Rome: Total War

Rome: Total War is a critically acclaimed strategy game composed of both turn-based strategy and real-time tactics, in which the player fights historical and fictitious battles set during late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. The game was developed by Creative Assembly and released on September 22, 2004. It is the third game of Creative Assembly's Total War series.

The player takes a role equivalent to the head of one the three great Roman houses at the time; the Julii, the Scipiones or the Bruti. Each of these factions has a different set of attributes and initial objectives. After winning campaign as Romans it is possible to play with other factions and take on a role similar to that of Hannibal, Commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian armies during the Second Punic War or the Gallic warlord Vercingetorix.

Gameplay consists of a combination of turn-based strategy and 3D real-time tactical battles. The 3D real-time action is uniquely different than most standard RTS games in that tactical maneuvering is critical to success whereas most RTS games take no account for the direction units are facing, flanking movements, breaking of lines, etc. The high-quality 3D graphics engine is able to render over thirty thousand men on a single battlefield. The strategic and tactical modes integrate such that the landscape for the battles is the same as seen on that particular spot on the strategic map where the armies meet.
The game is similar to its predecessors, Shogun: Total War and Medieval: Total War, although there are some changes to the mechanics of sieges and city fights have been added. Most notable is that players now move their units with movement points; in previous games units were moved by territory.
Armies can be built to conquer nearby provinces; to conquer a province, you must capture its settlement. Fleets at sea can also ferry troops, and blockade enemy ports, thus cutting down income from trade. While doing so, players can build certain buildings within their cities to move up through the tech tree to train more advanced units, increase a province's income, and/or keep the population happy. The ultimate goal, as in previous Total War games, is to conquer 50 provinces and capture Rome, thereby becoming Emperor.

There are three playable Roman factions: the Julii, the Brutii, the Scipii, along with the unplayable Senate, although it can be played in the Battle of Asculum, one of the game's historical battles, and in custom battles. The three factions start out allied to each other and the Senate, and may not attack each other. Each Roman faction can also view the others' map information without fog of war, a benefit not accorded to any other alliance. Even after the inevitable civil war, all Roman units are visible to a Roman player. However, the factions generally function independently, and a player controlling a Roman faction will rarely lend direct assistance to a Roman ally unless the player is somehow threatened. This could be because in the introductions for all Roman factions they speak of their hatred for the other families.
All three factions receive missions from the Senate, which are non-compulsory. However, the completion of Senate missions will increase the player's standing with the Senate, and possibly reward the player with rare and exotic units such as elephants, or standard units like triarii. Players in good standing with the Senate will receive progressively greater rewards for completing missions. Failure to complete missions reduces the player's standing with the Senate, and the Senate may demand that future missions are completed or else a penalty will be incurred. In extreme situations, the army of the Senate may declare war on the faction that isn't following its orders, a move the other Roman factions will soon copy.The senate can also ask you to leave an allied territory,usually within a few turns.
In addition to Senate standing, Roman factions must keep an eye on their popular standing within the Roman world. In general, popular standing tends to increase as a faction gains more territory; the public likes a conqueror. However, the Senate will get worried when a faction accumulates too much power. At a certain point, the Senate will request that the player's faction leader commit suicide. As with any Senate demand, the faction may accept or ignore—if it accepts, the faction leader dies and the heir becomes the new faction leader, giving the faction a few more years of Senate toleration before the demand is repeated. If the demand is ignored, the Roman factions are plunged into civil war. The player may also initiate a civil war once his popular standing is high enough by simply attacking another Roman faction. When playing as a non-Roman faction, the Roman civil war does not occur, unless the game files are altered.
Roman armies are focused on superior, well-disciplined and well-armored infantry and weak cavalry, relative to the other roman factions. The game simulates the reforms of Gaius Marius, which take place when the players capital city becomes a huge city. (rather than the historical time of 107 B.C.). Prior to the reforms, the army is made in the traditional hastati-principes-triarii model. After the reforms the army is made up of the famous legions, and better cavalry and ranged units are unlocked, and can do formations such as the testudo
In addition, each of the three playable Roman factions has a different starting area, as well as regions into which they can expand, although the latter can be influenced by the player. Each has different temples to build as well as their own type of gladiators, which can be fielded in battle:
The Julii start out in the northern portion of the Italian peninsula and deal with barbarian tribes to the north, especially in Gaul. They also have Samnite gladiators, and can build temples dedicated to Ceres, Bacchus and Jupiter.
The Brutii start out in the south of the peninsula, and they usually focus on the Greek factions to the east. Although, if the Brutii expand their territory quickly, they may go to the south east and challenge the Egyptians. They have access to Velite Gladiators, and temples for Mars, Mercury and Juno.
The Scipii begin in Sicily as well as middle Italy and are primarily involved in conflicts with Carthage, Numidia and Egypt to the south. Their temples can be dedicated to Neptune, Vulcan or Saturn. They have access to Mirmillo Gladiators, and the Temple of Neptune, when upgraded, ultimately gives access to special ships, such as corvi, quinqueremes and deceres.
If the Senate faction is manually unlocked and played by a human player, its role in Roman policy is ignored. Senate missions no longer exist, there are no Senate officers, and there is no Senate or popular standing. If the player attempts to go to the Senate screen, which normally tells Roman factions about these things, the game will most likely crash. Another thing to note is that the provinces under control of the Senate faction will never revolt, no matter how low public order is. The Senate faction requires all factions to be destroyed, including Rebels, which makes completing the campaign significantly more difficult than other factions.

To be perfectly honest, it's a bloody good game. Many times of happiness and fun.

Used to play some skirmishes with my dad he sucked a bit. (a lot)
We should maybe set up a tournament on there.


(btw, if you didn't mention it you can be other factions, just gotta destroy them in the campaign first.)

This is a excellent game, but maybe just a bit too long. TThe actualy battle gameplay is brilliant but the pain of having a rebellion 100 miles away and losing money in loads of towns starts to get a bit annoying.

Yes, I agree, I never finished it myself, but that's because the battles got repetitive. They difference was mainly: 1. The armies get bigger 2. Their uniform changes colour (lol) 3. I always ended up losing more money than I gained

My dad finished it as the House of Julii, took over Rome, Gual etc. so he got a lot out of it. Especially since it was my game!!

//:: Check out the Tournament topic for RTW tourney ::\\