Barbarian Invasion

This game probably not so popular as its original game, which is Rome Total War. I haven't any idea why it is so. This too, is a great game and a great expansion patch, fitting the original version perfectly, and even better than all other mods that have been written for rome total war. I am saying all other, because there are many and i don't know them all. It is because when this game was released, it was quite a big improvement, almost a spring effect on strategy gaming, as in graphics. It was both playable, and anyway arcade style whether you choose so or not - though of course makes some difference - and needs not complicated system to run. Well, as expansion packs, these were using the same basics of Rome Total war however in some ways adjusted and changed. Rome Total War was spanning through Alexanxer's death to some years into Anna Domini. And Barbarian Invasion expansion pack spans through 300-ish AD to 500-ish AD, the period where Hun tribes forced all other barbarian tribes to migrate through europe, creating a periodic shockweave on locals.

History itself here, is given quite sucsessfully, as withering Rome, suffering from greed and internal corruption wanes, barbaric tribes advance. For grand campaign faction selection, most of the barbaric tribes are selectable. Huns, Vandals, Franks, Saxons, Alemanni, Sarmatians and Goths. Also it is posible to select the Sassanid empire, and of course Rome, which is at that time, divided into east and west. With careful playing and some skill, it is generally possible to save Eastern Empire, through dance of politics with barbarians, and hostility against Sassanid's, eventually resulting in complete annexation. With these sucseeded, it is likely that you ll survive the barbarian invasion. However, as indicated the only Hard-to-play faction, in selection screen, i find it impossible to save Western Empire. You start only with 1000 florins, and wil almost all the settlements rioting. And for most of them there is nothing you can do. After the second turn, half of your empire become rebel empire. So you are actually ruling one quarter of Rome. As you continue, you may notice loyaltists revolt and join your cause. The thing happens because for roman empire, there proposed a different style of rebellion. When a city become independent, it formes a faction called eastern or western empire rebels. And any other city of yours that may rebel joins that faction. They can have diplomats, assassin's, and attacking armies of their own. Also that, when a former city of yours, in hands of someone else, riots, it becomes a loyaltist revolt and the city joins your empire with some army and sometimes a noble in it. Rome, in both factions, struggle hardest against the religion unrest. You mist, as quickly as possible, choose a religion for your empire. It can be paganism or christianity. If chosen either of these, destroy all temples of the opposing religion otherwise settlements will riot due to religious unrest. Also you need to station your armies good because their upkeep costs are intense, so you better not train any more units but use what you have on the borders with your enemies. Although, everyone turns out to be your enemy if you are playing in hard mode. As western roman empire, even i tried so hard, after few years, only place i held was rome itself and it all. Still i was loosing 2000 denarii per turn, and i was at -200.000 alerady or something.

Much about roman factions but never about barbarians? Well barbarian factions do have goals of their own as roman factions aim to unite rome under their own banner and rule everywhere like before, which you later learn quite a thing it is heh. Barbarians all have different goals, depending on their history, and some challenge. Huns aim to hold both Constantinople and Rome, as, in some ways, they alerady had. Other barbarian tribes aim to migrate westwards. Some are interested in trade locations. Some are other things. But what is important is some of the barbarian nations start with no soil owned, instead, hordes which contain thousands of excellent troops. You may notice these troops can be gained by other nations too, -barbarian only- when you force them out of where they live by either capturing their place or plundering. They get their hordes aswell, and completely destroyed only when they hold no settlement and all their hordes are exterminated. Huns start with the best horde avalible. However, when you settle down in a city, your hordes are disbanded, so you turn into a normal faction. So i would advise you plunder enough cities to supplant your own empire long enough to build whatever buildings you need, in order to protect your land and expand it.

This is what this expansion pack is about, i with all my heart advise you to play it if you are into history, because it is one of the best games that ever incites the exact historic atmosphere which can be felt through history books and movies and proves us once more that brilliant graphics isn't a 'must' for brilliant atmosphere.