: start a battle on a tactical map, carry out an automatic calculation of the battle, or retreat. This menu is your last chance to save before a fight. The tactical save mode does not provide.

Did you know: I remind you that on the strategic map (before the attack or defense menu appears), only the level of the general (asterisks) and the approximate number of troops (the size of the dark stripe on the flag) are visible. Only a spy can give more detailed information in advance.

Note the reddish area next to the enemy. This is, so to speak, the “geometric neighborhood” of the battle. All units (yours, allies, and enemy) that are within the red square will enter the battlefield.

If there is no general in the units that happen to be nearby, they will become reinforcements. Units will appear on the battlefield from the side where they were on the strategic map. However, if your main army is full to the limit (and the maximum in the game is twenty units, including the general's), then the reinforcements will remain outside the battlefield. The troops will come to the rescue only if you order your squad to retreat from the battlefield, making room for another.

Did you know: reinforcements can be used to surround the enemy. The strategy is as follows: the main army on the strategic map comes close to the enemy, but does not attack. Two or three cavalry detachments leave the army and bypass the enemy army from the rear (make sure they do not leave the red area). After that, the main army enters the battle, and the cavalry reserve enters the map behind the enemy's back!

Everything changes if there is a general in the “reinforcement”. In this case, the computer will inevitably take his army under its control. The army, having come to your aid, will begin to act at its own discretion. It sounds alarming: get the AI ​​to help the player, so he will break into a cake.

In fact, everything is much more serious. Your second AI-controlled general loses all sense of danger in an effort to help the player. Among the first detachments, he attacks the enemy in paroxysms of psychic attacks. If the enemy has units of spearmen, then you can say goodbye to your general. The most amazing thing is that usually AI protects its generals and tries not to risk them uselessly, even if allied armies of other countries are involved in the battle.

How to avoid this nuisance? Don't keep armies with good generals close to each other. Let them be separated by at least a third of the move. Before attacking the enemy, send all "bear helpers" away from their armies, leaving only one general at the head of the main army. Use as "kamikaze" only those commanders whom you will not regret later.

It is interesting: sometimes after heroic victories (not necessarily yours) against superior enemy forces, a symbol of two crossed swords will appear on the map. These swords mark the memorial site of a historic battle. Hover the mouse over the symbol and you will find out who fought whom and who won as a result.

Navy quinqueremes

We did not wait for tactical battles at sea. Your participation in naval affairs ends with the bireme, trireme and quinquerem buildings. Everything else is in the hands of the computer.

All battles at sea are calculated automatically, all you can do sometimes is order your own not to get involved in the battle. The calculation rules are not transparent, the results can be surprising, especially at high difficulty levels. I can give only one piece of advice - let the ships sail in large crowds on the sea, so they have a better chance of surviving together.

You can console yourself with the fact that in ancient times the outcome of sea battles was often decided by chance, for example, a successful tailwind or a storm that threw enemy ships onto the rocks.

The fleet is used to transport armies from coast to coast and to control the seas. When transporting troops, try to keep the ships for the time being in a safe harbor (square next to the port), sneak along the sea, “huddled against the wall”. It is best to try to reach the opposite bank and land troops there in one move. One fleet can hold up to twenty land detachments; if you need to transport more - divide the fleet into parts. To prevent enemy ships from landing troops on your shore, shield it with your triremes.

Control over the seas is expressed in the blocking of a foreign port (thus, trade links are cut off, and the port itself is isolated both from the outside and from the inside). This is an act of war, and sometimes the Senate will require you to do these things.

Senate and the fight against it

Rome in the Total War series is a city that always interferes with the affairs of others. Medieval was famous for Popes; they organized crusades and tried to maintain peace among the Catholic brothers. In the event of bad behavior of the monarch squeezed among his fellow believers, the Pope could excommunicate him from the Church. Even after conquering Rome, it was difficult to get rid of the annoying pontiff.

The Roman Senate also sits here in the Eternal City. Playing as one of the Roman families, you will constantly deal with him. The invulnerable and impudent Senate gives you orders, tells you what to do, executes and pardons you. It will not be possible to quickly solve this problem: even after a quarrel with the Senate, the player will not be able to attack Rome or another Roman family. The possibility of getting rid of the senators will become a reality only when the plebs have their final say.

Until then, you will have to maintain good relations with Rome whenever possible. By indulging the elderly, you can gain money, troops, and valuable positions for your family. With money and troops, everything is clear, but what do positions give? In order to occupy them at regular polls, you just need to please the Senate. Each position - from a simple quaestor to a pontiff - gives the character useful qualities... Even after a family member retires, he retains the title (for example, “ex-consul”).

I advise you to regularly read summaries of the Senate's relations with different countries. If some people are not in his honor, then with the help of a diplomat, greedy senators can be made to fork out under the pretext of "military spending." True, I do not advise doing this very often - they will accuse you of deception and stop loving.

Rome will regularly give your family tasks. There are many options: to conquer the city, block the port, send a diplomat here or there, conclude a trade agreement, provoke an attack, and so on. Do them, whenever possible, and then, in addition to free money and troops, you will receive the favor of gray-haired senators. “If possible” means that if you are waging a complex war, then you need to think carefully about whether to commit acts of aggression against neutral countries. Ignore the task if, for example, capturing a city on the other side of the earth's disk is not part of your plans.

It is interesting: if you take the city at the behest of the Senate, occupy it, and then withdraw the troops from it, then the city will be in the hands of the rebels. There is a high probability that the Senate will immediately give the order to take the city again. Such a trick can be done several times, and each time receive a reward from Rome.

If your troops suddenly found themselves on the territory of a neutral sovereign country and did not decide on the start of the war within two or three turns, then the Senate will order to remove the troops from foreign lands. Do it immediately, otherwise you will be robbed: Rome will send an auditor and save the family's budget from a huge amount. If there is not much money in the treasury anyway, the family may well go deeply “into the minus”.

Over time, when your family gains provinces for itself, and its leader becomes popular among the people, official Rome will begin to cool down in relation to you. Nothing can be done about it - they do not like you, because they are afraid of your strength. When the people announce that they are ready to receive you with open arms, you can safely go to the capture of Rome. Just remember that the other two Roman families will become your enemies. If you ignore the opinion of the people, the Senate will wait a little, and then it will unleash a war, by edict outlawing the family.

Agents

An agent is a specially trained person in the service of the empire. He moves around the map alone and performs tasks, while gaining experience, qualities and personal retinue (for example, diplomats are often harassed by translators).

Diplomat

Every diplomat is your mouth in a foreign country. The ambassador moves around the territory, the army cannot attack him. If no killer gets to the inviolable diplomatic carcass, then only death from old age can interrupt the days of an international relations specialist.

To start negotiations with another power, you need to bring a diplomat to its city, diplomat or general. A detachment of peasants will do, too.

Successful and, to a lesser extent, unsuccessful actions increase the influence parameter of the diplomat. The best and safest way to train your diplomat, like your general, is with the help of the rebels.

An influential ambassador is not only an opportunity to win more favorable terms of an agreement for your country. No, a diplomat in the camp of the enemy can be more dangerous than the most evil general with twenty squads of cutthroats. An ancient proverb says that a city is not considered impregnable if a donkey laden with gold can be led through the gate. In Rome: Total War, diplomats can take cities (under certain conditions), bribe armies and entice foreign generals.

It is difficult to overestimate the possibilities of bribery, especially if you are doing well with the economy. Two or three good diplomats can replace an entire army in a war, simply buying up all the troops going in your direction. Certain difficulties can arise only with the head of the country and with the heir (“Our honor is not for sale!”). The influential ambassador will buy all the rest of the family with giblets. The overbought general, along with his squad of bodyguards, joins your family. What happens to the other units?

They become yours only if in principle you can train the same. This means that the Romans can bribe Hannibal's elephants, but the elephants will simply disappear, the detachment will be disbanded. The Greeks can bribe the Macedonian army and, due to the similarity of the recruitment of units in Greece and Macedonia, get most of the army at their disposal. During the civil war, things are even easier. For example, the diplomat Yuliev, having bribed the army of Brutus, Scipions or the Senate, gets it for himself in full (or almost in full) strength! Civil war, therefore, can only be won with bribed armies. They can not be spared in battle, especially since each purchased army is a heavy burden on the budget.

To protect your diplomat from enemy assassins, try to keep the same experienced spies next to experienced envoys. You can protect yourself from bribery of an entire city if you put a governor, a spy or a diplomat in it.

THIRD PAGE

Spy

Spy - your eyes and ears in the camp of the enemy. What is going on in a foreign city? What kind of army does that general own? The spy can reveal to you enemy agents - assassins or the same spies.

Before each action (penetration into the city, into the army, spying on the agent), you can estimate the approximate chances of success as a percentage. The more chances of failure and even death of an agent, the faster his experience grows in case of success.

If, before the attack, a spy is successfully introduced into the city, then there will be a probability (three out of ten) that the city gates will be open!

A spy can only try to perform one action at a time.

Murderer

The killer is easy! He kills people: diplomats, spies and generals. Before throwing the knight of the dagger into the attack, assess his chances. If they are not great even against an uneducated ambassador, then the hapless Forty-Seven needs training. The best "cats" are foreign diplomats. After that, you can deal with the generals. Try to kill the enemy commander before the battle - if successful, the army will be demoralized. However, even the most powerful assassins can pass in front of kings or their successors.

Having climbed into the city, the assassin with the help of a spy can arrange an act of sabotage, but, in my opinion, this is strategically useless. Eliminating enemy agents and generals is the best use for an assassin. Like a spy, he can perform only one action at a time.

Roman-style diplomacy

Diplomacy and relations between countries in Rome: Total War is such a deep and inexhaustible topic that it can be devoted to it an entire "leadership in leadership". For such an editor may well send a cloud of murderers to the author, therefore, the topic will have to be disclosed in detail in the next issues of "LCI", in "Councils of Masters". Here I will describe only what everyone needs to know.

• The diplomatic window opens when your diplomat addresses a city, army or agent of another country; or vice versa - someone else's diplomat turns to you.
• Exchanging cards, selling or buying them is a very simple and convenient way to start diplomatic relations with other countries at the beginning of the game. A well-versed diplomat can sell a card for tens of thousands of coins - but only once to one country.
• The following relations are possible between the countries (in order of decreasing "benevolence"): an alliance with the right of passage for an army, an alliance, a trade agreement, neutral relations, a ceasefire, and war. The protectorate stands apart.
• Diplomatic dialogue is expressed in the form of proposals from one side. In response, the other party can accept the offer, reject, or counter-offer.
• The success or failure of your proposals depends on the initial relationship between the two countries, on the profitability of the proposal for the other side, on the degree of influence of the diplomat and on the balance of power between the parties. “Secondary” diplomacy is also taken into account, that is, the principle “The friend of my enemy is my enemy” is in effect and vice versa.
• Gifts can be used to appease the other side. However, in the event of a completely ruined relationship, gifts, even very valuable ones, may be rejected. Artificial Intelligence understands what the expression "fear the Danians, Achaeans, Argos, Cretans, Mycenaeans and Mixolydians ..." means.
• Diplomats can bribe generals and armies (I wrote about this in detail above);
• As “bargaining chips” in the dialogue, you can use money, provinces, cards. Offers and requests can be combined (“We give you so much money and such and such a province, and you give us a union and a map!”).
• Diplomatic methods can force one country to attack another. True, there is no way to control the fulfillment of the condition.
• "By the right of the mighty" one country can be required from another province and a monetary tribute (one-time or in installments for several moves).
• In special cases, you can try to force the other side to accept your terms by threatening war. For this, it is necessary that in the history of your relationship there was a war and your victory.
• You can only offer protectorate status in a state of war! Once under your protectorate, the country becomes an ally and allows your troops to trample on their land. Thus, the protectorate is only a forceful imposition of an alliance and the right of passage of armies.

This is a bug: many complain that when the protectorate status is accepted by the other side, large sums of money disappear from the treasury without a trace and in an unknown direction. Be careful.

Miracles don't happen?

Wonders of the world - again borrowing from "Civilization" (as an option - from Rise of Nations or Call to Power). All seven wonders are in different places on the map: the pyramids, That Lighthouse, Colossus from Rhodes, Zeus sitting, and so on.

Owning a province with a wonder of the world gives you an advantage. For example, the pyramids put the Egyptian people at peace with you, the gardens of Semiramis give an increase to agricultural income, and Zeus calms the population down.

True, many players complain about game bug: after mastering the wonder of the world, its effect can disappear without a trace after a few moves. Are the developers hinting to us that there are no free miracles?

Tactics

Serving the festive table, you are painfully trying to figure out what to put on the flank - salad or napkins.

Twenty signs that you are outplayed Rome: Total War

When armies meet on the battlefield, when German warriors jump out of the forest, and legions attack the city, strategy fades into the background. In its place comes tactics - the deployment of troops, precise commands, energetic maneuvers and a fierce battle. You can poorly manage cities, make strategic mistakes and raise an army carelessly. But if you know the basics of tactics, know how to correlate the strengths and weaknesses of the units and give the right order in time, you will always have a chance to snatch victory from the enemy.

If you wish, you can do without tactical skills at all, if you use the strategy correctly and skip battles. But to do so is simply to rob yourself, making it impossible to see your armies in action.

Faster. Even faster!

Veterans of Total War have probably noticed that the speed of movement of units in the terrain has increased. This is done in order not to drag out the battles. If the usual limit for battles in Shogun and Medieval is half an hour, then in Rome most of field battles easily fit into ten minutes, and cities take on twenty.

The course of the battle also accelerated - the soldiers exterminate each other in battle much faster than before. All this worked in favor of the cavalry, since it usually inflicts the main blow in the few seconds while it crashes at full gallop into the enemy squad. Now, during this time, the riders can destroy a good third of the squad, and another two-thirds - knock them down. For light infantry, cavalry has become much more terrible - this is quite plausible. Even the phalanx, meeting face to face with the cavalry, finds itself in a difficult position (this, of course, was not in history).

The timer, which measures the time of the battle, has become tougher. He is especially fierce in the mode of storming cities. Taking a city with stone walls in a measly twenty minutes is very difficult. With this, the developers decided to "prostitute" artificial intelligence, which is rather weak in the defense of cities.

It is interesting: players, trying to turn off the timer in the configuration files, encountered the stubbornness of the game - every time it is turned on, it checks this parameter and, if something happens, turns it on again.

Unknown valor

Long ago, when players discovered in Shogun: Total War the undocumented ability to record and replay battles, their joy knew no bounds. Despite the fact that sometimes the recordings were buggy, they could be exchanged, competed and, of course, bragged.

In Medieval: Total War, battle recordings became official. Any battle could have ended up in the archives. After that, the player could admire his victories over the Saracens on long winter evenings.

After the release of Rome: Total War, a thoughtful head-scratching began among the players. Everything turned out so that you can record only independently collected battles, single or multiplayer. In historical battles and campaigns, the recording function was forcibly disabled (although the “record” button itself was present in the menu). That is, now there are no records for you, no contests for the “best victory in a historical battle” and no evidence of successful campaign battles. Weird.

The developers did not give clear explanations for this mysterious fact. It looks like they ran into a lot of difficulties in implementing the campaign recording system that they could not overcome. This is also supported by the fact that even those records that can be made sometimes weird. Some "beat" during recording and do not play. Sometimes there is a synchronization problem: the battle being played may end differently than it did in the original.

Well ... unpleasant. We hope for a patch from the developers.

Groups and automatic assistants

Dedicated units on the battlefield can be combined into groups. This can be very convenient if you need to give an order to all archers or all heavy infantry at once. The mutual formation of the group can be changed (line, column, three rows, archers in the back, archers in front, and so on) - this is how the group will move around the map.

Be careful - the developers have missed a few bugs. If the groups suddenly begin to inadequately respond to your orders, disband them and reassemble them - this will help.

The simplest application of a group is to form an infantry line. Select the infantry, group it, give it a "line" formation. Now, using the held down mouse button, extend the squad line to the required length, adjusting the ratio of the front length and the formation depth.

The group can, if desired, be placed under the control of artificial intelligence - it will act independently as your ally. This is unlikely to be seriously useful in battle. To give your valuable troops under the control of a stupid piece of iron, in my opinion, is unreasonable.

Field battle tactics

But stop beating around the bush! It's time to talk about the battles themselves and the science of winning.

Balanced army

An army of hoplites alone (as an option - gastat or cavalry) is very vulnerable and inflexible. Such an army can be easily defeated using its weak points, and this army itself will not be able to make maneuvers and change the fighting style depending on the situation. In "Rome" battles are won not by large armies, but by flexible ones - such that, for example, you can fire at the enemy from a distance, link up with heavy infantry, attack from the flank with peltasts and strike in the rear with cavalry.

An army with a “ridge” of infantry, an instrument of maneuver (cavalry) and auxiliary detachments - javelin throwers or archers, is considered a classic one. But this is not a dogma! For example, steppe or desert armies can be composed of one cavalry. Horse archers wear down the enemy, camels hold back the enemy cavalry, and armored cataphracts overturn the infantry and put the entire army to flight.

Know your enemy

The wise Chinese said: "He who knows himself and knows the enemy will win a hundred battles!" Knowing what awaits you in battle, what units you will have to meet, you can easily pick up an army, prepare countermeasures and “homework”. Are there elephants? Cooking bacon! Lots of light infantry? Let's get archers here, and more! Is the enemy cavalry fearsome? The spearmen will go to the first line of defense.

It is not necessary to send a spy to find out the composition of the enemy army. One can simply assume that:

• in the Greek or Macedonian army, you will surely see a phalanx;
• the Roman army is a lot of medium and heavy infantry;
• eastern army: beware of archers, including horsemen;
• barbarian army: many light infantry and cavalry;
• Carthage - of course, elephants and phalanx;
• Egypt and the British: wait for the chariot to visit.

Correct placement of troops

Before the battle, when the general reads his speech to the soldiers, you will have the opportunity to place troops on your site of the map. Only in one case you will not be able to do this - if you are besieging the city, and the enemy suddenly made a sortie.

Correct placement of troops does not just mean placing the infantry in a row, placing archers behind and placing cavalry on the flanks. Things are a little more complicated. For example, the general must be placed in the most dangerous direction behind the detachments that take the main blow of the enemy. The fact is that the general inspires the detachments that are nearby - the higher the general's level, the wider the imaginary “circle of inspiration”. In addition, the commander slightly scares the enemy units - of course, if they are not "supported" by a foreign general.

Be aware of the impact on your army and other units: legionnaires with eagles, druids or screaming women if you play as barbarians.

If there are not enough strong units to line them up in the entire front, mix them with the weak ones. In a difficult situation, a neighbor will help. If the battle is expected to be fierce and unpredictable, it is advisable to have reserve units to plug the holes in the defense.

The placement of archers, slingers and dart throwers is a separate topic. In general, it is better to place them in front of the main line, so that they have time to “pepper” the advancing enemy well. But if there is a meeting with serious cavalry or chariots, then everything is far from so simple. Sometimes in this case it is worth putting them behind the main line.

Applying relief

Hills are good! The high hill is an excellent defensive position. It is more difficult to throw an arrow or a spear on a hill (and from a hill it can be done easier and further), it is more difficult to fight from the bottom up than vice versa. It is very difficult to smoke out an army that has climbed a high hill. However, in Rome: Total War, terrain is not so important. Usually battles take place on the plains, and if there are hills, then they are low and gentle.

If the hill is located on the edge of the defended area, then I advise you to climb it - so the enemy will not be able to surround you and will be forced to take the height from the front. But now the computer in defense is able to use such "difficult" places. There is nothing to do - retreat or go up the hill. Choose the most gentle slope for the main attack, surround the hill and begin the assault.

Vulnerability of the flanks and rear

To defeat the enemy means not so much to outplay him in battle as to make his troops lose heart and take flight. The easiest way to drop the morale of an enemy unit is to hit it in the flank or in the rear.

Tie a squad with your troops in battle and go around it. A squad of inept archers, stabbing heavy infantry in the back, can force them to abandon everything and run. When the cavalry rushes into the rear of the detachment from a running start, the soldiers simply fall in dozens, like pins, and, having risen to their feet, throw out a white flag and try to escape. Any, even the most powerful squad, fleeing, is vulnerable to your people. He simply runs to the edge of the map and does not respond to blows - the light cavalry, having galloped over the running detachment, leaves crumbs from him.

Take care of your troops. Don't let them be suspicious of the environment. Let there be friends on the flank of each detachment, and a vigorous general in the rear.

If the unit enters the “area of ​​death” and does not see a way out, then, having thrown out the white flag, it continues to fight steadily. Nowhere to run, enemies are all around. It remains only to fight to the last drop of blood, to the last gasp. Of course, you do not need this - you need the enemy to run, giving you a defenseless back. Therefore, do not surround the enemy unnecessarily. Always leave at least one free passage for the detachment, the "golden bridge", the path to life. A false path, of course, but the enemy doesn't know about it.

General's detachment

An enemy general or captain is your first target. Putting to flight or killing (which is even better) a general, you leave his army without useful increases in strength and morale. This is a third of the victory.

Concentration of forces

Concentrate your forces on a decisive direction. Try to hit the enemy with all the squads at once, overturn him and put him to flight quickly. Don't leave too much room in the second line. The reserve is good if it does not fit in the line of the first strike and only gets in the way.

When a fighting squad sees its comrades-in-arms flee, its morale drops. It is highly desirable (albeit difficult) to guess the time when it is necessary to put individual units to flight. If one weak squad runs, and then another, that's one thing. When two or three squads become discouraged and rush to flee at the same time, this can lead to a chain reaction and panic among the entire army. General's bodyguards are well suited for a decisive strike against a wavering enemy.

The forest is your trusted friend

In the first two games of the series, the forest impeded the actions of the cavalry (trees upset the squad) and could close the squads from archers with the crowns of trees. In “Rome” these effects were preserved, but noticeably decreased: the trees became three-dimensional, now they rarely stand, and a cavalry detachment calmly passes between individual trees, not to mention the clouds of arrows.

Now the forest is mainly for hide and seek. Any detachment can be disguised in it, except for elephants (too large) and the general's detachment (your troops should not lose sight of the general).

If the battle takes place in a dense forest, then almost all army units are hidden, and open only at a short distance. Send out horse guards in front of the main forces in order to detect hidden enemies in time.

On the plains, in separate groups of trees, you can arrange defensive ambushes. The main thing in setting up an ambush is to place it correctly. It is necessary to make sure that the enemy does not come too close to the hidden unit and does not detect it. But at the same time, you cannot hide the ambush units too far from the place of the battle - they can get out of breath and simply do not have time to strike at the decisive moment.

Artificial intelligence also knows how to set up ambushes and detect them. If the computer in battle sees that your troops on the map are much smaller than expected, then it senses something was wrong and sends security forward. It makes no sense to ambush many units. The computer should be able to see approximately all of your units in defensive positions, only in this way it will not suspect a trick.

Peekaboo

It is not only the forest that provides cover for the troops. Some squads may hide in tall grass or elsewhere (like the famous ninja from Shogun). This option does not have a big impact on tactics. Tall grass is less common on battlefields, and ninja units are usually too small to have a significant impact on the battlefield.

Types of constructions

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Dense rectangular. Normal formation, used in most cases by both infantry and cavalry. What matters is the ratio of the front and the depth of the building. For most cases, a depth of three to five rows is appropriate. Less is impossible - the formation in battle will quickly be broken. More unprofitable - a deep, but narrow unit along the front leaves the sides open for a flank attack

For the phalanx, deep constructions are beneficial - from four rows. At the same time, the rear rows raise their spears obliquely and meet the excessively jumping enemy cavalry with them.

Free construction. Rectangular at large intervals. It is used when it is necessary to reduce damage from projectiles. Usually in this formation, archers and throwers go to firefight. It is better to thin out the remaining units in two cases:

• if it is impossible to escape from the fire by archers, slingers or throwing machines;
• if there is a meeting with elephants or chariots. The dense ranks take a lot of damage from such attacks.

Wedge... Cavalry usually works best in a rectangular formation three rows deep. So she hits at once along the entire front of the enemy detachment. The wedge comes in handy only sometimes - for example, when it is necessary to split the detachment in two from the first blow and break through to the rear.

Turtle. A very beautiful defensive structure, owned only by Roman legionaries after the reform of Mary. The soldiers converge in a tight square. The front row puts shields in front of them, the rest raise them above their heads. The same shields are placed on the sides, and the result is a box of shields that is well protected from projectiles (siege weapons do not count). The turtle is used in the following cases:

• if you need to force the enemy to waste arrows and stones;
• if it is necessary to bypass the area under fire in order to enter the city during the assault.

The turtle's disadvantages are very low speed (even less than that of the phalanx), vulnerability in close combat in the formation and at the time of rebuilding. The detachment in the "turtle" gets tired and exhausted very quickly, even while standing in one place.

In addition, sometimes the bugs missed by the developers make themselves felt by funny evolutions of legionnaires at the time of rebuilding.

Precious seconds of the assault

Onslaught, also known as assault, or charge, is a special state of the detachment, which gives it an increase in the attack parameter in the first few seconds of the assault. In order for it to work, the squad must run into the attack without stopping at least thirty meters away. Even defending yourself, you should throw your units in advance to meet the running enemy in order to also get this increase and equalize the chances.

The greatest parameters of the onslaught, of course, are among the cavalry, especially among the heavy cataphracts and steppe inhabitants (see “Useful poster”, “LKI” No. 12 (37) / 2004). In battle, the following situation turns out: the cavalry pounces on an infantry squad and tears it to shreds within a couple of seconds. After that, her attack parameter decreases, and with her, the chances of winning also decrease. Therefore, when the “assault” state of the cavalry turns into a “battle” state, I advise you to quickly withdraw it back, and then turn around and storm the detachment again. Repeat until desired effect is achieved. (By the way, artificial intelligence also does not disdain such a maneuver.)

Application of shooters

I will tell you more about the different rifle units below. For now, let's see what functions they perform in battle:

• Thinning an advancing enemy or shelling before an attack. Everything is clear here. The bombardment not only destroys the soldiers of the enemy army - it lowers their morale before hand-to-hand combat begins.
• Support your squads in battle. For this, there is a self-shooting mode (for archers, slingers and throwers, it is turned on by default). When the armies approach each other, the detachment tries to conduct continuous shelling, independently choosing a target.
• Horse archers can fire harassing fire in the Cantabrian Circle formation. In this case, a detachment of cavalry gallops in a circle not far from the alien detachment. When the rider is facing the enemy, he shoots an arrow. On the opposite side of the circle, he places a new arrow on the string. Arrows rain down on the squad in a continuous stream. When using this technique, arrows fly farther than usual, and this allows even ranged units to attack. The squad, caught in such a rain of arrows, becomes nervous and often leaves the formation. The “Cantabrian circle” has two drawbacks. First, it can be easily intercepted by enemy cavalry. Secondly, horses quickly get tired of such a vaulting and after maneuvers are not suitable even for pursuit.
• Fire arrows - they are not fired as accurately and often as ordinary arrows, do less damage, but instill fear, setting soldiers on fire. The main use of fire arrows is fighting chariots, elephants, siege structures, and throwing weapons. Fire scares animals, a fiery arrow can set fire to a ram or onager.

Archers gain advantage in range and accuracy while at a height - on a city wall, a hill, or an elephant's withers. In bad weather, the range and effectiveness of the shelling is reduced.

During the assault on a city with a wooden palisade, besieging archers and slingers can start firing at the defenders through the wall until the battering ram makes a hole in it.

It is interesting: if you, having selected a rifle squad, press the button “attach” the camera to the squad (Delete), then the camera will follow not only it, but also the flight of its shells.

In Rome: Total War big“friendly fire” became a problem. And before, if archers fired at fighting troops, chances were that the arrows would hook their troops. But now, when not even arrows or stones, but the darts of legionnaires fly in the air more often, everything has become even worse. Riflemen do not know how to transfer fire to units that are in a safe distance. They, without batting an eye, can throw shells at your squad, which is fighting with a dozen surviving enemies. Even if you tell them to stop “fire at will” and stop, they often only react to the command after a couple of volleys.

For legionnaires with their pilums, the expression “a detachment in the distance” doesn't make sense at all. Pilums fly literally ten to twenty meters, no more. Fortunately, legionnaires do not “fire at will” unless you specifically ask them to do so.

If you do not want to suffer losses from your own arrows, there can be only one solution here - do not give the shooters independence and each time indicate to the units where to direct arrows and darts.

Sometimes it happens that stones and arrows hit the backs of the soldiers in front. Slingers especially often do this - try not to place them behind the main line of troops. It so happens that the arrows "get stuck" in the detachment, which at the moment of the volley passed through the line of archers. This is also unpleasant. Bypass the archers or stop the shooting to guide your own through the line of reckless shooters.

FOURTH PAGE

Throwing machines in field combat

These stones are the temple of the Druids. A year later, in their place will be the temple of Ceres.

The stunning effects of the shooting machines are no doubt inspired by the Hollywood "Gladiator". The use of throwing machines in field combat is possible and even desirable. Cars slow down the movement of the army on the strategic map, but they simply transform the battle.

Onagra is good for breaking through city walls. In the field, place the onager behind the main army and order them to open fire with fiery projectiles. Fire pots do not fly as accurately as ordinary stones, but they work no worse than modern high-explosive ammunition - one hit of a burning pot in the center of a formation instantly destroys up to a third of the detachment. Onagras can shamelessly smear (compared to Medieval, here, having gained experience, throwing machines do not become snipers). However, even if two or three pots reach the enemy, then the machines will already pay for themselves.

Ballistae, automatic ballistae and scorpions are best placed on the flanks - they shoot along a very flat trajectory, almost in a straight line. When hit, the ballista spear can pierce several soldiers at once.

All throwing machines can be moved across the battlefield. Large ones move slowly, small ones a little faster. Near each set of vehicles there are service personnel who can fight off a small detachment of peasants and withstand a few seconds of battle against other detachments. However, if help does not arrive in time, the calculation will be “spent” quickly.

If the enemy has onagers, then they should be the first target for your onagers. Try to destroy the crew with cavalry. Detach units under fire, withdraw or transfer to a free formation.

Using the weather

The weather in the game no longer has a big impact on the outcome of the battle. There is no gunpowder in the game, so there is nothing to get damp in the rain. Fire projectiles and arrows are not affected by rain. Bad weather reduces the effectiveness of shelling, fog restricts visibility. The Mediterranean is a sunny place, so there will always be more good days.

During the attack, you can skip three days while waiting for the right weather. Night also reduces the effectiveness of archers, but, unfortunately, the attack time cannot be chosen - every time it is early morning. To hold out the battle until nightfall is an unrealistic task, so you will never see the stars in the imperial campaign.

The local climate also has a weak effect on the units. In the hot deserts of Africa, armored European troops get tired much faster.

Collecting deserters

Each general has the ability to stop fleeing troops. If your squad ran, you can activate the ability and send the general to cut it. Chances are that the fugitives will come to their senses and again stand under your banners.

But the general is very often needed on the front lines. Left without his moral support, the bulk of the troops may falter. It is worth sending the general to “collect” the squandered units when the battle subsides, and it makes sense to collect the fleeing units in general (for example, there are many soldiers left in them, and they can still help the army).

Bring the fight to an end

Hurray, we are breaking, the barbarians in disarray rush to their heels, keeping the concentrated expression of mustachioed faces. If all the enemy units throw down the white flag and begin their long journey to the edge of the map, then the battle is won! A special sign will inform you about this. You will be prompted to leave the tactical mode or continue the battle to the end, until the last running enemy disappears behind the red horizon.

Choose to continue the battle. Is always. For two reasons.

• Among the fleeing enemies, there may be units that are only half knocked out. They will remain on the map, retreat and can then annoy you. Only a squad that is two-thirds destroyed by a lost battle will disappear from the map for good (this also applies to the general).
• Exterminating a running army is an easy and safe way to gain experience for units (and especially for generals).

This is a bug: in one of the battles, the enemy's captain's detachment was completely knocked out. Left alone under the scorching rays of the Syrian sun, the captain went crazy. He ran in circles in the desert, gave signals with his hand and shouted: "Forward!" My soldiers were also not doing well: they sat down on the sand and quietly went on strike, not responding to orders.

Battle at the crossing

Ferries are important strategic points. To take control of the crossing on the strategic map, you need to place the squad on a bridge or a ford. Now the enemy, having attacked the detachment, will be forced to cross the bridge or cross the river up to the waist in water.

Defending in such conditions is nowhere easier. If you have enough shooters and have infantry, then you can easily turn to flight three times the superior army of the enemy. Place defensive units (best of all - a phalanx) twenty meters from the bridge. Place the shooters around. Place the most effective ones on the left. Shooting from the left is always more effective than shooting from the right or from the front - the infantry holds the shield with their left hand.

And let them just try to attack! The stream of arrows, stones and darts will chill anyone. If a beaten enemy still passes to your side of the bridge, plug the passage with a phalanx. Losses of the enemy on the bridge can be terrible also because the panicked detachment does not run, as before, to its shore, but rushes scatteringly and, of course, drowns. There are no railings on the bridges.

Be careful when chasing an enemy or trying to take a bridge on your own. It is not only the panicking squads that can fall into the water in the landfill. Chariots are especially notorious for their instability on bridge planks.

Siege and assault

The army is advancing under the walls of the city. The soldiers look forward to rich booty. The defenders are in a panic. If the army has at least one set of onagers, the assault can begin on the move. If the commander prefers mobility and does not carry pieces of wood with him, he lays down the city according to all the rules. The size of the city affects the number of turns during which the city can withstand a siege. The strongest cities will last up to five years.

The possibilities of the besieged are limited to a sortie. The besiegers can build siege engines for free and calmly (the speed of construction depends on the size of the army - usually one or two turns are enough). If no one comes to the aid of the besieged city, then the commander always has a choice - to calmly wait until the city falls, or to arrange an assault.

The principle is the same and it is simple: the storming must pass the walls of the city and go to the central square. Having destroyed the defenders in the square, the army must hold it for three minutes. The city will be considered taken (even if there are still defenders on the walls).

If the city's defenders launch a counterattack and infiltrate the square, the timer will stop. He will again start counting three minutes from zero, when the storming men, enraged by their impudence, will again clear the area of ​​the enemy. The square cannot endlessly pass from hand to hand - the timer limits the time of the assault (usually it is twenty minutes). If the “three minutes” rule has not been met before the end of the battle, then the city is awarded a victory. The siege is removed. It is also removed when the defenders win during the sortie.

Did you know: the city can be seen not only during the battle. Open the menu of any city. Select "details" and then "view". The tactical map will load. You will be able to fly around your city among buildings and passers-by, examine the surrounding area. All this resembles the cities of Republic: The Revolution - just as majestic, beautiful and useless.

The difficulty of taking a city depends on its garrison (of course) and on the level of its walls. A settlement without walls is taken very simply and easily - there is no need to sit under siege and plan stairs.

If the city is surrounded by a wooden palisade, then the task is slightly more complicated. The soldiers standing behind the built rams will easily break the gates and walls. Do not approach the turrets - they will shoot. Bring the shooters closer to the gate and try to drive the defenders away from the walls. For the most stubborn, place dart infantry in gates and in gaps. Do not be afraid of counterattacks - they simply will not be, the enemy will not go beyond the walls.

When the enemy, under a hail of spears and arrows, moves away from the walls, quickly introduce troops into the gates and gaps. The surviving defenders retreat to the square. The city, one might say, is in your hands. It remains only to surround the square, spend all the remaining shells and storm the square.

Taking a city with stone walls of any height is a huge problem. You will be greeted by very self-contained stone towers with incendiary arrows, solid walls with defensive arrows, and boiling oil at the gate. There are four options for siege structures for stone walls.

• Ram. Suitable for gates only. Can be set on fire from towers. Place a squad for the ram, which you do not mind: boiling oil will almost certainly halve it. If the gate is strong, then the unit can be exterminated entirely before breaking it.
• Digging. The only way to make a hole in the stone wall. Drive a detachment there and wait.
• Ladders. With the help of ladders, you can only take empty walls, otherwise any defensive detachment will easily deal with the storming ones as they arrive.
• Siege towers. This is better than stairs. With their help, you can try to storm the wall, and, moreover, siege towers themselves can shoot arrows.

Prepare for heavy losses from arrows - city towers shoot not only outside, but also inside the city, which means that your troops will decrease as long as they go deeper into the city within an arrow's flight distance. Storm the gate with a battering ram, replace the knocked-out units. Keep the second ram nearby in case the first is set on fire. Dig under the walls. If there are free walls, try to occupy them with rifle squads so that they can shoot from the walls at the defenders. Storm the walls with defenders from the towers with the heaviest infantry. Before you occupy the gate, do not let many troops enter it - the hot oil does not sleep. It is advisable not to risk the general and keep him away from hostilities.

Drive the defenders deep into the city in continuous waves, regardless of losses. You can only relax when you come close to the town square. Remember that in the city and especially in the square near the detachments it tears down the tower a little - sometimes, after the order, your soldiers can run in an unexpected direction. And the timer is ticking, and time is running out. There is no time for subtle tactical decisions. There is only one maneuver in the cities: a roaring crowd of motley infantry runs through the streets to the square and drives the panicking defenders in front of them.

It is interesting: Before the game was released, screenshots and videos often featured onagers shelling the city and flaming buildings. So: shelling buildings is an absolutely senseless expense for both buildings and shells. Why destroy what will be yours at the end of the battle? There should be only one target for the onager: a gate with walls.

Sometimes during a siege, enemies give the besiegers an unexpected gift - they arrange a sortie. Immediately remove the infantry from the siege vehicles, line up in front of the gate and try to crush the attackers. This is not difficult, since now you are on the defensive, and they seep through one of the gates to the outside. When the enemy army falters and runs, your cavalry and infantry can easily break into the city on the shoulders of the retreating ones.

It is interesting: after the capture of the city, it is possible not to repair the walls (if there is one hole in them). The fact is that the enemy attacking the city, seeing the old breach, immediately throws all his siege machines and maneuvers “all of a sudden” rushes to him. If you put several phalanxes with spears outside behind the break, then ... you understand.

Acquaintance with the squads

The mess with the troops that reigned in Medieval is gone. Each squad in Rome: Total War is specific to a specific specialization. Some are assault, others are defensive, and still others are auxiliary.

In this section, I will briefly talk about the main types of troops so that you know in advance what to expect from them and how to deal with them. For their exact characteristics, see “ Useful poster" v " LCI” №12(37)/2004 .

Peasants

Yes, this isn't Shogun's ashigaru. Those, at least, kept the formation. And here the peasants simply crowd with a large amoeba and run from place to place. Only barbarian peasants have at least some parameters of defense and attack. All the rest are not good for anything at all, except for moving from city to city. The peasants have no merits, but there are more than enough shortcomings, and the main of them is extremely low fighting spirit.

City guards

City guards and their counterparts in all countries are an excellent choice for city garrisons. Such a detachment is inexpensive, asks for little and creates a good “effect of the presence” of the army in the city. This effect is necessary not only for enemies, but also for the inhabitants of the city, for some reason dissatisfied with the authorities.

Archers

Auxiliary unit. It differs in firing range and destructive power of arrows. Archers are ineffective against armored targets. They are useless in hand-to-hand combat (unless against peasants). By default, archers are in “semi-automatic” mode, that is, they themselves can choose a target and open fire without a command, and in case of danger, retreat.

Protect archers from cavalry. One breath of horses kills them, so don't risk it.

Slingers

Auxiliary unit. Almost an exact copy of archers, despite the fact that the destructive power of a stone from a sling is slightly lower than that of an arrow.

Dart throwers

Light infantry armed with throwing darts can be called by different names: throwers, peltasts, velites. Historically, these infantry were released onto the battlefield before starting the main battle. After several volleys, the dart throwers turn into weak (very weak) infantry that can be used in combat, but only "to support the pants."

If the enemy is not strong with cavalry, place javelin throwers in front of the main line of infantry. Then take them back, right through your lines.

It is interesting: to let the detachment pass, the infantry performs an interesting combat trick: first, each even row goes behind the odd one, and then the detachment doubles up the rows again.

With the cavalry, the situation may worsen - not having time to retreat, the throwers quickly perish under the hooves of horses. However, even this can be used: if the cavalry is going to intercept your velites, run them back, and attack the horses with the main infantry. Surprise! In this case, the cavalry will lose the "assault" increase in the attack and may suffer serious losses if they do not retreat in time.

Phalanx

Historically, a phalanx is a dense, unbreakable line of infantry armed with long spears and shields. Its length can be kilometers, and the depth of construction is from eight rows. The warriors stand in the phalanx very tightly, covering each other with shields and putting their spears forward (the back rows put their spears forward and obliquely upward). The infantry will not be able to break through the hedgehog of spears and quickly die. The cavalry against the phalanx was powerless - seeing the continuous wall of the peak, the horses simply stop and throw off the riders. Shields and armor cover the warriors from arrows. At the cost of low speed and sluggishness (try to maneuver with a detachment of this length), the phalanx acquired invulnerability to a direct attack.

In history, the phalanx was defeated by blows from the flanks and rear even when the phalanx order was upset by maneuvers, ravines and hills. Having lost formation, the phalanx simply turned into a crowd. In Roman times, the phalanx was gradually replaced by a maneuverable manipulator system.

The play phalanx, in principle, is similar to the real one (except for the incredibly small size). A detachment of hoplites or Spartans fights with swords. In phalanx mode, the squad puts forward spears that have come from nowhere and loses the ability to run. One step, just one step!

The formation of the phalanx gives the infantry an increase in defense - it disappears if the formation is broken. The use of a phalanx is beneficial where it cannot be bypassed from the rear or from the flank: in narrow passages, on bridges, or in cases where there are many detachments and they form a front with well-covered flanks.

Almost any infantry (except for the same phalanx) loses a frontal battle to the phalanx. At the same time, this formation is very vulnerable from the rear and flanks. The most terrible enemy of the phalanx is the cavalry. A cavalry strike to the rear in a matter of seconds causes panic and flight. A flank strike is also extremely dangerous.

But the funny thing is that the cavalry can successfully attack the phalanx from the front. First, the knights jump over a row of lances and find themselves right in the middle of the formation. Secondly, even if the "jumping" horses stumble upon the spears raised up and die, the phalanx formation will still be disrupted, which means that the increase in defense will disappear. A paradox is created - the phalanx in the game is more vulnerable to cavalry than a simple detachment of spearmen (which has no advantages, and, accordingly, there is nothing to disappear there).

Legions before the reforms

Before the famous reforms of Mary, Roman legionaries were divided according to age and wealth into three types of detachments: young hastats, experienced principals, and elderly triarii. The army was lined up in this order: Gastats in front, principles in the center, triarii behind. The young men were the first to enter the battle: they threw pilum darts at the enemy and fought with swords. If enemy resistance continued, the Gastats were supported by more experienced principles (with the same weaponry). The Triarii at this time sat, covered with shields. At a critical moment, if the matter was going to defeat, the triarii rose, put out spear-gasts and went on the attack. The famous Roman expression “it came to the Triarii” means extreme tension.

According to the rules of the game mechanics of Rome: Total War, such a tactic is impossible in principle. But the detachments remained. And we will find where to apply them.

Gastats. Protected by classic semi-cylindrical shields of the "armored door" system. Armed with three throwing pilums and a short gladius sword. They belong to the light infantry class, but in fact they are medium infantry. An excellent "backbone" of the Roman army in the first fifty-hundred years of the game.

It is interesting: what is pilum? This is a special 2m dart with a 1m tip. Its tip is made of unhardened metal so that the tip, piercing the enemy's shield, bends and makes the use of the shield impossible. This weapon was made by Gaius Marius - the greatest military reformer of Rome. But in the game there are no such subtleties, and here pilums only kill.

Principles. Heavy infantry, better defenses and attacks. The armament is the same as that of the gastat. Principles will remain the backbone of the army until reforms.

Triarii. Classic spearmen with excellent performance. They fight well both against infantry and against cavalry. (They have no pilums.)

Roman legionnaires are not the only infantry to combine throwing darts and conventional weapons. The Illyrian mercenaries, for example, fight in the same way.

A salvo of pilums thinns the enemy formation well, however, the spears fly very close - a maximum of ten to fifteen meters. By default, the attack of ghastats and principles looks like this: they run up to the enemy, stop fifteen meters before him, throw pilums once and again run into the attack.

So, to throw or not to throw? Unambiguously not throw if the enemy is running against your legionnaires. Firstly, they simply will not have time to throw pilums and will be crushed. Secondly, it is better to use precious seconds to rush towards the enemy and acquire an “assault” advantage. As a reminder, a forced melee attack is an attack while holding down the Alt key.

If the enemy has gone on the defensive and is not going to attack even when the hastats have come within the distance of the pilum's throw, throw. If the enemy is tied up in battle and cannot respond, throw. If the enemy has formed a phalanx and slowly approaches on foot - throw, and then step back. You can even activate the “fire at will” mode, like the archers.

This is a bug: if the "pilum" legionnaires have no darts left, then it is not enough just to command them: "Attack!" If you do this, they will, out of habit, stop fifteen meters from the enemy and start clapping in their pockets, and only then they will remember that all the spears have been spent. Use the Alt key.

Legions after the reforms

At a certain stage of the game (around the end of the second century BC), the reform of the Roman army will allow the building of unified legionnaires. Having strengthened their attack and defense, they retained the pilums, characteristic shields and gladius. Only after reforms will the legions learn to use the turtle formation.

Armenian and Numidian legionaries (there was at one time such a funny plagiarism) in the game can do the same as the Roman, with the exception of the "turtle".

Barbarian troops

Units of barbarians (these include Gauls, Germans and Britons) have a good attack parameter, but weak armor and low morale. It is difficult to manage them, and it is easy to defeat them (playing as Yuliev, you will be convinced of this). Classic units - barbarian light infantry, barbarian phalanx (that's right!), Swordsmen.

Nearly all barbarian infantry units can boost their attack stat using battle yells for a few seconds. They should be used to anticipate the attack.

The weak morale of the barbarians are called upon to support the druids - a small detachment of heavy infantry. They "conjure" and thereby instill courage in the hearts of warriors. Enemy druids are the first target for your archers and squads.

The unusual squad "screaming women" is close to the peasants, but has better characteristics. Their ability to screech is reassuring to the infantry and slightly demoralizes the enemy.

Another remarkable squad of barbarians is the head throwers. The destructive force of the heads falling on the heads of the enemy is surprisingly great. The very fact of shelling with such smoked "pumpkins" reduces the enemy's morale. Don't let the throwers get close, intercept them with your cavalry and shoot them with bows.

Dogs and pigs

Inexpensive trained fighting dogs - a unique detachment for single use. The closest comparison is a cluster of homing missiles. All dogs can be safely put in battle, but as long as the "huntsmen" are alive, it does not matter. By the next battle, the number of dogs will increase again.

You can use dogs against light cavalry, light and medium infantry, throwers and marksmen. The huntsmen, having once let go of the dogs (for this they must approach the target halfway through the arrow's flight), they lose all control over them. After that, the dogs themselves run around the map and attack everyone they want. It is better to take the gamekeepers quickly to the rear - sometimes, for some unknown reason, they run forward and may get hurt.

War dogs run fast (at the speed of light cavalry), frighten the enemy and bite well. They can be used for pursuit if you have few cavalry. Dogs are good for letting down on defenders when storming cities and hills. At a critical moment in the battle, a pack of war dogs can play a decisive role in helping to overturn the enemy.

Pigs are a detachment for an even narrower application. This is a "weapon of retaliation" against all kinds of elephants. The shepherds (what else to call them?) Pour oil on the pigs, set them on fire and let them go. The squeals and fire instantly put the elephants into a gaki state. Big gray comrades become uncontrollable. After a few seconds of this “fight”, the pigs turn into bacon and, for obvious reasons, stop running.

Light cavalry

Try it, come on!

There are many types of light cavalry in the game: Roman equites, barbarian and Nile cavalry. It is distinguished by its weak armor, good speed and not very high attack parameters. Only in the seconds of the assault does the light cavalry represent something. After that, she either overturns the enemy, or becomes an easy prey.

The worst enemies of this type of units are spearmen, phalanxes and heavy infantry in general. True, they are only dangerous from the front. A light cavalry attack on the flank and even in the rear (with a subsequent withdrawal) is relatively safe. Actually, this is why it exists - for the environment and surprise attacks from unexpected directions. A running enemy is an easy target for any cavalry, not just light ones.

Equestrian arrows

Almost all mounted riflemen are distinguished by the almost complete absence of "assault" allowances to the attack. Therefore, sending them into battle is useless. Even before sending the mounted riflemen to attack from the rear, you need to think carefully. They are archers on horseback, and they are not trained to fight. They are designed to bombard and harass the enemy, and only for that. The cavalry detachment running in the Cantabrian circle mode fully justifies its salary.

Some eastern cavalry detachments stand apart. They have the ability to shoot in Persian, that is, straight at a gallop. Convenience is extraordinary! Scythian mercenary cavalry, living in the provinces of eastern Europe, can be of great help in any battle.

Heavy cavalry

Heavy cavalry (which includes the generals' detachments of almost all nations) is a live ram on the battlefield. Putting spears, cataphracts, Sarmatian mercenaries or Scythian nobility rush at full speed to the infantry detachment in order to shoot down almost the entire detachment with one blow. Few can resist the onslaught of the cataphracts. Light Macedonian cavalry spearmen can formally be classified as heavy cavalry, due to their onslaught parameter.

The recipe for using heavy cavalry is simple: swoop, withdraw, and again swoop. The contraindications are also familiar: it is not recommended to meet with the front of foot lancers and phalanxes.

The possibilities of pursuit of the heavy cavalry are limited - the horses get tired quickly. However, the general's horses should never be spared.

Elephants

The elephants in the game are too strong. Everyone recognized this, even the developers agreed with this, having reduced their protection in the first patch. In the game, only a long shelling of fiery shells, frequent attacks of heavy cavalry from the rear and, of course, a pig can help to cope with elephants. After patch 1.1. Sharp spears were added to this list. All this only helps to unbalance the elephants, make them go berserk and run around the map in random circles, trampling both friends and foes. Experience shows that only another elephant can kill an elephant, a direct hit from an onager or a long pouring of hot oil at the city gates.

Elephants do three things with enemy troops: they frighten, destroy the formation, and sometimes kill soldiers by trampling them or tossing them into the air with their tusks. Indian elephants (military or armored) have a turret with archers on their backs. Remember - as long as the elephant is alive and sane, the archers on the turret are invulnerable!

Elephants are most dangerous for the clumsy heavy infantry. All one can do is order the squads to stand in a loose formation and fire at them furiously with whatever is at hand: pilums, javelins, stones and arrows (best of all burning). Losses in encounters with elephants are almost always very heavy.

Sane elephants can safely pass through friendly units. Do not be afraid of the sight of the overturned soldiers - they are not injured, and in a couple of seconds they will rise from the ground. It's another matter when elephants go crazy - then they can easily trample your own soldiers. If your Indian elephants gave up and started running in circles, not responding to orders, consider euthanasia. With one click of the mouse, you can neutralize all your elephants in the squad forever. But elephants are expensive, and some of the infantry units can be sacrificed. It is almost always best to let the elephants run wild.

Chariots

In history, chariots have almost always proved to be very inconvenient and awkward weapons. They laughed at them, parted in front of them, so that later they could simply be taken prisoner. It was enough to kill only one horse for the chariot to lose its mobility. “This is not good,” the developers decided and made a budget version of elephants out of chariots.

The chariots in the game scare the infantry. Crashing into the formation, the chariot frustrates him and knocks the soldiers down. A long battle is not their strong point: the defense parameter of any chariot is equal to that of an average peasant. Such a tribute to historical accuracy makes it possible to successfully use infantry encirclement and shelling in the fight against chariots. Oddly enough, the most dangerous chariot is for the light cavalry. Never try to intercept them with light cavalry, it is better to use dogs, which can then be written off from the list.

Shooting chariots are slightly more useful than regular chariots. They can replace a detachment of horse archers, and intercept them with light cavalry is more expensive for themselves.

Most surprising of all are the serpentine chariots, famous for the same Hollywood "Gladiator". They not only scare and make a mess in the system - they have a purely "elephant" property: sickle chariots can go berserk! At the same time, it is impossible to destroy the horses, unlike the elephants: if you really cut, so cut everyone in a row.

That's all about “Rome” in a nutshell. Details - in the following numbers in the "Tips of the masters".

Elephants Yabdzeb Creative assembly have long been famous for leaving game information - from texts to unit parameters - in open text files. Having buried themselves in the text forests, the players were surprised to find a description of an unusual squad - the elephants of Yubtseb. Apart from the strange name, they look and taste like ordinary hired elephants. But the description of the detachment is even more mysterious: “These mysterious creatures come from the middle principalities of distant Terra Nova. These are the children of Gnitecram, the God of Shiny Things, which people do not need, but everyone equally wants. Dark and hideous are the ceremonies in which they are invoked; their tusks are great and terrible; their look is terrible; their riders are unwashed; their owners are cruel and vindictive. Run, save yourself in the hills! ” If you try to read the name of the elephants in reverse, you get “BestBuy”, and God, therefore, “Marketing”. Before us is a typical example of English humor, the first Easter egg found in the game. In the game itself, these elephants have not yet been met. Visit at your leisure English-language sites Totalwar.com - Official site of the game series. There is not much really useful information here, this sometimes happens with official sites. Totalwar.org - By far the best English language fan site. A huge database of information on the Total War series, a link to all decent places that have at least some relation to the topic. I would especially like to note the excellent forum where the most strategic minds in the world jointly reflect on game strategy and tactics. Totalrome.com - Nice, but half-empty page. The forum was the best for the authors. Russian sites Xlegio.ru ("Tenth Legion") - This site, dedicated to the history of military affairs of different eras, was created by science fiction writer Alexander Zorich. Without exaggeration, the best resource on the Russian Internet on the military history of antiquity and the Middle Ages. There are descriptions of battles and wars, maps, stories about ancient military vehicles, ships, armies and weapons. In addition, the "Tenth Legion" has a huge number of valuable books: those who want to read "Strategemata" by Sextus Frontinus, "Anabasis" by Xenophon or "Gallic War" by Caesar with comments - hurry here. Аncient.ru - Very large and detailed site. Its name speaks for itself. The authors have done a great job collecting maps and texts on the history of Egypt, Greece, Macedonia, Rome and other countries. However, the texts in the "military" section are taken from a terry Soviet textbook, and all events are covered from an appropriate point of view. The references in every paragraph to the "intensified class struggle between the oppressors and the oppressed" are not to everyone's liking. Ancientrome.ru - Historical site on Ancient Rome: culture, social life, everyday life and art. Everything that you once learned in school, but forgot.

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Dear friends

I see that rome total war is not popular here, and I decided to do my best to raise it up, so here are the codes.

When you play for any faction, for example, for the blue (I don't remember the name), well, you can ask the Carthaginians to make a one-time flesh in the amount of 100 denarii, and they give there about 2210 or something similar, and in return they ask not to attack, and so you can take it, I don't know exactly how much, but you can collect 10,000 in this way. Rome: Total War tip # 1

Secret to Rome: Total War # 2

Even with a small detachment, you can defeat any large army if there is a detachment of 2 horses. The main thing before the start of the battle is to take the detachment in different directions, send the remaining regiments to the enemy, and then crush the opponents with horses. Enemies, if they do not die, then at least start to run away, and then you just have to catch up with them.

Secret to Rome: Total War # 3

When the Senate declares the faction outlawed by the fascist (although it is better not to wait, but to attack first, and when your popularity among the people reaches the maximum to capture Rome), and the allies declare war on you, you can quickly increase the number of troops by bribing the armies of the Skipies and Brutti. Your diplomat offers a bribe to the army and it goes over to your side. Armies run by non-family members of opponents will be less offended.

Secret to Rome: Total War # 4

You can specifically initiate uprisings in newly occupied cities (if you play for the Roman factions), the Senate immediately gives the task of suppressing the uprising for 10 days, so you can cut out citizens several times in a row and bring the number of the city to a minimum (if it is not a key city then it's convenient, they then try to grow to a normal size for a long time if you bring them to 400), and besides (especially when playing for Julia) parliament gives either exotic units or 10 thousand, in three moves they earned up to 80 thousand (four onager, four cavalry , general, six archers and infantry). Best to score thus barbarians, their walls are wooden.

Secret to Rome: Total War # 5

If you play as the Romans, then you cannot allow your allies to gain power (capture a large number of cities). So you can use biological weapons against them ... a spy! So this is how we find a city (either our own or someone else's), infected with the plague and send our scout there (it is clear that the spy must stay alive). We take him out of the infected city and voila - our protege is now the carrier of the plague. You can see for yourself - by right-clicking on the portrait of our brave spy, and seeing a gray skull in the window that appears (just above the "retinue"). Hovering the cursor over it, we get the inscription "this copy is the carrier of the plague"

Now we are leading the Chekist to any unwanted city, and if the penetration mission is successful, then the city, as well as soldiers and family members (if they were there), are infected. The population begins to die quickly. This method is not bad at the initial stage of the game (the "sewers", "baths", etc. have not yet been built) and at the final stage (all these structures have already been built and you will not get away from the plague at all). So playing for Brutus, I significantly weakened Scipiev and Yuliev.

BE CAREFUL! The spy infects everyone! If you bring him into your city or your army, they will get sick there too!

Secret to Rome: Total War # 6

For those who are reluctant to bathe in the game with financial problems (and almost everything depends on the state of the money supply in Rome TW!), There is one cheating trick, which consists in determining the starting amount of denarii at the beginning of a new campaign.

The whole trick lies, in fact, in the appointment of the desired amount, which, in your opinion, would be enough for the development of the country for many years :)

But before you change anything in the descr_strat.txt configuration file, I advise you to save it beforehand, just in case, otherwise the game may demolish the tower under an unfavorable coincidence :)

Most fans of the genre agree that Total War: Rome 2 is a true masterpiece in its series. The game meets expectations 100%. Below we give the most popular option for passing - for Rome. Although the choice of factions does not end on the eternal city. Parthia, Sparta, Carthage and many other ancient cities are waiting for you and your participation!

To begin with, let's note a small innovation at the very beginning of the gameplay. When choosing a faction in Total War: Rome 2, you must first set the culture, and then the faction itself corresponding to this culture. Initially, players have access to eight cultures, each of which has up to three factions. The only exceptions are Rome and Carthage. These cultures are not represented by factions, but by families.

Since the game is still called Total War: Rome 2, it is logical that Rome is the first of the available cultures. He is also an unofficial favorite on all forums. And, as we said, three families are available in this culture: Junia, Julia and Cornelia. Campaign assignments are shown immediately when you select a culture (family). The main goal is to capture not a lot, not a few 140 provinces. This means that the game will be very, well, very long. The game starts in 272 BC. Forward to the glory of Rome!

To begin with, let's figure out what the developers provided us with. One legion under the command of a family ... for example, Yuliev. Rome, the capital of the oldest republic. All families not selected by the player are automatically retrained into his wards. The Senate, ks lovu, is also one and indivisible in the game, that is, fortunately for Total War fans, it is not a single faction. To the south of Rome is Naples, as well as the Greek regions of Brundisium and Cosentia belonging to Rome. They house the legion of the legate Cornelius Scipio. In addition, Rome has a fleet, headed by a certain L. Junius Brutus. In short, the starting position is more than decent. Although diplomatic relations still need to be analyzed ... This will be discussed below. The first task on the agenda is to seize the land of the Etruscans.

In fact, what Rome owns at the start of the game is a nice piece of land in the middle of the Mediterranean. In the east, the Roman possessions border on the Greeks, who generally do not pose any problems. To the south, Roman territories adjoin Syracuse, another Greek colony with which Rome has a non-aggression pact at the start of the game that guarantees peace in that part of the empire. Rome's closest neighbor to the southwest is Carthage. With him, in the very near future, there will be a lot of fuss. So far, however, the enemy forces of the Carthaginians are held back by a non-aggression pact. We use a temporary truce to gather strength and win the war in the north with the Etruscans. The Etruscan War will be the main storyline of the first campaign. Its big plus is that it allows the new player to seamlessly integrate into the gameplay. From the point of view of the debut military campaign, it is difficult to think of anything better!

An analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Rome is complete. Now you can do military affairs. We rename the legions so that later it would be convenient to recognize them. The easiest way is to give the troops names according to their base, for example: Center and North. We transfer the legion from the southern provinces closer to Rome and create new detachments. Also at this stage of the game it will be nice to acquire spies (in the game they are called spies) and send them north to monitor the enemy's maneuvers. Otherwise, you can end up in an ambush, which the Etruscans, judging by their location, are about to arrange.

As soon as the troops are replenished with new warriors, we throw one of the legions at the enemy. It is better not to delay with military replenishment, since delay will give the Etruscans the opportunity to better prepare for an attack. In any case, their strength will be inferior to yours. After the battle, the commander of the legion will receive new abilities. This is just the right time to recall the RPG elements that the developers have already promised fans for a long time. In principle, you could already see something similar in previous games. The greatest interest, perhaps, is the possibility of replacing the commander of the legion. You can change, for example, Julia to Cursor, at any time and in any place. You can find retired former commanders among the so-called. statesmen. This pool is used to equip new armed formations.

Conducting a land campaign, do not forget about strengthening our dominance at sea. We send the fleet to the shores of Corsica and block the local port. After the first military victory, you can start researching technologies. We recommend starting with the most basic one and improving the supply of troops. In parentheses, we note that after all the basic research has been completed, you will be presented with three completely independent research trees for both civilian and military technologies.

Finally, the time comes for building. As you probably remember from previous games, the main guarantee of a successfully completed campaign is the satisfaction of the population. If the citizens are unhappy, expect armed rebels, work uprisings, or even worse. Therefore, we always, even in wartime, develop this direction. If you have neither the means nor the desire to rebuild the empire, you can simply reduce the tax burden. In times of peace, this technique can make you the most popular ruler. But in the military, bring the country to complete collapse. So far, Rome is under martial law, so there is no need to abolish taxation. And the dissatisfaction of the Roman citizens is still quite tolerable. This is where the first turn of the Rome campaign ends. We continue to play in anticipation of the second ...

I've been waiting for Total War: Rome II for a long time. My fondest memories of the series are with the original Rome, despite all the games that followed, and now that the sequel is finally out, I am immersed in its world. Did it become love at second sight or did it mark the end of an era? It is not that simple. Details below.

To understand Rome II's place in the Total War hierarchy, it's helpful to look at the three previous titles: The Original Rome, Shogun 2, and Empire. Aside from the odd voice acting that would have been better suited to a sequel to Master of Orion than to a classic era game, Rome II conveys the essence of its time period just like any other game in the series. Everything here, as always, is focused on history, and not on faithful recreation of the little things. Creative Assembly studio director Michael Simpson talked about historical relevance: "We strive for Hollywood techniques ... but hopefully it comes out somewhere in the middle between them and the real story."

Hollywood techniques are visible to the naked eye, but this strong point series. When Roman generals lead soldiers into battle, they whip up their fury by playing on the fact that the enemy is different from them, their words are merciless, like swords. This is a clear example of the troops of the late empire, which served as a source of inspiration and endless allusions. I was a little disheartened when my oldest general, that grayish pile of scar tissue in his lorica squamata armor, cheerfully ordered his warriors to slaughter the Celts, calling them erect pigs, not humans. The Roman Empire has terrifying potential and makes it a natural starting point for the first campaign, thanks to its central location and ease of holding.

All I want to say is that the Romans in Rome II are made with a bang, and it is convenient to start the game with them. Aesthetically, everything is as enjoyable as a jug of colorful punch. The music uses melodies of an imaginary past, at times calm, with a melancholic middle, corresponding to the hardships of war and the realization that even the most powerful empire will sooner or later fall.

Viewed from afar, Rome II is delightful. Its individual elements form a dignified, beautiful and cohesive structure. We know the formula - Total War combines an advanced tactical strategy like "Risk" with large-scale battles in real time. In many ways, the previous game in the series, Shogun 2, was the best example of this formula. To some extent, the reason for this was the choice of place and time of the action - a rational approach to a more isolated setting.

For the sake of returning to Japan, the scale of the Empire had to be abandoned, and with them much of the chaos was discarded. Fewer elements were used in Shogun, but almost all of them have been improved. Spreading the length and breadth of Empire looked chaotic, Shogun 2 came out more concentrated, which was good for the game and helped to make room for Fall of the Samurai, an excellent addition. Unfortunately, some of Empire's shortcomings returned in Rome II, and although this is a game of extremely skillful workmanship, this step was still not entirely correct. What an irony - Rome II is so large and vast that it bursts at the seams with its weight.

It's a game of incredible proportions, with a much more open experience than the original Rome, offering multiple factions to choose from, even without the magical pre-order DLCs. Starting the game in different parts of the world will give you a completely different feeling. The most obvious difficulty is understanding how the diplomatic and military power of your neighbors, and in turn their neighbors, affects the geography of your particular faction's neighborhoods. Rome is capable of intimidating most other factions, the game for it begins with a war with its northern neighbors. This war is extremely difficult to lose, which makes it possible to instantly consolidate the territory.

The expansion is taking place elegantly. The total military power, fame and global influence of a faction determines how many armies, armadas and agents it can deploy on the battlefield at any given time. The power of a faction is now not so much tied to the number of holdings, but rather concentrated in provinces divided into regions. They are slightly similar to the continents from Risk, the unification effect shaping new strategic decisions. Sometimes it makes more sense to recapture one of the regions of the enemy province and then defend the local settlement, instead of advancing further, realizing that the fragmentation of the province has already weakened it and made it less useful.

The provincial system also allows for more interesting building decisions. Each region contains a settlement supporting a number of buildings and development areas such as farms and training grounds. My Rome was the center of outstanding military prowess, I always sent units for troops there and created it like a Fortress of Death. This means that resources and food came to the province from other places, so that the cities on the coast were mainly engaged in fish processing. These were very unpleasant places, where everyone was unhappy because of the stench and the high probability of slipping on fish guts while walking.

Centralized recruiting is quite convenient, but playing as Itzeny, I experimented with different strategies, making each settlement balanced without focusing on specialization. This is a viable tactic in which any loss is no longer so dire. Playing as Rome was risky in that any invasion would have a ripple effect that would drastically undermine the province's well-being, leaving it without food or labor. The specialization of cities can be changed by demolishing old buildings and erecting others, but this is a long and costly undertaking.

Lack of governance can create slums in the province. They occupy a cell on which something useful could be built, and punishment is provided for their demolition. In general, regional governance is the most advanced element since the days of Shogun 2. The system effectively forces the player to think intelligently, make plans ahead, and support his growing empire with cunning and tough character. In addition, everything is quite clear, although the game introduces new features without bothering to explain them. There is the usual tutorial, chatting something in the background when you first open a screen, but sometimes I find that I understand the general point, but do not understand the intricacies of each number or icon. In such cases, tooltips come to the rescue.

All in all, this is the best part of the game. Oh yes, and also the spectacle of the battles. But the combat mechanics themselves are disappointing. Once again, Rome II is a great game to play, and I will spend many more hours playing it. Perhaps she could never live up to my expectations: a perfectly matched time frame, the look at which came out exciting and impressive. But combat system, the management of armies and generals, simply falls short of the sense of scale, time and place established by the game itself.

AI is partly to blame. The series was constantly kicked for him, he rarely provides decent resistance, and all my defeats happen only because of my own mistakes and stupid attacks on defended positions. The main problem is that the computer opponent is more likely to react to the player's actions than to do his own. Soon his reactions become predictable and even with all the extraordinary abundance of unit types, their appearance on the battlefield rarely surprises you or catches you off guard. There are exceptions - first of all, the elephants, which turned out to be as cool as I expected - but my tactics since Rome have remained the same, and this suggests the same AI.

For ships, mixed attacks of the fleet and ground troops are better, purely sea ​​battle, although it looks great, it does not load the brain at all. Only at the beginning my fleet was losing even to relatively weak enemies, but when I realized the importance of onboard maneuvering and figured out the types of units ON ships, everything immediately changed in my favor. Of course, the ships scattering to pieces look mesmerizing, but now I put naval battles on autoboy.

When approaching an enemy harbor, the lack of fleet versatility is no longer a problem. It is extremely pleasant to smash the enemy from both sides, however, to take such a position, you will have to work more on the strategic map than in the battle itself.

Unfortunately, the chances of such maneuvers are rare. The map, although large, is not an open space, but corridors between forests and mountains. This has an obvious plus - it is easier for developers and, of course, players to control the movement of troops in this way; blockades, ambushes and retreats would otherwise be much less frequent. But I would have liked a less cramped world. All roads may lead to Rome, but for some reason only a couple of them leave it.

A clever innovation appeared in the movement of armies. The introduction of combat stances allows the infantry to increase speed or arrange ambush-slaughterhouses like the Teutoburg Forest. Of course, each stance has its own pros and cons, and they change the start of the battle in amazing ways.

Unfortunately, the development of generals and armies in the role of characters and historical combat units did not come out as deep as one might think from the first signs. The choice of upgrades for both units and leaders comes down to, for example, improved swords or improved armor. They don't seek to accentuate the spirit of the era, which would be great in general, and they don't add any real strategic diversity. Not everything is going smoothly with the retinue of generals. These are kind of accompanying characters adding bonuses, but after a few turns there are so many of them that they seem to be ballast, and not a valuable reward.

Now I have started the game again and dabble with the saves. I want to create a Celtic empire, ready to quickly take over Rome. On a strategic level, AI adversaries behave effectively and interestingly, creating unlikely scenarios and unexpected alliances. The world has become surprisingly volatile, although the waiting time between turns has increased due to the difficult political situation.

Playing without noticeable bugs (a major patch released over the weekend fixed two major issues that I encountered, but there was talk of others on the net), I quickly realize that I am falling in love with this game. Only later, when I move away from her a little, I begin to doubt my feelings. The fights look amazing, bright enough to win the highest praise, and there are enough interesting moments in the middle and end to keep up with a boring start. But still initial stages battles are monotonous, and as a result, battles lack meaningfulness.

If Rome II were a gladiator, he would enter the arena to the flashing of fireworks and rumbling trumpets. In the most beautiful armor that the world has seen, he would look promising, greatness would be prepared for him by fate itself. Later, having overcome many opponents, he still would have fallen, and the last enemy would have brought his sword to his throat. Looking at this, only the most cruel ruler would put his finger down. All his victories were deserved, but one cannot get rid of the thought that if his armor were not so rich, lighter and more flexible, he might not have lost to anyone.

Released: September 2, 2013 Publisher: Sega Developer: The Creative Assembly Genres: Global Strategy / Multiplayer Platforms: PC At: 119th place Editor's rating: 70 %

Is it worth playing? (based on reader ratings)

How do you like the game? + 4 (5 positive / 1 negative)

They unanimously declare that Total War is best series games. It includes projects of a wide variety of topics - from Ancient Rome to the Napoleonic Wars. But all of them are united by a roughly similar principle - you need to manage an entire state, regulating absolutely all its aspects, but at the same time you will need to focus on military operations, seizing territories and defeating enemies. Moreover, you can independently lead your troops when they go into battle - of course, there is also a function that allows you to play battles on the machine, but this destroys half of the interest from the game. Plus, with good planning, you can win a battle even against vastly superior enemy forces - of course, the computer won't do that for you. You will suffer serious losses where, with the right tactics, they could have been avoided altogether. As mentioned above, the games in the series are very similar to each other - they simply allow the player to plunge into different eras world history. However, at the same time, the gamers themselves now consider the game Total War: Rome 2 to be the best project of the series. You can see the passage of it further - naturally, it will not detailed description turn-based actions, as it could be done in a shooter or quest. Everything here depends only on you: you yourself choose your development strategy, the aggressiveness of your military actions, and so on. But you can find out what the campaign will represent for each of the available factions, of which there are enough in the game.

Rome

As you might well guess from the title of Total War: Rome 2, the passage will be carried out for the forces of Ancient Rome. You are given command of a burgeoning power, and your task will not be about defense or any small military action. A rather ambitious goal is set before you - to expand the influence of your Roman Republic - and this means a huge number of battles both with tribes and with full-fledged states to expand the borders of your state. You should pay attention to the fact that in battles the strength of the Romans lies mainly in their high discipline and training, and a competent tactical approach is also extremely important. In economic terms, you should not have any problems in principle, since you get the reins of government in the heyday. Accordingly, this faction is recommended for those gamers who are not yet familiar with the game - it is not so difficult to defeat barbarian tribes with well-trained soldiers. Playing as the Romans is mainly about winning with the least loss, not whether you win or not. However, as you may already have understood, you will be able to play not only for the Romans in Total War: Rome 2. Walkthrough involves choosing the faction that you want to represent.

Carthage

The second most popular faction in Total War: Rome 2, the passage for which is available to the player, is Carthage. This trading city, which had a huge impact during this era, can offer you a campaign just as exciting as the Roman troops. You will be able to take advantage of the mercenary Carthaginian troops, which will allow you to crush the enemy in numbers, although the population of the city itself is not that large. Again, financially, you will not have any problems, since Krafagen was famous for its trade ties all over the world.Total War: Rome 2 The passage for Carthage sets before you the goal - to capture as much territory as possible, which will allow you to further expand the influence of your state , to make the city's trade position even more solid, and this you will have to achieve in battles both with the local population of the African coast, and in raids on Europe, although it is worth noting that battles on the water will be your weak point, so you will need to prepare for them as seriously as possible in game Total War 2: Rome - the passage then will not cause you any special problems.

Macedonia

If the first two factions were quite easy to manage, since you practically do not need to think about your financial situation and well-being - the Roman Empire is flourishing, and Carthage can always rely on its trading opportunities, then in the future Total War: Rome 2 will have much more complicated. For example, the Macedonians start out in the shadow of their former greatness, imprisoned within the boundaries of a small state, with great distrust on the part of almost all possible allies. Therefore, you will have to try to make Macedonia shine and shine again, as it was under Alexander. The only advantages you have are the excellent hoplite training left over from the time of Alexander, as well as two states that are willing to cooperate with you, despite your past, and supply you ships for travel by water. And you should definitely manage this wisely - then the passage of the game Total War: Rome 2 will become a little easier for you.

And prices

If you thought that Total War: Rome 2 would be centered exclusively around the major factions, then you were wrong. You will be given the opportunity to play for the barbarian tribes, which were abundant in those days. And the first ones you should pay attention to are the prices. This tribe can hardly be called barbaric in the full sense of the word, because the Icens were able to establish their own capital in the south of Britain, create several religious centers and even issue their own coins. They are incredible warriors who primarily use foot troops, but often resort to cavalry. Your goal as a leader of the Icens is to fight for supremacy in Britain - you need to gather under your banner as many British tribes as possible, destroying those who refuse to cooperate. Not an easy task, given how many ambitious tribes there were in Britain at the time. Many gamers ask about what is the passage for Germany in Total War: Rome 2, but this question is very difficult to answer, since Germany as such did not exist in those days - there were only, like the British, Germanic tribes, about which we are talking will go a little later.

Arvern

In Total War: Rome 2, the passage for Macedonia is very similar to the campaign of the Arverni - another tribe that has a huge impact. Only this time it is located not in Britain, but in Gaul - accordingly, your goals and objectives will be different. You will need to fight for the prosperity and expansion of the territory of your tribe. But this time you will have to face directly not only those tribes that do not agree with your rule, but also with more impressive forces, such as the Roman Empire. As for the features of this tribe, then you should pay attention to the druids, who have a huge impact on absolutely all areas of the Arvern's activities. In battle, they use infantry armed with spears, but they are also always ready to resort to the help of cavalry. In economic terms, you should pay attention to their ability to process gold, which will give you a serious head start in financial terms. And if you want to know what the passage for the Scythians looks like in Total War: Rome 2, then this is exactly the faction you should turn to, since the Arverni are the direct heirs of the Scythian tribes.

Suevi

The next tribe, which is worth talking about, just belongs to the Germanic, which have already been discussed earlier. As you remember, in Total War: Rome 2, the passage for Rome has a rather low level of difficulty. The same cannot be said about the passage for the Suevi, who, although they are one of the most influential Germanic tribes, still looks rather weak against the background of the leading factions. They practically do not know how to make armor and weapons, do not use cavalry and attack using a spear and shield. Of course, they fight very fiercely, but they will easily fall from the attacks of more armed opponents. Therefore, you need to use the main trump card of this tribe - love for the forest. They are perfectly oriented in the thickets and can fight there in a way that no other faction can. Moreover, they can make very effective ambushes, so keep this factor in mind when playing as a suev. And while playing as Krafagen in Total War: Rome 2 may not give you any problems, playing as the Germanic tribes is much more addictive as it presents you with a real challenge.

Praphia

Time to switch back from tribes to states, and Parthia is an excellent example in this case. The passage for this state will be much more difficult than for all described above, but easier than in the case of the tribes. You will have enough of everything - and money, and influence, and military power, but everything in this world is relative. And, of course, you won't be as powerful as the Roman Empire, as rich as Carthage, or as fearsome as Macedonia. But you will have the opportunity to use heavy cavalry, horse archers and infantry with spears, you will receive enough profit from agriculture and the Silk Road, and respect for you will come from the multinationality of your state. Accordingly, you can easily achieve the goal of expanding your territory, especially if you have the opportunity to fight in open spaces, where you will get the most out of your cavalry.

Egypt

Many gamers did not expect to see Egypt playthrough in Total War: Rome 2, but it is still affordable - and incredibly addicting. The fact is that this state has just a huge potential - a mixture of all the best that the ancient Greeks and ancient Egyptians had, incredibly powerful troops, including swordsmen, chariots, and archers, and even such rare and exotic units like war elephants, a developed economic system. The only drawback is that this state is very young, politics is practically not developed in it, and it will not be easy to survive under pressure from outside. But under your command, this task will become quite feasible.

Pont

All of the playable factions available to you in the original version of the game have been described above. But many may ask quite a logical question - is this really all there is? In fact, no - after all, you may have heard about what is available in the game Total War: Rome 2 passage for Epirus, Athens and many other factions. All of these factions are added to the game by add-ons. For example, you can get Pontus absolutely free - and it will be an impressive acquisition, since this state will allow you to get access to powerful troops and an economy supported by the Greek states. However, given that this state has Persian roots, the eastern countries will not be happy with your presence.

Greek states

The first paid add-on to this game offers you three new playable factions. They all belong to the Greek states - Epirus, Sparta and Athens. Naturally, they all have their own characteristics in the passage, but the goal is approximately the same. As with all other factions in Total War: Rome 2, playing Sparta will require you to dominate the world.

Nomad barbarians

If you have completed all the available campaigns for all factions, then you can purchase another add-on that will allow you to play for the new three barbarian factions. These are the Roxolans, Massagets and Royal Scythians - different tribes with the same ambitions to subjugate everyone around.

Pirate addition

If the sea was not enough for you, then you can install another add-on, which adds Ardiei, the Odrysian kingdom and Tilis to the game. Naturally, their goal will be the same as everyone else's, but at the same time you will be able to explore new unusual ways to achieve this goal. You will be able to achieve world domination both by sea and land raids, but at the same time becoming one step higher than ordinary barbarians.