Rise Of Nations
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Rise Of Nations has been a firm favourite since 2004, when Alex Herbert kindly gifted his copy to me. I play an unmodified 'Gold Edition', which means the original game plus the Thrones & Patriots addon. There are six difficulty levels in the game: Easiest, Easy, Moderate, Tough, Tougher, Toughest. I play on Toughest, and it's taken me seven years to reach that! Why Rise Of Nations? It's a perfect blend of strategic, tactical and economic warfare. The graphical detail is excellent, and the replay value is high: I've been playing since 2004 and I've yet to grow bored. The AI is also a match for any human mind, although they do resort to cheating on the highest difficulty level. |
"Computer nations will play with brutal efficiency and attack with massive armies."
-Rise Of Nations AI
This site does not aim to cater for neophytes in the style of my Frontierverse pages. There's no tables of information you can find within the game itself, or technical support assistance. Instead, like my Red Alert guides, it is intended for seasoned campaigners wishing to look over the battles of a fellow commander. My images and captions are divided into the following sections:
Alexander The Great
This 'Conquer The World' campaign is arguably the most interesting, since it immerses you deep within the military splendour of Alexander's campaigns. Uniquely, there is no marginal victory condition, so it'll take you several attempts to defeat the computer on the higher difficulties. Nothing but Total Victory, and that includes both Persian capitals. Here you will find records of Alexander's first landings on Persian soil and the conquest of the Italian Peninsula.
Napoleon
A few times I played as that Corsican upstart. Starting his career as an officer in the artillery, he went on to become Emperor of the French. As him, I subjugated the New World, and also enjoyed dominating Europe in his CTW campaign. The French, however, always play with an advantage most nations lack: their supply wagons heal all troops, even in enemy territory. Includes images from campaigns and individual battles. Say what you like about Napoleon; he was a damn fine general.
Roma
I enjoy playing as the Romans, mostly because their legions are devastating against all heavy infantry, and when moving in formation, it is a glorious sight to behold. They don't have a campaign of their own, so I play many 'Quick Battles' - this is an ironic name, since official campaign battles last a maximum of 90 minutes, whereas my own quick battles often last upwards of five hours. I've also played the Conquer The World campaign as the Romans on occasion, but once beyond the Medieval Age, it's not as much fun.