Preview: Taksashila (Mauryan Satrapy)

[Future Filmmaker]

I would actually think that Professors of history should utilize this game as a teaching tool, considering how rich it is with information, detail, and a fairly up-to-date visual presentation of things instead of just reading it in text.

[Casual Tactician]

I would actually think that Professors of history should utilize this game as a teaching tool, considering how rich it is with information, detail, and a fairly up-to-date visual presentation of things instead of just reading it in text.

What a picture! Having Professors and their students playing EBII and screaming out in despair when their main battle line collapses!


I was wondering if the replenish rate of elephant units will be shorter and the costs lower than for other factions, as they seemingly played an important role in Indian warfare, and the cavarly was mainly used for skirmishing duties and pursuing fleeing enemies?

from "Military Equipment and the Organization of the Army in Mauryan India: (Elephants section)"

In many ways, although chariots still remained the vehicle of the nobility, by the time of Alexander’s incursion into India, the elephants had taken the chariots’ place as the foremost tactical arm of the military. For example, as can be attested by Arrian’s account of the battle of the Hydaspes, Poros built his battle strategy around his 200 elephants (Arr. 5.15). The elephant was considered an important part of the Hindu army already in the epic age, and it is described as crushing infantry, cavalry and chariots with equal ease (Singh 1965). Megasthenes records that Chandragupta had a total of 9000 elephants in his army, which is more than the total of chariots in his army, so it is thus evident that the elephant had become a very important weapon by the time of the Maurya Empire. Kautilya even goes as far as claiming that it is upon the elephants that the destruction of an enemy army depends (Arth. 7.11). The risk that the elephants would cause confusion in the friendly ranks as well did of course exist, but often, the strategy of Indian armies revolved around the fact that the enemy army would be broken up by the elephants’ charge, and could then be “mopped up” by the rest of the army. (...) It was thus much upon the elephants that the outcome of battles depended. As has been earlier discussed, the elephants would occasionally have been covered with pieces of armour, and riders either sat on the elephants’ back, or rode in mounted towers (Aelian 13.10; quoting Megasthenes).

I'm still stunned to see an Indian faction in EBII... to be able to fathom out and even rewrite the history of all these ancient peoples from Britan to India and from Arabia to the Baltic, which are represented with so much love and devotion for detail and accuracy, is going to be phantastic. Great job, guys!

[Pinarius]

Fantastic job, but why were the chariot-horses in this preview video the ones from Medieval 2 and not like the other ones I have seen here (since they look more realistic anyway).

[Casual Tactician]

Fantastic job, but why were the chariot-horses in this preview video the ones from Medieval 2 and not like the other ones I have seen here (since they look more realistic anyway).

See post #35, post #104 and post #106. I wonder how long it will be, for the next one to ask exactly the same question again?

[bobbin]

Great preview

I have two questions though

1. Did the EB team ever discuss the inclusion of swastikas since there has been evidence of its use going back to the Indus Valley Civilisation even:



So perhaps it was used during EB II's timeframe? especially considering that today they're a common sight in temples and there is evidence for their depictions prior to EB II's timeframe

Today they're used in this form:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

2. If temples are built, which gods would be represented in EB II? and could soma be linked to traits for characters?

As it has been pointed out already swastikas do feature in EBII, they were a very common symbol throughout history so we would be mad not to include them .

2. The temple system hasn't been finalised for Taksashila although you can expect the main deities to be represented. In EBII temples will be pretty different though and most if not all of their effects will be through traits and ancillaries.

[Deutschland]

Great preview guys! The level of detail is incredible. +rep

[gustave]

I would actually think that Professors of history should utilize this game as a teaching tool, considering how rich it is with information, detail, and a fairly up-to-date visual presentation of things instead of just reading it in text.

Actually I think that some EB members (who are teachers) do this...

[Ravager123]

Actually I think that some EB members (who are teachers) do this...

Would make learning fun for this kids

[alin]

Actually I think that some EB members (who are teachers) do this...

That is true, one of the old members Teleklos Archelaou did this.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Yep. I just used it for a two week project again in May. Senior-level high school students in an Ancient Greek (half language/half culture-history) class. I use it for an extra credit thing in Latin class at university in the summers also.

I've talked before about how college professors (at least in the U.S.) would not even stoop to commenting on its educational benefits, much less incorporate it in a course though.

[Jerat]

Very nice. I didnt expect an indian faction. Now ít is a lot harder to play as bactrians

[donnyy]

this is pure torture. I just cannot wait for release.THIS IS MADNESS.THIS IS INDIA

[Lordinquisitor]

Absolute victory. So awesome.

[fightermedic]

Yep. I just used it for a two week project again in May. Senior-level high school students in an Ancient Greek (half language/half culture-history) class. I use it for an extra credit thing in Latin class at university in the summers also.

I've talked before about how college professors (at least in the U.S.) would not even stoop to commenting on its educational benefits, much less incorporate it in a course though.

wow man, that's just cool
i guess here in bavaria you would be deprived of all authority and be thrown into prison for doing something like that
some of our politicians really view computer games as devils work (if not worse)
thanks for making EB, as to prove the opposite is quite true if anything

[Arágion]

Truly amazing! Absolutely fantastic work and incredibly high detailed units!

I will definitely try to play as them... but first....

(I will walk over them with my perfectly-lined-up Roman legions )

Behold world!
Mew Rome will rise... and the emperor is me!!

[Khosrau]

Sublime preview. You guys are the best.

[Babur]

Have a close look at this screenshot ; and I think you can also see one or two in the video.

thanks, now I see it

It would be ahistorical to not use them at all IMO, as it was and still is a common religious symbol for Indians (and others). Only because the Nazis made it to "their" symbol, doesn't mean that it actually is a Nazi-symbol.

Exactly, to Hindus it is viewed positively and can be seen in temples and during festivals.

As it has been pointed out already swastikas do feature in EBII, they were a very common symbol throughout history so we would be mad not to include them.

good to hear that you have included it

2. The temple system hasn't been finalised for Taksashila although you can expect the main deities to be represented. In EBII temples will be pretty different though and most if not all of their effects will be through traits and ancillaries.

so will there be temples to Indra and Shiva for example?

[Macilrille]

hey foot,

thanks for your reply and you really got me started on this! i am definately going to have a look at what the library has to say about that .

cheers

I suspect that very few libraries has anything to say that has not already been considered, we do our best to go over all material with information and analysis of our factions ;-)

[Visarion]

hey will Saka-Rouka and/or Baktria have acces to these units!? Will there be Saka-Rouka!?

[kingman1337]

Theres 31 factions, so I'm sure there will be.

Can't wait to play the Seleucid Empire and then conquer India, and rival the old Persian Empire!