Master Of Command is a gunpowdery Total War alternative that narrows the focus to armies and real-time battles

One for the Empire and Napoleon: Total War diehards

My dearest Hedwig, I constitute to you from the churning battlefields of King Friedrich II's run to reenforce Silesia against the lurking Gallic aggressor. I regret to pass you that the French Hussars are kicking our Hussarses. We conscionable engaged what our scouts from the 17th Pop-Up Tutorial Squadron promised was a "light" patrol of ill-trained musketmen and cavalry, conscionable extracurricular Hildesheim. French equestrians look to beryllium made of antithetic worldly than our Prussian chargers. They cleave done our Landmiltz similar wheat. Meanwhile, our horseguys can't instrumentality a azygous bayonet to the gaskin without turning for home.

All is bloodmist and flashing portion banners. There is nary time, beloved Hedwig, for the baguette-wielding infidels swiftly descend upon my sole surviving regiment of Cantonist Recruits. Our ill-named person Count von Smash has agelong since formed down his sabre and near to prosecute a 2nd vocation arsenic a humble peasant with a suspiciously good moustache. Avenge me, my love! Complete the Silesian run successful Master Of Command and retrieve my bloody bones!

If you're bare for different humanities Total War, and besotted specifically with the gunpowder combat of Napoleon: Total War and Empire: Total War, you mightiness bask Master Of Command, Armchair History Interactive's real-time strategy crippled acceptable during the Seven Years War of 1756 to 1763.

That's my decision aft 40 minutes with it, anyway. The crippled lone conscionable launched connected Steam, and determination is simply a heck of a batch of play item to chew through, but you tin boil it down arsenic follows: you pb an service astir a procedurally generated representation of real-ish places cloaked successful fog of war, duffing up rival armies and claiming oregon trading with settlements portion managing your supplies.

Your service consists of upgradeable regiments drawn from a whiskery bestiary of 150 celebrated 18th period European subject units. There are officers with buffs and customisable hats, and galore kinds of instrumentality to consider, specified arsenic tricking your muzzleloaders retired with the latest cylindrical ramrods to shorten the spread betwixt volleys. On the battlefield, meanwhile, you enactment up your grenadiers, fusiliers, cossacks and whatnot to outmarch, outgun, outflank and different outfox the enemy, portion taking vantage of terrain features similar hedgerows, and monitoring each regiment's ammo and morale.

Image credit: Armchair History Interactive

I americium skimming done the nerdy warfaring minutiae present not retired of disrespect for historians (armchair-based oregon otherwise), but simply due to the fact that AAAAARGH, I deliberation this crippled is trying to termination maine with due nouns. I americium swimming successful a oversea of heraldry and plumed headgear. Fortunately, the in-game presumption is rather intuitive, truthful far, without simply being functional. The maps, menus, UI elements and quality portraits are wrought successful bright, bold colours. The 3D portion models are elemental and toylike, adjacent to Total War: Warhammer 3's blinged and prancing miniatures, but you'll wince nevertheless erstwhile 1 of your flanking cavalry formations eats a afloat musket volley. As battles spell on, the presumption fills with gunpowder smoke. The strikingly painted countryside grows bleary and concussed. Oh the humanity!

Dear Hedwig, I live! Following my last, hopeless letter, I managed to flight the carnage by playing dead. After nighttime fell I stole backmost to camp, wherever Count von Smash loitered successful his tent, having yet regained his nervus aft 2 coagulated miles of moving and screaming. He assures maine that we'll springiness the tricolore trouble-makers what for during our adjacent encounter. I tin lone anticipation helium reads Armchair History Interactive's "basic" usher to units earlier continuing the offensive.