Praetorians

Is anyone playing this game? My wife picked it up for me as a birthday gift. I think I remember Elysium talking about it briefly and I must say, it's pretty fun.

I'm terribly horrible at RTS, yet I find myself always enjoying these types of games. My strategy starts out complex and always ends up as a mad rush with all of my troops.

If anyone's interested in playing a little online, I'm game.

If your not interested but are looking for a fun RTS, I'd recommend Praetorians.

Outstanding game, and quite fun online. Certis and I played once. I beat him, so we mysteriously haven''t played again.

You two must not play a lot of games twice.

It''s really hard too! It took me 4 tries to beat the first level.

It seems that tactics actually play a large roll. My all out ""balls to the wall"" strategy that worked so well in Myth has not worked so well in this game.

I''ve had to place my archers on higher ground, but the poor bastards are so slow that they get mutilated after sending a few sets of arrows raining down on the enemy. The enemy calvelry comes in and, well..it''s not pretty.

Archers on high ground is KEY ... but, defending those archers is equally important. The most important thing I''ve learned so far is how crucial facing is to the game. Being attacked (or attacking) from the flanks and rear is devastating, and can level the playing field between a weak and strong unit. Pikemen are great for defending archers on high ground because their stationary stance is very resistant to a charge. Also, use cover to your advantage. If you''ve got 3 groups of Legioneers in the trees near you archers, you can use that group as bait to take our a larger force from behind. Finally, for my quick and dirty strategy suggestions, protected archers who are in stationary formation to extend range, and who are in tree or grass cover on the high ground are devastating.

My favorite anti-archer tactic (for when the enemy has the high ground) is to send in Legioneers in the turtle stance to harmlessly divert and distract entrenched archers, and then send in cavalry units to actually engage the forces. Be sure, though, that there are no pikemen defending those archers ... horse-kebob.

Praetorians convinced me through the SP demo they released. I found the interface to work well, and not having to care about resource management that much was a nice change. I haven''t had time yet for the full version, but as soon as some things are finished I''ll pick it up as well.

Sage advice.

Elysium, my archers thank you.

I''m looking forward to trying out some of this new strategy tonight. I need to protect the wheat supplies. Level 2 here I come!

Tried the new strategy last night. Saved about 60% of my archers.

Beat the second level on the first try.

Rome will have wheat and grain supplies for the coming years!

I''m stuck on the 3rd (maybe 4th) level where you have to defend a castle. It feels like I''m doing everything right but once I get past about the 13 minute mark they waste me!

I keep plenty of archers and spearmen on the walls, hide legionnairs outside in the forest and keep my cavalry off to the side to take out bowmen and catapults yet they still keep nailing me.

I''m think I''m going to try and make some catapults next.

I read a review someplace, Amazon.com maybe, that the game was too easy. Either this guy is on crack or he is the best RTS guy ever. I think the game is tough, but very fun.

Hopefully I''ll get to try to defend the castle tonight.

I kept all my forces in the castle for that mission. Your legioneers should be an absolute last line of defense should the enemy breech the wall or knock down your door (which they shouldn''t). A few keys, keep your basic infantry repairing the door if it should get attacked. Put archers in the highest position in the towers and put them to stationary mode so they have the greatest LOS. Hide Pikemen out of the line of enemy fire, and only move them into position if the enemy puts up ladders ... which they shouldn''t because you should have archers fire on ladder carriers first and foremost. Keep plenty of archers covering the door so you can clear any troops that siege the door quickly because ... you want to hold your horses back in the main base and send them out to engage catapults, ballistas, and the like. Your archers are going to hit hard, so you should keep a regular flow of archers being trained as reinforcements, with occasional pikemen and basic infantry to replinish your originals as needed. Spread your troops out on the wall. Don''t let them get bunched up or a ballista will tear you apart.

Dam you guys are gonna go make me buy this game!

You could buy worse games today.

Dam you and your double talk!

For the record, I just wasted Gaald one on one with some crushing ""Burn his extra village to the ground and wait for him to exhaust his main village population"" tactics.

Good times, good times.

Holy crap. Level 3 is awesome!

It''s kinda like the battle of Helms deep in The Two Towers, except I (the good guys) keep losing.

I thought I had it won, I had one minute left and they threw everything at me. By this time all I had left were archers and they got wasted when the savage bastards finally broke through my gate.

I also played Prae'' online for the first time, and held my own...for about 5 minutes.

Fang, so far this game is worth the $39, although my copy was free...sort of.

Interesting question. Is it ""free"" when your wife buys it for you? It''s still coming out of the same pool of money.

Well, it still feels better than if I had forked over the cash for it.

Actually Pulse, it''s much less free when your wife buys it. Not only does it come out of the same cash pool, but eventually she''s going to remind you of how she bought you that game, and it''s time for you to pony up and wash the dishes, mow the lawn, or visit her parents.

lol, too true!

I just breezed through the Level 3 thanks to the tips found in the post thanks!

But are you any closer to wasting Certis?

Its pretty cool so far.

I dont see how the micro management is gone. You dont have resource gathering but all the commands available to the troops I can see getting pretty hectic. Especially now after I understand what Elysium was talking about. It sounds as if theyve traded resource gathering with formation and command micro managing.

Overall it does seem a little less likely to spread you all over the map issuing orders.

Trouncing the tutorial troops is satisfying though I get the feeling it wont always be this easy.

I bypassed this for some reason but seeing as how everyone is singing it''s praises I''ll have to download the demo and give it a go!

I get smoked pretty regularly playing it online.

If I get 2 villages, I can only recruit men at one village at a time since I only have one general, correct?

It seems when I go to war I''m so out numbered.

If I get 2 villages, I can only recruit men at one village at a time since I only have one general, correct?

Click on a group of Legionnairs, Archers etc. and hit the promote button on the bottom right of the interface. That should produce a new general who can occupy a second village.

Does sound cool, but I''m still going to wait for Rise of Nations.

Thanks Certis, I''ll try this tonight.

Well, still got smoked, but I put up more of a fight!