I’m here at the Eurogamer Expo with free WiFi and my tablet. And I’m going to attempt to live blog the new Total War reveal. We will see of this works…

 

[liveblog]I’m not in the auditorium, I just missed the massive queue. Instead I am in the developer session viewing area. This might not all work properly.

 

And I hear applause…

Introductions and Creative Assembly are here.

 

Fully featured title which is a follow up to Rome 2

Video time!

Celtic/Gaul chap talks about incoming death of Rome.

Or maybe not…Total War: Atilla it is.

 

Boy I got that wrong.

 

395AD at dawn of Dark Ages. Atilla to sweep his armies into Rome.

 

Pre-Alpha footage. Western and Eastern Roman Empire.

 

Saxon invasions, African wars. Survival mode for Western Empire.

 

Map covers Europe and middle east. Can view religions and choke points via an overlay pmon strategic view.

 

Control and level of zoom detail has been improved. More details on campaign map. New lighting tech shown off in Africa and much better looking sea. Clouds and rain in Britain.

 

The family tree returns! Assign governorships to provinces and use their skills. Governors will also appear as in battle generals. Governor can issue edicts.

New filter and all game event feed. Will link with Total War site to share campaign history etc.

Much improved building browser. Sanitation is a key part of the new game – disease can be spread by armies.

Traits from Rome have been turned into skills. List of effects and buffs for armies and generals.

Can abandon a city which destorys fertility of a region and wipes city from the world. You take money with you as you abandon. Scorched eearth policy looks to add a new level of strategic thinking.

 

Onto an unscripted battle in Londinium. New siege escalation tech. Fire and smoke on the battle which has an impact on the world. Can impact on morale and the buildings back in campaign mode.

Create barricades on a battlefield. Helps funnel enemy in different routes.

Infantry defending a wrecked portion of defensive wall. Catapult effects are stunning as ever.

If you attack a city without a siege at first you might see civilians in the city. You can deploy more units outside the defensive walls. Helps for flanking.

I’ve never been one to play the battles in any Total War game that much, I’ve never been that good at them. This looks fun but fairly similar to Rome 2. The long term effects of fire and barricades looks good though.

No release date but should be next year. That’s a wrap!