The World of Total War Mods

Rome Total War was a fantastic game that took many hours of my life away and now it's a fantastic coaster gathering dust on my computer desk. It has been nearly four years since its release, so what possible reason would I have for sticking it in my drive and having another go leading my Roman army to continent conquering success?

The main reason has to be the amazing mods that are available for the game that not only add more depth, but also had a completely different gaming experience. These mods range from the historically accurate to the the realm of elves and dwarves. So I have decided to revive my copy of Rome from its flat lining state and fire it up. Give me 30cc's of mods stat!

Rome Total Realism (One legion short a History Channel Documentary)

Rome Total Realism (RTR) is a complete modification for the Creative Assembly's (CA) evergreen success, Rome Total War (RTW). The RTR team is dedicated to improving the immersion value of Total War games through a mix of historical detail and gameplay innovations. Earlier this year, the team released The Iberian Conflict (TIC): a campaign that takes the player back to the days of Hamilcar Barca and his conquests in the Iberian peninsular.

What binds the team together is its passion for ancient history and the desire to bring it to life on the RTW engine. Every team member brings something to the game from their private lives: knowledge and skills gained in school, university or business; but not least a dedication and enthusiasm for the job in hand.

It has now been more than three years since RTR 6 Gold, a full blown Grand Campaign for the early version of RTW based on an extended map, was made available to the public. Since Gold’s release, CA has given us the expansion Rome Total War – Barbarian Invasion (RTW-BI), which brought a number of improvements to the basic game. TIC is but the first stage in RTR’s long term objective of taking advantage of these enhancements and building a new Grand Campaign, RTR VII. But before that, the next stepping stone on the path to this objective has only recently been announced: within the last month as a matter of fact. Rome Total Realism: Fate of Empires (FOE): a campaign centered on the western Mediterranean and focusing on the titanic struggle for survival and dominance between the three great powers of the day, Rome, Carthage and King Pyrrhos of Epiros. Players of the campaign will have the opportunity to change history as Epiros by building the Greek-Siciliot and Greek-Italiot cities into a central Mediterranean power united into a Hellenistic kingdom... As Pyrrhos, the player can build a Successor kingdom for himself in the west, just as Ptolemy I, Antigonos One-Eye and Demetrius the Beseieger, Seleucus I Nicator and other Macedonian dynasts, all heirs to Alexander the Great, did in the east! But only if Pyrrhos can beat Rome! (Did you understand all that? Me neither.)

Over at the Total War Centre (TWC) there is a strong and vibrant RTR community - it's a web based family spanning all the continents who all love to play RTR and the mods that have been based on it. For RTR 6 Gold has inspired a number of very creative individuals who have taken it as a base and built and modified it to reflect their own vision of history: RTR - Platinum Edition and RTR - Extended Realism are just two examples. A visitor to the RTR Forums at TWC will find over a dozen modifications, cast in the RTR mold, and thriving ongoing conversations on all manner of topics.

As mentioned above, the long term objective of the Rome Total Realism team is the production of the RTR VII: Grand Campaign: an epic historical vision that will encompass the entire Ancient World: from the Pillars of Hercules to the mountains of the Hindu Kush. However, it is not the end of the story, because after RTR VII the team has committed itself to undertaking the full conversion of the Creative Assembly's forthcoming release, Empire: Total War, an 18th Century based game which includes naval warfare, to the classical era. Watch this space.

RTR never sacrifices gameplay for realism. The campaign requires a different tactical approach were one has to assimilate different cultures into their own. Also no longer will your mighty legions be able to be mass produced in any settlement you own. Now they only come from provinces that produced them in real life. Rome has to rely on auxiliaries to hold the far reaches of the empire. Sounds hard and unfair but in reality it works splendidly. It forced me to make tough decisions in my own campaign. Britain was under constant attack from the natives and the auxiliaries were struggling. A newly formed legion was assembled in Rome and on its way. However Germania became unstable and the legion was forced to divert leaving for some intense battles to save my empire in Britain.

As realism is contained in the mods name you can be assured that the shiny and cartoonish looking units of Rome have been replaced with historically accurate attire. I'm glad to see this as the original unit design of CA's version was rather poor. Actually the Gauls tactic in the normal version of RTW was to distract you with those horrible green and yellow pajamas while they hit you head on. I honestly believed at one stage that if reinforcements were to enter battle for the barbarians then it would come in the shape of B1 and B2.

Europa Barbarorum

Europa Barbarorum was a project that began even before RTW was released. It had its beginnings in a team of historians and concerned citizens of the TW fora, who wished to pass on information to CA during RTWs development to help steer them clear of the classic mistake of representing the Northern European cultures as barbaric and uncivilised. When it became clear that CA would not be willing to alter their representation of these Northern European tribal factions, Europa Barbarorum changed from being a discussion group of historians to a fully-fledged modding group with the goal of dressing the historical inaccuracies that plagued every part of RTW: from the “Egyptian” kingdom of the Ptolemaioi to the unsophisticated and homogeneous tribes of the Celts, Germans, Dacians and Iberians; from the three-family representation of SPQR to the 4th Century Greeks in a 3rd Century world.

Over time the ethos and style of what was to become Europa Barbarorum (EB) was developed and set as the mod began to see life. Emphasis was placed on slow and measured game-play in the campaign, particularly focusing on the role-play of the chosen faction. This role-playing aspect was the driving force behind the development and creation of a very complex trait and ancillary system based upon biological and character relationships. At the core of this trait system is the six “Primary Traits”; the “Ability” traits of Intelligence / Charisma / Vitality, and the “Personality” traits of Selflessness / Temperament / Loyalty. These six traits together and alone indicate to a player how to best develop his character and how to best role-play him as well. As a character grows older his personality deepens, and it becomes a thoroughly pleasurable experience seeing your greatest general rise through the ranks and, perhaps, eventually becoming the Faction Leader himself.

Elsewhere the Europa Barbarorum team used the same ethos that inspired the campaign game to design, create and balance the most thrilling aspect of Rome: Total War - the battles themselves! Each unit was researched by a legion of historians, many of them also studying or working in the academic world. Primary sources, particularly archaeological evidence, were used to design the 460 unique units so that a player would be able to watch the most accurate representation of those once great armies of the ancient world. In combination with the an incredibly well researched and devised stat model, the armies of the ancient world have never looked so beautiful, or marched and fought so well.

Over the four and a half years of Europa Barbarorum’s existence there have been three major releases; the 0.8x series and then EB 1.0, and finally EB 1.1. In the 10 months that the 0.8x series was the official release of EB, 135,000 downloads were logged. In the 6 months that EB 1.0 was the official release, over 90,000 downloads were tracked. EB 1.1 was finally replaced in April 2008, and since then almost 74000 downloads have been tracked, and this rises every day.

With the release of EB 1.1, work has since begun on a sequel to rival the success of EBI. Using the updated engine of Medieval 2: Total War, EBII will feature: entirely new Government and Recruitment system; updated, expanded, and improved Trait and Ancillary system; and, upon the battlefield, the end of cloned armies as the unit artists take full advantage of the M2:TW’s ability to vary the look of individual soldiers within a unit. EBII will once again push at the limits of what is possible and transport you back to an age of wonder and of war – back to an age of a Europe of Barbarians.

One of the main reasons why I loved EB was the fact that it took away the main focus, the Roman Empire. RTW was all about the Romans, hence the name, and I always felt the Celtic/Germanic tribes of Northern Europe were under done in CA's version. So much so that I never bothered playing as them. With EB that has now changed and I look forward to sacking Rome given every opportunity. Now longer will my shirtless/semi naked warriors of the past tremble before the might of Rome. Well until they start sending out legions that is.

It should be noted that not one faction has escaped the attention of the EB team as you can expect a complete rework of the Greek, Carthaginian and every other faction in the game. So even if Rome and the Senate are getting to you then to possibility of conquering them into the ground, with new units, is welcomed.

Fourth Age: Total War Mod (Oh Yes! Time to kick Elven Butt)

With an aim to staying true to the works and spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, whilst also aspiring to original creative excellence, the Fourth Age: Total War is a must-have for anyone who loves the setting and peoples of Tolkien's mythic world. The Fourth Age: Total War is a full-conversion modification for the Rome: Total War – Barbarian Invasion 1.6 add-on (there is also a version for RTW 1.5). The mod is designed so that it will not interfere with original game files leaving your original game and other compatible mods fully playable.

With an estimated 250,000 downloads to date, the mod has had coverage in the best-selling PCGamer (UK) twice as well as other print publications. It was also voted 'Best BI/Alexander Mod' by the users of Total War fan-site, totalwar.org; and voted 'Best RTW/BI Fantasy Mod' by the users of the biggest TW fansite, twcenter.net. FATW is known for its attention to lore and its great stability.

Set in the Fourth Age of Middle-earth, approximately 200 years after the events of the War of the Ring, the mod is based solely on the books and other official writings of Tolkien, drawing inspiration from his abandoned sequel to “The Lord of the Rings”, called “The New Shadow”. It is a story about a new ‘darkness’ that corrupts the hearts of Men during the early years of the Fourth Age.

The mod is designed to take place in the whole of the area of Middle-earth, covering around 120 regions and featuring 9 factions: the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor, the Kingdom of Rohan, the Empire of Harad, the Chiefdom of Dunland, the Chiefdom of Rhûn, the Kingdom of Adûnabâr, the Elven Kingdom, the Dwarven Kingdom and the Kingdom of Dale.

The Team follows a "modular expansion" policy, releasing the mod as independent modules, each one expanding and improving on the previous one, while each is fully playable and of top quality, so that the high standards are maintained and fans can enjoy the parts which are completed while work continues on the rest. The latest release of FATW covers about half the aforementioned map, taking in the area from the western borders of Dunland to the east-most expanses of Far Harad, including 72 regions and 6 out of 9 factions playable in campaign. Elves, Dwarves and Dale are currently only available for Custom Battles. The Team is currently working on releasing the full map complete with all factions.

Some of the unique features of the current release of FATW:

Unique settlements, wonders and landmark features present on the campaign map, including Minas Tirith, Osgiliath, the Argonath, and many more.

City Development and Diversification System allows you to develop each settlement separately in a specific way including trade, weapon upgrades, special unit recruitment, naval superiority and more, according to your campaign needs.

Middle-earth Zone of Recruitment System designed to simulate the difficulties of developing settlements and training your faction’s soldiers as you move away from your homelands, taking into account old loyalties and hatreds, cultural differences and population make-up. One of the most advanced of any mod out there.

Advanced Unit-Balance System based on in-depth research of the game mechanics, incorporating all new discoveries and using sophisticated and complex formulas that take into account a wide variety of attributes, translating them into statistics and costs.

Settler units, assimilation units, factional-fertility system, 4-horsed chariots, recruitable generals, wonder-capture System, 7 cultures, marvels and many more concepts and discoveries of the FATW Team since 2004.

FWTR is without a doubt the most adventurous and creative mod released for RTW. Not only does it make your original game feel completely new but also throws your tactical prowess for the Romans out the window. You will have to start from scratch here and rely on each factions famous unit to conquer. The only problem with this modification is that you can't actually kill Orlando Bloom. A new campaign map also means that if you are sick of Europe then Middle Earth will welcome you with open arms and sharp blades.

Napoleonic Total War II

Napoleonic Total War II began life with just two factions, Russia and France and one scripted linked battle the 1812 Borodino scenario. From these humble beginnings NTW2 has grown to become one of the most dynamic multiplayer modifications for Rome Total War. From the earliest incarnation, the Lordz Modding Collective team put vast efforts into re-working the Total War engine to not only bring to life the victories and defeats of the man who gave his name to this era but also the environment in which they were fought. A complete overhaul of the various facets of the Rome Total War engine where under taken. New animations, newly composed music, voice commands in the local tongues of the fighting men, native vegetation and climates, a new user interface, special effects including rolling clouds of musket smoke, and nearly two-hundred maps made by their loyal community members complete the multi-player experience.

The faction list includes the heavyweights of France, Russia, the United Kingdom, Austria, and Prussia as well as Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sweden, The Ottoman Empire, and the United Netherlands. Each faction has its own unique unit list meticulously research and beautifully rendered. Attention to detail when creating the unit models and textures was the rule of thumb, allowing the cultivation of epic on-line battles with bristling lines of bayonets, roaring cannons, and dandified cavalrymen.

The key elements of battle the Napoleonic battle are all at a player’s reach but must be used wisely and in accordance with the rules of war. Light infantrymen screen the battle lines as they mass before the heavy fighting begins. Cavalrymen scout the land looking for weaknesses, a place to drive home a possible fatal blow. Generals and aide de camps patrol the rear of their lines urging their men on to glory or death and rallying those who would rather not know the great secret. The poor bloody infantrymen prepare to march fire, charge, and die all on the whim of Fate or Victory. The unit roster features British riflemen, grenadiers, The Imperial Guard of France, Russian Cossacks, Polish Lancers, swift hussars, reliable dragoons, the armour wearing cuirassiers, howitzers 6- and 12-pounder cannons to name but a few.

With a pedigree including Napoleonic Total War I and American Total War, Napoleonic Total War II continues to be a strong, robust, and extraordinary modification years after its conception. The Lordz Modding Collective team takes pride in being around before the Empire Total War buzz, having made modifications featuring the line-of-battle era since Medieval Total War and Viking Invasion.

There are hundreds of Rome Total War mods out there, all offering something different, but Napoleonic Total War II has, in my opinion, out shined them for its longevity, creativeness, and above all its community. While Napoleonic Total War II represents a paradigm shift in modifications it is the tightly knit community that continues to pour life into the Lordz Modding Collective. Because of this every-changing community there is always something in the works from the Lordz.

Worth the Resurrection?

Definitely. I always found ancient history to be most interesting period that CA have tackled. RTR and EB have provided the much needed improvements that RTW craved and truly has helped it to become the greatest come back (on my hard drive) since Lazarus. If not then NTW could be the perfect warm up to Empire: Total War for all those you want to get a taste of the period. To be fair these mods are but a handful of the overall projects that litter the Total War community so even if the modification on offer here don't take your fancy then I'm sure you can find something else over there that will.

It should also be noted that a modder, by the name of “MasterofNone” has created a handy tool called the Multi-Mod Sampler. What this does is give you a preview of many RTW mods to try before you download. This is extremely helpful as you can decide what mod suits you best without reaching your monthly download limit from your ISP due to the enormous size of some of the files. Such dedication is commendable and is a great example of how the TWC has grown from strength to strength over the years. All of the modification listed above and even more can be found at TWCenter.

In the second part of this series Graham will take a look at the best modifications available for Medieval II: Total War.