Warrior Kings: Battles
Encyclopedia
Warrior Kings: Battles is a real-time strategy
computer game developed by Black Cactus and published by Empire Interactive
in Europe and co published with Strategy First
in North America. It is a sequel to the 2002 game Warrior Kings
and was released March 21, 2003 in Europe and September 30, 2003 in North America.
The story is set 100 years after the first Warrior Kings where the Empire of Orbis has fragmented into states of feuding warlords. Like its predecessor, gameplay focuses on the RTS elements of resource and base management and unit combat but also the alignment system where all players start in similar positions and develop into their own unique faction of choice, the prime being under the strict religious knighthood of the Imperial, occultism and demon worship of the Pagan or the logic and scientific innovations of the Renaissance
, all supporting both historical and fantasy based unit design.
Warrior Kings: Battle is a real-time strategy game meaning much of its gameplay is focused on gathering resources and training and management of units for combat again opposing players. There are four types of resources to harvest; food, wood and gold but are not available until they are dropped off at a village and then transported via cart to the main base. The later two are gathered from the surrounding environments like forests and mines while food is growth and harvested from built farms with quality and quantity of growth depending on are fertile the land beneath it is. Food also depletes slowly over time as your population also consumes it. While villages and other resource-based buildings can be built anywhere, most military and economy based structures must be built inside the walls of the main base, with each added building expanding the walls as the main base is built from the start and is usually the prime target for most games. There is also a mana bar present that can be used by special units with the ability to use magic that can be refilled through prayer or sacrifice of units depending on the alignment.
There are certain classes for each unit, being Light (ranged) and Heavy (combat) Cavalry and Infantry, Siege, Reconnaissance (scouts), demonic and special, all of which of effective and vulnerable to others such as demonic being weak to special and heavy cavalry being weak against heavy infantry head-on and thus requiring use of terrain, unit formation, positioning and attack direction to be applied for effectiveness of all units. Units are built at a base level but can be trained for better effectiveness in battle through the use of attack dummies. Range units also have a set amount of ammunition at their disposal and can be replenished faster if a Supply Wagon is near. There are also naval units like attack ships and trade cogs built at a port by water yet can only be built and used in multiplayer games.
Along with the Campaign Mode, there are two modes for online multiplayer and offline single player. The first a basic Skirmish Mode where players fight in a standard game with set number of players and a chosen map and generals along with minor gameplay settings. The other is Valhalla Mode where instead of constructing bases and training armies, players pre-select a full army without any economic aspect of play with the goal being to captured strategic flags scattered throughout each map, requiring players to capture these to earn points with the highest point earner as the victor when the set amount of time finishes. Flags can be captured and recaptured multiple times along with respawning units as an option.
for players to take, each with differing unit design and strategies. The Imperial path is a hierarchy that firmly believes in "The One God", similar in the vein of medieval European Christianity and the Crusaders
. They use heavily armoured knights, war elephants and strong fortifications, along with Priests and Inquisitors who pray at Cathedrals and other holy temples to perform "Acts of God" like reigning fire down against opposing troops are providing rain to help in food resource growth. Their signature unit is a great Archangel known as The Sword of God summoned through a built statue of him but however isn’t controllable and rather seeks out nearest foes. The Pagan path is much the opposite of the Imperial, being a faction of nature worship, witchcraft and sacrifice. They use various demons and other creatures as their core unit and use the tactics of using larger groups of weaker units to overwhelm opponents. Like the Imperial they also have units capable of casting magic via mana in the form of Druids that can turn resource points into elemental beasts and succubus that can convert enemy units. The Pagan can also summon a signature unit being a large demon known as Abaddon summoned through burning and sacrificing people at a Wicker Man
. The Renaissance path however lacks both signature units and use of mana. Instead theirs is a faction of science and human ingenuity, with heavy use of gunpowder
with riflemen, cannons, mortar
s and some fictional siege weapons like a giant rocket launcher.
While there are three main alignments, the player can instead also choose one of two sub paths that are a hybrid of Imperial Renaissance and Pagan Renaissance that while lacking some of their notable units, gain other unique units of their own such as the Imperial Renaissance Dragoon
cavalry and the Pagan Renaissance legion of undead.
The campaign layout is like that of a Risk
style game, where the world map is broken down into 22 smaller provinces with each to be captured and secured, highlighted blue upon completion. The province of Liguriensis is located roughly in the centre meaning that the player doesn’t have to capture all other provinces before the final conflict however is not encouraged to do so due to the high difficulty of the final mission and so with each captured province comes a reward for later battles such as more starting resources and an advance in certain alignments. One or more generals, sometimes allied with and against you or even against each other, hold each province, each with their own unique character portrait and style of play including which alignment they usually choose and favoured unit type and strategy. As each general and their corresponding province map are conquered, both are unlocked for use in Skirmish and Valhalla mode.
When Liguriensis and the Lord Protector falls, unified provinces and any others the player didn’t seize rally around under the new rule of the Empire, with the throne being given to the player.
to allow it to match and even at times surpass human players thus creating the feeling players are playing against human opponent, making the focus of the game more multiplayer based, such as AI probing defences and using both brute force and stealth when required rather than reported "cheating" or "over weakness" in the last game. Being more of a drastic update/remake of the last game than a fully-fledged sequel, the graphics engine was updated along with new units and features such as the Arch Druid unit and extended abilities. Valhalla and AI general editor mode were also new additions to take advantage of the improved AI. Due to the differences in the campaign being less about the plot, senior AI designer Mike West said this was because it would have meant simply "crowbarring" the plot in, and instead said it would be more like Civilization where the plot is seen to create itself.
The game was first released in Europe on March 21, 2003 along with a collector's edition that included artwork cards. In July that same year Empire Interactive later revealed it would co publish the game with Strategy First for the North American release, which would later be on September 30, 2003.
Upon release, Warrior Kings: Battles received a fair yet generally favourable reception with an average critic score of 74% at Game Rankings
. While many praised the game's unit design, presentation and depth, others criticised the slow paced nature and frustration of certain micromanagement gameplay aspect, along with a number of technical issues.
ActionTrip praised the game's implementation of fantasy elements, "which improves the overall impression of the game" along with troop versatility being "one of the main qualities of this game as it does feature some highly innovative units." GamersHell concluded that the game was "one of the sleeper hits of this year (2003)", having "everything needed for a fine RTS game and still offers several fresh new ideas that expand the genre into new lengths." IGN
stated that "Warrior Kings: Battles is the sort of game fans of the genre will sink their teeth into, as there is plenty of depth" while the some of traditional gameplay conventions make it lack "that spark which sets the classics apart from the also-rans."
PC Zone UK
said the game "never fails to surprise you, throwing up some new challenge or nuance just when you think you've mastered it" and features a "superb 3D engine [that] throws out beautiful landscapes all over your monitor, like an artist crafting on a canvas". However they did criticise the single player campaign being "straightforward, and sadly far less varied and compelling" than the previous installment. PC Gamer
also felt similar, being more of "a series of missions with no cohesion other than the fact that they all lead toward your final objective." GameSpot
felt that while the "underlying design is solid", there certain issues that brought it down, notably being camera control and pathfinding issues that given the game's focus on micromanagement makes it "an exercise in futility", concluding that theres "a lot of value out of the box, but whether you'll feel compelled to slog through all of it is another question."
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
computer game developed by Black Cactus and published by Empire Interactive
Empire Interactive
Empire Interactive was a UK based video game developer and publisher founded in 1987. It was closed under administration on 4 May 2009.-About Empire Interactive:...
in Europe and co published with Strategy First
Strategy First
Strategy First is a software company based in Montreal, Canada. Founded in 1988, the company has published numerous well-known games, such as the Disciples series, Jagged Alliance series, Space Empires series, and Galactic Civilizations....
in North America. It is a sequel to the 2002 game Warrior Kings
Warrior Kings
Warrior Kings is a real-time strategy video game, developed by Black Cactus and published by Microïds in 2002. The game, set in a fantasy medieval world, focuses on the concepts of pagan tribalism, renaissance enlightenment, and imperialist theocracy....
and was released March 21, 2003 in Europe and September 30, 2003 in North America.
The story is set 100 years after the first Warrior Kings where the Empire of Orbis has fragmented into states of feuding warlords. Like its predecessor, gameplay focuses on the RTS elements of resource and base management and unit combat but also the alignment system where all players start in similar positions and develop into their own unique faction of choice, the prime being under the strict religious knighthood of the Imperial, occultism and demon worship of the Pagan or the logic and scientific innovations of the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
, all supporting both historical and fantasy based unit design.
Gameplay
There are certain classes for each unit, being Light (ranged) and Heavy (combat) Cavalry and Infantry, Siege, Reconnaissance (scouts), demonic and special, all of which of effective and vulnerable to others such as demonic being weak to special and heavy cavalry being weak against heavy infantry head-on and thus requiring use of terrain, unit formation, positioning and attack direction to be applied for effectiveness of all units. Units are built at a base level but can be trained for better effectiveness in battle through the use of attack dummies. Range units also have a set amount of ammunition at their disposal and can be replenished faster if a Supply Wagon is near. There are also naval units like attack ships and trade cogs built at a port by water yet can only be built and used in multiplayer games.
Along with the Campaign Mode, there are two modes for online multiplayer and offline single player. The first a basic Skirmish Mode where players fight in a standard game with set number of players and a chosen map and generals along with minor gameplay settings. The other is Valhalla Mode where instead of constructing bases and training armies, players pre-select a full army without any economic aspect of play with the goal being to captured strategic flags scattered throughout each map, requiring players to capture these to earn points with the highest point earner as the victor when the set amount of time finishes. Flags can be captured and recaptured multiple times along with respawning units as an option.
Alignment paths
Like its predecessor Warrior Kings, there is no default starting faction as each player starts as a default peasant like faction and through constructing certain buildings, the player forges their own path of alignment to receive unique units and buildings exclusive to each path along with a change of appearance for the main base. In the game there are three main alignments; Imperial, Pagan and RenaissanceRenaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
for players to take, each with differing unit design and strategies. The Imperial path is a hierarchy that firmly believes in "The One God", similar in the vein of medieval European Christianity and the Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
. They use heavily armoured knights, war elephants and strong fortifications, along with Priests and Inquisitors who pray at Cathedrals and other holy temples to perform "Acts of God" like reigning fire down against opposing troops are providing rain to help in food resource growth. Their signature unit is a great Archangel known as The Sword of God summoned through a built statue of him but however isn’t controllable and rather seeks out nearest foes. The Pagan path is much the opposite of the Imperial, being a faction of nature worship, witchcraft and sacrifice. They use various demons and other creatures as their core unit and use the tactics of using larger groups of weaker units to overwhelm opponents. Like the Imperial they also have units capable of casting magic via mana in the form of Druids that can turn resource points into elemental beasts and succubus that can convert enemy units. The Pagan can also summon a signature unit being a large demon known as Abaddon summoned through burning and sacrificing people at a Wicker Man
Wicker Man
A wicker man was a large wicker statue of a human used by the ancient Druids for human sacrifice by burning it in effigy, according to Julius Caesar in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico...
. The Renaissance path however lacks both signature units and use of mana. Instead theirs is a faction of science and human ingenuity, with heavy use of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
with riflemen, cannons, mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
s and some fictional siege weapons like a giant rocket launcher.
While there are three main alignments, the player can instead also choose one of two sub paths that are a hybrid of Imperial Renaissance and Pagan Renaissance that while lacking some of their notable units, gain other unique units of their own such as the Imperial Renaissance Dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
cavalry and the Pagan Renaissance legion of undead.
Campaign
The story is set 100 years after the events of Artos in the first Warrior Kings, where the ruling Empire of the world of Orbis has descended into anarchy with its 22 provinces under rule of feuding warlords disbanding altogether where the Lord Protector Duke Ignis Hagens has usurped the throne of the Empire at Liguriensis. The player takes the role of the lead General from the Angland province in hope of reuniting all the other provinces of the Empire and to dethrone the Lord Protector.The campaign layout is like that of a Risk
Risk (game)
Risk is a strategic board game, produced by Parker Brothers . It was invented by French film director Albert Lamorisse and originally released in 1957 as La Conquête du Monde in France. Risk is a turn-based game for two to six players...
style game, where the world map is broken down into 22 smaller provinces with each to be captured and secured, highlighted blue upon completion. The province of Liguriensis is located roughly in the centre meaning that the player doesn’t have to capture all other provinces before the final conflict however is not encouraged to do so due to the high difficulty of the final mission and so with each captured province comes a reward for later battles such as more starting resources and an advance in certain alignments. One or more generals, sometimes allied with and against you or even against each other, hold each province, each with their own unique character portrait and style of play including which alignment they usually choose and favoured unit type and strategy. As each general and their corresponding province map are conquered, both are unlocked for use in Skirmish and Valhalla mode.
When Liguriensis and the Lord Protector falls, unified provinces and any others the player didn’t seize rally around under the new rule of the Empire, with the throne being given to the player.
Development
Warrior Kings: Battles was first announced in September 2002, the same year the first Warrior Kings was released in. In numerous interviews by Black Cactus employees, it was revealed that Battles was to put greater emphasis on quality of the artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
to allow it to match and even at times surpass human players thus creating the feeling players are playing against human opponent, making the focus of the game more multiplayer based, such as AI probing defences and using both brute force and stealth when required rather than reported "cheating" or "over weakness" in the last game. Being more of a drastic update/remake of the last game than a fully-fledged sequel, the graphics engine was updated along with new units and features such as the Arch Druid unit and extended abilities. Valhalla and AI general editor mode were also new additions to take advantage of the improved AI. Due to the differences in the campaign being less about the plot, senior AI designer Mike West said this was because it would have meant simply "crowbarring" the plot in, and instead said it would be more like Civilization where the plot is seen to create itself.
The game was first released in Europe on March 21, 2003 along with a collector's edition that included artwork cards. In July that same year Empire Interactive later revealed it would co publish the game with Strategy First for the North American release, which would later be on September 30, 2003.
Reception
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| GameSpot GameSpot GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which... |
6.2/10 |
| PC Zone UK PC Zone PC Zone was the first magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. Earlier PC magazines such as PC Leisure, PC Format and PC Plus had covered games but only as part of a wider remit. PC Zone was founded in 1993.The magazine was published... |
85/100 |
| IGN IGN IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment... |
7/10 |
| Computer Gaming World Computer Gaming World Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford... |
3.5/5 |
| ActionTrip | 74/100 |
| GamersHell | 8/10 |
| PC Gamer PC Gamer PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries... |
66/100 |
Upon release, Warrior Kings: Battles received a fair yet generally favourable reception with an average critic score of 74% at Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
. While many praised the game's unit design, presentation and depth, others criticised the slow paced nature and frustration of certain micromanagement gameplay aspect, along with a number of technical issues.
ActionTrip praised the game's implementation of fantasy elements, "which improves the overall impression of the game" along with troop versatility being "one of the main qualities of this game as it does feature some highly innovative units." GamersHell concluded that the game was "one of the sleeper hits of this year (2003)", having "everything needed for a fine RTS game and still offers several fresh new ideas that expand the genre into new lengths." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
stated that "Warrior Kings: Battles is the sort of game fans of the genre will sink their teeth into, as there is plenty of depth" while the some of traditional gameplay conventions make it lack "that spark which sets the classics apart from the also-rans."
PC Zone UK
PC Zone
PC Zone was the first magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. Earlier PC magazines such as PC Leisure, PC Format and PC Plus had covered games but only as part of a wider remit. PC Zone was founded in 1993.The magazine was published...
said the game "never fails to surprise you, throwing up some new challenge or nuance just when you think you've mastered it" and features a "superb 3D engine [that] throws out beautiful landscapes all over your monitor, like an artist crafting on a canvas". However they did criticise the single player campaign being "straightforward, and sadly far less varied and compelling" than the previous installment. PC Gamer
PC Gamer
PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...
also felt similar, being more of "a series of missions with no cohesion other than the fact that they all lead toward your final objective." GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
felt that while the "underlying design is solid", there certain issues that brought it down, notably being camera control and pathfinding issues that given the game's focus on micromanagement makes it "an exercise in futility", concluding that theres "a lot of value out of the box, but whether you'll feel compelled to slog through all of it is another question."