big time strategy game. definitely watch some game play vids. there are two main pieces of the main campaign game. First the overall map which operates some what like Civ games. This is where you do you city planning, army building, moves characters, explore, trade whatever. When you fight a battle you get the option to fight it in a real time mode with whatever troops you have in that army on a smaller map that lets you command the units.
its an indepth game, that is long. its not crazy indepth like some strategy games but it has the best battle mechanics imo. Campaign will likely take you a couple weeks to play thru at first. but once you get good and comfortable with the game it goes a LOT faster. On some of the earlier games I can beat a campaign in a day of power gaming.