First steps TW: Rome II Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
Before starting the game
Before you start playing I recommend setting graphics options in the menu on the left side of the screen and then selecting Advanced Options. There are two interesting elements: Unit Size and Run Benchmark.
First option allows increasing number of units you can see during the land battle. When you set it to Ultra, your biggest units will consist out of 160 soldiers. Battles will look much prettier from now on, when thousands of soldiers encounter on the field, instead of hundreds.
Another option, Run Benchmark, allows you to test your graphics settings. When you check it and select the prepared movie "forest", you'll be able to watch a few minute of animation, after which you'll get information about your machine performance. If you haven't notice any problems with graphics and the movie was played smoothly, you can go right on to the gameplay. Otherwise I suggest modifying graphics options you set previously.
Prologue
Regardless whether you played Total War series before, or Rome II is your first game made by Creative Assembly, I recommend starting with playing the Prologue. This is a mini-campaign, which will familiarize you with controls in both tactical (moving camera, moving troops, using special abilities and formations) and strategic (recruiting armies, constructing new buildings, choosing marching formation).