Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General

What is Medieval 2: Total War?
Medieval 2: Total War is the newest game in the popular Total War series, released by the folks at The Creative Assembly and published by SEGA.

How is it different from Medieval: Total War?
The game features dramatically enhanced graphics, exceeding the capabilities of even the preceding Rome: Total War. There is also enhanced AI and gameplay, as well as several new systems for dealing with the powerful forces of religion and espionage. Also, the New World will have a cameo in the game. In addition to a new campaign, the developers boast a more efficient multiplayer system and more complex empires.

What is the timespan of the game?
As indicated by “Medieval”, the game will span the time periods from approximately 10 80-1530 A.D. You can lead 17 playable factions from the time of swords and bows to the times of rifles and gun powder.

What are the minimum requirements?
The requirements are as follows:

  • English version of Microsoft® Windows® 2000/XP.
  • Celeron 1.8GHz Pentium 4® (1500MHz) or equivalent AMD® processor.
  • 512MB RAM.
  • 8x Speed DVD-ROM drive (1200KB/sec sustained transfer rate) and latest drivers.
  • 11.0 Gigs of uncompressed free hard disk space.
  • 100% DirectX® 9.0c compatible 16-bit sound card and latest drivers.
  • 100% Windows® 2000/XP compatible mouse, keyboard and latest drivers.
  • DirectX® 9.0c.
  • 128MB Hardware Accelerated video card with Shader 1 support and the latest drivers.
  • Must be 100% DirectX® 9.0c compatible.
  • Monitor must be able to display 1024×768 resolution or above.

Is there a demo available?
Yes! You can download it at several locations. Some of them that we recommend are located at Gamespot and 3D Gamers.

About how much will it cost and when it is released?
The game was released in mid-November, and can now be found in both Europe and America. The average retail price is $50 USD. You can buy it at your favorite computer game store, or from sites such as Amazon.com.

What is the game rated?
It is rated T for Teen.

Gameplay Information

How many and what factions are available?
There are 21 factions. 17 of those factions are playable by default. Here is a complete listing of playable factions:

England, France, The Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Venice, Sicily, Milan, Scotland, Byzantium, Russia, Moors, Turks, Egypt, Denmark, Portugal, and Hungary.

The other factions listed as non-playable are The Papal States, Aztecs, Mongols, Timurids and the slave faction.

More information on factions can be found at our Factions section.

What are some of the units?
There are units like longbowmen, crossbows, pikemen, feudal knights and house archers but there are also less conventional units like Aztec Jaguar Warriors, Knights Templar, Coyote Priests, Mamlukes and so, so much more.

For players new to Total War

What exactly is the Total War series?
The immensely popular series began with Shogun: Total War. After that was released Medieval: Total War, then Rome: Total War. After almost seven years in development, the current iteration is Medieval II: Total War.

How is the game played?
It is classified as an historic Real-Time Strategy game (RTS). You control your armies and your cities instead of playing through levels and shooting people down yourself. This type of game genre really allows for great amounts of strategic planning.

What is the campaign map?
The campaign map is almost a game in itself. It allows you to administrate settlements, armies, and conduct diplomacy between factions. There is a great wealth of new features in M2:TW compared to the other games, from minor interface changes, to the large addition of papal elections and cardinals.

What is the battle map?
When you attack or defend against an enemy army, you may choose to fight the battle yourself, controlling your army, against the foe[s]. This is where the graphics and most of the gameplay really shine. It is another “plane”, and you must use strategy to overcome your opponents.

Other Questions

I have a question, but it’s not here!
If you have a question, please email the maintainer of this FAQ, Gaius Colinius. He will try to find an answer to your question and may upload it to the FAQ.