This is a big and active forum so I make some MP promotion here!

If the battles are your favourite thing about totalwar, try multiplayer you dont have to fight against stupid AI and its a lot more fun.
You will get beaten many times before you find a good tactic, but when you have it, its 100 times more fun than SP.
I know gamespy sucks but some battles that dont work and login problems are worth the fun.

Hint: Dont use the tactics you use angainst the AI, than you get slaughtered and dont spam unit types, try to make balanced armies.

A-L

I hope more join MP community