Warhammer Total War: Warhammer 2

[underground nymph]

how is online play in this game?

My pal and me often play legendary coop trying to cheese our way to win. It’s pretty fun, though eats lots of time.

 

[copebot]

Is it just me or very hard mode battles have been ridiculously buffed?
And also AI, it’s became smarter. Doesn’t allow you to freely flank it by separating his lines to counterattack. Still ways to cheese, but in a straightforward confrontation it’s a solid opponent imo.

The biggest jump the AI had was from WH1 to WH2, but there really haven't been many changes to how it behaves. Lots of factions have been buffed (like Greenskins) over the course of the game. The AI is much better at picking army compositions than it used to be. Almost every faction routinely spawns with good armies now, but in the past the AI would make very bad decisions on recruiting. The AI also gets way more cheats on VH/legendary campaign now than it did a couple years ago in a variety of ways.

 

[InspectorRumpole]

 

[Fedora Master]

LARP is cringe.

 

[tabacila]

Next issue of White Dwarf magazine will include 12 Steam keys of Warhammer games, including Total War Warhammer 1 and the Call of the Beastmen DLC (the only DLC in the bunch).

Beastmen DLC confirmed as next for Warhammer 2. Since the Wood Elves update gave extra content for having the original WH1 DLC it makes sense.

 

[Fedora Master]

Will we get a Jabberslythe this time?

 

[Olinser]

Next issue of White Dwarf magazine will include 12 Steam keys of Warhammer games, including Total War Warhammer 1 and the Call of the Beastmen DLC (the only DLC in the bunch).

Beastmen DLC confirmed as next for Warhammer 2. Since the Wood Elves update gave extra content for having the original WH1 DLC it makes sense.

It does make some sense.

Beastmen and Norsca are the 2 factions that BADLY need an overhaul. Beastmen AI are a pathetic joke because the AI can't play horde and their tier 1/2 are complete and total crap, and the campaign is idiotic because they demand you wipe out the freaking Empire AND Couronne as a Horde that can't actually hold territory.

Norsca is even WORSE because you have the limitations of a Horde in that you can't freaking meaningfully colonize any territory outside your home area, and yet they're WORSE than a horde because you don't get the horde building bonuses and recruitment! And they ALSO have the idiotic 'wipe out Empire AND Couronne' win requirement.

I mean Wood Elves kinda sucked but at least the campaign was easy and the AI is SOMEWHAT of a threat to the people around them.

 

[Jaedar]

I mean Wood Elves kinda sucked but at least the campaign was easy and the AI is SOMEWHAT of a threat to the people around them.

Norsca tends to be some threat to bretonnia and the northern empire. Especially as the player, since it is almost impossible to meaningfully attack norscan territory. Beastmen otoh tend to get wiped in the first 10 turns.

 

[tabacila]

I don't know about Norsca. I really like their raider thematic and that they are limited to holding only important settlements outside of fantasy Scandinavia. Not every faction should be about painting the whole map and this system suits them, but I definitely agree about their messed up objectives. The razing/re-settling mechanics needs a massive overhaul if you task a horde/settlement restricted faction to wipe out some normal factions. Or simply give them a more story centered objectives: create X amount of devastation on good factions, trigger some event battles, capture/raise some capitals and so on.

On a side note the Vampire Coast is the faction that actually should have a Norsca like system. Make them only be able to hold costal settlements and keep their focus on the sea and raiding. Instead CA made them be able to settle anywhere. Coz when I picture the deep Lustrian jungle the first thing I think of is a maritime focused undead faction...

 

[thesheeep]

I don't know about Norsca. I really like their raider thematic and that they are limited to holding only important settlements outside of fantasy Scandinavia. Not every faction should be about painting the whole map and this system suits them, but I definitely agree about their messed up objectives. The razing/re-settling mechanics needs a massive overhaul if you task a horde/settlement restricted faction to wipe out some normal factions. Or simply give them a more story centered objectives: create X amount of devastation on good factions, trigger some event battles, capture/raise some capitals and so on.

On a side note the Vampire Coast is the faction that actually should have a Norsca like system. Make them only be able to hold costal settlements and keep their focus on the sea and raiding. Instead CA made them be able to settle anywhere. Coz when I picture the deep Lustrian jungle the first thing I think of is a maritime focused undead faction...

Half-assing good ideas is a Total War trademark at this point...

SFO really did wonders for the Norsca campaigns, though.
I played a Throgg campaign and finished it days ago.
Finished it!!!!
I never finish TW campaigns cause I usually get bored by the end. Didn't get bored this time.
One nice change was you don't have to worry about settlement defense in early-mid game, because Norsca gets INSANE bonuses for auto-resolving them in the mod. So you are actually free to go out and raid and pillage.
Another nice change was that when you defeat another Norsca lord in battle, you can just annex their entire factions. So conquering the north is relatively painless and doesn't take 100 turns on its own.

VCoast campaigns also always feel off to me.
They play like a standard faction with some bonuses to it, but these bonuses (coves) hardly matter as owning a settlement is almost always preferable over establishing a cove.
At the same time, you just don't have the time to play them as a raider/pirate faction because you are too busy being at war with everyone. You HAVE to conquer the world or the world will pile up on and conquer you instead.
I think it is because VCoast actually own desirable provinces that most others can easily settle - Norsca is generally left alone because almost nobody wants their arctic bases. Meanwhile, everyone (or enough, anyway) can settle and wants those sweet jungle or desert provinces.

 

[zapotec]

In my games Norsca is always colonized by the french people.
I think the vampire coast faction must be played only on the vortex campaign, otherwise it's a slough.

 

[thesheeep]

In my games Norsca is always colonized by the french people.

Same here.
They are the only ones who actually go for it.
Not sure why they do and not the Empire, but that's how it usually goes.
And AI Bretonnia seems to always beat AI Norsca.

 

[underground nymph]

what do you guys think about Nakai horde mechanic (ability to give conquered settlements to the affiliated faction)?
i found it pretty shallow because the mentioned faction is pretty much not active in terms of expanding or even defending itself.

 

[Raghar]

WHI did right mechanic when they let these settlements to be razed, and most factions colonized rather rarely. Frankly WH is missing mechanic that protects territory with razed capital. Aka Empire no longer can settle Carcassone when Beastmen razed it.

 

[tabacila]

Another nice change was that when you defeat another Norsca lord in battle, you can just annex their entire factions. So conquering the north is relatively painless and doesn't take 100 turns on its own.

SFO is the only overhaul mod I actually ended up enjoying. I think confederation on faction leader defeat for Norsca was in the un-modded game as well.

what do you guys think about Nakai horde mechanic (ability to give conquered settlements to the affiliated faction)?
i found it pretty shallow because the mentioned faction is pretty much not active in terms of expanding or even defending itself.

Creating vassals for hordes is a crap idea to begin with, but it's even worse in WH since CA's diplomacy is shit in general and vassals suck in particular. I hope that wasn't their idea of 'fixing' hordes.

WHI did right mechanic when they let these settlements to be razed, and most factions colonized rather rarely. Frankly WH is missing mechanic that protects territory with razed capital. Aka Empire no longer can settle Carcassone when Beastmen razed it.

Isn't that going a bit too far? In a more scripted type of story centered campaign maybe it would make sense, but I would hate to see that in a sandbox campaign like Moral Empires. They should definitely make re-settling a more time consuming affair. Like keep an army busy for several turns to just get the settlement back and maybe some extra turns if you want it back at the previous level.

 

[zapotec]

I remember they didn't re-settled it because the area was heavily chaos corrupted, i could be wrong btw.

 

[SpaceWizardz]

Some emails went out early, Dork Elves 6th LL comes Thursday:

Spoiler

Say hello to Rakarth, your FREE Legendary Lord with Total War Access available from the 18th of March. (Yes, in just a few days!). Here is some light reading to get you acquainted with this legendary Dark Elf:
WHO IS HE:
Of all known Beastmasters in the Old World, Beastlord Rakarth of Karond Kar is truly in a league of his own. His gift for taming beasts was evident as a child when, armed with only a piercing stare, he calmed the Black Dragon Bracchus, forming a bond out of a shared lust for carnage and cruelty.


PLAYSTYLE:
Rakarth is a heavily armoured anti-large character who specialises in slaying large monsters and enhancing his own beasts. (He's a lover AND a fighter you see!). Despite all the armour, he is a quick and agile fighter who will scare the enchanted pants off of those good-for-nothing High Elves.


UNIQUE ITEMS:

The Whip of Agony allows Rakarth to temporarily strip enemy monsters of their ability to cause Fear and Terror. Not only does this limit their impact on Rakarth's own troops, it can make these creatures vulnerable to Fear and Terror themselves!
The Beast Armour of Karond Kar, which grants passive bonuses to Rakarth's defences when he is near enemy monsters.


MOUNT OPTIONS:
He has access to the following mounts:

Scourgerunner Chariot
Manticore
Bracchus, his personal Black Dragon.


Hungry for more? Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more reveals on Rakarth, including his unique skills and the familiar voice behind the character.
HOW TO CLAIM:

Log in to Total War Access from 18th March (https://dashboard.totalwar.com/home)
Click on the icon for Rakarth (it will be the most recent item in your dashboard)
Follow the steps to link your Steam account and claim the item for it to appear in your game

 

[zapotec]

Wow Rakarth, it was the 2nd miniature my parents bought me when i was 12 years old.
It was a big block of lead/pewter with plastic wings.

 

[Average Manatee]

This just a lone free LL? Nice I guess. Need more buffs for all-dragon/all-hydra doomstacks.

 

[Jaedar]

Some emails went out early, Dork Elves 6th LL comes Thursday:

Free LL without accompanying dlc? seems weird. Doesn't seem like a very interesting LL either, basically same start as morathi/malekith and no(?) special faction mechanics.

 

[LizardWizard]

Some emails went out early, Dork Elves 6th LL comes Thursday:

Free LL without accompanying dlc? seems weird. Doesn't seem like a very interesting LL either, basically same start as morathi/malekith and no(?) special faction mechanics.

Rakarth can tame/recruit other faction's monsters.

 

[Average Manatee]

That's definitely interesting. Wonder how far it extends.

 

[tabacila]

That's definitely interesting. Wonder how far it extends.

Spoiler

I'm kind of confused about the Squig though. Aren't they supposed to be the same type of belligerent mushroom as the Greenskins? Never really thought of them as beasts, I guess.

 

[Average Manatee]

Yeah, and what about stuff like Kroxigors? Undead monsters? Minotaurs?

 

[A horse of course]