Attila - Introducing the changes (OP updated October 22nd)

[Remo]

After watching this http://www.twitch.tv/totalwarofficial/b/572003665 some more information was revealed.

-Guard mode and formation attacks will return
-Saxons will be a playable faction (they were really highlighting on the fact that you'll play as minor factions who will start really small, so perhaps as playing as the saxons you'll have to find a new home)
-Small RPG elements for generals, in that you can customize his skill tree to suit them for specific areas such as improving their melee on horseback to improving their governorship etc.
-Different diseases will be present in-game such as smallpox, measles, TB and the early signs of the plague.
-Trading with other factions will increase the likelihood of having diseases brought over to your cities etc
-walls will be an option to build for minor settlements

Trees/vegetation can be set on fire

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I didn't see where guard mode button was put back in. It doesn't show it at the bottom on that screen. Where did you get that info?

I really hope I don't have to babysit my guys the entire battle because they stand 3 feet from enemies instead of continuing to attack. That would just be a bee's knees.

[The Roman Republic]

I didn't see where guard mode button was put back in. It doesn't show it at the bottom on that screen. Where did you get that info?

I really hope I don't have to babysit my guys the entire battle because they stand 3 feet from enemies instead of continuing to attack. That would just be a bee's knees.

It was verbally said, don't forget this is alpha so they won't have all of the features included yet.

[Causeless]

28:30 in above link: they announced that routing units retreat to the town centre again, like in old games, instead of just running out of the settlement into the enemy forces.

31:50 in above link: "will guard mode or formation attack make a return?" - "yes". But I think they misunderstood - they said they used it in the beginning of the battle to space the soldiers out to stop damage from onagers, so he was actually referring to loose formation when he said "yes"

36:40 in above link: minor settlements can be fortified with walls

[The Roman Republic]

28:30 in above link: they announced that routing units retreat to the town centre again, like in old games, instead of just running out of the settlement into the enemy forces.

31:50 in above link: "will guard mode or formation attack make a return?" - "yes". But I think they misunderstood - they said they used it in the beginning of the battle to space the soldiers out to stop damage from onagers, so he was actually referring to loose formation when he said "yes"

36:40 in above link: minor settlements can be fortified with walls

What did you think about them really hitting hard about factions starting small, it was just after he said Saxons were playable, do you think they will become nationless to start off with?

[Causeless]

What did you think about them really hitting hard about factions starting small, it was just after he said Saxons were playable, do you think they will become nationless to start off with?

It'd be pretty cool to see horde mode return from BI, with settlement-less armies without insane attrition.

[General Maximus]

I am worried about the 7th century axes, 9th century Viking shields and Jute helmets from the the 8th century. Saxons look more like fancy Viking raiders than what they actually might've been.

Oh, and those laser trails behind all kind of ammunition is just...simply...stupid. Even more ridiculous than Rome II. Hopefully we can turn them off.

[Heathen Storm]

I am worried about the 7th century axes, 9th century Viking shields and Jute helmets from the the 8th century. Saxons look more like fancy Viking raiders than what they actually might've been.

Oh, and those laser trails behind all kind of ammunition is just...simply...stupid. Even more ridiculous than Rome II. Hopefully we can turn them off.

Two things; in the battle video the Saxons with Jute-style helmets were called "Nordic-" so I'm assuming they are northern mercenaries. Also, those aren't 8th century helmets. the Vendel culture in Scandinavia was making similar helmets between the late 5th and 7th centuries.. So fairly logical to assume helmets as these could have been earlier. Also if you notice the variety in units is next to none, so I'm sure they just have yet to add in more varieties to some of the units/factions.

[Magister Militum Flavius Aetius]

Two things; in the battle video the Saxons with Jute-style helmets were called "Nordic-" so I'm assuming they are northern mercenaries. Also, those aren't 8th century helmets. the Vendel culture in Scandinavia was making similar helmets between the late 5th and 7th centuries.. So fairly logical to assume helmets as these could have been earlier. Also if you notice the variety in units is next to none, so I'm sure they just have yet to add in more varieties to some of the units/factions.

Vendel Helmets don't belong in this era. We know that Saxon helmets looked like because we've found them. They used Banded helmets: the Shorwell being a perfect example, dating to the 5th century AD. Other Saxon Helmets are clearly descended from Roman ridge helmets or Spangenhelms, both of which were widely available in Germania.

And Viking shields are inappropriate as well because we have not only depictions, but plenty of finds of Germanic shields, with some examples like the Thorsberg-Mose ones have the wood surviving as well. Germanic shields were usually either about 24 or 36 inches in diameter, and every find of Saxon shield boss says that Saxon shields were dished. Shields of this era were usually laminated, not planked, with a layer of linen or thin leather glued to the front and painted, with a leather or rawhide edging.

[Heathen Storm]

Vendel Helmets don't belong in this era. We know that Saxon helmets looked like because we've found them. They used Banded helmets: the Shorwell being a perfect example, dating to the 5th century AD. Other Saxon Helmets are clearly descended from Roman ridge helmets or Spangenhelms, both of which were widely available in Germania.

You are correct, and I'm hoping that CA follows that. However any of the units with Vendel helms (except perhaps the hearth guard, don't remember seeing that one up close) are called "Nordic" units, so I'm assuming they are not supposed to be Saxons? Who knows though.

And Viking shields are inappropriate as well because we have not only depictions, but plenty of finds of Germanic shields, with some examples like the Thorsberg-Mose ones have the wood surviving as well. Germanic shields were usually either about 24 or 36 inches in diameter, and every find of Saxon shield boss says that Saxon shields were dished. Shields of this era were usually laminated, not planked, with a layer of linen or thin leather glued to the front and painted, with a leather or rawhide edging.

Again, agreed. The shields are more than likely modeled on the later era Saxon shields, I will not defend this.

[General Maximus]

Vendel Helmets don't belong in this era. We know that Saxon helmets looked like because we've found them. They used Banded helmets: the Shorwell being a perfect example, dating to the 5th century AD. Other Saxon Helmets are clearly descended from Roman ridge helmets or Spangenhelms, both of which were widely available in Germania.

And Viking shields are inappropriate as well because we have not only depictions, but plenty of finds of Germanic shields, with some examples like the Thorsberg-Mose ones have the wood surviving as well. Germanic shields were usually either about 24 or 36 inches in diameter, and every find of Saxon shield boss says that Saxon shields were dished. Shields of this era were usually laminated, not planked, with a layer of linen or thin leather glued to the front and painted, with a leather or rawhide edging.

Agreed on all points.

In my opinion it seems that they modelled the Saxon shields on the post-Romano-Briton era (which I call Brytenwalda era, based on an excellent mod) in the 7th century Britain, when Saxons had invaded and settled in southern Britain. I cannot say much about armour since my knowledge in post-Roman Germanic armour is not so good, but the shields are likely the ones from that era. That is when they started using planked shields alongside the painted leather-covered shields, thanks to influence from other tribes and invaders in Britain like the old Celts, Jutes, Angles and probably even Franks from across the channel.

[Ahiga]

I am worried about the 7th century axes, 9th century Viking shields and Jute helmets from the the 8th century. Saxons look more like fancy Viking raiders than what they actually might've been.

Oh, and those laser trails behind all kind of ammunition is just...simply...stupid. Even more ridiculous than Rome II. Hopefully we can turn them off.

The shields aren't too inaccurate. Since we don't really have period depictions of the kind of decor early migration era shields had (But we know they were round), they tend to be given the swirls and such used in later periods. At least in wargaming communities with an eye towards accuracy I often see such swirl-shields.

The two handed axes are inaccurate for Saxons, but really accurate saxons would be boring as can be at this point (basically: only officers and bodyguards at best have mail, your highest grade unit simply has seaxes, those heavy throwing spears, spears, and the shield. Maybe not even helmets).

The abundance of that jute helmet is a bit annoying to me personally, but it's whatever - easy to switch it out.

[Heathen Storm]

Is it just me, or did he let slip the Huns are playable at about 22 minutes?

[The Roman Republic]

He said they aren't playable, which is something we've known since the reveal

[Heathen Storm]

He said they aren't playable, which is something we've known since the reveal

No, they have not yet officially announced whether we can play as them or not. In the video a user asked,
"What factions are going to be playable?" To which he replied;
"Besides what we've mentioned already, the Western Romans, the Eastern Romans, the Saxons, the Huns... Err we haven't said the Huns are playable"
Or something similar. At least that's how I understood it

[The Roman Republic]

No, they have not yet officially announced whether we can play as them or not. In the video a user asked,
"What factions are going to be playable?" To which he replied;
"Besides what we've mentioned already, the Western Romans, the Eastern Romans, the Saxons, the Huns... Err we haven't said the Huns are playable"
Or something similar. At least that's how I understood it

uk.ign.com/articles/2014/09/25/total-war-attila-announced

"Attila and his forces are not a faction in the traditional sense and can’t be played. They’re more like a force of nature that sweeps across the map, destroying and spoiling everything they touch."


You are wrong, the reply says " The western roman empire, then he says "ahh we didn't say the huns were playable factions, they are the bad guys" @21:50-22:00

[Heathen Storm]

uk.ign.com/articles/2014/09/25/total-war-attila-announced

"Attila and his forces are not a faction in the traditional sense and can’t be played. They’re more like a force of nature that sweeps across the map, destroying and spoiling everything they touch."


You are wrong, the reply says " The western roman empire, then he says "ahh we didn't say the huns were playable factions, they are the bad guys" @21:50-22:00

I honestly do not trust IGN nor will believe them until we get an official announcement. And when he replies, he doesn't explicitly say the Huns would not be playable. Just that they had not said if they would or not yet. We shall see in good time, of course!

[lilalex20]

After watching this http://www.twitch.tv/totalwarofficial/b/572003665 some more information was revealed.

-Guard mode and formation attacks will return
-Saxons will be a playable faction (they were really highlighting on the fact that you'll play as minor factions who will start really small, so perhaps as playing as the saxons you'll have to find a new home)
-Small RPG elements for generals, in that you can customize his skill tree to suit them for specific areas such as improving their melee on horseback to improving their governorship etc.
-Different diseases will be present in-game such as smallpox, measles, TB and the early signs of the plague.
-Trading with other factions will increase the likelihood of having diseases brought over to your cities etc
-walls will be an option to build for minor settlements

Trees/vegetation can be set on fire

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I am trying not to be too excited because I need to upgrade/get a new pc to play this one properly and I don't want to be excited about features that might not make it into the game,but good lord next year isn't coming fast enough! I pray all this is included

[Slashas]

I kinda like the idea of not having huns as a standard faction playable. If they use them as a spawning group of muderings horsemen sweeping over the world coming for you, that will feel much more epic! If they were a standard faction they could easily be destroyed like any other faction and not use special scripting. Else you'd have to make them OP so they grow big. Much more newthinking that way. I'm really excited for the slaughter horde coming for me!

[The Roman Republic]

I kinda like the idea of not having huns as a standard faction playable. If they use them as a spawning group of muderings horsemen sweeping over the world coming for you, that will feel much more epic! If they were a standard faction they could easily be destroyed like any other faction and not use special scripting. Else you'd have to make them OP so they grow big. Much more newthinking that way. I'm really excited for the slaughter horde coming for me!

Yeah, the tension I feel will add so much to the atmosphere. Should be a good experience.

No. They said it would take several turns to damage the walls enough to cause breaches. Your settlement will be progressively damaged as the siege goes on.

It's not 1 turn. The campaign designers said it's take a few in-game years, so about 7 or 8 turns until you'd get the highest level of siege escalation (a hole in the walls).

They said it would progress worse for every month you maintain the siege, as don't forget it's 4 turns per year the campaign. So I'm guessing there'll be 4 stages of siege escalation.

[♘Top Hat Zebra]

I kinda like the idea of not having huns as a standard faction playable. If they use them as a spawning group of muderings horsemen sweeping over the world coming for you, that will feel much more epic! If they were a standard faction they could easily be destroyed like any other faction and not use special scripting. Else you'd have to make them OP so they grow big. Much more newthinking that way. I'm really excited for the slaughter horde coming for me!

Maybe it is all a prototype test run for the scripting they will use with the hordes of Chaos in a new Warhammer Total War game.