Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia

Started by Martok, November 14, 2017, 01:57:59 PM

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Martok

#90
Quote from: Gusington on December 11, 2017, 01:03:47 PM
Cool new post over at Totalwar.com by Jack Lusted on the map, factions, research and more. I would post the link but I'm on a phone.
I just finished reading it myself. 

Sweet baby Jesus, that map looks freaking awesome!!!  This game is going to be so epic.  My loins are seriously moistened right now. 



Link to blog post


Setting aside the wonderfully large number of territories (there's got to be something like 60 provinces divided into ~200 regions), the number of factions (over 50, including 17 just on Ireland), and level of detail (love those terrain features and the resources distribution), the feature that stuck out most for me was Jack's discussion of minor settlements and how they'll work in-game: 

Quote
They will have no walls and either one or two building slots . The available building types for each settlement will be pre-defined and based on the characteristics of the land around it. That could be a farm, or an iron mine, or an abbey.

In this way the system is more of a cross between the SHOGUN 2 provinces, with resource buildings located outside the main settlement, but combined with the ROME II and later system that allows for each of the minor settlements to be controlled independently. This means that the vast majority of the buildings that give you food and money exist outside the safety of the major settlements walls. This means that you will have to think about how you keep them protected but it also opens up a new set of offensive opportunities. You could for instance sack the farm provinces of an opponent to trigger a food shortage or occupy their mines to cut off income and cripple their ability to maintain a strong army. Attacking the minor settlements in a province can also be a good way to force a fight by pushing a stubborn opponent to step out from strong defences to protect their interests.

We'll have to see how well it actually works in implementation, of course, but this seems like a good system.  I admittedly was never fond of Shogun 2's model of needing to defend (what was essentially) a single farm or mine outside my towns/castles; it always felt weird.  Putting the farms & mines "inside" minor settlements strikes me as being a better, more organic solution. 



Damn, I can't wait for this to come out.  Is it 2018 yet?? 
"Like we need an excuse to drink to anything..." - Banzai_Cat
"I like to think of it not as an excuse but more like Pavlovian Response." - Sir Slash

"At our ages, they all look like jailbait." - mirth

"If we had lines here that would have crossed all of them. For the 1,077,986th time." - Gusington

"Government is so expensive that it should at least be entertaining." - airboy

"As long as there's bacon, everything will be all right." - Toonces

Gusington

I keep feverishly looking for when in 2018 this is due but haven't found anything 😒


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Martok

#92
Quote from: Martok on December 09, 2017, 03:29:39 PM
2.)  There aren't specific maps for each major settlement, apparently so as to avoid repetition (i.e., you don't learn to invade/defend Winchester or York a certain way every time).  Instead, there are 16 battle maps for the major settlements -- Roman forts, older hilltop forts, Viking ports, etc.  [To be honest, this part seems counter-intuitive to me, or at least not very well explained.  Further elucidation is needed.]
Okay, so Jack Lusted clarified a little what he meant by this in a recent post: 

Quote
These maps will cover settlements with old Roman walls, hillforts, ringforts, Viking ports, some based on promontory forts etc. Each has a unique layout. I said there were no unique settlement maps, I meant there is no settlement map that is used in just one place. We're spreading the maps around so there is good variety across the campaign.

Yes, the settlement maps won't change as the settlement size increases in the campaign, but if we'd done that there would be a lot less variety of maps. Every size variation of a map is the same as making another unique map. The approach we've gone for is all about getting that variety of experience in. The short time frame Thrones covers also means having huge changes to how settlements look doesn't really fit.

So going by that, it sounds like the (approximately) 16 settlement maps will be distributed among the various major settlements in the game, but said settlements will have one map type specific to it.  Thus, we can expect that when battling for Eoferwic/York (as an example), the battle map will always be of an old Roman fort/town, or a Viking port, etc. 




Quote from: Gusington on December 12, 2017, 09:24:20 AM
I keep feverishly looking for when in 2018 this is due but haven't found anything 😒
Same here.  I'm pretty sure that's because they haven't committed to a specific release date yet, at least not publicly.  It sounds like it's a smaller team working on ToB, at least compared to the teams working on the Warhammer series and the next main historical title. 


One interesting thing Jack Lusted did mention was that Thrones of Britannia is apparently going to be cheaper than the other mainline games (Warhammer, Rome II, etc.), probably due to fewer people working on the game, plus its smaller scope.  I'm going to guess maybe a $40 price-point instead of the usual $60?  Keeping fingers crossed. 

"Like we need an excuse to drink to anything..." - Banzai_Cat
"I like to think of it not as an excuse but more like Pavlovian Response." - Sir Slash

"At our ages, they all look like jailbait." - mirth

"If we had lines here that would have crossed all of them. For the 1,077,986th time." - Gusington

"Government is so expensive that it should at least be entertaining." - airboy

"As long as there's bacon, everything will be all right." - Toonces

Gusington

I'll hold out til it's under 30.00 👍

I do like the idea of old Roman ruins, walls, cities, etc. being visualized on the maps, that sounds great.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Sir Slash

"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

mirth

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bob48

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Recombobulate the discombobulators!

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Gusington



слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Sir Slash

"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

Martok

I thought he always just summoned it forth.  (His mustache alone would guarantee that.) 
"Like we need an excuse to drink to anything..." - Banzai_Cat
"I like to think of it not as an excuse but more like Pavlovian Response." - Sir Slash

"At our ages, they all look like jailbait." - mirth

"If we had lines here that would have crossed all of them. For the 1,077,986th time." - Gusington

"Government is so expensive that it should at least be entertaining." - airboy

"As long as there's bacon, everything will be all right." - Toonces

bob48

'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

Gusington



слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Martok

Update!!  A new trailer, a new blog, and lots more info! 






It looks and sounds pretty good.  I'll admit I'd have been happier if it had shown some shieldwall action, but it sounds like that will be coming in a later gameplay video.  Apparently CA needed to "sex up" the trailer by showing flashy swordplay combat instead.  I guess I can live with that for now. 



There's also a short blog discussing Alfred the Great, and the position Wessex is in when the game begins: 

[spoiler]
The youngest son of King Æthelwulf, Alfred of Wessex is more famously known as 'Alfred the Great' for his legendary will to survive and unite the isles under one banner.

Alfred undertook his first key military challenge in 868 AD when he supported his brother Æthelred, the reigning King of Wessex (West Seaxe), in an attempt to repel invading Danish Vikings from the neighboring Kingdom of Mercia (Mierce). This pre-emptive strike failed and the brothers were forced back to defend their homeland against the seemingly unstoppable Great Heathen Army.

After a grueling series of bloody battles, it was Alfred who led Wessex to victory in the Battle of Ashdown in 871, routing the Vikings in a fierce hillside assault and laying the first foundations for his reputation as a decisive leader.



In the next year, he succeeded his brother as king, who after subsequent crushing defeats at the hands of the Danes, perished from fatal wounds. The Anglo-Saxons were being squeezed from Wessex despite Alfred's improbable victory at Ashdown.

A battle veteran at 21, Alfred had no choice but to withdraw to the trying landscape of the Somerset Levels, where he continued guerrilla warfare against his foes. Building a fortified base, using mobile armies in the style of the Danes themselves, and using his knowledge of the difficult terrain, he again defeated the Danes in the Battle of Edington.

Alfred pursued them to their fortress in Chippenham and after fourteen long days the Danes were brought to their knees, starving and crippled with fear. This unexpected triumph will surely be pivotal in Wessex's campaign, not only for survival but for uniting the realm.

Alfred has reconsolidated his army in heavily entrenched settlements across southern England and is ready to stand firm against the onslaught of hungry and ambitious raiders and pretenders who continue to harass and divide the fractured kingdom of Britannia.
[/spoiler]




The game's store profile on Steam has also been updated with additional info, especially with regards to a couple playable factions... 

[spoiler]
Anglo Saxon Kingdoms

When Roman rule in England concluded, new kingdoms of Germanic stock coalesced in the counties now known as Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, Essex, Sussex, East Anglia and Kent. The peoples of these regions came collectively to be known as the Anglo Saxons – a term which came into common usage in the 8th century in order to distinguish the English Saxons from the Old Saxons, or Ealdseaxe, of the European continent.

Broadly speaking, the Anglo Saxons existed between the collapse of Roman rule in the 5th century until the Norman invasion in the 11th century; the early Medieval period. Thrones of Britannia depicts the sweep of the British Isles from 878 AD onwards, when the Anglo Saxons were at their height.

Cultural Trait: Fyrd
In Anglo Saxon times, the Fyrd was a form of conscripted army composed of self-armed and armoured freemen, called upon to defend their lands when the need arose. One of Alfred the Great's many reforms was to better formalise the system, ensuring wealthy landowners contributed men and materiel.

To reflect the Fyrd system, the English Kingdoms in Thrones of Britannia may recruit additional levy units based upon the number of settlements they own. Over-reliance on levy troops carries penalties however – if too many are fielded, the populace will rail against excessive conscription and public order issues will arise.


West Seaxe Faction, led by King Alfred

West Seaxe – or Wessex in modern English – was the seat of King Alfred's rule. After the Viking invasion in 871 AD, Alfred was forced to relocate to Somerset, but his stunning victory at the Battle of Edington saw him return triumphant. His subsequent reign saw a great many reforms and unifying improvements instated.

West Seaxe Faction trait: Witan
The Witan is an assembly of governors which meets to discuss the future prospects of West Seaxe. Its recommendations are periodically presented to the player as a series of proposals. Each option carries positive and negative campaign effects, and can affect the faction's use of Fyrd levy units.


Mierce Faction, led by King Ceowulf

From its capital city of Tamworth, Mercia's kings ruled the area now known as the Midlands. At its height, Mierce stretched from Northumbria in the north of England to Kent, Sussex and Wessex to the south. In 877 AD, the Great Heathen Army seized the eastern part of the kingdom to form the Danelaw, or East Engle.

Faction trait: Hoards
When an excess of gold languishes in the treasury, a Mierce player is given the option to share out a portion of the wealth. It may be given to the army for reduced upkeep and increased replenishment, to the nobles for increased loyalty and greater income from markets, to the people for increased public order and income from farms, or players may keep it for themselves, incurring penalties to army upkeep and public order.
[/spoiler]



This bit sounds pretty juicy as well: 

[spoiler]
Choose your strategy
The Grand Campaign offers multiple routes to a glorious Victory; aggressively expand your territory through force of arms, acquire renown through construction, advanced technology and influence, or complete a series of unique objectives based on your chosen faction's history. Once completed, steady yourself for a significant late-game challenge and the final, Ultimate victory condition.

Explore and conquer the British Isles
From the snowy highlands of Scotland to the orchards and meadows of Kent, push back the fog-of-war and unveil the extent of Anglo-Saxon Britain. Varied towns, cities and rural settings inspire a host of different battlefield environments. Experiment with the strategic opportunities afforded by newly capturable minor settlements. Throttle your enemies' trade routes and coax them out of strong, defensible positions.

Viking warlord or Anglo-Saxon king, define their legend
Each faction will face a series of unique events and branching dilemmas, often based on authentic historical events and issues of the time. Embark on Viking expeditions, manage the Anglo-Saxon peasant economy, each faction feels and plays differently. Carve out unique roles for your King and Nobles, customise their impact by making meaningful choices about their development and determine how their story will unfold.
[/spoiler]


I really like that there's going to be multiple victory paths, and that each faction will have its own unique events and "branching dilemmas".  (Not sure what they mean by the latter, although I have a feeling they'll be a little like event chains in Stellaris.) 

Perhaps most intriguing of all, however, is the mention of "a significant late-game challenge" and "the final, Ultimate victory condition".  Given Thrones of Britannia covers events in the Isles from approximately 878 to 1066, one almost has to assume the late-game challenge is William's Normans, Harald's Vikings, or (more probably) both.  Sound like fun!!  :bd: 

"Like we need an excuse to drink to anything..." - Banzai_Cat
"I like to think of it not as an excuse but more like Pavlovian Response." - Sir Slash

"At our ages, they all look like jailbait." - mirth

"If we had lines here that would have crossed all of them. For the 1,077,986th time." - Gusington

"Government is so expensive that it should at least be entertaining." - airboy

"As long as there's bacon, everything will be all right." - Toonces

FlickJax