Check out Apparatus' sequel, now free and open source - Principia

Total.war.rome.ii.empire.divided.part1.rar -

A rising Eastern power. Zenobia controls the wealthy eastern provinces and must balance Roman military tradition with eastern skirmishing and cavalry tactics. 2. New Campaign Mechanics

Because of the new sanitation and banditry systems, building a level-3 barracks before a level-2 sewer is often a recipe for disaster.

The heart of the campaign is the struggle for reunification between three Roman pretenders: Total.War.Rome.II.Empire.Divided.part1.rar

In place of traditional religion, players manage Cults (such as Sol Invictus, Mithraism, or Christianity). These offer powerful buffs but can cause significant social unrest if they spread too aggressively.

Empire Divided is widely considered one of the best DLCs for ROME II because it transforms the game from a "map painter" into a survival-management simulator. It captures the frantic energy of an empire trying to keep its lights on while the world outside burns. A rising Eastern power

The military rosters reflect a transition from the classic "Segmentata" legionary to the "Late Roman" style. There is a heavier emphasis on (Cataphracts) and versatile limitanei (border guards). Success on the battlefield requires adapting to the faster, more fluid skirmishing of the Sassanids and the heavy-hitting Germanic warbands. Summary

In most Total War campaigns, the early game is about aggressive land grabs. In Empire Divided , the early game is about . New Campaign Mechanics Because of the new sanitation

The campaign utilizes a "Hero" system similar to Total War: Warhammer , where faction leaders like Aurelian have unique skill trees and cannot die in battle (they are only wounded), emphasizing their historical "larger-than-life" personas. 4. The Military Shift