Let's Officially Play Fourth Age TW: The Domion of Men | Rohan

[webba84]

Appreciate the concern, and I am going to slow down next week. Just so happens I had a bit of time to play these last few days, and while I'm playing I may as well record.

[Dáin II]

Glad you're enjoying Rohan, Dain - I've always felt they were an inexplicably under-appreciated faction in DoM.

I like fast battles with low casualties. Rohan is perfect for that. Riddermark Scouts, one of my favorite units. I always liked horse archers. With Rohan I would usually have 50% HA in my all cavalry armies leading to very favorable outcomes against even heavily armored foes like Adunabar.
No idea, why they are underappreciated. Only explanation I could come up with is that they very similar to Rohan in TNS and people maybe prefer to try something new.

[CountMRVHS]

Awesome, webba does LP!

... and pulls off the rare campaign when Rohan's faction leader outlives the heir

[athanaric]

Glad you're enjoying Rohan, Dain - I've always felt they were an inexplicably under-appreciated faction in DoM.

As said, they just haven't changed very much between versions of this mod*. They're also not as complex as the Dunedanic factions, or Dale, or Harad (simpler tech tree, fewer SB options, and less "open" roster).
FWIW, they're still one of my favourite factions. And they have the best default bodyguard units.


*Although the few changes that happened are definitely an improvement. Especially making the toothpicks of the basic cavalry unit slightly longer

[MasterOfNone]

Those are no ordinary toothpicks, those are Olog-hai toothpicks...

[webba84]

... and pulls off the rare campaign when Rohan's faction leader outlives the heir

Well, I'm all about those rare achievements

It's a good point that Rohan is one of the factions that has changed the least from TNS, but at the same time TNS was a long time ago and I think many players of DoM have probably not played it. And it is an excellent campaign in DoM, especially for people new to the mod.

Episode 4 is here! (and also embedded in the OP)

[athanaric]

Well, I'm all about those rare achievements

That first battle really made me cringe
OTOH, I confess I use antocalc a lot (one of the reasons why I play on Normal battles).

It's a good point that Rohan is one of the factions that has changed the least from TNS, but at the same time TNS was a long time ago and I think many players of DoM have probably not played it. And it is an excellent campaign in DoM, especially for people new to the mod.

There's two things that make Rohan slightly less interesting for me in the long run than Dale and RK (IMO Dale is one of the best factions in any RTW mod), and that's the limited tech tree and development (despite a decent economy), and some small details regarding the cavalry roster. I tried coming up with a slightly different (theoretical) version, which is harder than expected. Anyway, one of these days I should start a new campaign, maybe even a Let's Play, on the recommended unit sizes, in the hope that AI Harad will be less OP (has anyone tested that, BTW? I mean if different unit size settings consistently lead to different results in antocalc?).

[webba84]

That first battle really made me cringe
OTOH, I confess I use antocalc a lot (one of the reasons why I play on Normal battles).

Well, on the one hand, hugely embarrassing for me, but on the other, the whole purpose of these videos is to show that the mod isn't actually that hard and once you understand all the somewhat unique mechanics and quirks it's perfectly possible to play it well and enjoy it without being the most skilled RTW player out there. So, mission accomplished I guess.

BTW it is tested and confirmed that it is the campaign difficulty, not the battle difficulty, that affects autocalc. I guess the devs figured since autocalc takes place on the campaign map it falls within that sphere. A bit counter-intuitive to me, but there you have it.

[CountMRVHS]

Honestly, generals can be very vulnerable in battle depending on their traits. I've definitely lost my fair share of FMs. Tactics with one general unit won't necessarily work with another general unit who has racked up the hit point penalties, and I know I don't always track those. It's kind of a nice change from the vanilla bodyguard units in that you do have to use them carefully, sometimes.

[webba84]

Episode 5, featuring more reckless use of Generals (but a bit more successfully this time) is up! You can find it in the OP or direct link here.

[athanaric]

Honestly, generals can be very vulnerable in battle depending on their traits. I've definitely lost my fair share of FMs. Tactics with one general unit won't necessarily work with another general unit who has racked up the hit point penalties, and I know I don't always track those. It's kind of a nice change from the vanilla bodyguard units in that you do have to use them carefully, sometimes.

Well to be fair my play style is probably even worse to watch than webba's because it's like chess (i.e. I also make liberal use of the pause and fast forward buttons).
I've lost some generals too, but many of the times I do the game mysteriously crashes...

[webba84]

...probably even worse to watch than webba's...

Ouch!

[athanaric]

Ouch!

Sorry, I meant field battles, specifically. Your LP is good, at least the parts that I've watched so far.

[Highland Laddie]

I have actually had the most fun so far playing Rohan. You really get the sense that, while you're not the "star of the show," but you are, in-fact, the glue that is holding things together for the West, or at least certainly for the RK.

I get emotionally torn between annoyance and heroic when I see stacks of Adunabar and Harad besieging Minas Anor, only to have my full stack of cavalry swing down and save the day (again!!!).

I DID, however, make the mistake of accepting a ceasefire with Dunland after I took Dunfreca, especially after I noticed that you get a LOT of trade between Hornburg and Tol something (sp? - that fort where Isengard used to be). This lasted about 6-7 turns which allowed Dunland and Adunabar to pincer Tharbad, who had been keeping Adunabar in check in the north. Now I find I have to send extra troops north to save/conquer them instead of helping RK in the South.

My only major hopes at this point is if I might entice eithe Dale or Rhun to attack into Mordor to help relieve the pressure while I calm things in the north.

Forth Eorlings!

[webba84]

Dol Baran is the fort on the Isen. You get even more trade if you take it for yourself

Sorry, I meant field battles, specifically. Your LP is good, at least the parts that I've watched so far.

I'm just joking mate . I know the sped up battles aren't great viewing, but at the same time I'm trying to keep the videos concise, and not too much of a time investment for people to be watching. In the future I will probably just cut uninteresting battles, and try to let the interesting ones play out (mostly) in normal time.

[athanaric]

I DID, however, make the mistake of accepting a ceasefire with Dunland after I took Dunfreca, especially after I noticed that you get a LOT of trade between Hornburg and Tol something (sp? - that fort where Isengard used to be).

Dol Baran is the fort on the Isen. You get even more trade if you take it for yourself

Always take Dol Baran ASAP (should be the first target). It makes all of your buildings cheaper in every province. And has a great trade income. Best fort on the entire map.

I'm just joking mate . I know the sped up battles aren't great viewing, but at the same time I'm trying to keep the videos concise, and not too much of a time investment for people to be watching. In the future I will probably just cut uninteresting battles, and try to let the interesting ones play out (mostly) in normal time.

I know, was just pointing out that my own battles look like stop-motion interspersed with fast forward action, at least when big armies are involved or when I'm playing a mobile faction.

[webba84]

...my own battles look like stop-motion interspersed with fast forward action, at least when big armies are involved or when I'm playing a mobile faction.

Aye, I always felt it was a bit weird that this turned out to be the best way to manage RTW battles. I wonder how it would go if they removed the ability to pause? I'd use fast forward a lot less, that's for sure.

[CountMRVHS]

It's interesting to see how others play I mostly use the fast-forward during the initial marching phase, but not always. During melee I think I almost never fast-forward. (An exception would be, say, playing a siege defense as the Elves.)

As for pause, I use it sparingly. Not just because of some macho pride, but also because pausing cuts out the soundtrack!

So my battles tend to take longer, but then I don't mind zooming in up close and watching units duke it out. Probably wouldn't be the most efficient LP system, though.

[Saul Tyre]

It's interesting to see how others play I mostly use the fast-forward during the initial marching phase, but not always. During melee I think I almost never fast-forward. (An exception would be, say, playing a siege defense as the Elves.)

As for pause, I use it sparingly. Not just because of some macho pride, but also because pausing cuts out the soundtrack!

So my battles tend to take longer, but then I don't mind zooming in up close and watching units duke it out. Probably wouldn't be the most efficient LP system, though.

I never pause and like you not for any macho pride, I mean I've never heard of any Commander in the real world stopping a battle several times to rearrange their tactics. I'm the same with battle time limiter, I can't imagine someone standing on the periphery of a battle with a stopwatch saying "ok chaps that's it, time's up" then there's following the AI really? how was that communicated? the same reason I don't have fow off. I like to play with as much realism as the game will allow, it's just my way I suppose As for efficient LP's, imo it makes it more interesting, as otherwise I might as well play an arcade game As for zooming in for close up's, why not? I try to in every episode at least in one battle, there are many viewers I imagine would like that, so more power to your elbow Count

[athanaric]

Aye, I always felt it was a bit weird that this turned out to be the best way to manage RTW battles. I wonder how it would go if they removed the ability to pause? I'd use fast forward a lot less, that's for sure.

Battles would be a lot more frantic and uncoordinated, and more like in RTS games.

(An exception would be, say, playing a siege defense as the Elves.)

Best when accompanied by the Benny Hill theme...

I never pause and like you not for any macho pride, I mean I've never heard of any Commander in the real world stopping a battle several times to rearrange their tactics.

Well, no. But if you removed the pause function, you would favour the demographic that dominates RTS games such as StarCraft and Age of Empires, or shooters - young men with fast reflexes and a high gaming skill level. Not that there's anything wrong with those games, but I like how Total War - as well as Supreme Commander (in single player) and chess - is more open to people of all ages and skill levels, and is less nerve-wracking to play (aside from bugs and AI flaws, of course).

I'm the same with battle time limiter, I can't imagine someone standing on the periphery of a battle with a stopwatch saying "ok chaps that's it, time's up"

In some scenarios it is understandable, such as dusk or bad weather setting in. It can also help tremendously when the AI has a malfunction and doesn't engage or something like that.