11th January:
 
Hi guys,
 
I hope you all had a good Christmas and New year.
 
Things are going very well with Napoleon: Total War and we are working hard towards it going Gold at the end of the week.
 
Thanks,
 
Mark O'Connell
(aka SenseiTW)

12th January:
 
Hi guys,
 
In addition to the new Blog posted today, I'm pleased to announce that Napoleon: Total War will be released on 23rd February 2010.
 
Thanks,
 
Mark O'Connell
(aka SenseiTW)

General Info
 
    * Engine: New game, engine (Warscape) based on ETW's 1
    * PC only 1
    * Scheduled release date: February 26th, 2010 1
    * Versions: Standard, Imperial Edition (extra units + Napoleon biography wallchart) 2
    * Estimated price: Standard Edition £29.99 / €33.75 / $48.65 (source), Imperial Edition £39.99 / €45.07 / $64.87 (source)
    * Distribution: Retail (SEGA) and on-line (Steam) 2
    * Development: CA UK studio (source) - about 70 developers working on NTW 7
 
 
 
System Requirements
Minimum:
 
    OS:Microsoft® Windows Vista®/XP®/Windows® 7
    Processor: 2.3 GHz CPU with SSE2
    Memory: 1 GB RAM (XP), 2 GB RAM (Vista®/Windows® 7)
    Graphics: 256 MB DirectX® 9.0c shader model 2b compatible GPU
    DirectX®: DirectX® 9.0c
    Hard Drive: 15 GB free space
 
Recommended:
 
    OS: Microsoft® Windows Vista®/XP®/Windows® 7
    Processor: 2.6 GHz Dual Core CPU
    Memory: 2 GB RAM (XP), 4 GB RAM (Vista®/Windows® 7)
    Graphics: 256 MB DirectX® 9.0c shader model 3 compatible GPU
    DirectX®: DirectX® 9.0c
    Hard Drive: 15 GB free space
 
Features
 
Battlefield:
 
    * over 355 units 2, with new art and models for every unit and uniform (source)
    * 20 units per army, max 10,000 men per battle 1
    * 64 different faces on lowest settings 1
    * Improved lighting that provides a more realistic facial appearance. 7
    * Ability to repair minor damage to ships during battle 1
    * Seasonal changes during game, affecting the weather which will affect gameplay (rain affecting gunpowder weapons etc) 3
    * A better classification of terrain resulting in a better ability to use tactics. 7
    * New buildings (farms) in which it is alot easier to get men in and out thanks to the new "garrison-system". 7
    * Path-finding has been drastically overhauled which will lead to alot less problems when maneuvering troops into buildings and over walls and bridges. 7
    * Special abilities for certain types of units. 7
    * Generals more important, now with a morale-boosting aura effect 1
    * Napoleon has special "warcry" ability that boosts nearby allied troops morale 5
    * All Napoleon's major battles available as historical scenarios, playable with either side
    * 11 factions available for Custom Battles: Austria, Britain, Batavian Republic(sea)/United Netherlands(land), Denmark, France, Ottomans, Portugal, Prussia, Russia, Spain, Sweden (source)
    * 8 Historical Battles 8
 
 
Campaign:
 
    * Campaigns: Three episodic story-driven campaigns; Italy (1796-1797), Middle-East (1798 - 1801) and Mastery of Europe (Grand Campaign) (1805 - 1812), told through in-game cutscenes, with available side missions 1 3 6
    * Playable factions: France (all campaigns), Britain, Russia, Austria, Prussia and other major factions (Mastery of Europe) 5 6
    * Each turn equals 2 weeks 1
    * Campaign maps massively scaled up, featuring many new provinces (source) and different areas and features, depending on the campaign played. 6
    * Selection of generals from a list, each one with his own attributes 1
    * Attrition system; spending time in tough terrain or hostile territory will wear down your units and whittle their numbers, while constructing depots and building up conquered farms secures supplies5
    * Ability to plunder resources, that will net you more and faster than occupying them, but will make local population unhappy.
    * Settlement diversification: Industrial towns focused on arms, armaments and producing extra troops, economic towns producing cash and increasing supplies 5 and intellectual towns making people happier and spawning spies (replacement for rakes with passive, area-of-effect espionage skills). 4
    * New resources that don't provide income but other advantages remain, eg taking a particularly effective horse-breeding area improves your cavalry strength. 5
    * New diplomacy options, such as getting other nations to fight each other 5
    * Research- and tech-tree have gotten a complete overhaul with which you can add bonuses to -for example- artillery. 7
    * Ability to play campaign battles online against other players. 2
    * Flooding of the Nile will play a role on the Egypt campaign-map. 8
 
 
Technical:
 
    * Fully integrated multiplayer modes and a complete set of online functionalities: Steam achievements, gameplay bonuses, uniform editor and voice communications 6

Hi guys,
 
I have just returned from a 4-day PR tour of Germany (thanks to everyone who attended by the way!). In case you missed our massive announcement that was made yesterday afternoon, here is the press release in full:
 
SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced that, for the first time in Total War™ history, the Campaign Mode in Napoleon: Total War™ will feature both single player and multiplayer modes.
 
This much-requested mode will allow players to experience the full depth of Napoleon: Total War in a multiplayer environment - either working to stop Napoleon's advance, or competing against each other to better his achievements. Each of the three theatres of war from Napoleon's career - Italy, Egypt and Europe - are available out of the box in 2 player turn-based online games.
 
Another exciting multiplayer option has been added to Napoleon: Total War - Drop-in Battles. When starting a Single Player Campaign in Napoleon: Total War, players are presented with an option to allow Drop-in Battles. Drop-in battles bring a fresh challenge to the single player campaign mode by allowing the players opponents to be controlled in real-time by an online adversary.
 
Campaign Multiplayer has been made possible for Napoleon: Total War by the immense success that the Campaign Multiplayer Beta for Empire: Total War™ proved to be. The Beta started on December 7th 2009 with over 15.000 Total War fans helping out in the testing of this new Multiplayer Mode. Feedback from consumers has been very positive, and with the BETA still ongoing, consumers can contribute to the testing of this new addition to the Total War series.
 
"Following all the great feedback we've had from our fans for the Empire Multiplayer Campaign Beta, we're proud to announce that all three campaigns in Napoleon: Total War will be multiplayer enabled." said Mike Simpson, Creative Director at The Creative Assembly and creator of the Total War franchise. "We'd like to thank our fans for all their support."
 
Napoleon: Total War builds on the successful Total War series by taking all the features from previous games, such as the full 3D land and naval battles, the detailed campaign map, and an in depth diplomacy system by taking them a step further.
 
Napoleon: Total War hits shelves on 23 February 2010.
 
Thanks,
 
Mark O'Connell
(aka SenseiTW)

SAN FRANCISCO, LONDRES & PARIS, le 20 janvier 2010 – SEGA® Europe Ltd. et SEGA® of America, Inc. annoncent aujourd’hui que, pour la toute première fois dans l’histoire de la franchise Total War™, le Mode Campagne de Napoleon: Total War™ sera non seulement pourvu d’un Mode Solo, mais également d’un Mode Multi-joueurs.
 
Ce Mode très demandé permettra de découvrir toute la profondeur de Napoleon: Total War en compagnie d’un autre joueur – soit en tentant conjointement d’endiguer l’avancée des troupes de Napoléon, soit en compétition l’un contre l’autre. Chacun des trois théâtres de guerre de la carrière de Napoléon - Italie, Egypte et Europe – disponibles dans le jeu pourra ainsi être joué à deux joueurs en tour par tour.
 
Une autre option Multi-joueurs a également été ajoutée dans Napoleon: Total War : le ‘Drop-in Battles’. En débutant une partie dans la Campagne Solo de Napoleon: Total War, les joueurs pourront choisir l’option ‘Drop-in Battles’. Cette option apporte un nouveau challenge à la Campagne Solo, en permettant que les ennemis affrontés soient contrôlés non pas par l’ordinateur mais par un véritable joueur.
 
La Campagne Multi a pu être rendue possible dans Napoleon: Total War grâce à l’immense succès de la campagne Bêta Multi-joueurs d’Empire: Total War™. La bêta a débuté le 7 décembre 2009 avec plus de 15.000 fans de Total War, aidant au test de ce tout nouveau Mode de jeu Multi. Les retours des joueurs ont été très positifs, et avec la bêta qui continue, les joueurs peuvent contribuer au bon fonctionnement de ce nouvel opus de la série des Total War.
 
“Après les nombreux retours positifs de la bêta de la campagne Multi-joueurs d’Empire: Total War, nous sommes fiers d’annoncer que les trois campagnes seront donc jouables en Multi” déclare Mike Simpson, Creative Director chez The Creative Assembly et créateur de la série Total War. “Nous tenons à remercier tous nos fans pour leur soutien”.
 
Napoleon: Total War s’appuie sur la série à succès Total War en reprenant toutes les caractéristiques des jeux précédents, comme la 3D totale lors des batailles terrestres et navales, la carte détaillée des campagnes, et la très grande profondeur dans le système de diplomatie.
 
Napoleon: Total War sera disponible dès le 23 février 2010.

Rendez-vous de l'autre côté des Alpes en l'an de grâce 1778 aux commandes d'un certain Général Bonaparte avec une mission simple ; bouter l'occupant autrichien du nord de l'Italie. Plus facile à dire qu'à faire lorsque les troupes proposées par la France ne sont ni très nombreuses ni particulièrement entraînées