Vanilla vs DeI

**Essaich** · January 26, 2017, 07:51 AM

First off, I love the look of this mod - can't wait to play it!

However, while I'd say I'm a veteran of total war games (Shogun I through to Shogun II) since Rome II came out I've lacked a machine that could actually play it. Happily that's about to change!

One of the great advantages of the TW series is the modding community. Once mods came out for each of the previous total war titles I exclusively played them (e.g stainless steel, europa barbarorum, RTR, Third Age, etc.) but, before the mods came out, I'd already been playing the vanilla game for a while.

As I am only now about to get Rome II - and thus have not played it before - would there be any advantages in playing the vanilla game before downloading DeI?

Maybe it offers a different experience (not just a worse one), or is there really no point and I should simply go straight to DeI?

Thanks in advance for any help!

**Augustusng** · January 26, 2017, 07:57 AM

Well, you might want to play the vanilla game just to get used to the basic mechanics of Rome 2, but DeI of course changes a lot of that. It's certainly a different experience. The vanilla game is faster and easier, for sure.

**FlashHeart07** · January 26, 2017, 08:27 AM

Vanilla compared to DeI... Two different "games" using the same engine. Ofc as Augustusng mentions, the basics of the game remain pretty much the same, but thats about it. DeI changes everything and for the better.

**RoninSan** · January 26, 2017, 08:46 AM

I would recommend to play vanilla first. At least one campaign (two if you fail the 1st one).
After learning the vanilla mechanics you'll apreciate this mod much more if you actually compare everything it changes.
Then you will want to have a sexy poster of the DeI team in your room

**Hoplitus** · January 26, 2017, 08:51 AM

Since you are used to TW and mods I'd say skip vanilla

There'll be no advantages in playing it. If you want a more complex and varied game then play DeI right away.

**Morgan** · January 26, 2017, 09:00 AM

I'd jump straight in as the the experiences are vastly different now. You could always play the prologue first and then install DeI.

**Stilldead** · January 26, 2017, 09:17 AM

I believe that jumping straight into DEI 1.2 might be too difficult if you have never played Rome 2 before. Emperor Edition Rome 2 isn't all that bad anyways, but its much easier and faster so I'd play around 200 turns on vanilla to get the hang of it - and after that, as someone already mentioned you can appreciate the changes even more

**nunz** · January 26, 2017, 10:34 AM

Just straight in. You already know how Total War works -- Rome II wasn't a game that set itself apart from the rest of the series in a major way.

**Daergar** · January 26, 2017, 11:08 AM

Straight in, no question. Vanilla is pure arcade nonsense.

**Rusty2016** · January 26, 2017, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by Essaich

First off, I love the look of this mod - can't wait to play it!

However, while I'd say I'm a veteran of total war games (Shogun I through to Shogun II) since Rome II came out I've lacked a machine that could actually play it. Happily that's about to change!

One of the great advantages of the TW series is the modding community. Once mods came out for each of the previous total war titles I exclusively played them (e.g stainless steel, europa barbarorum, RTR, Third Age, etc.) but, before the mods came out, I'd already been playing the vanilla game for a while.

As I am only now about to get Rome II - and thus have not played it before - would there be any advantages in playing the vanilla game before downloading DeI?

Maybe it offers a different experience (not just a worse one), or is there really no point and I should simply go straight to DeI?

Thanks in advance for any help!

I definately think skip vanilla. You seem to be a patient individual seeing as you waited this long to give rome2 a spin. I suggest read the gameplay manuals that dei has made available & then get straight into the modded version. Life is too short.
[Resource] DeI Manuals and Guides

**TheGovna** · January 26, 2017, 03:02 PM

Skip vanilla and treat DEI like it's a whole different game focused more on realism and historical authenticity. There is no point in wasting valuable time on vanilla when you can be learning DEI from the get go.

**Vardano** · January 27, 2017, 01:30 AM

Don't skip vanilla! Play it for 4-5 hours! Then you'll have a good idea what DEI is and appreciate enormous job these guys put in this "mod".

**hippacrocafish** · January 27, 2017, 02:37 AM

I don't think Rome II is worth playing without DeI TBH. It's my least favorite TW without a mod and my absolute favorite with DeI. If you played Shogun II I think you should be fine, I would just play Normal/Normal with one of the easy factions though, like Egypt, Carthage, (Carthage is actually pretty easy in 1.2 when it used to be one of the most frustrating factions to play) Pergamon, Athens, or the Bosporan Kingdom.

**Essaich** · January 27, 2017, 03:50 AM

Thanks everyone, really helpful! On the balance of comments it's pretty clear that DeI is the only way to play. I think I'll take Vardana and Morgan's advice just to play the prologue or something - this will also help in making sure the base game is running correctly. Then it's off to one of hippocrocafish's recommendations, maybe one of the small ones like Pergamon to get started.

Thanks also to Rusty2016 - those guides are a great prep!

**KennyTheKlever** · January 27, 2017, 05:08 AM

Play the prologue on vanilla (prologue is pretty entertaining) and then play a short vanilla campaign like wrath of Sparta. After that you should be able to fully appreciate what DeI has done when you install it.

**Essaich** · January 30, 2017, 09:19 AM

I took your advice and played the prologue, along with a short Iceni campaign. Very enjoyable, but when I switched to DeI I could see if reached the next level! Great mod.

The principal difficulty I'm having at the moment is replenishment rate. Even when I set to Patrol stance it takes me an age to return units to a semblance of full health. I'm replenishing in provinces with plenty of surplus food and have less than two full stacks - principally Hastati. Meanwhile the AI keeps bombarding me with fresh armies. Is there a faster way of replenishing than Patrol mode?

**Augustusng** · January 30, 2017, 09:23 AM

Not really, but fortification stance or putting the army in a city can give you the same replenishment rate.

Of course, there are several ways to increase the base replenishment rate, including some traits and buildings.

**KAM 2150** · January 30, 2017, 09:34 AM

Yes, when you put an army in the city or in fortified stance, the rate is higher.

But best and fastest way to do it is to press Ctrl + M, it will merge wounded units by some % each time you press it, that way healthy soldiers from wounded units will get transfered to others squads so instead of replenishing 5-10 units, you will only have to replenish 1-2 or just delete them and recruit new units in their place

**Essaich** · January 30, 2017, 09:55 AM

Perfect, thanks!

**OscarJuliet** · January 31, 2017, 08:23 PM

Nope, never played vanilla Rome but I've played other total war campaigns. Just give the guides a read through and run DEI from the start. Been on a Rome campaign for 550+ turns for a month straight. It is better to learn the mod out right than to learn old mechanics in vanilla that DEI changes for the better.