You need to find the "descr_character.txt" file in your data folder and change the figure in the "starting_action_points" line. If you have a version of RTW earlier than 1.5, I understand that the limit is 100. Not sure what the limit is for 1.5 or 1.6.

The bad news is that while M2TW allows you to edit movement points for different types of characters (admirals, captains, generals, etc), RTW only seems to have a general movement point allowance that will speed up all characters and not just ships.

Hopefully I'm wrong and there is a way to speed up ships only

Edit: increasing traits of your admirals can do it. Go to the "export_descr_character_traits" file. Scroll down to the "Trait Sailor" line. It's a long way down. Use the find text option.

Add the following line:

Effect MovementPoints 3

underneath all instances of this line:

Effect NavalCommand x

Be devious and add it underneath the "Trait Landlubber" lines too
The value of "Effect MovementPoints" can be changed to suit yourself.

[This message has been edited by Gaius Colinius (edited 11-15-2007 @ 05:51 PM).]

There is also a little trick that Severous discovered a few months ago. I will try to explain it as best I can.

What you want to do is set up a string of ships from where you want to start from to your destination. Keep them just under a full move apart. Load your troops on the first ship, then sail it to join the next ship in the chain. You want the first ship to have about a single move left at that point. Then move that first ship away.

The army will now be on the second ship, as ship-borne troops always remain on the last ship in a stack that move. If you select the ship on the strat map you will probably see it has no moves at this point. However, if you go click on the ship's unit card, you will see it suddenly gains all its movement points. Now move it to the next ship in the chain and repeat the entire process.

You can do this for any distance in a single turn. From Londinium to Alexandria if you have enough ships. The only thing that throws a spanner in the works is when your ships do not want to merge because the admirals are have their egos in an uproar. All you can do then is move the army manually to the second ship, then select its card and move it. Usually you can only do this once, as when you try a second time the army no longer has the moves to transfer ships manually.

Many thanks, gracious warlords.

We shall attempt this tinkering shortly. We sincerely hope it works!

[This message has been edited by Terikel706 (edited 11-29-2007 @ 05:58 AM).]

We have examined this descr_character scroll in scrutinous detail. The StartActionValue is a single line at the head of the scroll, with no separate action values for the various personages listed under.

Since we fail to increase the movement allowance for seaborne vessels, is it then possible to decrease the cost of moving over sea tiles?

Well, it's very similar to the solution Gaius Colinius found for you, but there is a tutorial at the Total War Center, which can be found here.

Lord Mythic Commodore, hail and many thanks for thy missive. We have followed the path noted in thy missive and applied the knowledge therein to our virtual world. We are proud to announce that it has indeed given our admirals the whips they needed to make the curs pulling the oars work a full day's shift, thus extending their range to something more appropriate to a vessel of war than a tourist boat.

Thank thee profusely!

And if thou does have yet another moment, please peer into the reply of my other missie requesting aid- for my valiant Vikings that the Nobe and Wise Lady SubRosa has aided us in recruiting seem to appear and be recruited in the normal manner, but upon the field of battle the gremlins and demons inhabiting our Metal Box seem to dislike these warriors to the point of causing the entire world to disappear and cast me from that wonderful era back to sitting in front of the Glass Curtain.