posted 07-23-09 11:44 AM EDT (US)
The Old West (or TOW) is a Western-themed RTS set across the North American continent, from Alaska through to Sonora and Baja California. Play as either one of the four nations who shaped this vast region (the USA; the CSA; Mexico and Canada), or one of the four most influential local tribes (the Lakota; the Comanche; the Apache and the Crow).
The Lakota represent all of the tribes of the northern plains who fought against the US (Lakota, Sioux, Cheyenne). The Crow represent all of the tribes of the plains who helped the US fight the other tribes (Crow, Shoshone, Pawnee). The Comanche represent all of the tribes of the southern plains (Comanche, Kiowa, Iowa).
The resources you can gather are: Wood, Food, Coin and XP. Villager units can carry up to 25 resources. Drop sites are required for Villagers to drop resources off. Any non-Villager units (i.e. Military with the
There are four ages in the game, each named after one of the four main events that shaped the west: Exploring age, Ranching age, Prospecting age and Railroad age.
1. Civilizations
2. Unit abilities
3. Unit list
4. Building list
5. Campaigns (Coming soon)
6. Settlements and Tribes (Coming soon)
Note: “Generals” are much the same as Explorers and War Chiefs in AoE3. They gather treasures, build trading posts, explore the map, and improve nearby units in combat. Each civ can choose one of 3 Generals. Different Generals have the same abilities, and each looks like they did in real life.
The USA is the game's "generic" civilization - the most balanced and easiest to play. They have a powerful army, and like most civilizations, they focus on cavalry.
*Capital: Washington, DC
*Leader: Abraham Lincoln
*Unique Unit 1: Texas Ranger - the fastest unit in the game, the Texas Ranger is an excellent scout, as well as a fairly good fighter. Perfect for patrolling your lands to find intruders.
*Unique Unit 2: Buffalo Soldier - a light infantryman with a large range. They can deal some serious damage when in groups, and have the mountaineer ability.
*Generals: Ulysses S. Grant; James Bowie; George Custer
The CSA are a fairly average civilization, but they have a heavier focus on farming and cavalry than the US. Though they are less versatile than the US, they perform very well in their ideal environments.
*Capital: Richmond, Virginia
*Leader: Jefferson Davis
*Unique Unit 1: Farmboy - a heavy cavalryman with a short-range rifle. They deal below average damage, but are very cheap and train almost instantly.
*Unique Unit 2: Cherokee Rifleman - a light infantryman with a medium-ranged rifle, he can become stealthy and has the woodsman ability.
*Generals: Robert E. Lee; Stonewall Jackson; Stand Watie
Mexico is unusual in that it focuses on infantry, rather than cavalry. It has some unusual units, and is very versatile. A Mexican player can adapt to any situation.
*Capital: Ciudad de Mexico
*Leader: Benito Juárez
*Unique Unit 1: Bandido - an infantryman who can fight almost anything and survive. They grow stronger in groups and are stealthy - but they are very expensive to hire.
*Unique Unit 2: Obrero – an extra villager unit for the Mexicans, the Obrero builds, mines and farms faster than normal villagers, but is a slower hunter and woodcutter.
*Generals: López de Santa Anna; Pedro de Ampudia; Félix Zuloaga
The Canadians are at a disadvantage when it comes to war, but they can defend themselves fairly well if they have to. However, to compensate for this, the Canadian economy is much more efficient than most civs’.
*Capital: Ottawa, Ontario
*Leader: John A. Macdonald
*Unique Unit 1: North-West Mounted Policeman (Mountie) – a fast light cavalryman with a rifle. As they have the Town Guard ability, they are perfect for defending and patrolling your lands.
*Unique Unit 2: Rocky Mountain Ranger – a quick light infantryman with the mountaineer and huntsman abilities. Excellent scouts, economy-harassers, and skirmishers.
*Generals: William Mackenzie; Garnet Wolseley; Louis Riel
The Lakota are the easiest native nation to play as – they are a good transition from the Countries to the Native Nations, and are good horsemen.
*Capital: Pine Ridge, South Dakota
*Leader: Red Cloud
*Unique Unit 1: Tashunke (Lakota for horse) – a heavy cavalryman with a very long lance, good at running through infantry. They are unquestionably the backbone of any Lakota army.
*Unique Unit 2: Wakina (Lakota for thunder) – the Lakota’s finest infantryman, this light rifleman can take out almost anything except cavalry and buildings.
*Generals: Sitting Bull; Crazy Horse; Gall
The Comanche are another of the cavalry-heavy civilizations. They are more aggressive than other civilizations, but lack in defence.
*Capital: Lawton, Oklahoma
*Leader: Quanah Parker
*Unique Unit 1: Tamu (Comanche for hare) – a Comanche bonus villager, who is exceptional at hunting and can set traps for animals. However, they are worse at building, farming and mining.
*Unique Unit 2: Tseena (Comanche for wolf) – a heavy infantryman with a long spear for tripping horses or stabbing cavalrymen. As such, they receive large bonuses against all cavalry units.
*Generals: Buffalo Hump; Ten Bears; Bad Eagle
The Apache are a very light civilization, who will win almost any skirmish, even if they aren’t as good in full-on conflict.
*Capital: Black Mesa, Arizona
*Leader: Cochise
*Unique Unit 1: Hadihkih (Western Apache for lightning) – the ultimate light infantryman: stealthy, long-ranged, and dealing high damage to villagers and infantrymen alike.
*Unique Unit 2: Ndoł
*Generals: Geronimo; Mangas Coloradas; Nana
The Crow were long-time allies of the US in their campaigns against the Crow’s enemies such as the Cheyenne and Lakota. They have good cavalry and are a strong defensive power, as well as having a decent economy.
*Capital: Bighorn, Montana
*Leader: Plenty Coups
*Unique Unit 1: Beaux Homme (French for handsome man; French name for the Crow) – a long-ranged rifleman with a good attack. However, he doesn’t have much HP, and can’t survive many attacks.
*Unique Unit 2: Basáxe (Crow for turtle) – a strong melee cavalryman with a huge stallion. Expensive and slow by cavalry standards, but very powerful when he reaches his target. Has the rare amphibious ability.
*Generals: White Man Runs Him; Curley; Goes Ahead
The following is a list of the nine unit abilities, as well as what they do.
*Town Guard – the unit gets much stronger when near an allied town centre.
*Stealth – the unit can become invisible to most other units. Same as stealth in AoE3.
*Woodsman – the unit can travel through thick forest (albeit slowly) and receives stat bonuses when near woodland.
*Mountaineer – the unit’s stats steadily increase as it travels to higher elevations.
*Bugle – the unit can be used as a home city shipment point.
*Huntsman – the unit can hunt and gather from wild animals.
*Trapping – the unit can set traps for wild animals. If an animal is caught in a trap, the food you gather from it is reduced, but you can also gather a little coin.
*Sniper – the unit has a small chance of dealing a one-hit-kill shot.
*Amphibious – the unit can cross rivers without a bridge, a boat, or shallows.
Note that in this list, “farming” (“to farm”, “he farms”, etc.) refers to gathering from farms
*Villager – the standard villager unit for all civilizations. Builds and gathers everything on land.
*Fishing boat / Fishing canoe – gathers food from fish and coin from whales.
*Settler – cannot mine or farm, but builds buildings and chops wood faster. Unavailable to Native Nations and Mexico.
*Trapper – cannot build, mine or farm, but hunts faster. Has the trapping ability. Unavailable to the Native Nations.
*Cowboy – mounted villager who cannot build, mine, or chop wood. However, he speeds up nearby domestic animals, and stops them from being stolen by rivals. Unavailable to the Native Nations.
*Obrero – a slow hunter and woodcutter, but builds, mines and farms much faster than normal villagers. Mexico only.
*Hunter – cannot build or mine, but is the fastest hunter in the game. Unavailable to Countries and the Comanche.
*Rustler – Native Nations’ version of the cowboy. Has the same stats and abilities. Unavailable to Countries.
*Planter – cannot mine, chop wood or hunt. However, he farms much faster than normal villagers. Unavailable to Countries.
*Tamu – a slow builder, farmer and miner, but hunts very well and has the Trapping ability. Comanche only.
COUNTRIES’ UNITS
*Infantryman - standard infantry unit for the Countries. Good against cavalry, but may be countered by light infantry. Has the sniper and town guard abilities.
*Carabineer – light infantry with a carbine. Good against infantry, but cavalry pose a threat to them. Has the Sniper and Huntsman abilities.
*Militia – weak but cheap infantry who trains almost instantly, but dies automatically after 60 seconds. Has the town guard ability.
*Buffalo Soldier – US-only light infantry with a big range. Good against anything that doesn’t get too close. Has the mountaineer and sniper abilities.
*Cherokee Rifleman – CSA-only light infantry with a medium range. Good against anything with a shorter range. Has the stealth, sniper and huntsman abilities.
*Bandido – Mexican heavy infantry with two pistols who is good against almost anything. Grows stronger in groups but is very expensive. Has the stealth ability.
*Rocky Mountain Ranger – Canadian light infantry who may be weak in general combat, but makes up for it by being excellent in an ambush. Has the mountaineer, woodsman and trapping abilities.
NATIVE NATIONS’ UNITS
*Rifleman – the basic native infantry, who is good against all cavalry. Has the sniper and town guard abilities.
*Bowman – while he is weaker than the rifleman, the bowman compensates by having an incredible range for a cheap price. Has the sniper and huntsman abilities.
*Tomahawk – cheap but weak infantry with a small range. Though he trains almost instantly, he dies after 60 seconds. Has the Town Guard ability.
*Wakina – Lakota light infantry with a powerful rifle. Good against infantry and villager units. Has the sniper and huntsman abilities.
*Tseena – Comanche heavy infantry with a very long spear. Good against cavalry but may be countered by light infantry. Has the huntsman ability.
*Hadihkih – Apache light infantryman with a big range and a powerful carbine. However, he has a tiny amount of HP, and almost anything that can reach him can kill him. Has the stealth and mountaineer abilities.
*Beaux Homme – Crow light infantry with a long-ranged rifle. While he is expensive, and dies easily, the high damage he deals more than makes up for it. Has the sniper, trapping and woodsman abilities.
COUNTRIES’ UNITS
*Cavalryman – a quick and sturdy horseman with a sharp sabre. Good against light infantry. Has no abilities.
*Mounted Rifle – ranged cavalryman with low HP. However, he deals decent damage to both heavy infantry and melee cavalry. Has the sniper ability.
*Cavalry Officer – a high-ranking melee cavalryman with high HP and a powerful sabre. Build limit: 3. Has the bugle ability.
*Texas Ranger – US-only unit who is the fastest in the game. While he isn’t the strongest fighter, he is perfect as a scout or to patrol your lands. Has the woodsman and mountaineer abilities.
*Farmboy – CSA-only heavy cavalry with a short-ranged rifle. While they deal low damage, they are very cheap and train almost instantly. Has the town guard ability.
*North-West Mounted Policeman – Canadian light cavalry with a medium-ranged rifle. Very fast as well as having decent HP. Has the town guard ability.
NATIVE NATIONS’ UNITS
*Mounted Bowman – a fast light cavalryman with a medium range. Good against light infantry, but easily countered by heavy infantry. Has no abilities.
*Carbine Rider – light cavalryman with a short-ranged carbine. High HP, and is good against melee cavalry and heavy infantry. Has the sniper ability.
*War Chief – experienced horseman with a six-foot long lance. Very high attack and HP. Build limit: 3. Has the bugle ability.
*Tashunke – Lakota heavy cavalryman who has a long lance. High HP and decent attack, but quite expensive. Has no abilities.
* Ndoł
*Basáxe – Crow heavy cavalry with a spear. Slow, but powerful and has high HP – perfect for handling other cavalry. Has the amphibious ability.
COUNTRIES’ UNITS
Surgeon – an expensive healer who takes a long time to train. However, he is an extremely efficient healer, so is well worth the high price.
Wagon Train – large, fast unit with a small attack which can garrison several other units to defend them or to speed them up. If attacked, it can form into a circle to greatly increase its HP and armour. It cannot move while in a circle.
NATIVE NATIONS’ UNITS
Medicine Man – cheaper version of the surgeon who trains much faster. However, he is a slower and less efficient healer than the surgeon.
Travois – smaller, faster, cheaper version of the wagon train. Though it can’t garrison as many units, and it can’t form into a circle, it can get units around much faster.
COUNTRIES’ BUILDINGS
Town Centre (trains villagers, ages up, is a drop site, trains Militia & CSA Farmboys, garrisons)
Storehouse (is a drop site, improves villagers)
House (provides population, improves buildings, trains Mexican Obreros)
Farm (food gathering source, improves villagers, trains CSA Farmboys)
Plantation (coin gathering source, improves villagers)
Dock (trains ships, is a drop site for ships, garrisons ships, improves ships)
Outpost (defensive building, garrisons)
Barracks (trains all infantry, improves infantry)
Stables (trains all cavalry, improves cavalry)
Foundry (trains all artillery, improves artillery)
Armoury (improves all military)
Fort (trains all infantry and cavalry, defensive building)
Ranger Station (trains Trappers & Cowboys & Canadian Rocky Mountain Rangers & US Texas Rangers, drop site)
Ranch (generates food as livestock reach it – keep moving livestock between ranches to create more food. Bigger distances create more food.) (trains Cowboys & Cattle)
NATIVE NATIONS’ BUILDINGS (Native Nations’ buildings can be packed up and moved – with the exception of Town Teepees / Mesas, Docks, and War Chief’s Teepees / Chieftain’s Wikiups.)
Town Teepee / Apache Mesa (trains villagers, ages up, is a drop site, trains Tomahawks)
Teepee / Apache Wikiup (is a drop site, provides population, improves buildings, improves villagers, defensive building, garrisons)
Farm (food gathering source, improves villagers)
Plantation (coin gathering source, improves villagers)
Dock (trains ships, is a drop site for ships, garrisons ships, improves ships)
Warrior’s Teepee / Apache War Wikiup (trains all infantry, improves infantry)
Corral (generates food as livestock reach it – keep moving livestock between Corrals to create more food. Bigger distances create more food.) (trains all cavalry, improves cavalry, trains Rustlers & Cattle)
Medicine Man’s Teepee / Apache Spirit Wikiup (improves all military)
War Chief’s Teepee / Apache Chieftain’s Wikiup (trains all infantry and cavalry, defensive building)
There is one main campaign for each civilization, and several shorter campaigns which you unlock after completing one of the longer campaigns.
Métis (based on the Canadian and Crow civilizations)
Republic of Texas (based on the USA and CSA civilizations)
USA - Great Sioux War (against the Lakota)
CSA - American Civil War (against the USA)
Mexico - Mexican-American War (against the USA)
Canada - Red River & North-West Rebellions (against the Métis)
Lakota - Red Cloud's War (against the USA and the Crow)
Comanche - Texas-Indian Wars (against Texas and the USA)
Apache - Apache Wars (against the USA and Mexico)
Crow - Black Hills War (against the Lakota)
The Māori - Sand - The new USA - Age of Epics - Gang Wars - The Future ES Games story! - Jaguar6's Age of Rebirth - Charting the Globe - The Old West - WWII (setup)
[This message has been edited by NotInvolved (edited 08-04-2009 @ 05:59 AM).]
