Barbarian Invasion
Rome: Total War – Barbarian Invasion Expansion Pack
The first expansion pack for Rome: Total War, Barbarian Invasion takes the action forward in time 349 years after the end of the original game. Beginning in 363 AD and ending in 476 AD (although the player can choose to continue beyond this point if they see fit), it depicts the great migrations of the Germanic and steppe peoples (notably the Huns) and simulates the religious tension of the time as the three religions of Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Paganism fight for dominance.
Rome has become an empire, grown and split into the Eastern and Western Roman Empires, ruled from Rome and Constantinople. The various regions of the Empire represent the factions of the original game, all of which have been absorbed into the Empire. The ‘Barbarians’ in the title take the form of the Huns, the Goths, the Vandals, the Franks, the Burgundians and the Lombards and it is their respective unification and resulting strength that allows them to invade the Empire itself, acting as the catalyst for the action of the campaign.
One of the main features of the expansion is the inclusion of Hordes, intended to represent the mass migrations of several ‘Barbarian’ nations. When a certain faction loses its last province (some factions, such as the Huns and Vandals start without one), rather than being defeated it becomes a Horde. Representing an entire nation on the move, Hordes are effectively massive armies that require no upkeep. Upon taking a settlement a Horde can either sack the city for money or make it their new home, allowing them to start anew.
Victory conditions are faction-specific and can require certain territories to be controlled or certain other factions to be eliminated, adding a layer of strategic complexity.
There are also new historical battles to play through, such as the Battle of Badon Hill.
Playable factions, all of which are available to the player at the beginning of the campaign, include:
- Western Roman Empire
- Eastern Roman Empire
- Huns
- Goths
- Vandals
- Samaritans
- Saxons
- Franks
- Alemanni
- Sassanids
Rome: Total War – Barbarian Invasion was released on 27th September 2005 by the Creative Assembly and Activision.