.....Wouldn't Verticality be Top-down?.....

At any rate, I loved Rome: Total War, blended real time strategy, such as putting you're cavalry in the forest to cloak them from the enemy so they can flank them and route their troops, with great turn based strategy. Hopefully the new title will blend the two together well again.

Nope, instead of playing basically top down (like a chess board), you can move units vertically (think of a rubix cube). Most RTSs are just moving along a 2D plane.

Hmm, that is interesting. Spos it's due to the implimentation of Aircraft, since Total War has previously been medieval/roman etc era.

Should add another level to the game play, or cripple it horribly.

Not just flight, but also units climbing up the various levels of buildings, etc.