Faction Suggestions

[Rex Somnorum]

Since a few faction slots are left open, I assume the EB II team might add more later on. Should I be chosen to select a new faction (God willing), these are my top two:

The Illyrians. Why?
*Well documented
*Positioned in an empty area of the map
*Posed a serious danger to Roman shipping in the Adriatic in the time period
*Politically united
*Would completely change the dynamic for the region
*Unique units and tactics.
*Relied on piracy.(Would be interesting to recreate in the MIITW engine.)

The Galatians.
*Extensive connections with surrounding literate states. Thus, tolerably well documented.
*Established a unified, independent state in Anatolia.
*Deeply influenced surrounding governments and cultures, including serving as mercenaries.
*Powerful combination of native swordsmen and Hellenic units. (I'm not claiming that the Galatians ever fought in a Greek style, but an expansionist faction would have access to Greek units.)

I'd like to hear everybody else's proposals.

[Moros]

Since a few faction slots are left open, I assume the EB II team might add more later on. Should I be chosen to select a new faction (God willing), these are my top two:

The Illyrians. Why?
*Well documented
*Positioned in an empty area of the map
*Posed a serious danger to Roman shipping in the Adriatic in the time period
*Politically united
*Would completely change the dynamic for the region
*Unique units and tactics.
*Relied on piracy.(Would be interesting to recreate in the MIITW engine.)

Were they politically united, really? I don't seem to remember this well for our start period, but were they?

The Galatians.
*Extensive connections with surrounding literate states. Thus, tolerably well documented.
*Established a unified, independent state in Anatolia.
*Deeply influenced surrounding governments and cultures, including serving as mercenaries.
*Powerful combination of native swordsmen and Hellenic units. (I'm not claiming that the Galatians ever fought in a Greek style, but an expansionist faction would have access to Greek units.)

I'd like to hear everybody else's proposals.

This I don't see happening as there's already so little space for Pergamon and Pontus. While the yellow fever and grey death breath in their necks. Really, gameplay wise it doesn't seem to be realistic nor fun.

Anyway @Brennus seems to be rooting for the Bellovaci (Belgae tribe). Considering we'll need to find historians for the new factions and this one has one that is very motivated and has always delivered, I'd say that might be one of the best bets. I'm not saying it should be a faction, but it seems it might be the most doable. As it doesn't need that much new content and we have someone who'd make that content.

Atropatene seems like a viable faction on historical grounds as well. I wish there were more culture slots. Missing out on Axum is sad. Iberia (the Near Eastern one) might also be viable.

[Rex Somnorum]

Were they politically united, really? I don't seem to remember this well for our start period, but were they?

Not all of Illyria, no. But there were several largish tribal "kingdoms." The potential for complete unification was there, though. They were obviously important enough to stoke the ire of the Romans.

[Brennus]

Brennus has been rooting for the Bellovaci and other Belgae since he joined the org.

The Bellovaci would make a good choice in my opinion. There is a sizeable gap in the EBII map between southern Gaul, Britain and Germany. Also I am sure many Aedui and Arverni players from EB will remember how you spent a lot of the time trying to keep the Rhine frontier from being overrun by Sweboz. Having a faction in this area, especially considering the tendency for EBII to use naval invasions, would make the Pritanoi less of a leisurely faction and give the Arverni and Aedui new opportunities and challenges.

Caesar describes how the Bellovaci were renowned for their bravery in battle, and by 57BC we are aware of their diplomatic commitments to the Aedui and their relations with the Pritanoi. The archaeology of northern France is also very well researched and as such writing descriptions and developing the faction would not be hindered by a lack of sources. We know from this recent work that the agricultural practices of northern Gallic peoples like the Bellovaci were distinct from those of southern Gauls, as were aspects of their religious practices (there is also enough evidence to draw up a full pantheon for the Bellovaci as I may have already done...) and their economy. Likewise their system of government was different to the Aedui and Arverni, thus they wouldn't be "another Gallic" faction like those we already have. Aspects of the weaponry and armour of the northern Gauls are also different enough from those of southern Gallic tribes that the unit roster for the Bellovaci, although not massive as there is only one Belgic province in EBII, would again not be a copy of the southern Gauls.

As Moros has stated Anatolia is already quite heavily settled, which would count against the Galatians. But if I am honest, after the Belgae, the Galatians would be my preference. There is a lot of scope for variation and reform. After about two or three generations the Galatians have almost totally Hellenised; their weaponry, architecture and clothing became almost indistinguishable from their neighbours. They did however retain their language and aspects of their fighting style. By the 1st century BC they had reformed their military so that they were fighting in maniples, equipped with Greek theuros and armour and operating in a fashion very similar to that of Romans legions. We could also script government reforms, as we know these did happen when Mithridates VI murdered most of the Galatian senate, forcing them to adopt a monarchy.

However counting against the Galatians, in addition to Moros point about a lack of space, is the fact they have only recently been the focus of research and the majority of what is published is in German... which I can't read.

[RAWROMNOM]

Jesus once said that it is harder for faction to win a slot in EB than it is for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle.

[CanOmer]

A Belgaen faction is must, after that I think Massalia or Insurbes may come.

[fallen851]

Maybe another Kingdom around the area of modern day Belarus. I feel like that area is devoid of everything...

[Moros]

Maybe another Kingdom around the area of modern day Belarus. I feel like that area is devoid of everything...

Kingdom? There were no kingdoms in that area. There were tribes and such, but I wonder if there's much information on them and whether they were much organised as a political entity. Both I doubt. But cmacq is the one to ask.

[Buzghush]

Galatians had Celtic style light chariots and again Celtic style scythed chariots. If you will add Galatians, please add 2 different Chariots to their unit roster.

[moonburn]

Kingdom? There were no kingdoms in that area. There were tribes and such, but I wonder if there's much information on them and whether they were much organised as a political entity. Both I doubt. But cmacq is the one to ask.

we could always call them the swamp people ... i´ve read somewhere that the only historical (written account) of that area talks about men eating other men (and since it was written by a greek we know he wasn´t refering to homosexual behaviour )

illirians would be very nice but the balkans like the messi asia are both overcrowded and an illiryan faction would soon find itself caught beteween a few walls (rome makedonia epeiros or even the kh) and a hard place (the boii and the getai ) so altough very cool faction to have unleass the scope of the game allows you diferent ways of developing the faction (and it should if you don´t pay for your troops upkeep while they´re walled in city´s ) their chances of sucess are none to 0 (unleass some genius can invent a new super heavy elite unit that we´ve never heard about like the scordiscii orca )

the galatians are not that appealling to me somehow naked men running around just turn me off :\ and i´m normally fond of the kelts

as someone stated axum or meroe would be the blast super light high manouverable infantry like only the ethiopians can suply combined with elephants \p

but for me the number 1 absolutely hands down no questions asked are the siracusans \o/ if you need to question why you should read more books

the number 2 would be the schytians of olbia a regressive campaign where the scythians go back to the steppes and reconquer it from those darn upstart sauromataes a true schytian greek kingdom started by schytians and not like those wannabes bosphorians

then you got the tartessians and the illergetes in the iberian peninsula

the belgae i would go with the nervii (more chances for jokes with puns about nerv wrecks ) or the remi

the basques/aquitani would be nice in terms of rpging particulary if they go for armorica and we get a true pirate kingdom composed of massive unsinkable ships manned by squadrons of solduri and those basque superheavy´s as marines (altough most likely i would mod it all to skandinavia both the troops and the boats and start a new viking age)

the irish with their warhammers could be fun

my list of factions for eb2 if given a chance would have around 60-85 factions

[joshmahurin]

I think everyone agrees that Belgae are a perfect addition so I hope they eventually make it in. Illyrians are also good even if only for game balancing, keeping Rome and Epirus in check. Axum would also be awesome, a thorn in the back of the yellow fever. I would personally love to see Syracuse but we do already have quite a lot of hellenic factions, so I understand why that is less appealing. I personally don't see anything wrong with crowding Anatolia with another faction, if it's historic then it's historic and having multiple small factions competing or cooperating to varying degrees is something I personally am a big fan of. If only diplomacy wasn't so useless.

My top two votes are Belgae and Illyrians.

[Stath's]

1) Belgae

2) Syracuse

3) Rhodes

[Bambi]

I would prefer an additional faction in Britain, as a rival against the pritanoi (and my favorit would be the Goidilic)

[Brennus]

Possible but difficult. A different British faction, based on the archaeological evidence, would likely by the Parisi of eastern Yorkshire. Most of the big players of late Iron Age British politics, the Atrebates, Catuvellauni, Cantii and Iceni do not become visible in the archaeological record until the 1st century BC. In terms of a Goidelic faction it would have to be the Iron Age predecessor to the Medieval kingdom of Ulaid/Ulster. Not only is it the only region in Ireland which is not Eremos, but it is the only one where, so far, we have found considerable evidence for the concentration of power (beginning c.300BC and reaching its apex in the 1st century BC).

[Rex Somnorum]

A Belgaen faction is must, after that I think Massalia or Insurbes may come.

Massalia would be fascinating just for the mix of Celtic and Hellenic units, but the Romans would overrun the Insurbes in the first few turns.

I would like to stress, though, that is possible to have too many "Celtic" factions. Sorry Brennus.

[kdrakak]

I am a bit confused on the criteria for faction inclusion. Practical considerations (i.e. having Brennus therefore find a spot for every Celtic faction) are understandable; EBII should aim for what is possible. But, doesn't all of today's France fall under the same category? Each territory is home to another tribe more or less dominant. And perhaps Asia Minor of the time was a similar mosaic with Pergamon, Bythinia, Pontos, Kapadokia and Galatia all being independent more or less (correct me if I am wrong). However, most of these were hardly poised for regional or wider domination, but who is to say. Unless that is not a criterion. Syracuse I can see under the same restrictions and as for Massalia I think it was less influential, but then perhaps more than other candidate factions. Plus it would make for a cute roster. I can't see Rhodes as an independent faction. Perhaps a special building granting superior fleets or extra cash, but that is as far I think it should go. I think it is Irish people that care for a Goidilic faction and I really don't get another faction next to the Lugiones and the Sweboz. As for the Illyrians perhaps they make sense, but I lack the info or the interest to investigate.

So based only on preference I would say:
Galatia and Syracuse

Sorry Brennus. No european celts.
:)