Napoleonic Wars has been/is being sold almost exclusivley on word of mouth; the marketing budget costs are probably equivalent to the change in your back pocket.
The vast majority of original players of MM also translated to be the vast majority who knew about NW, therefor, how can NW has balooned into thousands of players (estimated 30k sales) from a maximum of 1k players if those original players didnt enjoy it enough to spread the word. Yet, if MM was so popular and good and amazing etc; why did it maintain (a still healthy) a much lower player base?
I know saying it's better because it's more popular is an obvious fallacy, but it's there.
Now, lets look at improvments;
- Over 220 units, rebuilt from the ground up, including expanded artillerey avalable for use like rockets, and then the sappers and engineers who can plant bombs, or build cover, which combined with the destructable cover mechanic adds a whole new layer of depth. Moreover the units included are perfected; literally, not a single detail is off to even the most astute pitch fork weilding gaming historian eager to shout at online companies 'raping' history. Not only this but the strenghts and weaknesses of the classes have been expanded on i.e; rifleman super vunerable to cavalry, grenadiers have better melle, curassiers are slower but more heavily protected and so forth.
- Improved graphics, better textures, re done player models and new animations.
- Dozens of new maps + random maps and an astonashing ammount of custom maps being developed by players already. Plenty f varietey, and with destructable enviroments mean alot of maps often play out differently (especially seige which is transformed now you can breach walls entirley and climb rubble in a forlorn hope)
- More servers, and increased stability
- Musicians, standard bearers and officers give morale and skill buffs.
- New game modes like Commander Battle which will ensure the game can still be played if even like 4 people played daily as you can command 50, or more bots.
- Increased character customization
- New proffesional voice acting
- A boat load of classical backround tracks and tunes your musicians can play
- Replacing zoom with a telescope for commanders to ensure only the leaders have that tactical edge, and including the much desired march function, and the brace function
- A completley revamped custom battle mode with up to 500 bots (IIRC) now possible to be divided up into custom squadrons up to 50 men and who can fight on a number of maps
- Fantastic art work
- Increased popularity leading to increased ammount of line battles.
NOW;
Some people are saying they prefer the now (badly aged) MM because they think a single attack animation, only useable by baeonet equipped infantry, is over powered? And the thrust only Baeonet. WTF is wrong with you people?