What's so special about MotE

[Daffius]

I'm undecided on if I actually want this game or not. I know there are a dozen threads already floating around on 'should I buy?', so I thought I would be a bit more specific on what I would like to know.

1) What is the extra that this game gives? I like Victoria for economy, CK for characters, HoI for war etc. What does this give? If it is a war game I have HoI already, is it similar but just in a different age?
2) Do you personally enjoy it? Would you recommend it? If yes, what would be the single thing you enjoy most in it?
3) I have certain things that 'bug me' in paradox games that are non war titles but have war (essentially all non HoI). The three that really get me crancky are: a) 'Whack a mole' rebels !!! b) larger army wins syndrom. Which is fair, but I find an overkill ratio in such cases, eg: 70k army attacks 40k army, the 70k looses 3k men, while 40k army looses 30k. It's as if the 40k army can't even fire a gun properly. c) chasing around armies because they do not disintegrate after a loss. Are these three in the game?
4) Is politics fleshed out? Diplomacy, techs, upgrades etc? How does the timeframe handle that, being 'short'?
5) If you had to say 1 single thing that you would improve what would it be?

Effectively I have minimal time to play these days, so buying a game just to park it on the shelf isn't something I am looking for. So all help is appreciated, if you have the time to respond to the above in points.

 

[RamGrath]

1) yeah its a war game and similar to hoi but different period and also (personally) not as complicated as HOI and easier to get into (personally)
2)Yes, would recommend multiplayer especially. if your not interested in multiplayer may want to test the demo first
3)a) no whack mole rebels that i've seen except a small event that causes a outbreak for ottomans in only one area B) definately not as far as ive seen, seen some smaller armies either beat (if realistic i.e terrain, general, quality, ideas etc) or do fairly well vs bigger armies C) i find it a problem sometimes in single player in multiplayer it also happens but its less annoying as it tends to be big armies not a 7k army that refuses to give up and just keeps getting whittled down
4) tech seems pretty good imo especially the whole defeated armies get more ideas and the variety of ideas is cool. diplomacy is okay, could use a few more features i.e sell province, being able to release satellites and nations while at peace, a few more decisions would be nice too i suppose. economics and development tho dont seem as useful in most games tho especially due to the short time frame.
5) single player and non war stuff generally i suppose, have only tried out two mods so far (death and taxes, and the 1792 mod and hopefully mods/ dlc (if there are any) will do great stuff with those.

so yeah give the demo a try imo

 

[Daffius]

Thanks that was helpful. To be honest, I completely missed the fact there is a demo. Will give it a go.

 

[zrallo]

It was so satisfying for me when my 25k stack of elite Prussian guards owned a 50k stack of Swedish militia. That was when I knew that at the very least, they got combat mechanics really right in this game. Unit type, terrain, leader quality, and supply all dramatically and realistically affect the way that battles are fought. The game has its flaws, but I have to remind myself it is still v 1.0 and I'm sure the game will only get better.

 

[Shiranui]

Combat is pretty much perfect, as said above. Also, if you're only into single-player then you'd get bored within a few weeks. I've only played a good-length single-player game once, because I think the multi-player is just too good. It's really fun to be able to use the chat and such to gather together coalitions and make deals, then backstab your long-lasting ally in France, Napoleonic-style.

 

[comsubpac]

The combat is perfect? Not really...
Unit types, officers, technology, tactic... All that is irrelevant only number count and you only have to win the first one or two battles because your enemy will never recover. When combat is one of the better parts of the game it does say much about the rest...

 

[Taciturn Scot]

The combat is perfect? Not really...
Unit types, officers, technology, tactic... All that is irrelevant only number count and you only have to win the first one or two battles because your enemy will never recover. When combat is one of the better parts of the game it does say much about the rest...

Heh heh! :laugh:You'll never find perfect but I'd agree with Shiranui that it is near perfect. It is a very good system, the best I've seen in any Paradox game to date and I very much hope they'll think about using it in some more of their future games. Sometimes, no matter how well-trained and well-led your forces are, numbers will win out but for the most part, a well-composed army will beat a homogenous mass even when they have superior numbers in this title.

 

[Baltasar]

The combat is perfect? Not really...
Unit types, officers, technology, tactic... All that is irrelevant only number count and you only have to win the first one or two battles because your enemy will never recover. When combat is one of the better parts of the game it does say much about the rest...

what? the factors you listed are in fact important for battles. technology most of all of them.

 

[comsubpac]

what? the factors you listed are in fact important for battles. technology most of all of them.

90% percent of the time numbers will win the war for you---

 

[Thanik]

Daffius
I advise read some AAR's too.

comsubpac
So if number are everything,and all other things are only 10% why even start this game, especially on MP?

 

[comsubpac]

Daffius
comsubpac
So if number are everything,and all other things are only 10% why even start this game, especially on MP?

good question...

 

[VILIAMUS AVGVSTVS]

90% percent of the time numbers will win the war for you---

So your horde-doomstack of cheap russian cossacks/militia wins 90% of your battles for you?

I'm sorry this is just not the case. And ideas GREATLY impact the battlefield especially for the right nations.

 

[unmerged(143725)]

The combat is perfect? Not really...
Unit types, officers, technology, tactic... All that is irrelevant only number count and you only have to win the first one or two battles because your enemy will never recover.

Well numbers do not seem to be all that relevant judging by other people's comments - and in fact it really took just one or two battles in Napoleon's time to make an enemy never recover. What about Austerlitz? There were not many big battles fought in that period. One major crush at Austerlitz and Austria had to sign a peace agreement. Sure, Napoleon did some cool stuff at Ulm just prior to Austerlitz but that definitely was not a major battle.

And Trafalgar just wiped out the whole of France's naval capabilities. They never recovered.

And the single campaign into Russia cost Napoleon a whole lot of men and especially horses from which he never recovered. Granted, there were a handful of significant battles in that campaign, not just one. But in general it really didn't take many battles to weaken an enemy beyond recovery.

 

[Alomoes]

I feel that with the numbers vs tactics deal, army quality is a big factor. In the ledger if you outnumber the enemy with men and army quality the enemy will capitulate relatively quickly. If you outnumber them and have better army quality and attack up a mountain, you will take a lot of casualties. Eventually as the enemy slowly builds a sizable army and continues to defend in areas like forests, mountains, or marshes, they will score a victory. In short, attrition will level the playing field and cause tactics to matter. I had to white peace in my Prussia campaign with Russia, because my army was almost completely destroyed. The enemy had a 70k stack of men seconds after I killed about 200k men on both my side and theirs. They took back all of their land with that one stack and several 50 stacks came in and destroyed mine. I had 800k manpower, but did not feel the need to continue the war. But yeah, in conclusion, it is not just numbers but terrain and attrition. Tactics can also sway the battle into a persons favor, but it is not as crucial, although having a general in your army is very very crucial.

 

[Shiranui]

90% percent of the time numbers will win the war for you---

Now this is just false. Quality, not quantity, will win your battles.

 

[Tutamun]

2.) This game shines in multiplayer. My friends and I are having a lot of fun.
We were not able to get into HOI2 a few years back... but MotE has already consumed many of our evenings in the last two weeks. It's much easier to get into than some other Paradox games.
3.) C) Chasing defeated armies can be a pain.