LurkerPrime
Member
All of that Empire advice I gave above? I ignored all of it.
I am doomed.
I am doomed.
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Total War: Warhammer |OT| WAAAGHcraft 4
- Thread starter PeskyToaster
- Start date
I have been wondering if i should buy a SSD to make loading in games smaller. I'd appreciate if you could share your experience in changing from an HDD to an SDD
johancruijff
Banned
same, maybe something more because i use the middle option for looking at AI moves
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
Yes. When you buy the DLC races they get their own mini campaign and playable in the grand campaign. But the other races do not have a mini campaign. Those are expansion of the unit roster for those races.
My Orion Wood Elf campaign(Hard) feels weird. I restarted my first run after I stupidly went to war with like 5 factions at once when Angrund asked me to. I could have fought them off, but they took so many of my outposts that I was in an Amber deficit, and couldn't regen any of my troops.
Second go of it, I played more cautiously at the beginning. I ignored Bastonne cause I can't afford the two stacks required to take it immediately, nor the time to besiege it. Instead, I went south and fought Tilea(plus some Orcs) immediately. Needed a little help from Angrund, but they're nearby and responded well. I didn't notice it until later, but Magliona(sp?) is a unique location for WE, that has a better garrison than normal, in addition to a +10% empire wide buff to money making buildings. I now think that's one of the most important things you can capture early on.
By this point, I started building a second stack, and I planned to go after Estalia next, but assorted neighbors decided to be dicks to either me, angrund, or another WE faction. I was also dealing with occasional WE rebellions, which were probably the most dangerous thing to my campaign.
Queue 100ish turns of either killing or allying with all of my neighbors while my economy ramps up exponentially, and now I have like 250K in the bank, with the final battle ready to go. Orion is level 27ish, Durthu and my second Glade Lord are 15ish, and I have 3 more Glade Lord armies under level 10.
I've never even SEEN an actual Chaos, VC, or Greenskin army, but I'm at peace with all of them anyway, so whatever. The only internal threats are the occasional Beastman or roving greenskin spawn.
It just feels weird that 90% of my game has been fighting the random human empires around me, with the occasional dwarf, greenskin, or orc battle. Early on in the campaign, money is a major issue, but once you get T3 of the tree and can confederate the other WE factions, it gets flipped very suddenly. I confederate Durthu immediately, which added an outpost or two, plus 1.5 armies(some of which I purge due to Amber). Then used all my armies to conquer one of the other WE cities. 8 turns later, I confederate the last WE faction. So in 10 turns I go from struggling to make money with 2 armies, to having 4 full stacks, and a 5k income. The only potential issue is amber, but I was able to disband any units that required it to stay in budget.
Everything just snowballs from there. I keep one army nearby to deal with surprise Hordes, while everyone else just roams around until I win.
So my actual WE tips:
- Spend amber in this order: City Upgrades > Surplus(5-10) > Tree Upgrades > Important Tech Uprades > Units(only after T3 tree)
- Focus on economic buildings prior to T3 Tree.
- One war at a time.
- Ambush! It took me a while to notice, but most of my WE armies were at 90-100 percent chance at ambushing in Light Woods. I set up just outside my cities in Ambush stance to surprise several armies that might have been an issue otherwise. You don't have walls to defend anyway, so this is the next best thing.
- Story Quests. Do them ASAP. It's 3 free amber each time.
- Lightning Strike is buried too deep to make the bottom tree worth pursuing. Put 1 pt in the +10% movement, then move on.
- For Orion, only recruit Glade Lords. Except for Durthu, the tree lords cannot hold office.
- Unless your Glade Lord is going to focus on melee, put a point into their top tree to unlock that bombard ability ASAP.
- I made every wizard into an economic bonus/public order bot. No regrets.
- Make one dedicated Waystalker assassin.
- Branchwraiths make pretty tanky melee characters, but get their healing spell and army-wide speed buffs first.
This turned out longer than I meant it to. Anyquestions or comments?
Second go of it, I played more cautiously at the beginning. I ignored Bastonne cause I can't afford the two stacks required to take it immediately, nor the time to besiege it. Instead, I went south and fought Tilea(plus some Orcs) immediately. Needed a little help from Angrund, but they're nearby and responded well. I didn't notice it until later, but Magliona(sp?) is a unique location for WE, that has a better garrison than normal, in addition to a +10% empire wide buff to money making buildings. I now think that's one of the most important things you can capture early on.
By this point, I started building a second stack, and I planned to go after Estalia next, but assorted neighbors decided to be dicks to either me, angrund, or another WE faction. I was also dealing with occasional WE rebellions, which were probably the most dangerous thing to my campaign.
Queue 100ish turns of either killing or allying with all of my neighbors while my economy ramps up exponentially, and now I have like 250K in the bank, with the final battle ready to go. Orion is level 27ish, Durthu and my second Glade Lord are 15ish, and I have 3 more Glade Lord armies under level 10.
I've never even SEEN an actual Chaos, VC, or Greenskin army, but I'm at peace with all of them anyway, so whatever. The only internal threats are the occasional Beastman or roving greenskin spawn.
It just feels weird that 90% of my game has been fighting the random human empires around me, with the occasional dwarf, greenskin, or orc battle. Early on in the campaign, money is a major issue, but once you get T3 of the tree and can confederate the other WE factions, it gets flipped very suddenly. I confederate Durthu immediately, which added an outpost or two, plus 1.5 armies(some of which I purge due to Amber). Then used all my armies to conquer one of the other WE cities. 8 turns later, I confederate the last WE faction. So in 10 turns I go from struggling to make money with 2 armies, to having 4 full stacks, and a 5k income. The only potential issue is amber, but I was able to disband any units that required it to stay in budget.
Everything just snowballs from there. I keep one army nearby to deal with surprise Hordes, while everyone else just roams around until I win.
So my actual WE tips:
- Spend amber in this order: City Upgrades > Surplus(5-10) > Tree Upgrades > Important Tech Uprades > Units(only after T3 tree)
- Focus on economic buildings prior to T3 Tree.
- One war at a time.
- Ambush! It took me a while to notice, but most of my WE armies were at 90-100 percent chance at ambushing in Light Woods. I set up just outside my cities in Ambush stance to surprise several armies that might have been an issue otherwise. You don't have walls to defend anyway, so this is the next best thing.
- Story Quests. Do them ASAP. It's 3 free amber each time.
- Lightning Strike is buried too deep to make the bottom tree worth pursuing. Put 1 pt in the +10% movement, then move on.
- For Orion, only recruit Glade Lords. Except for Durthu, the tree lords cannot hold office.
- Unless your Glade Lord is going to focus on melee, put a point into their top tree to unlock that bombard ability ASAP.
- I made every wizard into an economic bonus/public order bot. No regrets.
- Make one dedicated Waystalker assassin.
- Branchwraiths make pretty tanky melee characters, but get their healing spell and army-wide speed buffs first.
This turned out longer than I meant it to. Anyquestions or comments?
Just tested it a bit. I never did observe the loading times in the past but they felt unbearably long. Now on a SSD, it feels like what a regular game usually feels like; around 20 - 30 secs loading from windows and 15 secs loading into a battle. It's a staggering difference. Playing on Ultra settings.
I bet they'll come in the next Warhammer game with Lizardmen and stuff.
thanks - how long is a campaign with a given faction? trying to see how much content there is for a strictly solo player
i thought all 15 factions are coming to this game?
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
I honestly never counted personally but I would say it's 10 hours give or take how hard the difficulty is.
There are 2 game mode types in a total war game:
1) campaign mode
There are 2 types: the grand campaign where you play in the old world map with all the (main) game factions playable and the mini-campaigns which have a new much smaller map and focus in just 1 faction. The mini campaigns are only used in DLC (currently beastmen and wood elves have this campaign)
2) battle mode:
which has 2 types: Custom battles where you decide everything about the battle and quest battles where you can play quests battles from any LL.
I think it is unlikely for this current game. CA has said that warhammer is a 10 year plan and will have 3 stand-alone games that combine. CA has also said that wood elves is the last "big" DLC for this game. From the russian datamine we know that exp 1 will have high elves + dark elves + lizardmen, I'd also assume they would add skaven to that expansion since their are "arch enemies" to the lizardmen.
now back to your question, i feel that to add tomb kings we need to expand the map southward; CA can either keep tomb kings for the 3rd expansion (which could use factions like chaos dwarves, ogre kingdoms and chaos daemons to expand the map both sotuhward and eastward) or use them as DLC between game 2 and 3 like the beastmen and wood elves are to this game. IMO it makes more sense to use them between both games and have the last game focus just in a massive "end of times" event where CA focus in making an army to each chaos god.
johancruijff
Banned
there's a beta hotfix for WE
https://www.reddit.com/r/totalwar/comments/5i4v7x/wood_elves_hotfix_beta_info/
https://www.reddit.com/r/totalwar/comments/5i4v7x/wood_elves_hotfix_beta_info/
thanks!
thank you!
I take 10-30h for each campaign depending on dificulty and luck (sometimes the factions you need to destroy just get unbelievably big)
All 15 factions are coming to *this* game (i'd even say 16- including the chaos dwarves) and by this i mean the trilogy of stand alone titles that CA is making and promissed that each title will combine with each other to make the largest total war ever.
My advice is to only buy this game if you want to play with X faction (that is already made) if you prefer others you can wait for the relevant expansion/DLC.
I need to try another WE game as Durthu. Just as far as units go, it seems like the higher tier treemen units scale better than the high tier Elf units.
i.e. a giant tree dude is far better than dryads, whereas the highest tier archer isn't that much better than the glade guards.
Edit:
Well, that patch seems to address this to some degree.
i.e. a giant tree dude is far better than dryads, whereas the highest tier archer isn't that much better than the glade guards.
Edit:
Well, that patch seems to address this to some degree.
LurkerPrime
Member
Durthu and his units are much stronger overall, but in the Grand Campaign he has a heck of a time confederating. It makes everything an order of magnitude more difficult.
The Tree units are insane if you get army stat boosts with the lords.
The Tree units are insane if you get army stat boosts with the lords.
I'm actually curious if it would be better to try conquering my fellow WE factions right away. Controlling the 4 major cities is so important for them.
They're what you put in place of any non-WE territory you capture. Generally, it's a small garrison, with 1 building slot. Whatever you build there usually provides a buff of some kind to your empire.
that's great - but a little confusing. so everything is going to go into this client?
johancruijff
Banned
CA has been vague about that
So I said fuck it with Durthu and went after the other WE factions immediately. You can sneak Orion's area within the first few turns, but the other two start at Tier 2, build defensive buildings, and keep a decent army as well. I had to run around a little to make money, quickly made a second stack, and attacked them. Now it's turn 24 and I have all of the WE territory.
johancruijff
Banned
hotfix is not in beta anymore, it's being pushed
120 MB
120 MB
I used it last night for my Durthu campaign start and didn't have any issues.
I want to make an all flying WE army. Glade Lord on a dragon, plus a bunch of hawkriders, dragons, and maybe great eagles. I actually don't know of any reason to take a Great Eagle instead of another dragon.
johancruijff
Banned
i mean released sorry
I don't know if a flying stack is viable, iirc without ground units the flying ones routes automatically
I don't know if a flying stack is viable, iirc without ground units the flying ones routes automatically
Ok, one Wild Rider unit that will hide in a forest and only run away
LurkerPrime
Member
All provincial capitals have walls, but they all also have a building line that improves garrisons. The exception is Wood Elves and their outposts, which have none.
Settlements can get walls too, but they do need the defensive building line to do so.
Thanks. After 160 turns, I think I finally have a decent handle on the mechanics of the game. I smashed Archaeon when he sieged Altdorf and now I am starting to expand outwards from Reikland and finishing off the Crooked Moon.
Pyros_Eien
Member
Technically, you can do all flying as long as some units are on the ground. Which dragons are, they have to be on the ground to do damage, unlike the eagle riding archers and casters on pegasus and what not. But might still want one unit on the ground just in case of. One of those archer heroes that can hide on any terrain and can shoot while hidden is pretty nice, they do good damage and realistically if you leave them behind your army, no one's gonna spot them ever while they keep firing at stuff.
LurkerPrime
Member
I'd reckon the most obtuse mechanic in the game is the special buildings that exist at some locations, for specific factions. They're, like, super versions of regular buildings in most cases, or, at times, completely gamechanging. It's kind of crazy that they don't make a bigger deal out of them.
For example, the Empire has a bunch. Marienburg's is a special harbor that has a huge boost to income; Nuln has empire-wide siege unit boosts from one building; Couronne has a special cavalry and income boosting building; and there's several more. They're a tiny shot in the arm by themselves, but together they're massive power and income boosts.
Yes I've read about them. I am building the one in Nuln now.
The thing is, there are lots of things in this game that are not explained such as how you have to deploy heroes to gain their boosts.
LurkerPrime
Member
You know, I've never thought to check. But here it is! (Does not cover Wood Elves or the new splinter factions, which definitely do have some of their own.)
In case anyone's wondering, Bretonnia is listed because, IIRC, it has been unlocked already modders. Its full rollout will probably expand and balance it a lot.
Yeah, you're right. It gets even more confusing: some boosts are only active when the enemy is either:
And for movement, there's all kinds of terrain modifiers that you can only really see once you move there, affecting movement points, army attrition, order, or army replenishment. The big one is crossing rivers, which takes most if not all of the available movement points, but there's also stuff like mountains, wasteland, corrupted land, vampiric land, etc.... it's a lot.
There's a lot to the game.
In case anyone's wondering, Bretonnia is listed because, IIRC, it has been unlocked already modders. Its full rollout will probably expand and balance it a lot.
Yeah, you're right. It gets even more confusing: some boosts are only active when the enemy is either:
- in a parent army;
- deployed in an owned region;
- deployed in an unowned region;
- present in a region, affecting settlements and armies locally, regardless of the above statuses.
And for movement, there's all kinds of terrain modifiers that you can only really see once you move there, affecting movement points, army attrition, order, or army replenishment. The big one is crossing rivers, which takes most if not all of the available movement points, but there's also stuff like mountains, wasteland, corrupted land, vampiric land, etc.... it's a lot.
There's a lot to the game.
Stevey
Member
https://www.reddit.com/r/totalwar/comments/4nk114/tww_full_list_of_strategic_locations_and_their/
Not sure if this is complete
Not sure if this is complete
LurkerPrime
Member
Both of our links aren't complete, unfortunately. The wiki doesn't list Bretonnian special buildings that the Empire can use (and probably more) and the reddit link is missing all of the post-release changes.
Yes.
Settlements raised by Chaos or Beastmen become Chaos corruption buildings basically (you can see it if you select the province), and will slowly raise the corruption of the territory to 100% if left unopposed. I think capitals have osmosis corruption. The only downside to recolonising is all of the order and attrition penalties you have to struggle through.
Attrition penalties start at 50% corruption, I believe. For both vampiric and Chaos. (And VCs don't suffer attrition at that level, either. And begin to get order bonuses instead of penalties for their settlements. Something like that.)
Chaos corruption spreading like that is mostly troublesome if your cities are on the verge of rebellion, on top of facing hordes of enemies.
Yes.
Settlements raised by Chaos or Beastmen become Chaos corruption buildings basically (you can see it if you select the province), and will slowly raise the corruption of the territory to 100% if left unopposed. I think capitals have osmosis corruption. The only downside to recolonising is all of the order and attrition penalties you have to struggle through.
Attrition penalties start at 50% corruption, I believe. For both vampiric and Chaos. (And VCs don't suffer attrition at that level, either. And begin to get order bonuses instead of penalties for their settlements. Something like that.)
Chaos corruption spreading like that is mostly troublesome if your cities are on the verge of rebellion, on top of facing hordes of enemies.
CA has said it will have 3 main stand alone titles (each will have their own races). If you own more than 1 the map "fuses".
In short you "should" only buy this game if you are interested in current factions (base game has empire, dwarfs, vampire counts, brettonia (will be released for free in february) and greenskins; warriors of chaos, beastmen and wood elves are playable if you buy the respective DLC).
The first expansion will probably have high elves, dark elves, lizardmen and skaven. Since FLC plan was supossed to end in december, the expansion should probably release next year. (CA has extended the plan because the game had more success then they were expecting)
I can't answer for sure but I'd assume each game will cost 60$ and will have 4 races.
If i remember correctly, in game, the only info you can get is if that province has a special building or not. If it has a special building it will have a golden symbol (if you hover over it it says that that province has unique buildings)
LurkerPrime
Member
The Wood Elves are awful to face as AI. They're all over the map and are basically a better version of the Beastmen, capable of getting anywhere and striking without warning, only they have four or five stacks instead of one. Their siege potential kind of sucks, but they are tenacious enough to strike the rear of a faction and conquer large swathes while their target is distracted.
And conquering them? Forget about it. By the time you take one of their core settlements, it will take several turns to replenish, and by then their forces will be back. If you ever make headway against them, finish them off or you'll regret it.
Like, their economy seems way too good in the hands of an AI. It's better than anyone else's by a fair margin.
Gonna have to restart my Empire game... only this time I'll finish them entirely. Holding Chaos and Nosca kept me busy enough even pre-Archaeon, but having the Wood Elves take all of Bretonnia uncontested was making it unwinnable.
Anyone know if razing their Tree of Ages defeats them immediately? That might be the way to win against them...
And conquering them? Forget about it. By the time you take one of their core settlements, it will take several turns to replenish, and by then their forces will be back. If you ever make headway against them, finish them off or you'll regret it.
Like, their economy seems way too good in the hands of an AI. It's better than anyone else's by a fair margin.
Gonna have to restart my Empire game... only this time I'll finish them entirely. Holding Chaos and Nosca kept me busy enough even pre-Archaeon, but having the Wood Elves take all of Bretonnia uncontested was making it unwinnable.
Anyone know if razing their Tree of Ages defeats them immediately? That might be the way to win against them...
Beastmen actually "razed" my tree once and all it did was knock it back to T1, so I'm pretty sure that won't kill them off entirely, but it DOES give them big bonuses.
LurkerPrime
Member
Turn 3 of a Very Hard Empire game. Separatists invite Marienburg to the war, and they accept.
Game over. Marienburg has a military capacity 1.5x what I am capable of. I am beaten back a dozen different ways on a dozen different saves as the combined forces of Marienburg, Separatists and Skull-takerz (what) ruin my army and capital.
Total Warhammer pls.
Huh. I assumed it was an instant game over for players, so this is good news.
Forgot about the bonuses, though. That no doubt helps the AI snowball even further.
Game over. Marienburg has a military capacity 1.5x what I am capable of. I am beaten back a dozen different ways on a dozen different saves as the combined forces of Marienburg, Separatists and Skull-takerz (what) ruin my army and capital.
Total Warhammer pls.
Huh. I assumed it was an instant game over for players, so this is good news.
Forgot about the bonuses, though. That no doubt helps the AI snowball even further.