View Full Version : what faction do you normally play as?
Lanemerkel1
01-05-2006, 08:24
for me it's the Julii or the Scipii (Blue and Red are my top 2 favorite colors)
haven't even touched anyone else yet.
x-dANGEr
01-05-2006, 13:58
Any faction but Egypt.
it is worth playing as egypt once- just to understand how easy and boring it is. All you do is build blacksmiths everywhere and huge spam chariot armies. then conquering the world gets really easy very quickly.
Although I enjoy playing as the roman factions I would reccomend something a little different. perhaps a greek style faction or a barbarian one. it becomes very interesting once you have got the hang of a new way of playing.
x-dANGEr
01-05-2006, 14:19
The most exciting ones I played till now are Carthage (RTW) & Saissaidns (BI).
Ragnor_Lodbrok
01-05-2006, 14:26
Carthage and Greek Cities in vanilla and Alemanni, Saxons and WRE in BI
I usually play Roman, Carthage, Selucid, or Franks. I certainly have had many games beyond that, but I *hate* small tech trees and so I usually stick to those. I find phalanx factions a bit boring as well, so I usually skip Greece/Macedon.
Lanemerkel1
01-05-2006, 15:40
I think I'm gonna try Carthage, Seleucid or Numidia
professorspatula
01-05-2006, 16:48
Well after playing as one of the Roman families, I personally go for any faction but another Roman one. The Seleucid Empire was my second choice to play when I first got the game, then Greeks and then Britons, but I never finished any of their campaigns. No matter who you pick - you'll still get to a stage where you can't see yourself losing your campaign. It's the journey before you get to that point that I suppose is the bit to consider. The barbs have limited grow potential but easy access to high quality troops so they're always worth a good look, and phalanx armies are interesting for a while, but I have no love for Eastern Cavalry heavy factions. I'm too busy endlessly modding the game to play most campaigns through though.
At some stage I'll probably give Carthage a good go. With the ability to exploit the AI idiocies during sally battles gone, and the more aggressive AI factions in general, holding on to settlements is much harder for factions like Carthage (and any other faction that has a lot of enemies - eg Seleucids) so their campaign should be a bit more interesting.
Garvanko
01-05-2006, 17:03
With RTW, while Seluecid is challenging, I really hate their colours - really puts me off. I actually like the Egyptian units (Bowmen, Desert cav, Guards, Chariots), but fighting in the desert early game is dull and boring).
My most enjoyable campaigns have been Carthage (Fantastic roster, strategically well placed when YOU play them), Romans, and the Greek factions (easy access to Cretans). Spain was good too.
With BI, definitely Franks and Saxons because of their Infantry, the Sassanids and the ERE because of their wealth and diversity. ive not really had much success with any of the major hordes, though. In any case, i prefer fighting against the hordes, rather than as the hordes. The WRE is still a work in progress for me though.
Overall, my two favourite campaigns have been the ERE in BI and Carthage in RTW.
The worst I ever played was Numidia.
professorspatula
01-05-2006, 17:27
The worst I ever played was Numidia.
I really loved my Numidian campaign... whilst it lasted. Having no money and no infantry to speak off against massive Egyptian armies made it a hell of a challenge. It was the only campaign I remember where I had to make strategic withdrawals and abandon settlements to regroup my forces. As soon as I got some money together and formed all Numidian Light Cavalry armies, I was unstoppable - kicking Scipii out of Africa, but not before talking control of Carthage, then invading Iberia and booting out the locals. I even fought alongside the Carthaginians several times to save them. I gave up soon after that though. I suppose there's only so many times you can use nearly all cavalry armies and not get bored.
Garvanko
01-05-2006, 18:06
Trekking up and down the desert is no fun when you have no money and rubbish units.
Well I'm still in my second campaign, but as the Greeks I'm not having so much fun as with Julii. The phalanx are effect but slow and its annoying because their cav sucks I have to recruit merceneries just to guard my flanks. I'm reached what I'd call 'superpower' status with them but probbably will not finish the campaign. I rather fancy playing with the Egyptains actually, chariots sound fun.
But after that I'll probably stop playing vanilla and install BI (I've had it for a few days, good price at a store so i bought it with no intention of playing immediatly.)
So yeah, but I wouldnt touch the barbarians, too uncivilised for me lol.
Garvanko
01-05-2006, 18:15
Spanish have got some fantastic units (Scutarii, Bull Warriors), and those temple bonuses, wow! Best barbarian faction for me.
Somebody Else
01-05-2006, 18:39
I have a weakness for playing as a civilised faction of some sort. So usually Romans, in all their flavours - Vanilla and BI. Barbarians once in a while, but there's just something lacking about them. Greeks were fun on occasion, likewise the various successor states - but phalanx armies can get a bit boring.
In short, I mostly prefer playing as the Romans - civilised imperialists with hard hitting mostly manoeuvarable units. And siege weapons.
The Seleucids. They got by far the coolest unit roster, like elephants and wannabe legions.
If you want a real different style, try Parthia or Scythia. Steppe battle, with all those horse archers are a very refreshing change, especially if you compare it with that infantry focused warfare Rome and Greeks have.
They are not very easy at the beginning, because none of them have a stellar economy, but they are very fun to play.
Lanemerkel1
01-05-2006, 19:33
I have a weakness for playing as a civilised faction of some sort. So usually Romans, in all their flavours - Vanilla and BI. Barbarians once in a while, but there's just something lacking about them. Greeks were fun on occasion, likewise the various successor states - but phalanx armies can get a bit boring.
In short, I mostly prefer playing as the Romans - civilised imperialists with hard hitting mostly manoeuvarable units. And siege weapons.
don't forget those Missle/Melee Hastati/Princepes and Early/Legionary/Praetorian/Urban/First Cohorts as well as the Melee Missile Cavalry Auxilia.
then the flat out kick ass Equites/Roman/Legionary/Praetorian Cavalry Units
before the Marian reforms my entire army was made out of Velites, Hastati, Princepes, Equites, Triairii and Cavalry Auxilia. nothing else, no archers, no siege weapons, nothing
but those were KICK ASS:
Velites: Pre-Attack Skirmishing
CAuxilia: Pre-Attack Skirmishing
Hastati: First Attack Wave
Princepes: Second Attack Wave
Triarii: Third Attack Wave (If the enemy survived long enough)
Equites: Flank Attack/Router Pursuit
now it is made up of:
Urban Cohorts: Frontal Charge (unless the damn Phalanx is being used)
Praetorian Cavalry: Flanking Charge
Cavalry Auxilia: Pre-Attack Skirmishing/Router Pursuit
since the spearmen of the romans didn't get any better but the infantry and cavalry got twice as good I dumped the Trairii line altogether, and because the Urban Cohorts are as btter than Princepes and Hastati COMBINED I use them in one all out frontal charge instead of a three wave attack since the Calvary Auxilia have gotten slightly better I use them alone for pre-battle skirmishing cause they can outrun anything. all in all the romans have an awesome troop roster.
too bad they don't have any phalanx units, I could really use those in some of my situations
Lanemerkel1
01-05-2006, 19:41
If you want a real different style, try Parthia or Scythia. Steppe battle, with all those horse archers are a very refreshing change, especially if you compare it with that infantry focused warfare Rome and Greeks have.
They are not very easy at the beginning, because none of them have a stellar economy, but they are very fun to play.
they are TOUGH in battle, 2 units of the Cataphracts flattened 10 Units of my post-Marian Roman Cavalry
Lanemerkel1
01-05-2006, 19:57
I usually play Roman, Carthage, Selucid, or Franks. I certainly have had many games beyond that, but I *hate* small tech trees and so I usually stick to those. I find phalanx factions a bit boring as well, so I usually skip Greece/Macedon.
that is one big problem.
the only infantry I can find for Carhtage in the custom battles is phalanx infantry or skirmishers.
however that may not be a problem because I usually play as the romans.....which don't have a single solitary Phalanx unit
they are TOUGH in battle, 2 units of the Cataphracts flattened 10 Units of my post-Marian Roman Cavalry
You should see head hunting maidens in action, its really scary how the chop armoured cavalry.
And massing horse archers makes for a very mean army: I lost count of the entire hoplite armies i erased without a single HA casualty.
Lanemerkel1
01-05-2006, 21:01
You should see head hunting maidens in action, its really scary how the chop armoured cavalry.
And massing horse archers makes for a very mean army: I lost count of the entire hoplite armies i erased without a single HA casualty.
I don't know what head hunting maidens are but I have decided whatever I do I am not going to attack Armenia....Cataphracts, Horse Archers, Cataphract Archers (mix of the two, talk about deadly potential),
if I played Armenia and made entire armies of Cataphract Archers I could, like you said erase both Infantry (INCLUDING Phalanxes...from Long Range) and Cavalry
P.S. YIKES! Britannia has head hurlers...just figured that out because they wiped my Hastati off the map
that is one big problem.
the only infantry I can find for Carhtage in the custom battles is phalanx infantry or skirmishers.
however that may not be a problem because I usually play as the romans.....which don't have a single solitary Phalanx unit
Well, I consider Carthage more of a cavalry faction. Poeni Infantry and Sacred Band are pretty decent, but it takes so long to get them that you've already won or lost by that point. This means you have to play the hard early game with only weak infantry units. Don't even bother fighting if you're just putting Iberian Infantry up against Hastati. Using massed cavalry with Elephants to break the formations is the only way to win with Carthage in the early game.
Lanemerkel1
01-05-2006, 21:43
Well, I consider Carthage more of a cavalry faction. Poeni Infantry and Sacred Band are pretty decent, but it takes so long to get them that you've already won or lost by that point. This means you have to play the hard early game with only weak infantry units. Don't even bother fighting if you're just putting Iberian Infantry up against Hastati. Using massed cavalry with Elephants to break the formations is the only way to win with Carthage in the early game.
I love watching enemy bodies flying everywhere when my elephants charge into the enemy ranks in custom/historical battles
and now that I look at it the Carthaginians (or anyone else for that matter) don't have anything that can stand up against Late Post-Marian roman units.
Zomby_Woof
01-06-2006, 00:40
In Rome: Total War my favorite factions have got to Gaul and Scythia. In all honesty, I don't like barbarian factions too much but these two are the exceptions and both have very interesting campaigns.
Scythia is a challenge since they have a weak starting economy, not much room to expand, and significantly better starting opponents. Scythia has a great potential though with some of the best cavalry in the game but pretty much nothing else. Regardless though it always makes for an interesting fight against the spear-dominant Greek factions and Germania.
Gaul has a less interesting array of units but makes up for it with a once again, amazing campaign. You're spread from the English Channel to the Mediterranean and are pressed on all sides by potentially powerful factions. Most of the time I end up warring with the House of Julii, the Senate, Germania, Britannia, and Spain within the first couple of turns.
I recently got BI and have played a couple half-finished campaigns. I must say I don't like it as much as the vanilla but I've developed a liking for the West Roman Empire; mostly because they're screwed right off the bat. Religious problems are spread throughout the Empire and you're spread thin. You have to keep a balance between taxation, happiness, and your own military forces. It's a challenge, but defenitely a fun one.
The Seleukid Empire, although Carthage is interesting also. In BI it is Vandals.
As everyone I started with the Romans, after them I went to the Seleucids, then Carthage and finally the Germans. The change from Roman to Seleucids was, in retrospective, the hardest. The roman cohorts are pretty much able to fight each for itself, keeping them in a tight formation isn“t that important. The Seleucid phalanxes, especially the early-game ones must be handled with greatest care, due to their vulnerability from flank attacks in combination with their low morale. It was like playing a completely new game, learning how to do things from scratch.
x-dANGEr
01-06-2006, 17:54
If you want a real different style, try Parthia or Scythia. Steppe battle, with all those horse archers are a very refreshing change, especially if you compare it with that infantry focused warfare Rome and Greeks have.
They are not very easy at the beginning, because none of them have a stellar economy, but they are very fun to play.
I think their units makes it up for them. Do a 1 on 1 charge between 10 catas and 10 urbans. If you use the catas right, those urbans are nothing but dead meat.
I think their units makes it up for them. Do a 1 on 1 charge between 10 catas and 10 urbans. If you use the catas right, those urbans are nothing but dead meat.
I've found that its actually more fun to use HA then heavy cavalry: Persian cavalry(for Parthia) or noble archers/noble women(for Scythia). I my opinion, it is also much more efficient in the long run (in campaign, i mean). The reason for it is that they will gain more and more exp almost without casualties (If the enemy has missiles too, try weakening first with vanilla HA or foot archers).
If you try to use all the arrows first, then by the time you charge with the heavy cavalry, it will be like a knife through hot butter, easy as that.
I don't know what head hunting maidens are but I have decided whatever I do I am not going to attack Armenia....Cataphracts, Horse Archers, Cataphract Archers (mix of the two, talk about deadly potential)
Head hunting maidens are Scythia cavalry: Good attack and Armour Piercing. They can and will kill katatanks without much trouble. Armenia isn't such a trouble: cataphract camels might be the only unit i've found hard t beat.
But, fo course, Armenia is not sucha piece of cake (unlike Dacia ~:handball: )
Bob the Insane
01-06-2006, 19:43
Anything Roman...
Not because I'm in love with the Romans or anything, but as the focal factions of the game they seem to be a bit more fun...
x-dANGEr
01-07-2006, 13:16
I've found that its actually more fun to use HA then heavy cavalry: Persian cavalry(for Parthia) or noble archers/noble women(for Scythia). I my opinion, it is also much more efficient in the long run (in campaign, i mean). The reason for it is that they will gain more and more exp almost without casualties (If the enemy has missiles too, try weakening first with vanilla HA or foot archers).
If you try to use all the arrows first, then by the time you charge with the heavy cavalry, it will be like a knife through hot butter, easy as that.
Head hunting maidens are Scythia cavalry: Good attack and Armour Piercing. They can and will kill katatanks without much trouble. Armenia isn't such a trouble: cataphract camels might be the only unit i've found hard t beat.
But, fo course, Armenia is not sucha piece of cake (unlike Dacia ~:handball: )
I know, but my point says that their cav can crush the heaviest cohort of Romans easy.. So how about with their deadly HA...
I ussually fight as the Britons, simply because they're on the westernmost edge of the Campaign map. Battles in the East seem so monotonous.
Well I'm still in my second campaign, but as the Greeks I'm not having so much fun as with Julii. The phalanx are effect but slow and its annoying because their cav sucks I have to recruit merceneries just to guard my flanks. I'm reached what I'd call 'superpower' status with them but probbably will not finish the campaign. I rather fancy playing with the Egyptains actually, chariots sound fun.
But after that I'll probably stop playing vanilla and install BI (I've had it for a few days, good price at a store so i bought it with no intention of playing immediatly.)
So yeah, but I wouldnt touch the barbarians, too uncivilised for me lol.
Did as I said, ditched Greeks and re-started with Egypt.
Sieging is difficult as chariots are not so good at it and they make up the bulk of my armies. Also I've finally reached sorta around Turkey where the provinces are smaller, large provinces immediatly surrounding egypt are very slow to move around which is annoying.
Will probably finish but then il install BI.
By the way, any suggestions for BI factions for future reference? ERE and Vandals seem interesting from what I've heard.
Doug-Thompson
01-09-2006, 16:28
RTW: Parthians.
BI: Eastern Empire.
Huns......It is my opinion that CA blundered with unit costs though. Against AI opponents it does not matter but to make them cost so much more than similar unit types is not good.
Lanemerkel1
01-09-2006, 19:12
in BI try the Huns or the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire
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