Thank you Al Capwn!
Just gave Black Death a quick run through with everything set to Medium apart from Buildings Amount (High) and Building Detail (Low). I had Grass and Roads on..... I got an average fps of 35!!! VERY playable. (System specs below.)
There was, of course, the dip in fps when the radio first kicks in but, for the first time ever, it didn't go below 20. The huge explosion was still a fps killer but, when playing, I hope to be causing explosions like that rather than being in the middle of them
To say I am impressed would be an understatement!
Now all I need is the performance patch to turn up and allow me to turn the shadows on..... or I am seriously throwing my dummy out of the pram. LOL
I'll give it a more thorough play through when the screaming rugrat is in the other room safely shut up...*cough* I mean tucked up.