The Fourth Age: Total War - The Dominion of Men

[Grim]

I am just a huge fan of heavy cav. Trolls count too I guess, I will see how it goes. I suppose a snaga army in skirmish mode would mess up a lot of guys.

[Stronke]

I just tried a game as the Dwarfs, and ended up wanting to punch myself in the nuts. They have by far the worst starting position, and shit units for the theater they are in.

I will try anothe game as Rohan or Eriador. I am too set in my ways, which favor a fast paced battle focusing around maneuver and one titanic clash.

I am done trying as the Dwarfs, I just can not seem to even reach turn 100. My game last night ended at 67 with two Mordor armies marching north and finding out the Orcs of Gundaber had taken a lot of lands from the Free people and Elfs. But at least I manged to help Dale double his lands against the the Easterlings.

And those Orcs of Mistymountains only had two settlements left fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck I really thought I would make it this time. Oh and nerf trolls >.

Time to gather my Mamuks and stomp some bitches.

[John Smith]

Warg riders should only be used when either outnumbering enemy cav or flanking infantry with repeated charges.

In my game I'm at 180 turns, Rohan has been defeated and is no more, but so are the Silvan Elves, Orcs of Gundabad and the Orcs of Misty Mountains. Dale seems to be kicking the shit out of Rhun, whereas between me; Harrad; and Mordo; Gondor is down to 5-6 provinces(I took minas tirith). They really shouldn't of attacked me when Rohan was dying.

As for the rest of the map, the Dwarfs are the strongest controlling vast swathes of the north, down to Cerin Amroth and Moria on the eastern side of the Misty Mountains. I'm really just trying to stomp Gondor enough before the Dwarfs, Free peoples of Eriador and High Elves turn on me. I have 3 stacks watching the borders though to slow them down, with spys to see if they are coming for me. I reckon I have 10 turns before 1 or all turn on me, forcing me to sue for peace with Gondor.

[Grim]

I always seem to be let down by my close allies, and end up having to take their settlements just to hold the line.

I tried to start a game as OOTM but they are just such shit. I will try to start a game as Dale or Arnor tonight. I like being a human faction, with flexible units, and not too close to mordor or harad.

Most of the time by games become a how long can I hold off these endless hordes attacking Minas Tirith sort of game. While that is fun, by poor allies make it so that I will eventually lose thru attrition.

[Grim]

What is your favorite faction/factions?

[Stronke]

For me its Dwarfs, Rhun/High Elfs, Rohan in that order.

I'm really frustrated Dwarfs are so terrible in this game as that is what made me install it (to play as them)

[Jacabon Mere]

My favourite, would be Eriador/arnor. Then Silvan elves then probably dale. Another non orc fan here. Rohan and gondor are too easy so i haven't played them much. I have played orcs of gundabad a bit, probably most of all the evil factions, and they aren't too bad.

[Grim]

When I was downloading TATW again I saw there was another large mod called Westeros total war, based on the book series. I really liked the books, has anyone tried the mod?

[Jacabon Mere]

nope, but am going to have a look now. Will DL when i get home.

EDIT: Set in the Universe of "A song of Ice and Fire" by G.R.R. Martin doesn't sound like LOTR to me.

[John Smith]

Isenguard has been fun and tougher than most TW games. The lack of cavalry at the beginning makes it tougher, but really they need to improve the battle AI before any of the TW series becomes a challenge. Which I have heard is improved in Shogun.

edit: for example I just beat a dwarf army of 2500 with 3000 orc and only lost 500 orcs. My men weren't super hard or anything, most of them had 1 armor upgrade and maybe 1 experience. The dwarfs generally had silver experience or better.

[Jacabon Mere]

It seems large battles are easy to force a rout. I assume you were defending, and you had ranged units?

I have had some crazy wins as Elves against OOMM. Especially defending in the middle of the mountain passes. I think i have wiped out about 2000 orcs/goblins with just archers. then lost maybe 20 - 30 men when i force them to rout. Then 1 or 2 cavalry units cleans up the retreaters. Over 3k orcs dead and about 1k captured (2 orc armies attacked me). But i don't think aginst a human elves and me as orcs, i could do much better. i would have killed a few more, but the outcome would have been the same.

At smaler battles. like 500 vs 1000, its often a lot closer especially if i am attacking. But yeah, i think the ai needs soem work. mainly in its flanking.


Finally got some ents going. THey are nearly like cheating. i had one unit, 10 ents, kill an orc army of about 1000. About 500 escaped. And ents only cost 2300 to hire with no upkeep cost. I believe you can only have 1 at a time though.

[John Smith]

It seems large battles are easy to force a rout. I assume you were defending, and you had ranged units?

I have had some crazy wins as Elves against OOMM. Especially defending in the middle of the mountain passes. I think i have wiped out about 2000 orcs/goblins with just archers. then lost maybe 20 - 30 men when i force them to rout. Then 1 or 2 cavalry units cleans up the retreaters. Over 3k orcs dead and about 1k captured (2 orc armies attacked me). But i don't think aginst a human elves and me as orcs, i could do much better. i would have killed a few more, but the outcome would have been the same.

At smaler battles. like 500 vs 1000, its often a lot closer especially if i am attacking. But yeah, i think the ai needs soem work. mainly in its flanking.


Finally got some ents going. THey are nearly like cheating. i had one unit, 10 ents, kill an orc army of about 1000. About 500 escaped. And ents only cost 2300 to hire with no upkeep cost. I believe you can only have 1 at a time though.

I was defending, but my archers don't do much to the heavily armoured dwarfs. Most of their units have a 20+ armour rating. They just charge in, giving rudimentary thought to protecting their flanks and are just annihilated.

[Jacabon Mere]

fire arrows are better against heavy armour i believe.

[Grim]

One of my most absurd victories was defending the citadel of Isengard as Rohan. I would only defend the final of the 3 walls, but skirmish with archers and cavalry on each layer of defense. Ballista towers were also a nice addition. They would take out large swaths of enemy troops, as well as most of their siege weapons. I would rarely rout them completely, but since I always play with a battle timer I won by default.

Do you guys use the timer option or do you go with unlimited battle length?

[John Smith]

One of my most absurd victories was defending the citadel of Isengard as Rohan. I would only defend the final of the 3 walls, but skirmish with archers and cavalry on each layer of defense. Ballista towers were also a nice addition. They would take out large swaths of enemy troops, as well as most of their siege weapons. I would rarely rout them completely, but since I always play with a battle timer I won by default.

Do you guys use the timer option or do you go with unlimited battle length?

Timer, but have never used it all up.

[Jacabon Mere]

I use the timer, but the only time when it gets used up is when the ai bugs on a seige and they just sit outside the wall.

[Grim]

Yeah, that happens alot it seems. I had to use the full timer once or twice in field battles, where I didn't really want to attack them, and they didnt want to attack me either.

[Deniera]

I dont suppose one of you guys could pm me when the 4th age releases? I managed to pick up Rome TW gold for £1.30 on a sale there recently on steam. (Ive lost my CDs a looong time ago)

[Stronke]

Sure, I had the idea it was out already but then I could not find a place to download it from so I gues its not.

[Deniera]

well going from the recently dev blogs its coming end of the yearish.

[palantirion]

The Fourth Age has released modules and the latest release is "The New Shadow" 2.6 - see http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=89

The full version releases later this year. Date not yet announced.