Total annihilation gameplay
The second expansion pack was called "Battle Tactics" and rather than featuring new content like traditional expansion packs & The Core Contingency it contained extensive single player missions to try to teach tactics to the player, as opposed to the more crude 'throw more units at the enemy than they throw at you' approach.
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Two expansion packs were released for Total Annihilation, "The Core Contingency" which was much like an expansion pack in the traditional sense, in that it provided new: maps, tilesets and units. Which basically means that Total Annihilation is now the property of Atari, although they aren't actually doing anything with it, other than providing a forum. In 1999 Cavedog folded and Total Annihilation was acquired by Infogrames, who, at some point (which may have been before Cavedog folded) renamed themselves Atari after buying the trademark. At the time that it was released it's engine and gameplay concepts were revolutionary, although it never gained the popularity of other games released at the same time, such as Starcraft, because it was not extensively advertised. TA:K did not sell to expectations and Cavedog never recovered from the loss, releasing only one more product (The Iron Plague expansion) before closing its doors in 2000.Total Annihilation was released in 1997 by Cavedog, with most of the inspiration for the game having come from Chris Taylor. However, the game garnered much criticism over its simplification of the economy (presumably to widen mainstream appeal), smaller unit counts per army, and generally not living up to the hype generated prior to its release. Reception Total Annihilation: Kingdoms was highly anticipated by fans of the original Total Annihilation and sold very well during its first week, topping the weekly sales chart. For example, Thirsha of Zhon does not travel on the ground like the other monarchs, but rather flies with the aid of her wings, giving her the most mobility out of any commander in the game. Each kingdom is commanded by their respective monarch, which builds structures and also has different special abilities that the player can use. The concept of the "Commander" unit from Total Annihilation was expanded upon in Total Annihilation: Kingdoms. Taros has strong magic users with an array of special abilities that require proper micromanagement in order to be used effectively. Zhon has a powerful air force and no permanent structures besides lodestones and a single defensive structure, giving the kingdom the best mobility out of any army. Veruna has the best navy out of all the factions, but has fairly average land forces. Aramon has a strong defensive emphasis, with a variety of artillery units and fortifications. Whereas the factions in Total Annihliation had roughly the same types of units, the factions in Kingdoms each have their own, unique armies with very few elements shared between factions. TA:K garnered praise for having a wide variety between the factions. Players only have to find mana and place lodestones on mana points in order to add to their resource income. The economy is somewhat simplified from Total Annihilation, with the first game's two-resource economy cut down to a one-resource economy. Gameplay The gameplay of Total Annihilation: Kingdoms borrows heavily from its predecessor, with a heavy emphasis on grand strategy and economy management. There is a single campaign, during which all four sides are represented and playable. The story is told from a third-party perspective in a style akin to a history documentary, providing the story of a battle through a cutscene and then giving players command of an army fighting in the battle. Finally, Taros is a kingdom of fire and ash, with a dark, magic-using populace. Zhon has very little in common with any established kingdom, as its realm is a wild and untamed region of jungles and ruins, with a heavy emphasis on the element of air. Veruna is a decidedly maritime kingdom, with a strong navy and heavy coastal presence. Aramon is a kingdom of stone and rock, with many fortified buildings and a mastery of gunpowder. The four kingdoms of Darien each correspond to a different elemental and thematic motif. These demi-god monarchs begin to fight over the land after their godly father, Garacaius, disappears without a trace. Rich in mana, or magical energy, Darien is ruled by four sibling monarchs: King Elsin of Aramon, Queen Kirenna of Veruna, Thirsha of Zhon and King Lokken of Taros. Plot Total Annihilation: Kingdoms is set in the world of Darien. Though it shares the name and some elements of gameplay, TA:K has few other connections to the first game in the franchise.
![total annihilation gameplay total annihilation gameplay](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/totalannihilation/images/c/c1/Total_Annihilation_-_Battle_Tactics_Front_Cover.jpeg)
![total annihilation gameplay total annihilation gameplay](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cNyt3lGmQD0/maxresdefault.jpg)
Overview Total Annihilation: Kingdoms, often abbreviated to TA:K, was released by Cavedog Entertainment in 1999 as a fantasy-themed follow-up to their critcially acclaimed Sci-Fi RTS, Total Annihilation.