Four sides at the start, as opposed to the original's two, with an expansion pack that added a fifth Simplified resource management, with just one resource (mana) instead of two (metal, energy) A change from a futuristic to a fantasy setting A more in-depth storyline, told with cutscenes between missions, just as Total Annihilation had, but with more detail There are numerous thematic and design differences between Total Annihilation and Kingdoms. Although the game is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the original Total Annihilation, comparisons between the two games are inevitable. Total Annihilation: Kingdoms is the second installment of the Total Annihilation franchise. However, like in Total Annihilation, players can recycle debris/carcasses of fallen units and structures as well as natural objects of the map, like trees and stones, to acquire instant amounts of mana. Unlike Total Annihilation, players utilize a single resource (Mana), which can be generated and increased by building resource-gathering Lodestones in special locations. While in single-player mode, victory is accomplished by following each scenario's objectives, multiplayer mode offers victory by the destruction of all the faction's units and structures or simply the monarch alone. The monarch itself also possesses an array of spells which it can use to defend itself or turn the tide of the battle. Players choose between four factions - Aramon, Veruna, Taros and Zhon (As well as Creon, in the Iron Plague expansion), all of which start with a monarch, who is initially used to build structures and form an army. The game is played from a bird's eye perspective. The game was released with a book titled The Chronicles of Darien which contained the storyline, rules, units, et cetera.

An expansion pack, The Iron Plague, was released in 2000.

It was the last major title from Cavedog. Total Annihilation: Kingdoms, or shortened to Kingdoms, is a real-time strategy game developed and released by Cavedog Entertainment on June 25, 1999. I always thought that a different title would have done better. Rumble - I only ever played the Demo as a kid and always wondered why they slapped the 'Total Annihilation' tag on the title.

Total annihilation intro