I'm back. From fucking MCATs (Medical school test bullshit).
I'm starting a new LP with Fall of the Samurai, a standalone expansion to Shogun 2 Total War. For those of you who remember me (Rewjeo, Integrity, Furet,eclipse), you can imagine where this thread is going. For those of you who don't know what Total War is, keep reading.
Yes, I know I have a Fallout Tactics LP going also, but 3/23 is the release date for Fall of the Samurai and I got a new laptop. One that can run SHogun 2 and record it on full settings smoothly. Asus G74SX-DH71 is serious fucking business.
Link to Shogun 2 LP here: http://serenesforest...opic=25238&st=0
So what is Total War? (copy-pasta)
Total War series is probably one of the most involved strategy games ever. I'll give some basics, but you'll be learning as I go through the campaign and such.
The game is mainly divided into two segments: Turn-based and real-time.
In the turn-based segments you move your armies around, manage your cities, train troops, make diplomacy, assassinate enemy generals, spy on enemy cities and whatnot. This is probably the part that turns most casual gamers away, it gets very taxing keeping track of everything.
Real-time occurs when your armies clash with others on the world map. The game will do a pretty epic zoom-in onto the map (or just go straight to the battle on the much older 2D games). Your general (or captain if you didn't put one there) will give a speech that could be heroic or shitty (if he's insane or cowardly) and you can position your men. After that you can begin the battle and start making your moves. Unlike the previous total war games, ALL the speeches are done in Japanese.
Units are not single individuals, but are groups of soldiers, which can range from 80 (knights, elites) to 200 (peasants, low quality infantry) Growths are static, with every level up increasing attack and defence by 1, or something similar (it changed with Shogun 2 onwards). There are named characters who are part of your royal family, and they become generals if placed in an army. They also grow depending on the situations you put them in on the battlefield, which can lead to very awesome warriors or very....umm...insane people. This can boost or screw over your troops' stats.
The main goal of the game is to conquer your enemies, or if you're into roleplaying history, you can be merciful or just do nothing and watch what the other countries do.
In battle, the main goal is to rout the enemy, basically break their will to fight. So, with clever positioning and even with lesser soldiers, you can defeat armies who are theoretically superior. Usually if people are getting chopped from the front, shot at in the sides, and charged in the back, it usually guarantees a rout. You can choose to let them run away and fight you on a better day, or you can chase and cut them down like the dogs they are.
There is some sort of weapon triangle...or perhaps unit triangle. Yari (spear) beats cavalry. Cavalry beats katana (sword). Katana beats yari. Archers can deal a crapton of damage, but will get screwed if caught in melee. At least, that's how it was in Shogun 2. Things are different in Fall of the Samurai....
This is my short introduction to the Total War series, it's not similar to Fire Emblem, but it's something I'd like to share with you guys.
SO, what's s important about Fall of the Samurai?
For one thing, it explores the Boshin War, a part of Japanese history that's rarely portrayed in video games and movies. (Sengoku period being infinitely more popular) The closest thing I can think of is the historically inaccurate (albeit still a good movie) The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise; I think most of you have watched it.
So what's the timeline? Let's backtrack a bit.
RIse of the Samurai - Gempei War - 1100s, emergence of the elite samurai as horse archers.
Me: Fukuhara Taira
Historical Winner: Minamoto Clan
Shogun 2 - Sengoku Jidai - 1500s-1600, adoption of guns from Portuguese and Dutch and rise of the ashigaru (professional soldiers beneath samurai) as a potent force in mass warfare.
Me: Shimazu
Historical Winner: Tokugawa
1600s and onwards
Tokugawa Shogunate adopts policy of isolationism, sealing Japan off from the outside world except on a select few islands where trade with foreigners continued.
This continued until Commodore Perry threatens to bomb the shit out of Japan unless they opened up.
Trade agreements were signed, and modern ideas enter Japan. Modern ideas....and modern weaponry.
Shogunate vs. Emperor
Emperor decides that foreigners should be kicked out. Surprising, right? The common view was Imperial (tech) vs. Shogunate (traditionalists). Not really, the Shogunate forces were initially more advanced with French support. The reason why the Imperials modernized faster was because they believed that to be able to kick foreigners out, they had to learn the military ideals of the West. Fall of the Samurai starts with these 2 warring supergroups, and the clan we pick will initially side with either the Shogunate or the Emperor. This can be changed later on, of course.
SO, what would I want you to do? Pick a clan for me.
I don't know the clan colors, but I'd like to get a few starting choices made for me before I begin. Saves time.
Satsuma (Imperial)
The Independents
Spoiler -
Shimazu Tadayoshi, the daimyo of the Satsuma domain, is heir to 400 (and more) years of continuous lordship. The Shimazu are an old clan, and can claim the Minamoto Shoguns of old as blood relatives. They are also unusual in that they have had contacts with the world outside Japan for centuries; these dealings have been carefully controlled and limited but they have, nonetheless, profited from contacts with the outside. The Shimazu have long claimed tribute from the Ryukyu Kingdom, and have had trade with China for many generations. They are, therefore, a little more open to foreign ideas than many others in Japan and, thanks to their remoteness from the capital, a little more independent than many others. Their loyalties, for the most part, lie with the Emperor and his vision for the future.
Satsuma has two regions at the start of the campaign and, because of its Shimazu history, it is a rich domain with an effective and efficient administration. They also have an advantage when it comes to recruiting foreign veterans as agents.
Administration (-5% reduction to administration costs)
Westernisation (-10% to the cost of foreign veteran actions)
Leadership (15% increase to the general's radius of influence)
Dominion (Begins with two provinces)
Saga (Pre order bonus) - Red (Imperial)
The Modernisers
Spoiler -
The Saga domain is ruled by Nabeshima Mochizuru, the latest in a line of daimyo who were given this territory after the Tokugawa won the vicious civil war of the Sengoku Jidai. The Nabeshima did well by being sensible enough to join the Tokugawa cause while there was still some doubt over the result. They did not wait until the Battle of Sekigahara to decide where their true loyalties lay. \n\nThe domain includes the port of Nagasaki, a valuable resource for any daimyo. It is here that Japan has its only official trade with the West, and it is here that interesting ideas arrive in the country. Perhaps this knowledge of the harshness of the outside world is what has convinced the Nabeshima to throw their weight behind the Imperial Court rather than the Shogun.
The Nabeshima clan can rely on a few advantages in the coming struggle: they have Western connections and trade that is far ahead of any other domain. In turn, this learning allows them to be artillery experts, and have good shipbuilding and industrial facilities. The modern world has much to offer to those who would embrace it. Interestingly, the historical Nabeshima Mochizuru eventually resigned his position and left Japan to study in England.``
Gunnery (+5 to the accuracy of all artillery pieces)
Industry (+5 to growth from industrial buildings)
Engineering (-15% reduction to the recruitment and upkeep costs of ships)
Rangaku (Trade with the Western Powers has been established)
Tosa (Imperial)
The Mediators
Spoiler -
The Yamauchi clan owe their lordship in Tosa to their support for Oda Nobunaga and then, after that great warlord's death, their support of Tokugawa Ieyasu at the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Those families who supported the newly victorious Shogun did rather well in the centuries that followed. The Tosa domain, however, was predominantly loyal to the Emperor's party by the time of the Boshin War: predominantly, but not entirely. Yamauchi Toyoshige urged the Shogun to return authority to the Emperor, avoid open warfare and so prevent Choshu and Satsuma from becoming even more powerful. When this became impossible, Tosa sided with the Emperor's forces.
However, this gives the Yamauchi and their domain some advantages. They are skilled in diplomacy, and have a good deal of naval expertise which is reflected in their ships' experience and in their ability to bombard shore targets.
Tact (+10 to diplomatic relations)
Barrage (+2 to naval bombardment range)
Respect (-1 reduction to resistance to occupation across all provinces)
Seafaring (+2 to experience for all ship crews)
Choshu (Imperial)
The Emperor's Fury
Spoiler -
The Mori clan, rulers of Choshu, have nurtured resentment against the Shogunate for 250 years, and with what to them seems like good reason. They supported Toyotomi Hideyoshi in his struggle against the Tokugawa clan, but they also agreed with the Tokugawa to keep their forces out of the Battle of Sekigahara and they gave up Osaka Castle without a fight. Their reward for this extremely useful neutrality was not preferment. They were stripped of their possessions, and given the Choshu domain, hardly something that could be counted a prize. As a result, the Mori spent decades in resentment, plotting and near treason. Eventually, they found a cause and rose against the Shogunate when Japan was opened up to foreigners: they were among those wanting to "expel the barbarians" at sword point. Naval bombardments convinced the Mori that getting rid of the barbarians was a good thing, but that using Western, barbarian weapons to do it was going to be useful.
The Mori, then, are supporters of the Emperor because he is not the Shogun, and modernisers so that they can have the best weaponry for their armies. Any ishin shishi agents recruited by them will be of high quality, and their armies are well trained and motivated, with a good charge bonus.
Zeal (-10% to the cost of ishin shishi actions)
Marauding (+25% to income from looting)
Adaptability (-10% to the costs of modern military buildings and units)
Impetus (+3 to the charge bonus of all units)
Nagaoka (Shogunate)
The Tycoons
Spoiler -
Under the leadership of Makino Tadayuki, the Makino clan and the Nagaoka domain are loyal to the Shogun rather than the Emperor. As a family they owe their position to their successes as administrators rather than warriors and claim descent from Takenouchi no Sukune, legendary statesman and advisor to five great Emperors of old. Nagaoka domain benefits from its rulers' love of modern ideas, and links to foreign arms dealers. The domain has better business skills (and economic bonuses); can produce modern-pattern units at lower cost than others; and Nagaoka troops can reload on the battlefield quicker than others' soldiers.
The various branches of the Makino clan eventually did rather well out of the struggles of the Boshin War: the heads of three separate branches of the family, including the ruler of Nagaoka, were all ennobled as "viscounts" during the following Meiji period. Incidentally, the Nagaoka crater, and its smaller satellite craters, on the far side of the Moon are not named after the domain; they commemorate Nagaoka Hantaro, a noted Japanese physicist of the early 20th Century who put forward an early model for an atom's structure in 1904. This was only 50 years after Japan had opened up, and vividly shows the tremendous efforts made by the country to modernise rapidly.
Enterprise (+10% to income from business chain buildings)
Entertainment (+5% to the chances of successful geisha actions)
Foreign Trade (-15% to the recruitment costs of modern units)
Alacrity (+15% to the reloading skill of rifle units)
Jozai (Shogunate)
The Hidden Warriors
Spoiler -
The Jozai domain is the fief of the Hayashi Clan, commanded by Hayashi Tadakata. They are another one of the great families that owes their position entirely to the Tokugawa Shogunate, and they have repaid this with unstinting loyalty. Previous, the Hiyashi had been retainers to the Matsudaira, who rule in Aizu. Jozai is not a particularly large domain, nor extremely rich, and the Hayashi clan only just have enough income to style themselves as daimyo; this has made no difference to their loyalty to the Shogunate. In this, as in much else, they are traditionalists at heart and true to the old ways of Japan.
Their lack of wealth has, however, made them think unconventionally about warfare. Lack of money has meant no lack of inventiveness, and the Hayashi clan have become specialists in guerrilla warfare in all its forms. The units they can raise and the bonuses to their agents reflect this in many ways. Open battle is not always the best way to win a war; sometimes it can be more useful to defeat an enemy with his own strength.
Conditioning (+2% to the movement speed of all units)
Guerrilla Warfare (+6 to the possible number of yugekitai units)
Subversion (+10% to casualties when using sabotage and harassment actions)
Resourcefulness (Armies can replenish in enemy territory, winter months excepted)
Aizu (Shogunate)
The Traditionalists
Spoiler -
Aizu is ruled by the Matsudaira clan, under their leader Matsudaira Katamori. The domain and its ruling clan can be comfortably counted among the bakufu, the supporters of the Shogun. The Aizu-Matsudaira family owes its position, and even the family name, entirely to its long-standing connections to the Tokugawa, the family of the Shoguns. The Matsudaira also had a clear instruction from the family founder to always support the Shogunate, a wise policy that meant that the family prospered and gained preferment. As a result, by history and by inclination, Aizu is the principal domain of the Shogunate at the start of the Boshin War. It has a proud martial tradition, its troops are well-trained, considered loyal, and are well placed to defend Kyoto, the Shogunate's capital city, against threats from the Choshu and Satsuma domains.
As might be expected of such staunch Shogunate loyalists, the Matsudaira also have a strong traditional streak within their makeup. This has made them sponsors of the shinsengumi movement, the "newly chosen men", former ronin who are also extremely loyal to the Shogunate and the idea of a traditional Japan. This gives the Aizu domain some of its bonuses in the game: shinsengumi agents and units have an experience bonus, and traditional military units are cheaper to recruit.
Defence (-10% to the cost of constructing castles)
Discipline (-10% to the cost of shinsengumi actions)
Bushido (-10% to the recruitment costs of traditional units)
Tradition (+1 to the experience of traditional units)
Would you like me to do video/screenshot or both?
If I can import over Shogun 2 and ROTS units to FOTS, should I?
Edited by skitarii, 12 May 2012 - 05:39 PM.
