Medieval: Total War (MTW), is a real-time strategy game where the player builds a dynastic empire in medieval Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Gameplay is both strategic and tactical, with grand strategy played out in turn-based fashion on a province-by-province level, somewhat like Risk, while military units of varying types and capabilities fight against each other on a tactical map. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video or computer games. ... Video game publishers are companies that publish video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer. ... Activision, Inc. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is listing of computer and video game genres with a brief description and examples from each genre. ... Dune 2 (1992), an early RTS A real-time strategy (RTS) game is a type of computer strategy game which does not have turns like conventional turn-based strategy video or board games. ... The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles for computer and video games in the United States. ... One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... CD may stand for: Canadian Forces Decoration cash dispenser (at least used in Japan) CD LPMud Driver Centrums demokraterne (Centre Democrats of Denmark) certificate of deposit České dráhy (Czech Railways) Chad (NATO country code) Chalmers Datenforung (computer club of the Chalmers University of Technology) a 1960s Panhard race car designed... Dune 2 (1992), an early RTS A real-time strategy (RTS) game is a type of computer strategy game which does not have turns like conventional turn-based strategy video or board games. ... A dynasty is a family or extended family which retains political power across generations, or more generally, any organization which extends dominance in its field even as its particular members change. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... North Africa is a region generally considered to include: Algeria Egypt Libya Mauritania Morocco Sudan Tunisia Western Sahara The Canary Islands, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Madeira are sometimes considered to be a part of North Africa. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Strategy games are typically board games, video or computer games with the players decision-making skills having a high significance in determining the outcome. ... Military tactics is the collective name for methods of engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. ... A turn-based game, also known as turn-based strategy, is a game where each participant plays in turn. ... Province is a name for a secondary, or subnational entity of government in most countries. ... A typical game of Risk in play. ... A military unit is an organisation within an armed force. ... In computer and video games, a level (sometimes called a stage, course, map or landscape) is a separate area in a games virtual world, in modern games typically representing a specific location such as a building or a city. ...

MTW was the second game in the Total War series from The Creative Assembly, which includes Shogun: Total War and Rome: Total War. MTW was followed by an expansion pack called Viking Invasion (VI). VI featured a new campaign map of the British Isles and surrounding parts of the Continent. Players can either try to unite the people of the British Isles, or simply conduct raids on coastal settlements by taking on the role of the Viking invaders. The existing campaign is also expanded with new units, and three formerly unplayable factions are made available to the player. Total war describes an international war in which countries or nations use all of their resources to destroy another organized countrys or nations ability to engage in war. ... Shogun: Total War Categories: Computer and video game stubs | Real-time strategy computer games ... Rome: Total War is a grand strategy computer game where players fight historical and fictious battles during the era of the Roman Republic, from 270 BCE to 14 CE. The game was developed by Creative Assembly and released on September 22, 2004. ... An expansion pack is an addition to an existing computer game. ... British Isles is also an old name for the Great Britain, Great Britain Ireland The Isle of Man The Isle of Wight The Northern Isles, including Orkney, Shetland and Fair Isle The Hebrides, including the Inner Hebrides, Outer Hebrides and Small Isles Rockall The islands of the lower Firth of... Continental Europe is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding the European islands and peninsulae. ... Viking (disambiguation). ...

Factions

MTW divides the strategic map among a large number of factions. There are three types of factions: major playable factions (any one of which the player chooses to control), major unplayable factions, and minor factions. Major factions, listed below, can control several provinces, have hereditary rulers, and generally act in an organized manner. They have a faction flag and distinctive color. Minor factions control a single province, usually raise only low-quality troops, and rarely act with any kind of coordination. They represent minor civilizations or kingdoms (such as Scotland, Navarre, or the small Turkic states), the side in a civil war not holding the throne, and rebels and bandits. The initial extent of each major faction's territory depends on the starting period of the game—Early (1087), High (1205) or Late (1321), reflecting the historical state of these factions over time. The Pyramid of the Moon in Teotihuacan, Mexico. ... In politics, a country (or in some cases, a group of countries) over which a king or queen reigns, is a kingdom, see: monarchy. ... Scotland (Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a country or nation and former independent kingdom of northwest Europe, and one of the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom. ... Navarre (Spanish Navarra, Basque Nafarroa) is an autonomous community and province of Spain. ... A civil war is a war in which the competing parties are segments of the same country or empire. ... Events May 9 - The remains of Saint Nicholas were brought to Bari. ... Events January 6 - Philip of Swabia becomes King of the Romans April 14 - Battle of Adrianople (1205) between Bulgars and Latins August 20 - Following certain news of Baldwin Is death, Henry of Flanders is crowned Emperor of the Latin Empire Births Deaths July 13 Hubert Walter Archbishop of Canterbury... Events Births Deaths September 14 - Dante Alighieri - author of The Divine Comedy, one of the great classics of World Literature and a foundation of Italian Literature, also considered a great masterpiece of Christian literature. ...

Almohads

The Almohads are the Berber Muslims of Iberia and North Africa, one of the three Muslim major factions in MTW. Their wide territory is an initial advantage, but conflict with other major factions is almost unavoidable. Their faction colour is orange. The Almohad Dynasty (From Arabic الموحدون al-Muwahhidun, i. ... The Berbers (also called Imazighen, free men, singular Amazigh) are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group indigenous to the Maghreb, speaking the Berber languages of the Afroasiatic family. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Iberia can mean: The Iberian peninsula of southwest Europe; That part of it inhabited by the Iberians, speaking the Iberian language. ...

Byzantines

The Byzantines are the major Orthodox faction. They are one of the easier factions to play as in the Early period, but their historical decline makes them increasingly difficult to start as in the High or Late periods. Events in Byzantine history are also used to divide these periods: the fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade marks the start of the High period in 1205, and the fall of the same city to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 marks the end of the game. The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... ... Map of Constantinople. ... The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204), originally designed to conquer Jerusalem by taking Egypt first, instead, in 1204, conquered the Orthodox Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. ... Events January 6 - Philip of Swabia becomes King of the Romans April 14 - Battle of Adrianople (1205) between Bulgars and Latins August 20 - Following certain news of Baldwin Is death, Henry of Flanders is crowned Emperor of the Latin Empire Births Deaths July 13 Hubert Walter Archbishop of Canterbury... The Ottoman Turks were the ethnic subdivision of the Turkic people who dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. ...

The Byzantines have more unique units available to them than any other faction. Several of these unique units, such as kataphraktoi, Trebizond archers and Byzantine Infantry, give this faction a significant advantage. Their faction colour is purple. Sarmatian Cataphract The cataphract was a type of heavy cavalryman used primarily in eastern and southeastern Europe, in Anatolia and Iran from late antiquity up through the High Middle Ages. ... Trabzon, formerly known as Trebizond, is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey. ... Archer may refer to: Someone taking part in archery. ... Infantry in the First World War Infantry (or Infantrymen) are soldiers who fight primarily on foot, using personal weapons. ...

Danes

The Danes are a Catholic faction. They are well suited to early expansion (thanks to their unique units, Vikings and longboats) and a trading strategy. Their faction colour is white. The Kingdom of Denmark is geographically the smallest Nordic country and is part of the European Union. ... The Roman Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination of Christianity with over one billion members. ... Viking (disambiguation). ... The Oseberg longship (Viking Ship Museum, Norway) Longships, langskip or drakkar were boats used by the Scandinavians and Saxons for mostly military purposes. ...

Egyptians

The Egyptians are a Muslim faction. They have a relatively weak position, with poor provinces (Sinai and Arabia), control of major Crusade goals and no room for expansion without conflicting with other major factions. A range of unique units offsets this weakness. Their faction colour is a dark yellow. The Arab Republic of Egypt, commonly known as Egypt, (in Arabic: مصر, romanized Miṣr or Maṣr, in Egyptian dialect) is a republic mostly located in north-eastern Africa. ... This article is about historical Crusades . ...

English

The English are a Catholic faction, moderately easy to play. They are well suited to both war and peace, with good provinces and several unique unit types (particularly longbowmen). Their faction colour is red. Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion... The longbow (or English longbow, or Welsh longbow, see below) was a type of bow about 6 feet long used in the Middle Ages both for hunting and as a weapon of war. ...

French

The French are a Catholic faction and one of the more difficult to play as. They are surrounded by other factions with a tendency to invade, and typically have fragmented territories. All their unit types are shared with at least one other faction. As a positive, several French provinces give a bonus to particular unit types trained there, such as Chivalric Knights and crossbowmen. Their faction colour is blue. The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Holy Roman Empire

The German Holy Roman Empire is a powerful Catholic faction, whose only real disadvantage is its own large size. They have access to some of the most powerful unique and special units in the game, including Gothic knights, making them suited to aggressive play. Even their surrounded position is hardly a disadvantage, as they can expect victory against any one of their neighbours as long as peace is maintained with the others. Their faction colour is black. The crown of the Holy Roman Empire (2nd half of the 10th century), now held in the Vienna Schatzkammer. ... Besides its original meaning, of or relating to the Goths, a Germanic tribe and thus the Gothic language and the Gothic alphabet, and aside from its Early Modern connotations of rough, barbarous, the word Gothic has been used since the 18th century to refer to distinctly different things. ...

Italians

The Italians are a Catholic faction with excellent trading prospects. In something of a break with history, the Italian faction unites several historical rivals of the region, notably Genoa and Venice (with Sicily as an independent kingdom under computer control). The ease with which this faction can generate income makes it well suited to any style of game, played ambitiously. Their faction colour is dark green. The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... Alternate uses, see Genoa (disambiguation). ... Venice is known for its waterways and gondolas Gondola. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ...

Polish

The Polish are a Catholic faction of moderate difficulty. Aggressive play, usually involving conquest of the minor factions to the east, is the usual approach with this faction, as their inland position makes trade difficult unless a coastline can first be conquered. Their faction colour is maroon. The Republic of Poland, a democratic country with a population of 38,626,349 and area of 312,685 km², is located in Central Europe, between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and...

Russians

The Orthodox Russians only become available in the High and Late periods, developing from the non-playable men of Novgorod in the Early game. This represents the historical decline of the Kievan Rus, centred on Novgorod, after the fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade (which marks the start of the High period), and the rise to dominance of the Russian people of the north and northeast of that realm. Russian prospects for expansion are good, but conflict with the Golden Horde is all but inevitable. Their royal unit, Boyars, are one of only two ranged royal units in the game, mounted and armed with both bows and swords. Their faction colour is light blue. The Russian Federation (Russian: Росси́йская Федера́ция, transliteration: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya or Rossijskaja Federacija), or Russia (Russian: Росси́я, transliteration: Rossiya or Rossija), is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of eastern Europe and northern Asia. ... Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Ру́сь, Kievskaya Rus in Russian; Київська Русь, Kyivs’ka Rus’ in Ukrainian) was the early, mostly East Slavic¹ state dominated by the city of Kiev (ru: Ки́ев, Kiev; uk: Ки́їв, Kyiv), from about 880 to the middle of the 12th century. ... For other cities named Novgorod see Novgorod (disambiguation). ... This article refers to the Mongol state in what is now Russia. ... A boyar (also spelt bojar; Romanian: boier) was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Ruthenian (Russian) and Romanian aristocracy, second only to the ruling princes, from the 10th through the 17th century. ...

Spanish

The Castilian Spanish are a Catholic faction with mixed prospects. Even when not player-controlled, this faction tends to launch more Crusades than others. Dominance of the Iberian peninsula, paralleling the historical Reconquista, is often an aim, bringing them into conflict with the Almohads to the south. The need for aggressive play means the Spanish tend to either dominate or collapse. Their faction colour is bright yellow. The Kingdom of Spain or Spain (Spanish and Galician: Reino de España or España; Catalan: Regne dEspanya; Basque: Espainiako Erresuma) is a country located in the southwest of Europe. ... For other uses, see Reconquista (Disambiguation). ...

Turks

The Turks are a Muslim faction. In the Early game, their position is poor, requiring conflict with either the Byzantines or the Egyptians to expand. By the Late period, though, the Seljuks have given way to the Ottomans, and the Turks are one of the most powerful factions, thanks to their outstanding Ottoman and Janissary unique units. By this time, the Turkish royal unit has become the Sipahi of the Porte, which (like the Russian boyars) are armed with both swords and bows. The Turkish faction colour is light green. The Republic of Turkey is a country located in Southwest Asia with a small part of its territory (3%) in southeastern Europe. ... The Seljuk Turks (Turkish: Selçuk; Arabic: سلجوق Saljūq, السلاجقة al-Salājiqa; Persian: سلجوقيان Saljūqiyān; also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that occupied parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries. ... The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 12+ million km² Establishment 1299 Dissolution October 29, 1923... The Janissaries (or janizaries; in Turkish: Yeniçeri, meaning New Troops) comprised infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultans household troops and bodyguard. ... Spahis (also spelled as Sipahis, Sepahis or Spakh, in Turkish sipahi) were an elite mounted force within the Six Divisions of Cavalry of the Ottoman Empire. ... Synonym of the government of the Ottoman Empire often confusing the Sublime Porte and the High Porte. ...

Unplayable Factions

• The Aragonese begin with a single province, and rarely make as much of an impact as their Castilian neighbours. Their faction colour is light pink. This faction becomes playable in Viking Invasion.
• The Burgundians are an unplayable faction that rarely emerges during the game. Their unit roster includes no unique units; it is identical to that of the French. Their faction colour is light blue.
• The Golden Horde appear abruptly from the east, usually disrupting all eastern factions. They come with powerful forces, comprised largely of unique units. Their faction colour is gold.
• The Hungarians sit as a buffer between the Byzantines, Germans and Poles. They are generally able to hold their own against these neighbours, but rarely have any influence on the wider world. Their faction colour is dark pink. This faction becomes playable in Viking Invasion.
• The people of Novgorod are essentially the unplayable Early period predecessors of the Russians. Differences between the two are otherwise minimal. Their faction colour is that of the Russians — light blue.
• The Papacy is unique in more ways than one. Its political power extends far beyond its territories to all Catholic factions. Excommunication is a constant threat to any Catholic ruler who is too aggressive to fellow Catholic factions, and an immediate reality to any who invade Papal territory. Defeating the Pope means that a faction can establish a puppet ruler, but it is almost inevitable that the 'true' Papacy will re-emerge before long. The Papal faction colour is pale yellow.
• The Norman Sicilians are similar to the Italians in several respects, including prospects for domination of the Mediterranean, but they lack their northern cousins' wealth. Their faction colour is grey. This faction becomes playable in Viking Invasion.
• The Swiss emerge in the Late period if Switzerland is not held firmly and loyally by a major faction. Their royal unit, Swiss armoured pikemen, is the only royal infantry in the game. With strong defences but little chance of expansion, they are essentially a more formidable minor faction; even their faction colour, grey, seems to reflect this.

Capital Zaragoza Area  - total  - % of Spain Ranked 4th 47 719 km 9,4% Population  - Total (2003)  - % of Spain  - Density Ranked 11th 1 217 514 2,9% 25,51/km Demonym  - English  - Spanish Aragonese aragon s Statute of Autonomy August 16, 1982 ISO 3166-2 AR Parliamentary representation  Congress seats  Senate... Coat of arms of the 2nd duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy ( French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Pre-Indo-European people, Celts ( Gauls), Romans ( Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks. ... The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... Pope John Paul II has reigned since 22 Oct 1978. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. ... A pike is a pole weapon once used extensively by infantry principally as a counter-measure against cavalry assaults. ...

Buildings and Units

Each province can build buildings and train units. Buildings are set up in a tech tree. There is no research as such, but certain advances (most notably gunpowder) do become available over time. More advanced buildings bring more money from trade, farming or mining, or allow the training of more advanced unit types. Many unit types, such as Spanish Jinetes or Polish Retainers, are called unique units and are restricted to a single faction. Some special unit types shared by only a few factions, such as Knights Templar, are also called 'unique', though this is not strictly true. In strategy computer games, of both the turn-based and real-time varieties, a tech tree, short for technology tree, is an abstract hierarchical visual representation of the possible paths of research a player can take. ... Gunpowder is a substance which burns very rapidly and is used as a propellant in firearms. ... The Seal of the Knights — the two riders have been interpreted as a sign of poverty or the duality of monk/soldier. ...

Military units, each consisting of up to 100 men (on default unit sizes), are grouped into armies, and can fight to control provinces. Fights take place on a 3D battlefield, with full tactical control given to the player (although this can also be computer-simulated, speeding up games with extremely large confrontations that sometimes result in hours of battles per turn).

Faction leaders (variously called kings, emperors, sultans, and so on) lead units of their own, as do their sons and brothers. The unit type for these 'royal units' is fixed for each faction: the Catholic factions all have Royal Knights, with the exception of the Swiss; Byzantine Emperors and princes fight as Kataphraktoi; princes of Novgorod or Russia lead Boyars; and Muslim factions have Ghulam Bodyguards, or Sipahi for the later Turks. Royal units without a king or prince can also be trained normally, but are expensive. A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ...

Ships can be built, and are used to control the seas, which are divided into regions just like the land. The usefulness of ships revolves around building 'sea lanes', controlling the seas between one's own provinces and those abroad. Having a sea lane to foreign ports allows a faction to profit from trade in those waters. Any province adjacent to a sea lane can be spied upon by the fleet, unless that province's faction has its own ships in part of the sea lane. Similarly, soldiers may be transported to another province via sea lanes, but cannot land in a foreign province if that faction can intercept them at sea. Ships can attack other ships, but this is not controlled by the player.

Crusades and jihads can also be 'built'. Once one has been constructed, it can be targeted at a province, have more soldiers added to it, and set forth. A crusade or jihad is the only army that can peacefully cross a foreign province (but only if the faction permits its passage). They are limited, however; a crusade must be granted permission by the Pope, often involving a sizeable donation, while a jihad can only be used to reclaim a lost province. This article is about historical Crusades . ... Jihad (ǧihād جهاد) is an Arabic word which comes from the Arabic root word jahada, which means exerting utmost effort or to strive. The word connotes a wide range of meanings, from an inward spiritual struggle to attain perfect faith, to holy war. ...

Non-military units, collectively referred to as 'agents', can also be trained. These include emissaries, spies and assassins, religious units (bishops, inquisitors, and others), and princesses (who are born, not trained). These units conduct foreign relations, such as concluding alliances (often by marriage in the case of princesses), assassinating rivals, and spreading religion.

Agents and military commanders have various attributes indicating their skill. For agents, this is simply a rating, from zero upwards, referred to as 'rank' or 'valour'. Generals also have rank as their Command ability, but are also rated on Loyalty (or Influence for a faction leader), Piety, Dread and Acumen. These influence their ability to govern a province as well as command battles. A pious governor will improve the loyalty of a zealous population of the same religion, while one with great acumen will increase the income from his province. Sometimes, a unit will be trained with unusually high abilities and the name of a famous historical figure. For example, Saxo Grammaticus or Thomas Becket appear as three-rank bishops, while commanders like Tancred de Normandie or El Cid are great generals and leaders. Saxo, etching by the Danish-Norwegian illustrator Louis Moe (1857—1945) Saxo Grammaticus (estimated. ... Saint Thomas à Becket (or Thomas Becket) (ca. ... Tancred (1072 - 1112) was a leader of the First Crusade, and later became regent of the Principality of Antioch and Prince of Galilee. ... History of Spain Series -Timeline -Roman Spain -Visigothic Spain -Moorish Spain -Age of Reconquest -Age of Expansion -Age of Enlightenment -Reaction and Revolution -First Spanish Republic -The Restoration -Second Spanish Republic -Spanish Civil War -The Dictatorship -Modern Spain Topics -Economic History -Military History -Social History Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (c. ...

On top of these ratings, it is possible to shape the personality of individual kings and generals. The progression of time, and notable actions performed by generals, often lead to them gaining certain 'traits', called Vices and Virtues, that can influence their ratings and certain other values. For example, a general who often retreats is seen as a coward, and may lose Command ranks, while killing prisoners generates a reputation for bloodthirstiness and increases Dread.

External Links

• Official Site (http://www.totalwar.com/community/medieval1.htm)
• Unit Guide (http://www.totalwar.org/strategy/twug/mtw/index.html)