The Game

Experience 400 years of Medieval warfare - from the First Crusade in 1095 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Take charge of any of the great powers of the period and guide your kingdom’s fortunes through a time of brutal conflict and social upheaval. Command vast armies and lay siege to mighty fortresses across the battlefields of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. In a world of fear, power and death, where Empires are made and broken, choose your allies wisely and deal mercilessly with your enemies. This is no time for the faint-hearted. This is Total War. Medieval Total War portrays the clash between mighty nations and ancient cultures on the blood-drenched battlefields of the Middle Ages. The epic battles and castle sieges feature over 10000 warriors, in varied and spectacular 3D environments, employing tactics and weapons spanning 400 years of technical revolution on the battlefield. Armies now comprise over 100 different unit types, many unique to their particular culture and period: the English can train longbow yeomanry, the Turks raise Janissary armies from among their Christian slaves, while the German Holy Roman Empire reaches the pinnacle of heavy gothic armoured knights. Each type represents different tactical opportunities for their commander. Battlefield terrain is also extremely varied, with forests, lakes, deserts, mountains and plains that realistically recreate campaigns in any part of feudal Europe, Northern Africa or the Near East. Different factions in Medieval Total War demand different skills and approaches. Commanding the awe-inspiring German Holy Roman Empire demands a masterful balance between the velvet glove and the iron gauntlet; while taking the divided Spanish faction through the trials of the reconquista calls for a careful blend of naval and land based strategies. Whereas the Ottoman Turks must somehow bring their ferocious siege cannons to bear against the massive land wall of Constantinople ... tearing them down about the ears of their moribund Byzantine foe. This diversity of styles also applies to buildings along the tech tree, and to game presentation of the major factions and cultures.

Trade and naval battles will present a new axis of player strategy: build galleys, caravels and fire galleys equipped with catapults, guns, and greek-fire to extend control into sea regions, letting you decide who gets to trade. Factions such as England and Italy will find themselves relying upon piracy and trade income as a source of revenue. Non-playable factions include: smaller nations, independent dukedoms, and rebels of many kinds. Revolting peasants, fanatical heretics and ruthless marauders ensure that it’s not just other mighty nations that need to be watched. Just as the church was a vitally important part of life in the Middle Ages, so will managing religions and religious attitudes be tools of statecraft and a means of controlling your kingdom. Enormous replay value is guaranteed. In addition to the 12 major factions, the game provides a full campaign covering 4 centuries of history, plus shorter historical campaigns concentrating on, for example, the Crusades, the Mongol Invasions, the Hundred Years War and the Reconquista in Spain. Special Characters have also been added to the strategic gameplay. Generals, governors, princesses, bishops, cardinals, diplomats, papal envoys, heretics and witchfinders all feature as pawns in the struggle for supremacy. Players can control many heroic characters of the period such as Joan of Arc, Richard the Lionheart, Saladin, William Wallace and Frederick Barbarossa - who can turn the tide of war with their mighty deeds.

All important historical personalities and leaders, will feature RPG-style character development. Each nation has a cast of royalty, generals and governors who not only lead armies but also improve their military or civic skills over the course of their careers. Heirs are tracked for their position in the line of succession to throne and characters will gain a colourful selection of vices and virtues that reflect their actions throughout the game. These traits will have both a positive and negative impact on their ability to lead troops or govern the peasantry.

Each faction also has a list of Glorious Achievements that can be pursued as sub-quests throughout the game. These achievements are so important that they bring fame, glory and wealth to the nation undertakes them.

This information was compiled on the 26th of December 2001 by Terazawa - source: official site