suggestion for new faction

**clone** · 08-21-2014, 16:32

from what i have read in the forum culture slots are over so the two remaining faction are going to be based on already existing cultures. could i suggest that one slot be used to represent a seleusid satrapi with one or two provinces like in rome 2. i always liked the seleusids but i never played them(nor the neighboring factions) because they were huge.with my suggestion not only seleusids are going to have less provinces but also more pressure

**I_damian** · 08-21-2014, 19:18

I can't believe anybody would want anything from that steaming pile they call Rome 2 in EB2...

I doubt this idea would work though. AI in Medieval 2 Total War isn't very sophisticated on the campaign map. Allies and vassals will declare war on you at random, usually one turn after the alliance/vassalage was made, so the Seleucid satrapy would be at war with the Seleucids as soon as you hit end turn at the start of the game.

Also I wouldn't avoid playing the Seleukids just because they're huge, in EB1 this was handled really well. You were by far the biggest nation in the game and the largest army and the richest... but only on the first turn. On turn number 2 you had rebellions in your eastern provinces, you were getting hammered by the Parthians, your army was large but spread all over the place, you border some very powerful nations like Ptolemies and Pahlava... and Pahlava are very annoying to fight with all those horse archers. So you never felt like a superpower right at the start, that took lots of time to achieve.

Also the Seleucids are one of the most fascinating people to play as. So many different provinces and unit and building descriptions to read... they're amazing.

**Thoras** · 08-22-2014, 01:11

AI in Medieval 2 Total War isn't very sophisticated on the campaign map. Allies and vassals will declare war on you at random

Not really, with an modified campaign AI they will actually hold alliances.And it's possible to hold vassals for a long time if you are strong enough.

**Docus** · 08-22-2014, 01:59

Your wish has already been fulfilled. Both Baktra and the Parthians start out as Seleucid satrapies in EB1, so I assume they'll start out the same way in EB2. While the Parthians were strong enough to to attack their Seleucid masters straight away in EB1, the Baktrians started out too weak to do so. If the EB2 campaign starts out the same way, the Seleucids probably won't be OP.

**a completely inoffensive name** · 08-22-2014, 05:57

Originally Posted by Thoras

Not really, with an modified campaign AI they will actually hold alliances.And it's possible to hold vassals for a long time if you are strong enough.

yeah, I remember reading a blog someone made where he realized a few missing semi colons in the faction standing file was causing all the hostility. Essentially bonuses for peacefully occupying cities were being negated and even causing a net decrease in reputation. Thus, everyone hated you and everyone else by the early game.

**I_damian** · 08-22-2014, 10:27

Oh come on... I've played hundreds of hours of Medieval 2 in the past, including with popular mods like Stainless Steel, and I've been playing Medieval 2 again after installing it in preparation for EB2's release... the campaign AI is slightly improved over Rome 1 but is still very stupid a lot of the time. I don't have a problem getting allies in the early game but I do have a problem keeping them and after a few turns I don't bother making them anymore.

Example - Playing as Scotland, ally with France because we should be historical buddies. A few turns later, France blockades my port with a single cog.

**Thoras** · 08-22-2014, 12:26

Ahm in my last stainless steel 6.4 campaign with the HRE I was still allied with france after 200 Turns and Genoa was my Vasal for 80 Turns before I attacked them....In my end game I was allied with byzanz despite both of us being the only super powers left.

**Titus Marcellus Scato** · 08-22-2014, 13:29

Originally Posted by a completely inoffensive name

yeah, I remember reading a blog someone made where he realized a few missing semi colons in the faction standing file was causing all the hostility. Essentially bonuses for peacefully occupying cities were being negated and even causing a net decrease in reputation. Thus, everyone hated you and everyone else by the early game.

What?? Unbelievable - if you can find out where you saw this, I'd be interested to see it.

**Lysandros** · 08-22-2014, 13:57

Probably here:
http://t-a-w.blogspot.de/2009/11/why...edieval-2.html

**SD1987** · 08-22-2014, 19:52

Originally Posted by I_damian

I doubt this idea would work though. AI in Medieval 2 Total War isn't very sophisticated on the campaign map. Allies and vassals will declare war on you at random, usually one turn after the alliance/vassalage was made, so the Seleucid satrapy would be at war with the Seleucids as soon as you hit end turn at the start of the game.

This is totally untrue, you're thinking about RTW's horrible game-breaking AI. Medieval 2 did good things with campaign map AI and mods made it even better, did you ever play Stainless Steel? Campaign map diplomacy was pretty excellent.