If I was to buy Empire today, how big of a total download should I be expecting with Steam updates?

edit: to clarify, I'm wondering about just the post-installation patch, I'm not downloading the actual game.

I dont know ... it shouldnt take long. I downloaded Total War Rome 2 last week and it was painless. I started steam, input the key code, started the download/install process, left to go get something to eat came back 30 minutes later and it was done.

By the way - Im so involved in Shogun 2 right now I cant even think about starting Rome 2. It will probably just stay on my harddrive until 6 months before I even start a Rome 2 campaign.

I'm buying Empire to cure my itch to control the actual battles in the Napoleonic Era, all this theoretical business in the Paradox games isn't doing it for me anymore. It's going to be my first time playing a TW game, but I highly doubt it'll be my last.

There is also Napoleon total war, which some consider to be better. I recommend the DarthMod variant for either of them to improve the AI.

"I'm buying Empire to cure my itch to control the actual battles in the Napoleonic Era"

You might want to take a look at Napoleon Total War as well...

I have compared both, I chose Empire for its much larger scope, but I'll probably end up buying either the Gold or GOTY bundles, since they include both.

The scope of Empire is pretty awesome, I agree.

Hey guys, long time lurker here. Have the mods gotten some of the bugs ironed out of Empire? I loved the scale, and with DarthMod the game became what it was suppose to be, but I periodically got that naval bug that stopped a fleet of ships from firing their guns for no apparent reason, I never really found a cause or cure for it, I think it was resolved but I never followed up. NapoTW has some great features I wish Empire had but they are both great games. Enjoy your new game, perhaps I'll get off my but and re-install mine.
-B

Just buy the "combo" copy of both games in one package containing both Empire and Napoleon. That is an AWESOME deal for 200+ hours of gaming.

I bought the GOTY combo off Amazon, UK import version.