-Kingdoms Review-
Kingdoms:Total War
"You lose it out here, you're in a world of hurt."
Hey, this is Lug. Been a fan of the total war series since Shogun.
I'd like to promote the game, as it's exceeded my expectations, is a great successor to Medieval II, and a true chronological intermediary to Empires. I'm exhausted, so if you have any questions, let me know
The Americas
I purchased the game for the Americas campaign, and was originally set on playing the Apaches, hearing that I could adapt to conquered technology. After doing research on all of the factions, I unlocked the Chichimecs, Tlaxcalans, and Tarascans with preferances.
I decided on the Tarascans, Pepechua, since they had a city state dynamic like the Mayans, and a good strategic and agricultural location with few cities and a natural border. I wanted to be in the midst of action, while remaining historically feasible.
I've always liked to start from the ground up, in province number. I've accustomed to the change in Kingdoms, which offers both paths.
The first thing that struck me was the immersion factor. South of Zacatecas, you're playing as the vassals of a bloodthirsty state and religion, and you have to respect that at first or you're a goner. Your income and squalor doesnt depend on sacrifices, it depends on strategic resources and city building, which the new scale offers. In my view, merchants were a failure in Medieval II, but the economy of Americas is very competitive.
In a phrase, you're no longer fighting for a city, you're fighting for a province. For example, there is a tiny fief south of Tenochitlan, with two gold deposits, and two silver deposits alone. The deserts and mountains of the Chichimecs and Apache have even greater riches, and their troops have very low upkeep.
The eastern frontier of the Tarascans can only be maintained by watchtowers, and guarded by ambush tactics. The campaign AI makes full use of ambushes in the Teutonic campaign as well, in the guerilla defense of Lithuania.
Each faction in all campaigns offers a formidable army of early era units with a few high era, which for the Mesoamerican factions, means you can test the versatility of the upper tier from the start. Since the scale is drastically decreased, you are aware of the natural borders and political climate that makes each faction unique (and independant). For example, the arable hills and grasslands of the south west coast of Mexico are great terrain for shock troops like the Eagle warrior, who utilize running amidst their enemy rather than surrounding them, facing them, or flanking them. The endurance of the Jaguar, Tarascan spearman, and Tarascan warrior are also well suited here. The Eagles and Jaguars are investments, and you don't want to lose them, and they are best kept under a good general, so that they dont desert to the rebels, which is common in Americas.
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In contrast, just north east of the Tarascan homeland, at the canons of Colotan, the climate changes. The deserts and wastelands are the perfect place for small groups of Guarilill, raiders, and hunters to surround and prevent the escape of expensive regiments. These are actual native american tactics, all catered to region and faction. Expedience is key to any engagement by the Mesoamericans. In sieges, your most reliable front liners are your generals, heirs, and Emperor. I wound up dissolving the Chichimecs in a single battle.
Tarascans, Aztecs, and Tlaxcalans are a fasces. All have access to chanting priests, cualchiqueh, eagles, and jaguars, but are different in the subtlety of governance and faction specifics. The acropolis offers the creme befefits of each of these three, which for the Tarascans is skirmishing.
I'm a bit disappointed with the final tier of the Tarascans, as I understand they had copper mines, and the only unit that utilizes this as a weapon is your chieftan. That might be the idea of the arrow upgrade, but its discouraging to have 2 cualchiqueh production in four cities so early, and one jaguar every turn in four cities, and no trigger unlockables as the Apaches and Chichimecs have. Once you take the mines and irrigate/farm your homeland, the game is yours. I've built zero racks of skulls and there is no squalor and I'm 20k + above what I need to win. Have ball courts and temple of the suns in most cities.
It's turn 34 or so, and the Aztec empire has basically collapsed with the fall of Tollan and Tenochitlan, and El Dorado. Tixla is waiting to be taken.
Being able to knock out the Spanish and Tlaxcalans (my allies) in four turns is one thing. Having fun doing it is another. There's no advancement in waiting in a hundred jungles with full stacks of eagles, cualchiqueh, and jaguars, for hours more.
The campaign AI has improved drastically. New Spain is on it's way to taking Zacatecas, to add to their little kingdom between the Mayans and the remnants of the Aztecs. The Apaches are doing well, and New France has just gained their first permanent settlement in Florida.
The Tlaxcalans (who have never had more than two cities, yet are seemingly invincible against the Aztecs) broke our alliance at one point to aid their Chichimec allies, ensuing in an automatic ceasefire. The Aztecs went so far as to invade without military access to try to reach Colotan and Zacatecas with reinforcements while allied.
Still, the AI will not cede cities or ceasefires for alliances, map information, trade rights, other cities, and florins, under any condition. Alliance's are otherwise solid, and I've been allied with New Spain since the beginning without a single falling out. Neutral factions will not cede provinces within your natural borders even with exhorbident gifts and good relations. The Aztecs have refused the offer of a city, and the 'We have nothing to offer in return.' comes up often.
Outright gifts are well recieved and relations improve over the time of alliances, and decrease during wars with allies.
The AI responds well to the hidden map schema, and not being percieved as a threat by the Spanish was partly due to hiding two full stacks in jungles and behind mountains very early on, which allows roleplaying beyond the game mechanics.
Another powerful tool of immersion is the vocal ambience for the native americans. The sound sets on the map are nice, and the music fits each faction, though I hear the Irish have a Scottish sound setMy favorite battle and campaign theme are the Teutonic Order.
In my Britannia test, I used the Norwegians. I observed good AI when Scotland invaded an island village, and held off their siege when an army landed from my capital at the Island of Man. Forts are improved, but I havent proceeded far enough to warrant a full review of the kings and rebellion developments, or the British factions.
For the Teutonic Campaign test, I tried the Teutonic Order, Novgorod, and the Lithuanians.
The Lithuanian standard looks a bit garish in winter, but the pagan pantheon and roster seem like alot of fun.
Mangonels are damned inaccurateSo inaccurate, I've killed three enemy generals by chance.
The Teutonic Order has incredible morale and are somewhat of a juggernaut. They never route. You either bulk up to win, or break up to die. Resistance from the Lithuanians is mostly hiding or running, though I did fight through one epic bridge battle, where the starting elite carried the day. The clergy, Christ Knights, swordsmen and Spearman are all resilient and worth bringing to any fight. The rank system and lack of tree for the TO is a nice touch. I like the new castle graphic.
Awesome range of early era units, and the campaign gave me alot of insight on the naturally triggered alliances between the Poles and the Order, the Lithuanians and Novgorod. The Danes became ambitious in Livonia, but an equal force of city levies and a blockade at the crossing stopped them in their tracks. I like how many villages start small and are basically territory to either devlope, or fortify. Council is very active in all of the campaigns I've played.
I really liked the Novgorad late era roster. Play-tested the Cossack musketeers, with Druz and Dvor. Going to play full games with both Novgorod and the Order.
The game has turned out very well, and I'm excited about what new factions, titles, and battle AI the mods will bring.
I've played alot, so If you have any questions, let me know. I'll review the Teutonic campaign in full next post.
-Lug
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