Game Groups > Shogun: Total War series

Shogun: Total War is a series of strategy games set in the Sengoku Jihai (Sengoku period) of Japan and was originally developed the Creative Assembly Ltd. The player controls one of the many warlord families during that period and aims to conquer Japan through military might, diplomacy, and subterfuge. Features may also include western influences of the Dutch, the Portuguese, Christianity, and the introduction of gunpowder units.

The series, as with other Total War games may share the following features: * Political Map

The political map is a top-down perspective of the whole or partial map of Japan, viewing all factions involved as well as figurines symbolizing samurai generals and troop units. All non-combative strategy actions occurs in this area, which includes troop and resource management, troop movement, diplomacy, and subterfuge using emissaries or ninja.

• Warfare

Total War introduced one of the first realistic semi real-time 3D medieval army battles in third person perspective, consisting of troop formation, troop fatigue, shock troops, geographical cover, and most prominent of all, battlefield morale. The player may pause battle at any time (inapplicable during multiplayer) to manage troops or do it while in real time.

Unlike many strategy games, the purpose in battle is not to achieve complete victory by totally annihilating all enemy forces. Rather, it is to force the enemy to retreat or flee from the battlefield. This is done by (a) killing the enemy general or (b) killing a lot of enemy units (from the rear or the flank). Accomplishing this will severely effect the morale of an army which in return may provoke a mass retreat, allowing opposing units to freely decimate enemies fleeing from the battlefield.

Related Game Groups * Rome: Total War series* Total War series

Related Setting * Setting: Japanese Sengoku Period

Related Genre * Genre: Grand strategy