Total Noob: I really suck... help?

**Tarkand** · September 04, 2013, 09:26 AM

First Total War game I play and I'm getting slaughtered... by the PC, in the tutorial... ouch. The game says that I have 97% chance to win with 54% casualties... so I figured, 'I don't really know how to play this game, so I'll actually play this battle, try and learn since it's supposed to be a near sure thing'. It's the attack on Salenium (sp?) in the campaign that comes after you've captured it... I only have my Garrison to defend + the two units of guys from the ship (my forces are out on a boat going to Barenium (sp?)). I actually outnumber him -_-.I'm not quite sure what I'm doing wrong. I keep my guys hidden, make sure they're facing the opponents (I imagine that matters). I charge with my Rorari, provide support with my javelin thrower... I flank with my plebes (Which are a terrible unit stat wise, so I figured it was a better idea to use them to flank rather than lead the charge)... and well, the computer seems happy to just take it and slug it out (His ranged unit also shoot in the melee... but he doesn't really bother with any flanking maneuvers)... and somehow my guys break/die well before his do.As for my general/leader... I try to keep him out of the fight, behind the front line. But it seems that out of nowhere he gets snipped. It's actually pretty ridiculous how he more or less always dies to the first salvo. On the plus side, I quite often kill their general in the melee... but while my general dying is damn near an automatic route, the PC's force hardly seems to be phased.Now... I'm normally not that incompetent in strategy game (be they computer or of the table top variety) but this one has me stomped... it really feels like I'm just fighting a superior force with better training and morale (And well, this is a garisson/militia type thing fighting against an invading force) - but apparently, if I auto resolve this, I'm going to win by a comfortable margin? So ... any tips? Any guide/ressource out there for the terminally incompetent?I realize a lot of the people posting here are long term veterans... but keep in mind this game is actually pretty dense for somebody with no experience at it.

**Tarkand** · September 04, 2013, 09:41 AM

Terribly sorry for the wall of text. I actually had space and paragraph but I guess that got crushed out when I hit reply. And joy of joy, I don't have permission to edit my posts (wtf?).