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| Author |
File Description |
| MCrnigoj |
Posted on 09/23/03 @ 12:00 AM (updated 10/02/03)
| File Details |
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| Version: |
The Conquerors 1.0c |
| Style: |
Fixed Force |
The battle of Tannenberg 1410 AD
(The greatest medieval clash of arms)
This campaign consists of one scenario. It includes one .cpx campaign file and many sound files in .mp3 format. Unzip the campaign file and all soundfiles into your Age of Empires II folder. They should go into the right directories. All MP3 files start by string \'1410-\', so it is not hard to remove files, if you wish to get rid of them.
Features:
- Another approach to fixed force scenario (Increased HP extend the life of the unit and postpone the end of the battle, Extra attack value represents the morale of the troops, different events during the battle may change yours or your opponent\'s morale hardly.) Your tactical decisions are even more important then your skill of fighting!
- Challenging
- Detailed map
- Comprehensive scenario instructions, hints and objectives
- More than 400 triggers for a single battle !!!!
- A lot of new sounds and music (original medieval soundtracks)
- 3 different levels of playing (NORMAL, MODERATE, HARD)
- Very long Intro scene
- All characters are based on true historical persons
The scenario is based mostly on historical facts, although some events are not 100% historically accutare.
Story:
A stream of refugees hurried along roads and flowed across fields away from the little town of Tannenberg in Poland. The old men, the women and children toted a few blankets and pots. Armies were massing behind them. There would be glory work soon. Anxiously the refugees snatched at every rumor. One way or the other, this day, July 15, 1410 would determine the fate of millions in eastern Europe…
Important info:
Turn off your Music Volume in the Options menu of the game.
Scenario should be played on Normal speed.
Hardware recommendation:
Pentium III, IV 1 Ghz
256 MB RAM
Credits:
Play testers: Historiae Populorum team(http://digilander.libero.it/historiaepopulorum)
Special thanks: Federico Odorizzi (federico_odorizzi@libero.it) - for giving me very useful advice and suggestions. |
| Pages: « First « 1 2 3 4 5 [6] | | Author | Comments & Reviews ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
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| kud13 |
Posted on 12/25/17 @ 07:04 PM
Scenario was tested using HD edition, on all 3 difficulty levels.
Playability: 5
Scenario is ridiculously fun to play. It's tightly scripted in the beginning, and it takes probably over 5 minutes before the player is actually given control of any units to make meaningful actions. Nevertheless, it is fast-paced and exciting, and although its fairly short, it is very memorable. I have not encountered any bugs in over 15 playthroughs.
I must note, that on Hard, the scripted nature of the scenario may get a bit annoying- when you've hit a cutscene for the tenth time in a row the novelty's work off, and you just want to issue your orders- but I found that once you're back in the action, it's so engrossing, these minute irritations are quickly forgotten.
Balance: 5
Balance is PERFECT. No, really. On Moderate, it's possible to master it within a few tries; On Standard, the player can brute-force his way through, as allies' strength is boosted and they rely less on your intervention.
On Hard, it took me about a dozen tries. I've come close a few times, but it took me a while to devise a strategy that allowed me to finally claim a convincing victory.
Creativity: 5
Scenario does a lot of cool things with triggers to set up a few of the cut-scenes. The sound-track is fitting, and overall, the scenario isn't like anything you're likely to encounter in vanilla AoK.
Map Design: 5
Map design is form over function: pretty much everything is there to suit the needs of the battle. Nevertheless, the Teuton camp, the villages, and the forests your troops use to conceal ambushes are well-done and detailed.
A lot of the fighting takes place in the Polish camp, and the proliferation of bushes there makes HD pathfinding somewhat difficult, but at no point did this become blatantly annoying.
Story/Instructions: 5
despite a few spelling/grammatical errors in the in-game text, the story feels like an epic showdown for the fate of Eastern Europe. Instructions and Hints are very detailed and useful in regards to tactics applicable in the battle. The aftermath and pre-game history sections are likewise informative and set the time period well.
Additional Comments:
This scenario fully deserves its status as a masterpiece. It withstands the test of time, it does not feel dated, and it's a lot of fun to play, despite its relatively short duration. Pretty much anyone should try this. [Edited on 07/09/19 @ 09:06 PM]
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Mash
(id: Mashek)
Staff
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 06/19/18 @ 09:19 AM
PLAYABILITY: 'Tannenberg' is in many ways the ultimate fixed-force experience, one that is defined as much by its individual heroes and commanders than it is by the army you lead onto the battlefield. An epic opening cinematic introduces the Polish-Lithuanian alliance and the dreaded knights of the Teutonic Order arrayed against them. The music and sound effects all go together to creating an immersive and memorable experience. For the most part it feels like an inspired film. Indeed, some segments of the scenario pay homage to the 1960 Polish film "Knights of the Teutonic Order". When the battle does finally begin, you are presented with a chaotic and confusing scene as heavy cavalry from both sides clash and positions seesaw violently across the field. Rather than controlling the entire Polish-Lithuanian host from the onset, which would test the micromanagement skills of most, you are given command of a large detachment of Polish heavy cavalry to employ against your vicious enemy. Time is against you here, and you must immediately act to support your allies on the battlefield where your tactical decisions will lead you to a hard-fought victory or crushing defeat, and sometimes all in the blink of an eye. The author utilises the well-received mechanic of extended hit points and attack points to prolong the length of the battle and represent a unit's morale respectively. This means units have considerably more value on the battlefield and do not perish in mere moments, while you also have time to execute daring moves against your opponent. The scenario is not without its detractions however, and it must be said its greatest strength in storytelling is also an undermining weakness. The opening cinematic is nothing short of epic and absorbing, but provided you have the patience. Over twenty minutes passes by in-game before you receive your first units to command, and after several play-throughs this can become taxing. While my personal enjoyment of the scenario never waned, this will undoubtedly test some of you who are itching to get stuck straight into the action. It would have been ideal to receive an option to skip the cut-scene for those replaying the scenario to try the different difficulty levels. All things considered, 'Tannenberg' is peerless in its category and for a file that is well over a decade old it still offers a wonderfully epic historical experience that has not been surpassed since. 5+
BALANCE: By the time you are finally given command of your troops to lead into battle, it can be tempting to just throw them anywhere in a desperate bid to see action, particularly as you have been merely an onlooker up to this point. Here you must weigh your decisions carefully and divide your men to target important enemy commanders while holding back a reserve to support your allies, who will collapse and retreat when their position becomes untenable. Often a sudden change in circumstance throws you off balance and forces you to reconsider your objectives. Do you continue with your cavalry charge against the Teutonic right and protect your army standard, or fall back to support your Lithuanian allies who are buckling under the enemy assault on the left? Battle is fierce and confusing at times, sometimes to its own detriment, while some of the change view effects during a crisis can be frustrating. The battle never relents from start to finish, with some of my playthroughs resulting in a surprisingly easy victory to just barely scraping through, which can come down to the exhausting list of circumstances during battle and the resulting decisions you must undertake. 5
CREATIVITY: Even after all these years, 'Tannenberg' remains peerless in its category for creativity and the sheer amount of detail that has gone into recreating the battle. Unfortunately for us, no similar scenario since has ever reached the same standard as set by the author here. Perhaps that is in many ways due to the high benchmark or maybe because the author created something only he himself was ultimately capable of. There is so much going on here for a single battle that it would be impossible to describe it all, but everything from the sounds used to the trigger mechanics that help depict a realistic medieval battle about as well as can be done in the editor, goes toward making an easy choice in the rating here. 5+
MAP DESIGN: Despite being more than a decade old, the map design still holds its own, even when compared to the standard set by the current generation of scenarios. 'Tannenberg' is undoubtedly an epic design shaped by the author's ambition and attention to detail in what really is a textbook depiction of the battlefield. Everything serves a purpose and place, with the wide-open spaces for the battlefield and the thickly-wooded forests surrounding it where the small villages of Grunwald and Tannenberg reside. Terrain mixing is suitably applied and transitions seamlessly with the rest of the design to create a believable and atmospheric setting. If there is anything to fault here it is that various aspects of the map have started to age, an inevitable consequence after more than ten years since the scenario's release. The forests have that unkempt look that is typical of the early to mid-2000 era, while the author's decision to use sea rocks in place of a river winding across the battlefield is also questionable. Despite these concerns, really only minor aesthetic nuances when compared to the greater whole, I do not believe it is worth deducting for let alone awarding anything less than a full rating here. The way the map design compliments even exemplifies the player's game play experience more than makes up for any shortfalls as a result of an aging design. 5-
STORY/INSTRUCTIONS: Often you find a scenario that impresses you with its game play but manages to neglect its story, but this is certainly not the case here. There is nothing here that is even remotely lacking with comprehensive instructions and an engaging if not exhaustive story, much of which plays out during the opening cinematic. It sets the stage for what is a classic and epic game play experience, heralded as it is by the men, many of them heroes and some of them villains, who fought and bled on the battlefield of Tannenberg. The story itself is authentic, well-researched and at times thoroughly exciting. You really appreciate the added layer of depth and immersion which brings life to the characters and makes them a little more than merely pixelated units on your computer monitor. 5+
CONCLUSION: 'Tannenberg 1410' is a true epic and one which has defined the ultimate fixed-force experience since 2003. It makes for an easy recommendation if you are seeking tactical game play heavy in history and no shortage in cinematic storytelling.
In a sentence - Possibly the greatest clash of arms and armour at the Blacksmith.
In closing - A must download![Edited on 03/17/19 @ 09:14 PM]
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| Pages: « First « 1 2 3 4 5 [6] |
 
HGDL v0.8.2 |
| Rating |
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| 5.0 | | Breakdown |
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| Playability | 4.9 | | Balance | 5.0 | | Creativity | 5.0 | | Map Design | 4.9 | | Story/Instructions | 5.0 |
| Statistics |
| Downloads: | 19,683 |
| Favorites: [] | 13 |
| Size: | 2.18 MB |
| Added: | 09/23/03 |
| Updated: | 10/02/03 |
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