First thoughts Rise of Nations

Bought this a few days ago - the national borders and detailed economy
seems good. However, I'm a bit mystified by the campaign - is there
really just this Risk-type game, with no storyline whatsoever?! I
defeated a barbarian tribe, then fought one of the outlying Mongol
provinces, but I keep getting slaughtered: they just have too many
troops that swarm on me as soon as I attack. Do I really need to build
200 military units before attacking? Or do I have to go for a rush?
Neither strikes me as a very satisfying "strategy"...

Sine Nomine wrote:
> Bought this a few days ago - the national borders and detailed economy
> seems good. However, I'm a bit mystified by the campaign - is there
> really just this Risk-type game, with no storyline whatsoever?! I
> defeated a barbarian tribe, then fought one of the outlying Mongol
> provinces, but I keep getting slaughtered: they just have too many
> troops that swarm on me as soon as I attack. Do I really need to build
> 200 military units before attacking? Or do I have to go for a rush?
> Neither strikes me as a very satisfying "strategy"...

The expansion pack is a little more story or background oriented, but
there is no story driven campaign. If you are getting creamed, try
playing an online game to see how others play the game. You will be
suprised at how bad you likely are at this point. Also, you need to
learn the keyboard shortcuts, at least the important ones. For example,
tab key cycles through all available research. U key cycles through
Universities. Shift K to select all barracks...etc. Once you get all
of those down, the interface rocks and playing becomes very easy. Make
sure you expand the top interface to have the market up there. I buy
and sell from that interface. I play the game without ever clicking on
one building. If you are clicking on a building, then selected actions,
then you are playing this like AOK and not using the interface the way
it was intended.

Regards,

javajeff