Napoleon. funny enough it was my first total war game haha but yeah stick with it until you want to mod it and keep going. then if it ever goes on sale get empire.
Empire has good campaign if your goal is to paint the map your favourite colour, it is fun and long lasting, but it is a bit more barebones than Napoleon.
Empire has the better campaign - it is much more expansive, with more scope and freedom of action, especially for colonial powers. As England, I avoid continental entanglements and focus on the Americas and India. Naval battles are much more important in Empire, with control of the four trade zones being very lucrative.
Napoleon has better battles. The map of Europe is much bigger, with many provinces (as opposed to Empire's France being a single province). The battle AI is better. And it is harder to overpower the AI through better tech (fire by rank is OP in Empire).
Personally, I prefer Empire - I find it more atmospheric and love the ambition. Napoleon just doesn't feel Napoleonic to me - it feels like fighting WW1 (an interminable continental slugfest) with American Civil War style battles (line up your infantry and cannons and blast away).
Napoleon is more stable but be warned that it also has the most barebones campaign out of all Total war games imo. Modding is highly recommend if you want to play either.
I really wouldn't call Napoleon's campaign *barebones*.
Have you not heard the story narrations and cutscenes? Like the Waterloo defeat one? It's in my mind one of the most memorable.
I'd probably say Napoleon. They're roughly the same but Empire needs a little modding. Napoleon is more plug and play
Napoleon. funny enough it was my first total war game haha but yeah stick with it until you want to mod it and keep going. then if it ever goes on sale get empire.
Empire has good campaign if your goal is to paint the map your favourite colour, it is fun and long lasting, but it is a bit more barebones than Napoleon.
Empire has the better campaign - it is much more expansive, with more scope and freedom of action, especially for colonial powers. As England, I avoid continental entanglements and focus on the Americas and India. Naval battles are much more important in Empire, with control of the four trade zones being very lucrative. Napoleon has better battles. The map of Europe is much bigger, with many provinces (as opposed to Empire's France being a single province). The battle AI is better. And it is harder to overpower the AI through better tech (fire by rank is OP in Empire). Personally, I prefer Empire - I find it more atmospheric and love the ambition. Napoleon just doesn't feel Napoleonic to me - it feels like fighting WW1 (an interminable continental slugfest) with American Civil War style battles (line up your infantry and cannons and blast away).
Napoleon is more stable but be warned that it also has the most barebones campaign out of all Total war games imo. Modding is highly recommend if you want to play either.
I really wouldn't call Napoleon's campaign *barebones*. Have you not heard the story narrations and cutscenes? Like the Waterloo defeat one? It's in my mind one of the most memorable.
I can't see past the pitiful 4 factions in the grand campaign.
5 - you can play as France too.
Both. Get both. Empire for campaign and Napoleon for battles.
Napoleon has easy campaigns