Going to have game soon

[Oaty]

Since I plan on having MTW before the end of the weekend or at least have it on order I was wondering, if any of you veterans would be kind enough what would be a great faction to start off with so that I can lead a nation to greatness and expand my empire from the atlantic ocean to the far reaches of the middle east. Then once I have suppressed all opposition to my vast empire, travel that mysterious warpgate called the internet and comand many great battles to maybe oneday slay your great king on the battlefield and make you regret helping me at my humble begining. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

OK if you could help me with listing the easiest to hardest. I would greatly appreciate it.

[LadyAnn]

The game does tell you which faction is harder than which, and it is pretty close to experiences people have. At the moment you chose the faction, some info will be given.

Annie

[MiniKiller]

And one more word. When you start, DONT PLAY ON EASY Stat with normal right away, easy is just not MTW.

[Nowake]

Quote[/b] (MiniKiller @ June 28 2003,04:37)]And one more word. When you start, DONT PLAY ON EASY Stat with normal right away, easy is just not MTW.
better with expert. I did it, and it's the only dificulty that can cause problems.

[Lehesu]

Sidhartha, from the book by Hesse? That's a great book
(ahem)
Try to pick a faction that is remote, or has few places to defend. The Danes are the most secluded, but can have economic problems in the early game. The best, I think, would be the Egyptians; fairly sheltered starting area and very good economy. Grab and alliance with the Byzantines and the Almoheads. The Byzantines will fight with the Turks, the Almoheads with the Spanish, and you can snap up the disputed land and make a sea empire.

[khurjan]

ilike playing the byzantines in early or turks in high and egyptians in late pretty good game with them

[hrvojej]

English on early would be good for learning, IMHO. Maybe not as easy as some others, like Egyptians, but fairly typical gameplay, able to develop both on sea and on land, there are rebels around so you don't have to go into the excommunication business right away, and they have many units avalable to try out. They are probably the easiest catholic faction to play with, and since most of the factions are catholic, you'll get a good idea about the game, while at the same time not having it too hard.

[Mechstra]

I'd say English too, in the Early Period. The game lists it as being moderately difficult, but you've got some nice starting provinces, have the all-powerful hobilars to train (I love those cavalry They're the best. They beat even Royal Knights), and once you reach High Period you can abandon those pitiful spearmen and archers and get Billmen and Longbowmen instead, which will serve you well throughout the last half of the game.

[el_slapper]

I follow. I have the impression this game was designed aroung England, then adding surroundings...

Crush the French ASAP. Between France & England, there can remain only one...

[Crash]

The Byzantines don't have to deal with the Pope, can't launch crusades or jihads, but still can use princesses, have lots of money, have a good geographic position, with many good unit types available, and seem to always have lots of good generals and rulers. So it might be a good learning faction - less complexity without the pope but lots of inherent advantages, just watch for the Golden Horde. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[NewJeffCT]

I would say try for Egypt first. Very wealthy starting provinces in Tripoli, Antioch and Egypt, a fellow Muslim to the north in the Turks, and only one way to attack to the West... and, an early crusade would have to go through the Almohads to get to you from one way, or through the Byzantines and the Turks the other way. And, you do not have to deal with that pesky Pope.

[DemonArchangel]

i would recommend england, catholic factions are always a good way to start.

[Doug-Thompson]

English or Egyptians, eh?

I'd recommend the Egyptians in general. Different factions teach different things, though. Let's go down the list. I assume you will start at the beginning -- the Early Period.

1. Almohads: Very good if you want to learn to attack and keep moving. The Almohads teach you how to make war against richer nations.

A lot of people buy this game so they can play the tactical game. If you like battles, the Almohads should give you plenty. Nice early-game units, too.

2. Byzantines: Not bad at all. They have good-quality units. They also face a fair host of enemies. They don't have Crusades, excommunication or Jihads.

Unfortunately, Crusades, excommunications and Jihads are very important aspects of the game.

So, how steep of a learning curve do you want? If you want to get good with the fundamentals, Byz are good.

3. Danes: Actually, I'd recommend the Danes if I wasn't afraid you'd become bored and frustrated.

Danes teach you to be patient. The most hopeless beginner can manage their tiny starting economy. In strategy, you have to learn to be oppurtunistic and how to sqeeze the value of every florin at the same time. You'll learn about navies and trade.

Consider the Danes, but block out lots of time if you do.

4. English. Everything everybody said about them on this thread is true, especially the part about how it's either them or the French.

5. French: See English.

6. Egyptians: Big, rich and everybody's target. Not exactly covered up with high-quallity units in the early game and without the expansion pack. Nice faction for teaching the importance of a navy and how to play defensively in the tactical game, or attack with mass and maneuver rather than technolgy.

7. Holy Roman Empire: If you want to learn everything at once, play them. You'll learn all about the micro-management burden, loyalty and civil wars and excommunication real quick. Dive right in.

8. Spanish: I'd recommend this civ over the French or maybe even the British.

Unlike other Catholic factions, the Spanish have a neighbor they can attack without getting ecommunicated: Muslim Almohads. So if you like fighting with Christian knights and not having the rest of Christian Europe as your enemy, try the Spanish.

9. Italians: Not really recommended for beginners, but it will teach you the importance of navies and trade.

10. The Polish: I haven't played this faction enough to know. I'm told they are not an easy faction. However, they have barbarian lands in Russia to expand in, making them another Catholic faction that can fight without getting excommunicated.

11. Turks: Tough faction to play. Try it if you like a challenge.

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Hmmm. Who'd I leave out? Oh yeah, the Russians. They aren't playable in the Early game.