Great video. I have over 1000 hours on Empire and Napoleon (combined) but I just could never get the idea/grasp of naval combat. I just really never understood the tactics or strategy behind it. This video has helped tremendously and I now play most naval battles and actually win them lol
I just go on a single line formation or double line formation, because I'm too lazy to micro manage and just want some eye candy movie like action lol. Takes a toll on my economy though.
It's also because the movement and timing is so different from land battles...the UI also doesn't help... The AI's speed advantage punishes much more here than in land battles.
Once you understand the necessity for sailing in Line astern, then you will understand when to break the rules to achieve victory. The AI will minmax and micro faster than you to stay on your stern
Thanks for the vid. I've been a TW fan for more than a decade I reckon, but had never played the Empire/Napoleon games until recently, when I started a campaign as Russia, in Napoleon TW. I was getting absolutely decimated during Naval battles (and the auto-resolve did not help a bit). Your guide helped me a lot! Thank you! Cheers.
To me what helped is that I got to play the DEMOs a lot before getting the games. I ended up playing the naval battle scenario and beginning to understand it. Then I played lots of 1 vs 1 naval engagements in Napoleon Total War or battles between multiple players, each with a single ship. Good times.
Empire also goes with more of a card system, whereas smaller ships are actually stronger than the bigger ones. If you want to gamey it, you can simply use small vessels that have superior range. Myself I'd rather bring a whole fleet of 1st rates.
For the first third of the video I was thinking: Hey, didn't you just re-create the Line Astern Formation but manually? Then you broke the pattern as the British fleet broke up as well. And then it was just dogfighting and goose-chasing, but with your fleet in a massive advantage. I have to commend you on making this look vicious. While I am outmaneuvring and defeating in detail land forces 4x my size, the AI used to wipe my fleets with contemptuous ease. Then I found out how the Line Astern is effectively used, and my chances got better. Good to know I'm not the only one playing this decade-old game today :)
group ordering and management isn't really smooth in naval combats so I'd say just slow it down and do it manually. But I gotta say, it definitely isn't an enjoyable gameplay to some
Yo, do you know how to move a single line of ships like the AI is doing at 9:10? Because I think it would be super helpful to arc the column gradually to keep the line together, but I don't know how to.
Cool tactics, it will surely improve mine. But at the end dont bother chasing them even if you are faster, if they have not surrendered they will fight you, going after them makes them fight you in small groups. Once they start getting away while fighting let them start doing it. But then try to form a line like in the start and wait prepared to shoot. They will go from having the wind advantage to going against a line of ships and against the wind too. As much as they try to "flee" and fight, they can only do it if you follow.
"You can't really dogfight with the British fleet" True for both sea and air. The real issue to me in Empire is that it doesn't matter. Like in Shogun 2. No matter how many entire fleets you sink, the enemy will always bring a freshly built new one. Your only choice being to blockade choke points and hope you can reinplenish your losses before the next fleet arrives.
Great video. I have over 1000 hours on Empire and Napoleon (combined) but I just could never get the idea/grasp of naval combat. I just really never understood the tactics or strategy behind it. This video has helped tremendously and I now play most naval battles and actually win them lol
+999
I just go on a single line formation or double line formation, because I'm too lazy to micro manage and just want some eye candy movie like action lol. Takes a toll on my economy though.
It's also because the movement and timing is so different from land battles...the UI also doesn't help... The AI's speed advantage punishes much more here than in land battles.
Once you understand the necessity for sailing in Line astern, then you will understand when to break the rules to achieve victory. The AI will minmax and micro faster than you to stay on your stern
Nice, my naval battles are usually total chaos :D
I'm gonna do how to use line formation to penetrate the enemy line......when i feel like it i guess
Yep I just click random stuff
Thanks for the vid. I've been a TW fan for more than a decade I reckon, but had never played the Empire/Napoleon games until recently, when I started a campaign as Russia, in Napoleon TW. I was getting absolutely decimated during Naval battles (and the auto-resolve did not help a bit). Your guide helped me a lot! Thank you! Cheers.
To me what helped is that I got to play the DEMOs a lot before getting the games.
I ended up playing the naval battle scenario and beginning to understand it.
Then I played lots of 1 vs 1 naval engagements in Napoleon Total War or battles between multiple players, each with a single ship.
Good times.
Thank you for the kind contribution Mr. Gaggins
Thank you! Never been able to figure naval battles till now!
Sick of auto resolving like a casual
Empire also goes with more of a card system, whereas smaller ships are actually stronger than the bigger ones. If you want to gamey it, you can simply use small vessels that have superior range. Myself I'd rather bring a whole fleet of 1st rates.
For the first third of the video I was thinking: Hey, didn't you just re-create the Line Astern Formation but manually? Then you broke the pattern as the British fleet broke up as well. And then it was just dogfighting and goose-chasing, but with your fleet in a massive advantage.
I have to commend you on making this look vicious. While I am outmaneuvring and defeating in detail land forces 4x my size, the AI used to wipe my fleets with contemptuous ease. Then I found out how the Line Astern is effectively used, and my chances got better.
Good to know I'm not the only one playing this decade-old game today :)
group ordering and management isn't really smooth in naval combats so I'd say just slow it down and do it manually. But I gotta say, it definitely isn't an enjoyable gameplay to some
@@bildogaggins8196i think its more enjoyable when done manually, it pervents my ships from doing some absolutely fucking retarded shenanigans 😂
This makes me want Empire 2 so fucking bad.
I agree. The new total wars completely suck
One day my friend
oh things i would pay for empire total war 2 with naval battles
Yo, do you know how to move a single line of ships like the AI is doing at 9:10? Because I think it would be super helpful to arc the column gradually to keep the line together, but I don't know how to.
Cool tactics, it will surely improve mine.
But at the end dont bother chasing them even if you are faster, if they have not surrendered they will fight you, going after them makes them fight you in small groups.
Once they start getting away while fighting let them start doing it. But then try to form a line like in the start and wait prepared to shoot. They will go from having the wind advantage to going against a line of ships and against the wind too.
As much as they try to "flee" and fight, they can only do it if you follow.
you are absolutely right! i should have done that
When I saw the inverted half moon I could not avoid to think in Duke of Medinasidonia
Excellent video, I did not Napoleon total war naval battles are so sophisicated.
Big W boss thank you very much.
Thank you, great video.
Do you have a retexture mod for the navy ships? For my game all of the ships are colored the same, but just have different flags.
Get the weather gauge, make them chase you and fire chain shot.
"You can't really dogfight with the British fleet"
True for both sea and air.
The real issue to me in Empire is that it doesn't matter.
Like in Shogun 2. No matter how many entire fleets you sink, the enemy will always bring a freshly built new one. Your only choice being to blockade choke points and hope you can reinplenish your losses before the next fleet arrives.
나토는 해전하면 적이 멀리서 스폰되가지고 교전시작까지 꽤 오래걸렸던 기억이 나는데 앰토는 상남자답게 바로 붙어주네
그건 전투마다 다릅니당. 캠페인 요소에요.
Horrible audio, but excellent tutorial ;)
SOO!!! make SUURE you dont set the ship on fire! xD
yup. if you manage to, you are done