Vanilla or Mod (SS?) for first timer?

**Hary.Keogh** · August 03, 2011, 04:23 AM

Hi
I've got quite an experience with RTW moded (mostly with extended realism), but just started M2W (several turns with England only). Is it worth to play vanilla or should I install some mod from start?
I'm looking for more "historical" and "realistic" experience where I can roleplay - not necessary very difficult in terms of AI cheating, but more because of "house rules" and mentioned roleplay that I use during play.
Any suggestions?

**benitezking** · August 03, 2011, 04:32 AM

Well, I think you should play Vanilla to get a grip of some of the new mechanics the game has (Crusades and the pope, etc). Once you get a grip of things, get some of the mods. Stainless Steel is quite good, Chivalry II (but that has a garrison script that adds extra units to AI cities when besieged) or Broken Crescent.

Really, choose a mod that you think would get you interested. They are much better than vanilla and most have extra features as well.

**ChivalrousKiller** · August 03, 2011, 06:15 AM

Vanilla. It's a good experience in itself, then after you have played that for some time, you decide which mods suit you the best

**tudor93** · August 03, 2011, 06:34 AM

well, don't start with vanilla, start with retrofit mod http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=118680 (well ... it's still vanilla but with bug fixes (including 2h animations!) , it's a little more balanced and it adds a few new units) and also install GUAM http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=135950 (it's for retrofit 1.0, furthermore it adds all the units from the kingdoms expansion)
Then you can play a big mod like SS,BC etc.

**eXistenZ** · August 03, 2011, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by tudor93

well, don't start with vanilla, start with retrofit mod http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=118680 (well ... it's still vanilla but with bug fixes (including 2h animations!) , it's a little more balanced and it adds a few new units) and also install GUAM http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=135950 (it's for retrofit 1.0, furthermore it adds all the units from the kingdoms expansion)
Then you can play a big mod like SS,BC etc.

this. retrofit mod is really good, it clears all (or most) annoyances from the vanilla version.

**Piobmhor** · August 03, 2011, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Hary.Keogh

Hi
I've got quite an experience with RTW moded (mostly with extended realism), but just started M2W (several turns with England only). Is it worth to play vanilla or should I install some mod from start?
I'm looking for more "historical" and "realistic" experience where I can roleplay - not necessary very difficult in terms of AI cheating, but more because of "house rules" and mentioned roleplay that I use during play.
Any suggestions?

I agree, play the vanilla version first for half a campaign or so. I have been playing SS, and its a damn good mod. Adds tons of new detail to units and stops the stupid backstabbing of the AI. I prefer M2TW with SS over Shogun 2.

**Hary.Keogh** · August 03, 2011, 03:02 PM

Than you all for advice - i'll try retrofit and guam.
The only problem I've got is that my version of the game is not English. After instaling retrofit, part of descriptions etc. are in English, part in Polish. Do you know any way to switch all to English - is there anywhere files with description, gui elements etc. that i can replace?

EDIT: Ok, I've found some (not perfect) sollution. Retrofit keeps everything in Polish. Only Guam replaced part of files with English version. So uninstal/install retrofit and everything is ok, except I can't use GUAM - it's irritating when every sentence is in another language

Do I miss a lot not having GUAM (it's hard to judge from description for unexperience user)