14 DAY TRIAL // The development team at The Creative Assembly and publisher SEGA announce that the new Hannibal at the Gates campaign for Total War: Rome II is now live and that gamers will also get a free update for the game alongside it, called Seasons & Wonders.
The two companies explain that one of the biggest changes is a major update for the unit roster offered to the Carthaginian faction, which reflects a historical shift that allowed the state to focus more on mercenaries than on citizen units.
The official wiki for Rome II states, "To reflect this we’ve expanded Carthage’s mercenary recruitment pool to include three new units: Numidian Noble Cavalry, Mercenary Noble Fighters and Italian Swordsmen, along with Celtic Light Horse and Balearic Slingers. Any foreign factions who find themselves in Carthaginian territory will also be able to hire the two latter units as mercenaries."
Total War: Rome II also now supports full Twitch streaming, which means that it is easier than ever for gamers to broadcast their campaigns and show off their greatest victories and defeats.
The Season mechanics is also implemented in the Grand Campaign, with one season now used for every year, which should add more variety to the experience and the tactical battles.
At the same time, there are Wonders that can be seen on the battlefield, including: Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, The Pharos of Alexandria, The Colossus of Rhodes, Bam Citadel and The Oracle of Amun Re, none of them currently standing.
Total War: Rome II now also support touchscreen play, with the official announcement saying that, "we’ve implemented touchscreen input support in partnership with Intel. You can browse the input instructions in the Rome II Encyclopaedia, which explain how to use the camera, navigate maps, and give army and unit orders via fingertip gestures."
The Seasons & Wonders free update also introduces a wide variety of fixes and gameplay improvements, which affect everything from the tactical battles to the way the general bodyguard unit works in a variety of situations.
Total War: Rome II now also allows gamers to experience the new Hannibal at the Gates campaign, which focuses on the Second Punic War, the titanic struggle between Rome and Carthage over control of the Mediterranean and the entire Ancient World.
The expansion introduces three new factions to choose from and delivers a more concentrated strategy experience, with a bigger focus on important battles and the development of characters.