As @komemiute said the 2nd version of the titles (Shogun 2, Rome 2, etc) were a big leap in both content and execution. I have been playing TW since the beginning, so for me the changes were evolutionary. With that said, I second the recommendation to pick a setting that you find interesting and then get the appropriate second generation TW title for it. You’ll get a good idea of how the series plays and the modern mechanics from any of the 2nd generation titles.
The first generation titles are different in a lot of ways, echoing more of a tabletop game style in the strategic layer. If you want the nostalgia, they are still solid titles, but there will be a lot different when your fire up TW:WH40K.
We have four confirmed factions thus far:
The Adeptus Astartes.
The Astra Militarum.
The Orkz.
And the Aeldari.
I cannot think of a less exciting or interesting line up. We’re seriously leaving out the most pivotal force in the entire lore, the forces of Chaos? The galaxy would, quite literally, not be in its current state were it not for Horus’ little tantrum courtesy of Erebus. The entire state of the Imperium is because of paranoia born of the ruinous powers.
If that’s getting nickel and dimed in as DLC? I’m just waiting for a GOTY edition or something. And for that to go on sale.
I loved the original Shogun and played that to death - the time period and setting were what made it for me.
I didn’t even mind that soldiers were ‘sprites’, because of the immersion of commanding an army with a realistic number of troops compared to say Age of Empires. I never played any of the others in the series, mainly because historically they weren’t particularly interesting to me, Same with the first Warhammer, I have it - think I payed five bucks or something when it was on special but I have hardly touched it because I’m not really into the Fantasy/Age of Sigmar setting.
A 40K Total War on the other hand… And I am sure I saw a nurgling horde in the trailer. I’m sure that @tempusmurphy is right and GW will be milking us as the cash cows we are for DLC.
well with 40k being nearly 40 years old ( god that makes me feel old ) there is a fair amount of back story and lore, that they made up as they went along, only to have to retcon and shoe horn bits and pieces in and around to make sense …
