Jason Ocampo has written an extended “first impressions” article on Empire: Total War. The highlights include a description of how the campaign scales in complexity as you move through it, giving you little to do and then more and then more. There will be a new engine and some new features, including garrisoning buildings and using cover.

And, ever the optimist, Ocampo has great faith in a still picture.

We were told that the game will capture naval combat like no game before it, and judging from the early screenshots released for Empire, that certainly seems the case.

Yeah, those screenshots can be really descriptive.

Announcement and screens here.

Now for the fisking.

Empire: Total War is set in the 18th century, a turbulent era that is the most requested by Total War’s loyal fan base and a period alive with global conflict, revolutionary fervour and technological advances. With themes such as the Industrial Revolution, America’s struggle for independence, the race to control Eastern trade routes and the globalisation of war on land and sea, Empire: Total War promises to be amongst the richest and most dynamic PC RTS games of all time.

The 18th century is almost the perfect hundred years for this sort of game because this was when Europe started going nuts on the rest of the world. Colonies in the Americas were on a firm foundation by 1700, India was slowly brought under British suzerainty, England had its Industrial Revolution (the rest of the world waited) and Europe itself had lots of wars.

Great Northern War
War of the Spanish Succession
Russo-Persian War
War of the Polish Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
Seven Years War
Russo-Turkish Wars
French Revolutionary Wars

Plus lots of little ones not really worth mentioning. Plus the American Revolution.

Empire: Total War will see the debut of 3D naval combat within the Total War franchise. PC Gamers will be able to intuitively command vast fleets or single ships upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat. After pummelling your enemy with cannon fire, close in to grapple their ship and prepare to board taking control your men as they fight hand to hand on the decks.

Ugh.

Look, I understand the desire of Total War players to have Total Control and naval warfare was always just out of your reach. But I am very, very pessimistic that they can make real time sailing combat both as convincing as the land battles and as easy to manage. Will I have to deal with the wind? If not, then it’s even more arcade stuff in a series that occasionally teeters on the brink of madness. If so, then the interface better be freaking amazing. Because a “vast fleet” could be problematic.

A caveat applies here, of course. I don’t really like naval wargames all that much.

Real time battles will pose new challenges with the addition of cannon and musket, challenging players to master new formations and tactics as a result of the increasing role of gunpowder within warfare.

Increasing role of gunpowder? In the 18th century? It’s well beyond “increasing” at this point. You’ll have some Scots running around with claymores and the usual sabre/lance cavalry thing. But gunpowder’s role in the 18th century isn’t just “increasing”. The battle’s over. Guns won.

Cannon is another matter altogether. The use of mobile artillery really gets moving in the 18th century. Of course, this isn’t an issue for Total War, since I can shift my trebuchet around like a traffic cone in Medieval 2.

And the Campaign Map – for many the heart of Total War – will see new improved systems for Trade, Diplomacy and Espionage with agents, a refined and streamlined UI, improved Advisors and extended scope taking in the riches of India, the turbulence of Europe and the untapped potential of North America.

Bigger maps are good. How will they handle India and North America, though? Will Mysore and the Shawnee be neutral “rebels” or useable factions? How important will the colonial economy be to strength in Europe? (Gaming convention dictates that power in the New World leads to power in the Old, though, historically speaking, colonies were as often a drain on resources as an asset.)

Empire will try to conquer your heart sometime next year.