Europa Barbarorum 1 (RTW) vs. Europa Barbarorum 2 (M2TW) - The Main Differences 

I dont play EB1/EB2, but i prefer RTW1 more than MTW2

Haven't tried EB2 for years (some early unfinished version) but I already know that I prefer EB1 battles to EB2 battles, simply because I like the flow of battles and animations more in Rome 1. As for the campaign, perhaps EB2 is slightly better off, e.g. as you say, the recruitment pool in Medieval 2 was probably one of the best improvements of the time.

Then again, the lack of population mechanics in EB2 draws in the other direction...

EB2 runs better for me.

I like EB1 for the reasons I like Rome (largely the same as the ones you laid out in your video), but for some reason, I like EB2 more. My experience of EB1 has only been around a dozen hours, so that could change, but I like additional factions, units, and overall feel of EB2 better, but both are wonderful

I remember those days as well! I went to college and didn't have time to follow EB2 development anymore, but I came back earlier this year and I've been having a ton of fun with it.

Definitely see your point, Heath! I too prefer EB2 overall, despite the few qualms I have with it, but EB1 definitely has a charm to it that sets it apart, and a part of that is the population mechanics of RTW. It's definitely a fun challenge playing as a smaller faction in EB1.

Great to hear that you're working on a submod! I agree that it seems like a good idea to remove some settlements from Britain/Scandinavia. I would also add a few independent provinces like Corduene (Gordyene) and Paytakaran.

If you need someone to help with play testing let me know!

INTERESTING

Thank you Space Humunculus! I appreciate it. :)

Hi Lusitanio, good to see you here! Yeah, while I prefer the bigger map, the old map had a more pleasing aesthetic. Indeed hopefully this can change in the future!

Hey Lusi, nice to see you around! :D

@@mephiston2316 Hey Mephiston, nice to see you around!

Thank you very much! I appreciate it.

I definitely think that they are different experiences. I was doing some more EB1 testing today and I definitely want to do some more EB1 coverage. I still think EB2 is cooler and does indeed have more stuff and a better recruitment system, but EB1 is quite remarkable in its own right.

For EB1 or 2? I have made some factions specific guides, but yes there are general aspects of the mod that apply to all factions that I don't really cover in those videos. Also you could check out my Hayastan LP videos for some more general gameplay info. Perhaps I'll work on a basic guide for EB1 and 2 since there are a lot of aspects that perhaps I take for granted.

@@GudeaTW I was mostly referring to EB1 as I haven't played the sequel yet. I'll check out your Hayasdan campaign, that should prove enlightening. Not only an EB campaign, but as one of the apparently hardest factions in the mod. Should be interesting.

Indeed - the population mechanic would have helped EB2 a lot. However, when I go back to EB1 I really miss EB2's unit recruitment pool system that really adds another layer of strategy. Oh well!

@@GudeaTW Imagine a Europa Barborum 3 that has the best features of EB1 and EB2 and improve upon them with new mechanics

@@GudeaTW problem is only Medieval Total War 2 has that limited recruitment pool. Rome 2 and Attila all went back to Rome 1 style and worse, because Rome 1 only allow 1 recruitment slot at a time, but Rome 2 and Attila allows 4~6 recruitment slot at a time on a single army..... Game gets simpler and simpler, why are the developers afraid of making players think?

@@nomooon It's not unrealistic... Armies would generally be raised all at once, not over years one unit at a time.

@@talknight2 but all at once from one province? May be, but I guess I just like the idea of of men drafted from several provinces then mobilised into one army.

Haha enjoy! Of course I don't cover every difference, just most of the main points.

Hi Blenkinsopp! Contact me on Discord (link in the description) and I'll send some links.

@@GudeaTW Ok, thanks!

@@GudeaTW Sorry Gudea, but the link expired. Could you put a new one? Thanks again

Try this one: discord.gg/akWNtsUjZF

@@GudeaTW It worked! Thanks

War horses back then were much smaller than the horses we usually see now. Alexander’s Thessalian horses likely looked like today’s Pindos Pony ( a bit taller than that). But there are many horse units that look great (Thessalian cav, cataphracts, companions etc)

Actually I feel the EB2 units are incredible - they perhaps rival the Broken Crescent units in how nice they look. The smaller horses are historically accurate, but I feel they look amazing (esp the half cataphract units).

@@GudeaTW I may be too used to the Med2 engine representing medieval stuff.

I think you might have to wait for the March of Time reform

Nice

Haha why?

@@GudeaTW @144 it Hertz.

@@elih9700 ahh yeah sorry most of my vids are 30fps since I'm utilizing a budget system at the moment.

There are a ton of Med 2 mods where you can't manage the economy super accurately (and in a lot of modern mods as well). I think it makes the gameplay a bit refreshing, when you can't really tell exactly what you'll have next turn. It can be frustrating of course. I like the medieval 2 recruitment system and I like the EB2 edits to it, but I wish it affected population.

@@GudeaTW nah my friend... I disagree... It can be refreshing when it is frustrating also... Its essential for this game, let's say 25% if it, the management of your treasury... As a player I feel handicapped in Eb2... I would prefer a strict or devastating economy that I can predict than an blooming economy that my scrolls/lists lying to me... I understand corruption etc... but this problem in Eb2 goes beyond that... I did not find myself in any mod ever being surprised by my economy...in eb2 I am always like.. "what the hell hapened"...😂

"I want to play it so badly but every time I try these problems I listed above make me stop after an hour or two. But I like it so much. Just can't stand it. Am I crazy? 😂" As a primarily Rome player i agree am also in two minds honestly there is pros and cons to both. EB2's biggest drawback by far for me is the battle engine and its why i still play EB1, aside from imperial reforms of course. Medieval 2 was just not designed for classical warfare, its not just Phalanxes that are an issue but Javelin infantry too which is a problem when the majority of infantry units even outside of Rome are Javelin based. They maneuver like a cargo plane and take forever to get their ammo off and when they do they just do not want to charge properly, 99% of the time out of formation with the force of a wet paper towel. I do really enjoy the EB2 campaign though especially for roleplaying, while lack of forts, population and economic control is a big one, as is the terrain no longer being that closely matched with where a battle or siege starts, the slower expansion, diverse units/the recruitment system, the amount of factions and how they model the imperium/cursus honorum are awesome. I like being able to save up units especially and just recruit a big bunch of them at once in Winter or whatever, as its how it was historically done.

@Iouiis I don't believe that statement is correct... Both before Roman's and after them there are writen instances of people making forts. Mainly Greeks but also others... But let's say your statement is correct. And discuss this... I am one of those people who love realism and immersion but I don't like to overdo it and make the gameplay less fun or interesting. So even if at some point in history people stoped building forts, I would like to still have the ability to make them because it adds to the experience. One of the basic/core elements of my gameplay (and I believe most peoples) is to create forts for strategic reasons, the same goes for the AI and I like come across forts and to have to overcome them... As we said earlier according the pool restrictions, that maybe realistic to reflect the recruitment pace of the era but it hurts the gameplay style. So for me the realism must not interfere with feteaures of the came and mechanics. You can improve them or mascarate them but not remove them... On the end, as I understand some mods including EB2 are using Fort system to make things apear in the map or some scripts to be enabled... It's sad because I believe they could work around it and still have forts as so many other mods have... (Probably the best forts are in Bulat Steel, they apear on the map as big as a settlement and in battle have some unique aesthetic according to the nation). In the end, I don't like removal of forts, that is what o believe.

@Iouiis I never had problems with stability on any total war or mods of the early era (two and me2tw as well empire and napoleon) , but I understand that there were people having problems with that (even with EB1 back thenwgich amazed me since I had no issue ever) and I can tottaly agree that the stability of a game/mod should be a priority... Notice (the only mods I had crashes were the Game of Thrones ones on medieval but those were mostly not complete when published. But that was an issue of the modders work and nit the engine itself... (Only age of Pety kings had no issue because the units were pretty basic Ruskin of vanilla).

Hi Zero - I'm not a big Rome player!

Gudea TW Oh. Its fine if you are not but if Rome looks,plays and feels good to fight when you are in the game and you feel that they fit in the gameplay and balance....Is a better way to put it. Because i always play as the Greeks and to me they appear as the great nemesis or daring hero of the west when i play as them. Sure in most mods they are overshadowed but I wanna see you put them into light :)

@@zerozero2170 ah I see! Yeah I definitely like it better when Rome is a strong faction, like a strong end game opponent. I also usually play as Greek or Eastern/Hellenistic factions. I'll make a note of doing more testing as Rome from now on. I should do a video about the Extended Greek Mod - it's actually a mod I never tried as a kid so it would be fun to try it out for the first time.

@@GudeaTW Extended Greek is my favorite Mod. I love destroying Carthage as the Minor Faction Syracuse.

Which version of EB1 are you trying to install (EB Final for Alexander or EB1.2 for BI)? What was the issue with EB2?

@@GudeaTW I installed EB 2 but it wouldn't run. No shortcut appeared in my desktop/ I was Confused and uninstalled it. I have the Sicilian Vespers mod and Stainless Steel for Medieval 2. So perhaps that's the problem.

I remember I had a really hard time getting EB2 to run

@@warciminal2076 hmm and did the EB2 launcher (contained within its mod folder) work? Perhaps the installer was pointed towards the wrong folder. The other mods should not cause any problems (I have about 20 mods installed).

The issue is also that creating a guide for EB2 would be tough, since the install instructions for it are fairly straightforward... Perhaps I can do a general M2TW steam mod install guide (like the Rome one I did) with EB2 as the example. I could do a guide for EB1, because actually installing the version I'm using (with the Jirisys Mega Alexander Mod Pack) is a bit tougher to install.

It gives you are warning, I think. I haven't played for an year due to an issue with Win 10, but yeah.

Good question.... they are both very strong.... Chivalry 2 is a little more complete with its era campaign.... I prefer Chivalry 1!

@@GudeaTW Thank so much!

Yes I saw that - I just downloaded it!

Great mod, but for some reason, i have it in small screen every time

@@capulet6669 edit the resolutions in the preferences text file (in the mod folder) to match that of your monitor.

I believe they were technically vassals but Ariaramnes was king in 272 and did break free from that arrangement (allegedly of course)

Also there are even coins from ariarathes ii who died in 280

@Iouiis Eb 1 was a huge part of my gaming years...but recently, 6 months ago I discovered Roma Surectum 3 which differs a lot from Eb 1 and ofcourse 2 but... ...some how it has a lot to offer to me as an experience. Eb will always be my love but I don't think I will reverse to it after RS3...

@Iouiis...that maybe a script I think (remember always making peace and the next turn the peace was auto-broken) so the elite spawning maybe has to do with this (or not... 😂). Although I think the unit limitation cripples the player more than the AI. In any case I prefer my options open and not restricted... If they wanted to make elite units not be be spammed then just make them really expensive in their upkeep...or anything! Just dont make me waiting when they will be available...

@Iouiis My advice, for roma surectum 3... Play on one-turn recruitment system or else you will face too much many stacks every turn that makes the game unplayable for me... Not technically, but it makes the game a slog and time consuming... But in 1-turn recruit (original rome system) is a paradise...

@Iouiis Actually let me be more specific... I don't have a problem with the limitation... My problem is that there is a unit pool limit which means...let's say I play EB2...OK...and the unit pool is full at 2 or 3 units and I don't recruit them, then the next unit to be available goes waste and then the next and then the next... And that results in me overecruit armies that I don't need and then have economic issues... So I had to spent a ton of time changing the files on my own to make the unit pool 50 or 100... So now the game limits what I can recruit yes, but I don't panic to recruit them before the pool is filled and lost them... And so I can recruit at a normal time and place now... Problem solved ? Yes... But it was a pain and left a bad taste... So bad that the moment I remind my self that also EB2 phalanxes are not appear on the correct way, I am putting down the mod for a week...or more! But I never stopped any RTW1 mod for any of those reasons. Never...

You need to download the 4gb ram patch for medieval 2

I hear you regarding the passive campaign AI. The Seleucids in EB1 will send army after army against you, but EB2's challenge is more in overcoming scripts (which are, generally, predictable). So I definitely hear you regarding that. The battle AI is definitely better in EB2 however.

@@GudeaTW Wow thanks for sharing that! I didn't even know about it. I was playing mostly as the Romans in EB2 for 400-500 turns and there were no scripts, but i might try a different faction now. Many thanks!

I think you make a lot of good points here! The eb1 art direction is a lot more consistent I think (actually that goes for rtw vs med 2 in general I think)