Arranging advantageous marriages for your family members can help silence dissenters or, failing that, tragic 'accidents' can befall those who have become a political thorn in your side. A balance must be struck between courting public opinion and keeping your cities healthy while also maintaining a powerful presence in the council. They can also take-up residence in any city they conquer and engage in the internal politics whose canny management is just as vital for the success of your ruling household as the defence of your borders.

The resulting horde acts as a mobile army, able to encamp to earn some of the bonuses of a fully-formed city. Razing its own cities and scorching the ground to prevent them from falling into the hands of the enemy, you enter a forced march south to seek refuge behind the lines of the substantial but fractured Roman Empire. Great for those who want to be able to react to the ebb and flow of war, a horde is established when a migratory faction either loses its last city or chooses to abandon it. This quickly introduces several of the game's new concepts, such as the horde approach of the migratory barbarian and nomadic factions. The campaign map is wonderfully realised and reflects the changing seasons that can affect battles and empire management alike. After establishing an early foothold with the Visigoths you're soon forced to relocate to escape the growing menace of Attila and his horse-backed hierarchy. It sensibly promotes early exposure to the Huns who act as a constant threat, roaming the northern reaches of the map and harrying your forces before disappearing back into the forests. The prologue campaign offers a mix of success and failure on this front. It's always interesting seeing how established franchises is how well they deliver their concepts to new recruits while still offering the depth to maintain interest over scores if not hundreds of hours of play. Of course, it's not just about existing fans, as any long-running series requires an injection of new blood to maintain momentum.

After the learning process necessitated by Total War: Rome 2's post-release incremental updates, this is The Creative Assembly and Sega's chance to prove their reach no longer exceeds their grasp, and they can launch a stable, balanced and content-rich title straight off the bat. While the eponymous anti-hero and fearsome leader of the Huns is borne on box and horse alike, this title also carries with it the hopes of the long-running series' significant fan base. There's a lot riding on the arrival of Total War: Attila. We'll have a full review, taking into consideration the day one patch, later this week. Editor's Note: This is an early impressions piece to coincide with the launch of Total War: Attilla today.

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