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Rome: Total War

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Rome: Total War



 
 
Rome: Total War (often abbreviated to RTW or Rome) is a critically acclaimed strategy game
Strategy game

A strategy game is a game in which the players' decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome. Many games include this element to a greater or lesser degree, making demarcation difficult....
 composed of both turn-based strategy
Turn-based strategy

A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game that is turn-based game. The phrase turn-based is used to distinguish such games from real-time strategy games, and as such the phrase refers almost exclusively to video games....
 and real-time tactics
Real-time tactics

Real-time tactics is a video game genre of tactical wargames played in real-time simulating the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics....
, in which the player fights historical and fictitious battles set during late Roman Republic
Roman Republic

The Roman Republic was the phase of the Ancient Rome characterized by a republican form of government; a period which began with the overthrow of the Roman Roman Kingdom, c....
 and early Roman Empire
Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the Roman Republic phase of the Ancient Rome, characterised by an autocracy form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
 (270 BC–AD 14). The game was developed by Creative Assembly
Creative Assembly

The Creative Assembly is a British video game developer established in 1987 by Tim Ansell. Although primarily based in the West Sussex town of Horsham, the Creative Assembly also operates an Australian branch in Fortitude Valley, Queensland....
 and released on September 22, 2004. It is the third game of Creative Assembly's Total War series.

Plot
The player takes a role equivalent to the head of one the three great Roman houses at the time; the Julii, the Scipiones (known as the "Scipii" in the game) or the Bruti (called the "Brutii").






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Quotations


A disorderly mob is no more an army than a heap of building materials is a house - Socrates

A general is not easily overcome who can form a true judgement of his own and the enemy's forces.

A glorious death is his who for his country falls.

A good general not only sees the way to victory, he also knows when victory is impossible.

A people's voice is dangerous when charged with wrath.

A small country cannot contend with a great; the few cannot contend with the many; the weak cannot contend with the strong - Mencius






Encyclopedia


Rome: Total War (often abbreviated to RTW or Rome) is a critically acclaimed strategy game
Strategy game

A strategy game is a game in which the players' decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome. Many games include this element to a greater or lesser degree, making demarcation difficult....
 composed of both turn-based strategy
Turn-based strategy

A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game that is turn-based game. The phrase turn-based is used to distinguish such games from real-time strategy games, and as such the phrase refers almost exclusively to video games....
 and real-time tactics
Real-time tactics

Real-time tactics is a video game genre of tactical wargames played in real-time simulating the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics....
, in which the player fights historical and fictitious battles set during late Roman Republic
Roman Republic

The Roman Republic was the phase of the Ancient Rome characterized by a republican form of government; a period which began with the overthrow of the Roman Roman Kingdom, c....
 and early Roman Empire
Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the Roman Republic phase of the Ancient Rome, characterised by an autocracy form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
 (270 BC–AD 14). The game was developed by Creative Assembly
Creative Assembly

The Creative Assembly is a British video game developer established in 1987 by Tim Ansell. Although primarily based in the West Sussex town of Horsham, the Creative Assembly also operates an Australian branch in Fortitude Valley, Queensland....
 and released on September 22, 2004. It is the third game of Creative Assembly's Total War series.

Plot


The player takes a role equivalent to the head of one the three great Roman houses at the time; the Julii, the Scipiones (known as the "Scipii" in the game) or the Bruti (called the "Brutii"). Each of these factions has a different set of attributes and initial objectives. After a winning campaign as Romans (or using a simple mod
Mod (computer gaming)

Mod or modification is a term generally applied to Personal computer game, especially first-person shooters, Role-playing games and real-time strategy games....
) it is possible to play with other factions and take on a role similar to that of Hannibal
Hannibal Barca

Hannibal, son of Hamilcar Barca, commonly known as Hannibal Hannibal's date of death is most commonly given as 183 BC, but there is a possibility it could have taken place in 182 BC. was a Carthage military commander and tactician who is popularly credited as one of the most talented commanders in history....
, Commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian
Carthage

Carthage refers both to an ancient city in present-day Tunisia, and a modern-day suburb of Tunis. The civilization that developed within the city's sphere of influence is referred to as Punic or Carthaginian....
 armies during the Second Punic War
Second Punic War

The Second Punic War lasted from 218 BC to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. It was the second of three major wars between Carthage and the Roman Republic....
 or the Gallic
Gaul

Gaul is the name used for the region of Western Europe comprising part of present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine....
 warlord
Warlord

A warlord is a person with power who has military dictatorship over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority....
 Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix

Vercingetorix , born around 82 BC, died 46 BC, was tribal chief of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of Gergovia and known as the man who led the Gauls in their ultimately unsuccessful war against Roman republic rule under Julius Caesar....
.

Gameplay


Gameplay consists of a combination of turn-based strategy
Turn-based strategy

A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game that is turn-based game. The phrase turn-based is used to distinguish such games from real-time strategy games, and as such the phrase refers almost exclusively to video games....
 and 3D
3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics are graphics that use a Cartesian coordinate system#Three-dimensional coordinate system representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images....
 real-time tactical battles. The 3D real-time action is uniquely different than most standard RTS
RTS

RTS is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:* Rape Trauma Syndrome* Real-time strategy, a gaming genre* Reclaim the Streets, an anarchist organization...
 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
3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics are graphics that use a Cartesian coordinate system#Three-dimensional coordinate system representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images....
 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
Shogun: Total War

Shogun: Total War is the first of Creative Assembly's Total War . It is a history-based Strategy game#Grand strategy that combines turn-based provincial development with real-time tactics....
 and Medieval: Total War
Medieval: Total War

Medieval: Total War is a computer game strategy game where the player builds a dynasty empire in Middle Ages, North Africa and the Middle East within a time span from 1095 to 1453....
, although there are some changes to the mechanics of siege
Siege

A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by Battle of attrition and/or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit." A siege occurs when an attacker encounters a city or fortress that cannot be easily taken by a coup de main and refuses to surrender ....
s 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
Tech tree

In strategy computer games, the technology tree or tech tree is an abstract hierarchy visual representation of the possible sequences of upgrades a player can take, by means of research....
 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.

Factions


The player takes control of a particular faction of the era. It is possible to unlock otherwise non-playable factions by a simple "mod
Mod (computer gaming)

Mod or modification is a term generally applied to Personal computer game, especially first-person shooters, Role-playing games and real-time strategy games....
" of the game's files; however, some may contain minor faults or bugs. The default playable status is listed next to each faction in parentheses.

Roman


There are three playable Roman factions: the Julii
Julius

Julius is the nomen of the gens Julia, an important patrician family of ancient Rome supposed to have descended from Julus, and thus from the goddess Venus ....
, the Brutii
Brutus

Brutus is a Ancient Rome Roman naming convention used by several politicians of the Junius family, especially in the Roman Republic. The plural of Brutus is Bruti, and the Vocative case form is Brute, as immortalized in the quotation "Et tu, Brute?"....
, the Scipii
Scipio (cognomen)

File:Scipio.jpgScipio is a Ancient Rome Roman naming convention representing the Cornelii Scipiones, a branch of the Cornelius family....
, along with the unplayable Senate
Roman Senate

The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic. According to the Greek historian Polybius, our principal source on the Constitution of the Roman Republic, the Roman Senate was the predominant branch of government....
, 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 factions. The game simulates the reforms of Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius

Gaius Marius was a Roman Republic general and politician elected consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his dramatic Marian Reforms of Roman legion, authorizing recruitment of landless citizens and reorganizing the structure of the legions into separate Cohort ....
, which take place when the player's 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
Roman legion

The Roman Legion is a term that can apply both as a translation of legio to the entire Roman army and also, more narrowly , to the heavy infantry that was the basic military unit of the Roman army in the period of the late Roman Republic and the Roman Empire....
, and better cavalry and ranged units are unlocked, and can do formations such as the testudo
Testudo formation

In Ancient Rome warfare, the testudo or tortoise formation was a formation used commonly by the Roman Legions during battles, particularly sieges....
.

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
    Samnite (gladiator type)

    A Samnite was a Ancient Rome gladiator who fought with equipment styled on that of a warrior from Samnium: a short sword , a rectangular shield , a greave , and a helmet....
     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
    Murmillo

    The murmillo was a type of gladiator during the Roman Empire. The murmillo-class gladiator was adopted in the early Imperial period to replace the earlier Gallus , named after the warriors of Gaul....
     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.

Barbarian


Barbarian factions have both distinct advantages and disadvantages. Unlike "civilized" factions, they cannot build stone walls, nor roads better than basic ruts, which inhibits their strategic movement. More importantly, their technology is limited to only three city levels, as opposed to five for civilized factions. Thus they tend to reach their most advanced units more quickly than other factions. Barbarian armies are undisciplined and rely on brute force and numerical superiority. Barbarian infantry are strong in comparison to infantry of other factions.

  • Gaul
    Gaul

    Gaul is the name used for the region of Western Europe comprising part of present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine....
     (unlockable) starts out with a very large territory mainly in modern France, northern Italy and central Spain. The Gauls have good swordsmen and archers, but little cavalry and even fewer special units, making the Gauls a rather basic barbarian faction.


  • Britannia
    Roman Britain

    Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410. The Romans referred to their province as Britannia....
     (unlockable) starts out in control of Great Britain, with a considerable foothold in Belgica on the coast of Europe. Its units include chariots, frenzied swordsmen covered in intricate woad
    Woad

    Woad is the common name of the flowering plant Isatis tinctoria in the family Brassicaceae. It is commonly called dyer's woad, and sometimes incorrectly listed as Isatis indigotica ....
     patterns, and units that hurl severed human heads covered in quicklime to demoralize enemies.


  • Germania
    Germania

    Germania was the Latin language exonym for a geographical area of land on the east bank of the River Rhine , which included regions of Sarmatia as well as an area under Ancient Rome control on the west bank of the Rhine....
     (unlockable) begins to the northeast of Gaul and the east of Britannia, in what today would be considered The Netherlands and Germany. German forces include superb but undisciplined infantry, including the only barbarian unit able to organize into the phalanx formation, powerful Gothic cavalry, and a few different units of axemen. The Germans can also train powerful berserker
    Berserker

    Berserkers were Norsemen warriors who wore coats of wolf or bear skin and were commonly understood to have fought in an uncontrollable rage or trance of fury, hence the modern word berserk....
    s. Under AI control, they usually take over a large area of land, extending from the Netherlands right the way into Russia and sometimes Scythia.


  • Spain
    Spain

    Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
     (non-playable) begins on the Iberian peninsula, and controls all of modern Spain and Portugal except for the central and southern areas, which are controlled by Gaul and Carthage, respectively. They are a Carthago-Barbarian faction who combine elements of both cultures. Their units include solid infantry units, such as the scutarii
    Scutum (shield)

    Scutum is the Latin word for "shield", although it has in modern times come to be specifically associated with the rectangular, semi-cylinder body shield carried by Roman legion....
     who throw javelins prior to a charge and then fight with a gladius, a weapon that the Romans later adopted. The Spanish field several other similar units of Carthaginian origin, but they have relatively few cavalry and ranged units.


  • Dacia
    Dacia

    In ancient geography, Dacia was the land of the Dacians. It was named by the ancient Greeks "Getae". Dacia was a large district of East-Central Europe, bounded on the north by the Carpathian Mountains, on the south by the Danube, on the west by the Tisia or Tisza, on the east by the Tyras or Dniester, now in eastern Moldova....
     (non-playable) relies mainly on heavy infantry, notably the falx-wielding troops available early on in the game. The Dacians, along with the Scythians, are the only Barbarian tribes allowed to create siege weapons. They are located in eastern Europe around modern Romania.


  • Scythia
    Scythia

    The Scythians or Scyths were an Eastern Iranian languages of Equestrianism nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic steppe throughout Classical Antiquity....
     (non-playable) is overwhelmingly composed of horse archers. Historically, the Scythians were a small tribe by the time of the game's start, and the Sarmatians had largely taken over the steppes. Sarmatians do, however, appear in the form of heavy cavalry mercenaries. The Scythians control an extensive territory in Eastern Europe, roughly corresponding to modern Ukraine and the surrounding area.


Greek


The Greek factions are located in or near the eastern Mediterranean Sea, mainly on the Balkan peninsula and around Anatolia and also in modern Turkey. Greek armies tend to focus on extremely strong infantry which utilize the superior phalanx formation
Phalanx formation

The phalanx is a rectangular mass military tactical formation, usually composed entirely of heavy infantry armed with spears, pike , or similar weapons....
 at the expense of other forms of infantry, cavalry, and archers.

  • The Greek Cities
    Hellenistic Greece

    In the context of Ancient Greek art, architecture, and culture, Hellenistic Greece corresponds to the period between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the annexation of the Classical Greece heartlands by Roman Republic in 146 BC....
     (unlockable) surprisingly start out with very little control in Greece. They start out with two cities in Greece (not including Athens, which is actually initially Rebel controlled), one in Sicily, another in Asia Minor and a fifth on Rhodes. Its troop selection consists of hoplites, good skimishers and relatively weak cavalry. The Greek Cities can also field Spartan Hoplites which, although expensive, are some of the best troops in the game. However, their dispersed nature makes the Greek Cities vulnerable to many different enemies, such as the Scipii, Brutii, and Macedon, and thus they rarely have any great success. They have temples to Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, and Nike.


  • Macedon
    Macedon

    Macedon or Macedonia was the name of a monarchy centred in the northernmost part of ancient Greece. The homeland of the ancient Macedonians, it was bordered by the kingdom of Epirus to the west and the region of Thrace to the east....
    's (non-playable) main force focus largely on hoplites, pikemen and shock cavalry, including the Companion Cavalry (also known as Hetairoi) which was originally led by Alexander the Great
    Alexander the Great

    Alexander the Great , also known as Alexander III of Macedon was an ancient Greeks King of Macedon . He was one of the most successful military commanders of all time and is presumed undefeated in battle....
    . Macedon begins with territories in the north and east coast of the Aegean Sea. They usually fight against Thrace, the Greek Cities, Dacia and, later on, the Romans.


  • The main force of the Seleucid Empire
    Seleucid Empire

    The Seleucid Empire /s?'lus?d/ was a Hellenistic empire, i.e. a successor state of Alexander the Great's empire. The Seleucid Empire was centered in the near East and at the height of its power included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir Mountains and parts of Pakistan....
     (unlockable) is similar to that of Macedon, containing the same powerful hoplites and shock cavalry (including Companion Cavalry). However, its armies can also contain scythe-armed chariots, war elephants, cataphract
    Cataphract

    A cataphract was a form of heavy cavalry used by nomadic eastern Iranian people tribes and dynasties and later Ancient Greeks and Ancient Rome....
    s, and Roman-style legionaries, giving it the most diverse troop selection in the game. The Seleucid Empire encompasses a strip of territory running from the Aegean coast to the Middle East. However, the Seleucids are sandwiched between several different factions and, under AI control, it is usually destroyed by a combination of Egypt, Pontus and Armenia before it can deploy its powerful late-game units.


  • Thrace
    Thrace

    Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. Today the name Thrace designates a region spread over southern Bulgaria , northeastern Greece , and European Turkey ....
     (non-playable) is a Greco-Barbarian faction, with both Greek and Barbarian troops. They begin the game in modern Bulgaria and Romania, along the western coast of the Black Sea. Like both the Greeks and Barbarians in general, Thrace has little in the way of cavalry.


Egyptian


Egypt is a relatively strong faction that usually dominates the eastern map under AI control. Their main enemies are factions such as Parthia, the Seleucid Empire, Armenia, and Numidia. In the long term the biggest potential threat to Egypt is Rome and vice versa.

  • Egypt
    Egypt

    Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west....
     (unlockable) troops tend to be lightly armored due to the climate of the area. While historically the armies of Egypt should be quite similar to those of the Macedonian factions (consisting mainly of phalanx troops along with light cavalry), the Egyptian army consists of large units of axemen, bowmen, phalanx spearmen and various types of chariots. In the game Egypt's location begins in today's Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and Cyprus. When under AI control, Egypt usually attacks the Seleucid Empire and becomes the dominant power in the East. It rarely faces Roman factions until near the end of the game. The Egyptians get temples to Ra, Isis, Imhotep, Set, and Horus. This gives the Egyptians the most diverse selection of places to worship.


African


African armies consist of fairly strong cavalry and, notably, elephants, but usually have weak infantry. This is a major disadvantage when facing the House of Scipii, as the Roman legions destroy most forms of infantry. Main elephant and cavalry support is required for Carthaginian success.

  • Carthage
    Carthaginian Empire

    The Carthaginian State was an informal hegemony of Phoenician city-states throughout North Africa and modern Spain which lasted until 146 BC. It was more or less under the control of the city-state of Carthage after the fall of Tyre, Lebanon to Babylonian forces....
     (unlockable) has a variety of units which include a good mixture of infantry, high-quality cavalry and powerful elephants, but a poor selection of ranged troops, including a notable lack of archers. They are hurt by the fact that they cannot get infantry that is on par with the Roman legionaries until late in the game. They begin with territory in modern Tunisia and the surrounding area, along with colonies in southern Spain, Sicily, and Sardinia. Carthage is a very rich faction, and can often afford to employ units of mercenaries to bolster the ranks. However, under AI control, Carthage rarely gains much territory and is usually attacked by a combination of Roman factions and sometimes the Numidians.


  • Numidia
    Numidia

    Numidia was an ancient Berber people kingdom in present-day Algeria and part of Tunisia that later alternated between being a Roman province and being a Roman client state, and is no longer in existence today....
     (non-playable) has fast mounted and dismounted skirmisher units , as well as some light spear-armed infantry. Many Numidian units receive advantages when fighting in deserts. It can however, train its own versions of the Roman legionaries. Numidia begins the game holding the North African land not possessed by Egypt and Carthage.


Eastern


The Eastern factions represent the major states of the Middle East not ruled by the Diadochi
Diadochi

The Diadochi were the rival successors of Alexander the Great, and their Wars of the Diadochi followed Alexander's death. This was the beginning of the Hellenistic period of Greek history, the time when many people who were not Greek themselves adopted Greek philosophy and styles, Greek urban life, and aspects of the Greek religion....
 (Alexander the Great's successors). Their armies tend to heavily rely on high-quality cavalry, and sometimes evidence some Greek influence due to Alexander the Great's recent conquest of the area (which occurred some 50 years prior to the start of the game).

  • Parthia
    Parthia

    Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, after which the Arsacid Empire is then also known as the 'Parthian Empire'....
    's (unlockable) specialty lies with mounted units, such as Persian cavalry, and the horse archer. While its cavalry is extremely powerful, it has no infantry of any value, which can make sieges difficult. Historically, the Parthians inhabited central Asia east of the Caspian Sea. In the game, they still do, but also start with territory north of the sea in Asia. However, their borders rarely expand and are under constant attack by Egypt, Armenia, the Seleucid Empire and Pontus. Ironically, while the introductory cutscene for Parthia emphasizes their potential for wealth, the first few turns prove very difficult financially for them. Unlike the other factions, Parthia only receives access to one type of temple: The Temple of Zorastria.


  • Armenia
    Greater Armenia

    Greater Armenia may refer to:*Greater Armenia , a political goal of Armenian irredentists* Kingdom of Armenia, independent kingdom from 190 BC to 387 ?D...
     (non-playable), like Parthia, focuses mainly on cavalry. Armenia is the only faction with cataphract archers and Eastern heavy infantry, the latter being comparable to the Macedonian phalanx. They also have their own copies of Roman legionaries. The Armenian territory is located in the mountains of what is today Armenia, Georgia and eastern Turkey.


  • Pontus
    Pontus

    Pontus or Pontos is a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in modern-day northeastern Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region in Antiquity by the Greeks who colonized the area, and derived from the Greek name of the Black Sea: Pontos Euxeinos , or simply Pontos....
     (non-playable) is a Greco-Eastern faction, with Greek names and the Greek gods. Troops include fast-moving, javelin-armed cavalry as well as phalanx troops and chariots. In the game, Pontus starts in the north and east Asia Minor, with historical Greek colonies. They are generally the second superpower in the East after Egypt.


Rebels


The Rebel
Rebellion

Rebellion is a refusal of obedience. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors from civil disobedience and mass nonviolent resistance, to violent and organized attempts to destroy an established authority such as the government....
s
are a unique faction. Rebels can be informally divided into three groups based on how they operate on the campaign map: Brigands and Pirates, Deserters and Freed Slaves, or Independent Kingdoms and Rebel Cities.

  • Brigands and Pirates will attack and rob factions for money in one or more ways. Brigands will sit on roads, blocking trade and ambushing armies that walk by. Pirates will attempt to cut sea-trade routes and blockade ports. Brigands and Pirates will grow in strength if they are allowed to roam freely, and may threaten important armies or generals if not destroyed quickly.


  • Deserters and Freed Slaves are any troops or slaves previously belonging to a faction who abandon their homes. They tend to hide out in the countryside and do not usually rob factions for money, although this is not a rule. Freed slaves usually consist of large numbers of peasant units, along with some basic paramilitary or quasi-military fighting units such as gladiators
    Gladiators

    Gladiators was a United Kingdom television series produced by London Weekend Television for ITV from 10 October 1992 to 1 January 2000. It is an adaptation of the United States game show American Gladiators....
     or town-watchmen. Deserters tend to be more dangerous and well-organized, with many professional military units; they move in formation and are not quick to flee or back down when threatened. Sometimes, Deserters may be led by a Rebel General, a non-faction member military leader. When one is present, Deserter armies can be larger and more dangerous than those lacking such leaders, and may sometimes attempt to capture cities.


  • Independent Kingdoms and Rebel Cities are Rebel-faction cities, and the only differences between them are their origin and their military capabilities. Independent kingdoms are independent, non-faction cities which have existed independently since the beginning of the game and have never been conquered. They usually have some very basic military units like Militia Hoplites or Town Watch, although if left unconquered, they may grow and develop a stronger military presence. Examples of Independent Kingdoms are Athens
    Athens

    Athens , the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery; as one of the List of cities by time of continuous habitation, its recorded history spans around 3,400 years....
     in Greece, Byzantium
    Byzantium

    Byzantium was an Ancient Greece city, which was founded by Greeks colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas or Byzantas ....
     (later renamed Constantinople
    Constantinople

    Constantinople was the empire capital of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire , the Latin Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christendom empire, successor to ancient ancient Greece...
     after becoming the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire) and Tara
    Tara

    Tara, tara or TARA may refer to...
    , a town in Hibernia
    Hibernia

    Hibernia is the Classical Latin name for the island of Ireland....
     (Ireland
    Ireland

    Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
    ). Rebel cities, on the other hand, are cities which once were run by a faction, but which have revolted and come under their own management. The numbers and quality of the troops spawned through a revolt depends on the size of the settlement and the level of buildings present. For example, a Huge City will spawn more rebel troops of a better quality than Towns or Large Towns.


  • Amazon Rebels are exclusively situated in the province of Hyperboria, located somewhere in modern Russia near Scandinavia which, in the game, is located far to the north and is difficult to reach due to surrounding trees and a small, "secret" gap bordering the northern edge of the map. They have their own very powerful unique units, including Amazon chariots, or the powerful Yubtseb Elephants(which can be accessed/recruited by a cheat code), which stand around 5 times larger than even Armoured Elephants, can send enemies "flying" up to a mile, and have some 13 Cretan Archers on a Platform on their backs. None of the ai factions will ever attack it or come near to it. The game system allows the Amazons to auto-resolve win a battle even when outnumbered 1:5 The Amazon faction appears to be an easter egg in the game.


  • The Gladiator Uprising are units independent of region/location and may appear in revolting settlements that have an Arena building or above. Gladiator Uprising armies are composed mainly of gladiator units and are noticeably more difficult to defeat in comparison with standard Rebel armies. They generally appear when a Roman city with a coliseum or ampitheatre rebels or turns into a slave settlement. An example of a historical gladiator uprising would be that of Spartacus
    Spartacus

    Spartacus , according to Roman historians, was a slave and gladiator who became the leader in the somewhat successful slave uprising against the Roman Republic known as the Third Servile War....
    .


  • Judean Zealots are units that are created whenever Jerusalem
    Jerusalem

    Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its List of Israeli cities in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if Positions on Jerusalem East Jerusalem is included....
     revolts against the faction that rules it. They are good all-around infantry with high morale. This, combined with the fact that Jerusalem is often a large city with good defences and that they are spawned in quite considerable numbers, can make suppressing the uprising very difficult if there are no powerful armies nearby.


  • Helot Uprising is a group of rebel slaves that overthrow Sparta
    Sparta

    Sparta was a city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the Eurotas River in the southern part of the Peloponnese. From circa 650 BC it rose to become the dominant military power in the region and as such was recognized as the overall leader of the combined Greek forces during the Greco-Persian Wars....
    , generally having high morale.


Family


Each faction starts with a set of family members composed of that faction's leader, his spouse, their children, including a faction heir, any of their spouses, and any grandchildren. Only the male members of the family are controllable once they are 16, at which point they reach adulthood and become "full" family members. They govern provinces when stationed in a city, and, when fielded upon the world map, can command armies in the field, recruit mercenaries and/or construct watchtowers and forts. Male family members can be added to the family by the following methods:

  • The birth of a son. However, as mentioned above, he must reach the age of sixteen before he becomes a playable character.
  • Marrying one of the faction's daughters to a suitor.
  • Adoption by one of two methods: a candidate for adoption proposed by a male faction member or the adoption of a "Man of the Hour", a captain of an outnumbered force who emerges victorious. This method and marriage imply that the candidates have extraordinary abilities.
  • Bribing an enemy general with a diplomat. By offering a generous sum of denarii, some generals may betray their faction for the faction of the one offering the bribe. The new 'son' is adopted by an existing member of the family and is treated the same as any other male family member. Unfortunately, the loyalty of the bribed general is often weaker than 'full' family members, meaning that he can be more easily bribed by other factions.


Conversely, male family members can be lost by a family by the following methods:

  • Bribe (cannot bribe faction leaders or heirs)
  • Death of Old Age
  • Assassination
  • Natural Disasters
  • Plague
  • Death in Battle
  • Riot/Revolt
  • Will of the Gods
  • Death at Sea (When traveling at sea, if a fleet is sunk, all military units and family members on the fleet die)


The death of a female family member by old age is also depicted by an in-game message.

In the absence of generals commanding field armies, captains are the commanders by default. Admirals fulfil a similar function for fleets. Neither are family members, but appear in the list of forces when displayed.

If an enemy force led by a captain is bribed, it disbands unless the troops are an exact match of the same type as the faction making the bribe (e.g. a Julii diplomat bribing a Brutii force), at which point they are added to the faction's army. But a Britannic diplomat, for example, can not add a Gallic warband to the Britannic army through bribery even though they are the same troop type. This is because the skins of the two factions' warbands are different and therefore not an exact match.

Family members can acquire traits depending on their actions in battle or when governing a city. These can have both positive and negative effects on their command, management, and influence, which in turn affect their battlefield performance and how well a province they govern operates. Some of these traits are hereditary, and can be inherited by the children of a family member. Family members can also acquire ancillaries by the same actions. These are members of a general's retinue, but can only number up to eight. These ancillary characters can be traded between two family members if they are in the same army or city.

Agents


There are three types of agents that can be used by factions: spies
Espionage

Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secrecy or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information....
, diplomats
Diplomacy

Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states. It usually refers to international diplomacy, the conduct of international relations through the intercession of professional diplomats with regard to issues of peace-making, trade, war, economics and culture....
, and assassins
Assassination

Assassination is the targeted killing of a public figure. Assassinations may be prompted by ideology, politics, or military reasons. Additionally, assassins may be motivated by contract killing, revenge, or celebrity or may be mental disorder....
. Like family members, agents can acquire traits and specific ancillaries, which can be traded, but only with other agents of the same type. They can independently cross into other territories (allied, neutral or hostile) without triggering a transgression message that happens when an army attempts to do the same. They can also be attached to an army, at which point they travel with them until detached to operate independently.

  • Spies can be recruited once a city has built a level 2 trade structure. The spy's role is to gather intelligence on the composition of field armies and to infiltrate cities to determine buildings and garrisoned forces. Friendly spies can aid in the capture of an enemy city by opening the gates during an attack; the higher a spy's skill level, the higher the probability that he will be able to open the gates. Multiple spies can infiltrate an enemy city at once, thereby increasing their chances of opening the gates. Spies can be killed in several ways, such as failing to infiltrate a city, being discovered after they have infiltrated, failing to escape or by being targeted by an assassin. They can serve in a counter-espionage role when attached to an army or city that the faction controls, improving public security by helping to detect enemy spies. Spies can be used as a form of biological warfare, by sending a spy infected with a plague into an enemy city, spreading the plague into the city.


  • A diplomat can be recruited once a city builds a level 2 government structure. Diplomats make treaties with other factions regarding trade rights, map information, alliances and peace offers. They can make demands such as bribing rival armies, cities or diplomats. Diplomats can negotiate with cities and any field army, but cannot neogate with spies or assassins.


  • Assassins can be recruited once a city has built a level 3 trade structure. Assassins can assassinate enemy characters and sabotage buildings in enemy cities. They can be killed when attempting to infiltrate a city or if discovered by their target's bodyguards.


Mercenaries


On the campaign map, generals (not captains) can hire mercenaries for an amount of gold when there are mercenaries available in a territory. Mercenaries are already trained and can be put to immediate use. Infantry, cavalry, and missile troop types can be hired. Mercenaries cannot be recruited in a city by factions, but can only be hired in certain regions; for example, Samnite mercenaries can only be hired in Italian provinces, while Numidian javelinmen are only hired in Africa. They are usually suited for the local terrain, and can be used for various purposes, such as augmenting an army's strength, sustaining a campaign, or garrisoning a nearby settlement. Some mercenaries can be hired more frequently than others, while some are more geographically distributed and can be hired from more regions than other types. Although mercenaries can be used for many different purposes and allow a flexible management of an army, they do have their disadvantages. Mercenaries cannot be retrained other than improving their weapons and armor, thus their losses cannot be replenished except by merging, and their morale is usually lower meaning they are more likely to run in battle. If a general hires mercenaries frequently, he acquires the mercenary captain ancillary. However, mercenaries are notoriously known to be very expensive with a very high recruitment cost. When conquering a settlement, mercenaries will take part of the looting for themselves, thereby decreasing the amount of money the player can loot from a settlement.

History

A demo of the game was released on August 23, 2004 and is freely available for downloading. It features a playable version of the Battle of the Trebia
Battle of the Trebia

The Battle of the Trebia was the first major battle of the Second Punic War, fought between the Carthage forces of Hannibal and the Roman Republic in 218 BC....
, with the player taking the role of Hannibal.

Prior to its release, a preliminary but completely workable version of the game engine was used in two series of TV programs: Decisive Battles by the History Channel where it was used to recreate famous historical battles, and Time Commanders
Time Commanders

Time Commanders is a series of programmes made by Lion TV for BBC Two that ran for two seasons from 2003 to 2005. The programmes, originally hosted by Eddie Mair and more recently by Richard Hammond, features an edited version of the game engine behind the real-time strategy game Rome: Total War to recreate famous battles of the ancie...
 by BBC Two
BBC Two

BBC Two is the second major terrestrial television channel of the BBC, aimed at a wide range of subject matter and interests, and specialising in intelligent yet popular programme genres....
, where teams of novice non-gamers commanded ancient armies to replay key battles of antiquity. The game engine was fine-tuned specifically for these television shows by military historians for maximum historical accuracy.

The original music soundtrack for the game was composed by Jeff van Dyck
Jeff van Dyck

Jeff van Dyck is an award-winning Australian video game music composer. Born in 1969 and raised in Vancouver, Canada, van Dyck is the Audio Director of Creative Assembly's offices in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia....
, who received a BAFTA (British Academy) Interactive Awards nomination for his work. His wife Angela van Dyck features in some of the vocals; Angela also wrote the lyrics for the song Divinitus, the lyrics of which are in Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
. The game's most notable collaboration between Jeff and Angela is Forever
Forever

Forever, etymologically, comes simply from for and ever .Forever may also refer to:In music:Albums:*4Ever , compilation album by Hilary Duff...
, which plays while the game's credits are rolling. Forever was originally meant to be the game's main menu song.

Reviews and awards


Rome: Total War has been critically acclaimed by many reviewers and is generally regarded as one of the best strategy games of 2004, winning numerous awards and high scores from gaming websites and magazines alike. The review aggregator Game Rankings
Game Rankings

GameRankings is a website which keeps track of video game reviews from other sites, and combines them to present an average rating for each game....
 shows an average of 91.7% from 65 major critic reviews, with 48 reviews in the 90%s.

  • PC Gamer
    PC Gamer

    PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC game and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries....
     (UK): All time 5th best PC game "95%"
  • IGN
    IGN

    IGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games. Its corporate parent is IGN Entertainment, which owns and controls separate sites such as GameSpy, GameStats, Rotten Tomatoes and AskMen....
    : Editor's Choice Award, 4th Best PC Game of all Time.
  • PC Gamer
    PC Gamer

    PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC game and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries....
     (US): Editor's Choice, Best Strategy Game of 2004
  • GameSpot
    GameSpot

    GameSpot is a video game website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1996 by Pete Deemer and Vince Broady....
    : Editor's Choice, Strategy Game of 2004
  • Adrenaline Vault: Seal of Excellence
  • GameSpy
    GameSpy

    GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software....
    : Editor's Choice
  • E3
    E3

    The E3 Media and Business Summit, formerly known as Electronic Entertainment Expo and commonly known as E3, is an annual trade show for the video game industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association....
     2003 Game Critics Awards
    Game Critics Awards

    The Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the E3 video game conference since 1998. The awards are given to products displayed at E3 with the title Best of E3 of their category....
    : Best Strategy Game
  • X-Play
    X-Play

    X-Play is a television program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits. The program airs on G4 in the United States, G4techTV Canada in Canada, FUEL TV in Australia, EGO Channel in Israel, GXT in Italy, and Maxxx in the Philippines....
    : 5 out of 5
  • PC Powerplay
    PC PowerPlay

    PC PowerPlay is Australia's only dedicated Personal computer game magazine. Also available in New Zealand, PC PowerPlay focuses on news and reviews for upcoming and newly released games on the Microsoft Windows platform....
    : 95%


Expansions


Rome Total War: Barbarian Invasion


Barbarian Invasion was the first expansion pack for Rome: Total War. It was released on September 27, 2005. It allowed the player to take part in the fall of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the Roman Republic phase of the Ancient Rome, characterised by an autocracy form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
 and the events which came after it. There were also a lot of new features in the game such as generals' loyalty, religion, horde
Horde

Horde may refer to:* a clan or army of steppe nomads* the White Horde, formed 1226.* the Blue Horde, formed 1227.* the Golden Horde, a Tatar-Mongol state established in the 1240s...
s and the "Sack" option for conquered cities. It was also commended for the fact that it did not have any unlockable factions; all the playable factions were available from the start.

Rome: Total War: Alexander


The Alexander expansion puts the player in the role of Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great , also known as Alexander III of Macedon was an ancient Greeks King of Macedon . He was one of the most successful military commanders of all time and is presumed undefeated in battle....
 and replays his conquests and battles.

Modifications


Rome: Total War could be considered to be one of the most moddable PC games around because of the ease with which its text files and its units' skins can be edited. This has led to the creation of many modifications
Mod (computer gaming)

Mod or modification is a term generally applied to Personal computer game, especially first-person shooters, Role-playing games and real-time strategy games....
 or "mods" made for Rome: Total War. Some of them change the game's units' skins and the game's campaign map to make it more realistic. Others still move the game's focus to a different time and place. Examples include:

  • Europa Barbarorum
    Europa Barbarorum

    Europa Barbarorum is a Mod of the personal computer game Rome: Total War based on the desire to provide Rome: Total War players with a more historically accurate game experience....
    , a modification designed to be a definitive, historically accurate, full conversion of Rome: Total War.
  • Rome: Total Realism
    Rome: Total Realism

    Rome: Total Realism is a complete modification pack for the computer game Rome: Total War, intended to rectify historical inaccuracies in the original game....
    , a modification which aims toward a much more realistic and historically accurate Rome: Total War. Many new units, more historically accurate rosters and an extended map make it one of the most popular mods made for the game.


External links