Napoleon: Total War Revealed [UPDATE] News

SEGA and Creative Assembly have announced Napoleon: Total War, the next instalment in the Total War RTS series, which will feature three "story-driven campaigns" and is due for release during February of next year.

Players can either take on the role of Napoleon or one of his many adversaries in three separate campaigns, which explore his military action as a young leader in Italy and Egypt before moving onto his inadvisable foray into Russia, culminating in his war of minds against the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo.

"In Napoleon: Total War you get to actually be Napoleon - to face the problems he faced, to win the battles he won, and to build the Empire he built. Or better," commented Mike Simpson, Creative Director at The Creative Assembly and father of the Total War franchise. "However, the game allows you to step in the shoes of his opposing generals as well, allowing the player to rewrite history as they see fit."

The press release we've received doesn't make clear whether you'll need Empire: Total War to play the game, or if Napoleon: Total War is a standalone expansion. We've contacted SEGA for clarification and will post an update as soon as that information is made available.

UPDATE: SEGA has replied to our inquiry, clarifying that gamers will not need a copy of Empire to play Napoleon: Total War. "The game is a new instalment to the Total War series - so you don't need Empire: TW to play it," a spokesperson told us.