Which faction provides the biggest test?

[williamsiddell]

Greek Cities is a breeze. Lots of early ports with Colossus. Many Greek culture cities to take. Early access to a bunch of wonders.
Gaul starts with some very good cities.
Egypt ditto and again early access to a bunch of wonders.

For my style of play Britons and Germans don't seem suitable because of city promotion limits (but still considered).

Otherwise which faction is the most difficult to win with?

[ReluctantSamurai]

I'd like to remind you (kindly, of course) that this forum is for faction specific discussions, or other aspects of gameplay. Topics like this one really should be posted in the main forum.

That said, Parthia is the most difficult, IMHO. Crappy infantry inherently, and no other way to get any except mercs. Only get one temple, and not a very good one, at that. Starting position is precarious. Except for Susa, starting cities are poor and slow 'growers'. Seleucia gets you a good city and the "Hanging Gardens", but gets you into a war with one of the richer, and more powerful factions. The Big E will be on that list shortly.

When I've played them, I go straight for Seleucia, abandon Sakae (it's just too far away to control, and too poor to be of much worth), and concentrate on getting cavalry barracks developed, ASAP. Persian Cavalry are a decent horse archer, but not in the same class as Armenian CA's or Scythian Nobles. Heavy Cats, Ellies, and Persian Cavalry are your mainstays.

Scythia is difficult, as well, but you get serviceable infantry, and the second best horse archer in the game...Scythian Noble Archers. You also get a decent heavy cavalry in the Scythian Nobles, and the Head Hunting Maidens are no pushover, as they use an axe as their main weapon so get an armor-piercing attack. The Scythian Noble Women have a decent missile attack, but the unit is too small to be effective and are not as good as the Noble Archers. The Chosen Archer Warband has to rate in the top 3 for foot archers...equivalent to Germania's/Dacian Chosen Archer.

Distances are huge, and Scythian territories have the highest rates of brigands, in my experience. You pretty much have to have a roving army of generals and horse archers to get to them quickly. When I play them, I abandon Alanni and Sarmatae for the same reasons I let go of Sakae for the Parthians...too poor, and too far away to control. I take those troops, capture Chersonesos, and take Getae from the Thracians in preparation for expansion into Greece. It's a difficult campaign, but not as hard as the Parthians.

Numidia is also pretty difficult mostly from the starting position. Whomever on the dev team that started the Numidians off with Siwa, needs a history lesson. But it's easy to stay away from the Big E for awhile by abandoning Siwa...take those troops and capture Lepcis Magna before the Romans get there. Speaking of the Romans, Numidia needs to get a strong navy up and running, ASAP, because there's no way you can deal with the constant stream of Scipii landing in NA with Desert Infantry and Militia Cavalry. Easier to sink them enroute until you get Long Shield Cavalry and Ellies. You eventually get a Legionnaire clone roughly equal to the Principes, and they become your mainstay later on. It goes without saying that Carthage has to be booted out of Carthage and Thapsus. Again, a difficult campaign to start, but if you can overcome Carthage, and sink anything remotely Roman that gets near your coastlines, you can start to roll.

Germans don't seem suitable because of city promotion limits

Germania is easily the best barbarian faction to play, IMHO, and the one I play the most. Excellent infantry roster (Spear Warband, Bezerkers, Chosen Axmen, Night Raiders, Naked Fanatics), the best foot archer in the game (Chosen Archer Warband), and an excellent selection of Cavalry (Barbarian Nobles, Gothic Cavalry). You get decent temples one of which is a good 'growth' temple (Freyja). The choice for the other two (Donar, and Woden) depends on what troops you want, as many of those choices are temple dependent. You are far enough away from the Romans to not have to deal with them right off, and can set about crushing Britannia and Gaul. Eventually you will have to deal with the Romans, but Germania has the roster to fight well against post-Marian Roman troops (Zerkers, when jacked up with bonuses and a good general, can shred even Urban Cohorts). Anyway....I love these guys

[williamsiddell]

this forum is for faction specific discussions

Finally, I've got it! I should discuss a specific faction here. But if it's factions in general discuss elsewhere :) This forum thing is complicated.

You're a walking Wiki RS.

Your Parthia description paints a picture opposite to my preference (fast growth and never upgrade barracks). OK it's next on the list.

Germania after that. I've never fought a strong Germania so was unaware of the strengths.

Numidia and Scythia. Don't fancy plodding the desert and facing Roman hordes, nor trudging long distances in Scythia (I hate giving up cities).

[ReluctantSamurai]

Your Parthia description paints a picture opposite to my preference (fast growth and never upgrade barracks). OK it's next on the list.

Whatever you do, stay away from the Big E for as long as possible. You have neither the starting roster, nor the money to fight them off for long. I once had a very nice Parthian campaign going (so I thought) until Palmyra went rebel on them and booted the garrison out. Much to my surprise, I had a boatload of super-peasants and some horse archers flying the Parthian banner I considered just taking the entire stack and heading for Seleucia (which was under my control at the time) but the city was still mine, and when Egypt sieges and captures it, we're still at war. So I fought off the initial siege until another stack showed up and wiped out what was left. Suddenly, they make peace with Seleucia, and turn their full attention on me. Guess what Seleucia does with their temporary reprieve? Yeah...bad enough to be fighting the 'Golden Horde' but now the Seleucids want their city back. Needless to say, I got crushed. So when Egypt captures Palmyra, make sure you save your game and reload if the same thing happens (most of the time the city remains rebel if Egypt gets tossed out). Also make sure you grab Phraaspa before Armenia gets there (you are closer and can do it your first turn). Then...make sure they leave. You start with two heavy Cats to their one, and have a better general, so if they offer battle, you should win. I know Phraaspa is piss-poor, but it becomes too tempting for Armenia to be that close to your capital not to attack, and you need Seleucia ASAP.

Germania after that. I've never fought a strong Germania so was unaware of the strengths.

I think you'll have fun with them...I know I do. What's not to like about their roster?

Numidia is pretty boring, but Scythia is actually quite fun. If you follow my suggestion of abandoning Alanni and Sarmatae and going for Chersonesos and Getae, you can be in Greece proper before the Romans get rolling, and once you get to Scythian Nobles/Archers, the Romans can't stop you. Too bad I deleted my only Scythian game-save (accidently) or I could show you some screenies. I owned all of Greece and was preparing to invade "The Boot" when it happened, and I didn't feel like replaying the whole thing. I haven't played them since, but it's been awhile and I just might have the patience to have another go....

If the long distances get to be a pain (I just used older generals and 'retired' Scythian Horse Archers to clean up brigands), you can always leave the steppes to the brigands. You should have all of Greece by then (kinda like Visigoth invasion) and be heading for Italy, so it's not like you need the income from those places....

Oh, and btw...Carthage can be a handful. Everyone and their grandmother wants a piece of you (Gaul and Spain in Iberia, Numidia in N. Africa, and the Romans and Greeks on Sicily) but you gotta use your Ellies and have a strong navy, at the start, or you won't survive.

[williamsiddell]

From the outside looking in it seems everybody (including Egypt) attacks the Seleucids. They have several tasty cities ready for picking. So already I have been thinking of heading North at the start as Parthia and leave/take Seleucia depending for me on how things are panning out. What you say explains why I've seen Phraaspa in the hands of both Parthia and Armenia - It'll be Parthia in my game :)

you can always leave the steppes to the brigands

That would suit. If I can't afford to bribe I tend to leave them til I have an army passing on other business. A brigand killer posse sounds interesting.

Carthage can be a handful

That explains why I always find it easy to get a ceasefire with Carthage - they're already under heavy pressure.

[ReluctantSamurai]

So already I have been thinking of heading North at the start as Parthia

What in the blazes for There's nothing up there but long stretches of open steppe, brigands, and really poor cities...

You should abandon Sakae immediately (put them into the single bireme that you own and will ever need) and head them South. If you want to play a waiting game with Seleucia, take out the Armenians. Pontus will either attack Seleucia or you, in that case. Both are good things...your horse archers will run circles around eastern infantry, and they won't have enough Pontic Heavy Cav at this point to matter much. You'll have to get into it sooner or later with the Seleucids...better to make it sooner when they are weaker Susa takes a looong time to reach the point where you can train Persian Cavalry and then Cats & Ellies. Seleucia (the city) gets you there much, much sooner.