The faction difficulty ratings in EBII look quite outdated for the most part and I want to address that as I have stated previously.
How will this overhaul be structured?
The difficulty will be split into several parts, each with specific judging criteria along with a final overall difficulty that takes all of these parts into account. Each part will be weighed differently in order to render judgement on the overall campaign difficulty. Note that the overhaul will be made with Hard/Medium difficulty in mind and is intended to be a supplement to the official guide.
Starting strategic situation:
The strength of your administration, military and economy at campaign start relative to your neighbors and the work needed to ensure a stable income with a strong main army with money left
over to build infrastructure.
Scripted events such as rebels, relief armies, generation/removal of funds etc....
Immediate geography and resource potential.
Weight in overall difficulty: 40%
Late strategic situation:
Late game army compositions and their strength relative to your enemies.
Potential to access additional military and civil options with reforms .
Scripted events (Such as nomadic invasions...)
Weight in overall difficulty: 20%
Faction Mechanics:
Potential long term benefits for Family members and the faction at large.
Possible constraints on player actions.
Necessity for micromanagement.
Weight in overall difficulty: 15%
Army composition:
Bodyguards (The general and his retinue, it should ideally be maneuverable, potent in attack and steadfast in defense).
Cavalry (Mounted units should be able to hit the enemy where they are unprepared and readily respond to their counterparts in the enemy army)
Infantry (Infantry units should be able to hold the line and grind the enemy to paste in protracted melee, credit to be given to fast, hard hitting light/medium infantry as well as solid heavy infantry)
Skirmishers (Skirmishers must be able to harass the enemy and deal good damage from range, being able to hold if intercepted or deal reasonable damage in CQC will be considered as a bonus.)
Ability of roster to scale with time.
Weight in overall difficulty: 25%
Overall difficulty:
Will be judged with a short paragraph with all criteria considered appropriately based on their weight on the overall judgement. A scale will be used to assess this difficulty as follows:
Easy
Moderate
Hard
Very Hard
Legendary
Closing statements
If any of you want to make contributions to this trend, please use the criteria specified.
I am in particular need of difficulty assessments for the following factions:
Hayasdan starts in a safe position with two very defensible settlements in the form of the decently developed but wealthy capital of Armavir and the newly founded but strategically vital Shamushat. Both her starting settlements are safely nestled in the Caucasus away from the conflict zones of Syria and Anatolia. Her starting military is sufficient for the initial consolidation of the surrounding lands ruled by petty kings. The Caucasus has the potential to be wealthy with Armavir at its centre. Unfortunately, on both counts, these potential strengths are constrained by vassalage to the Seleucids in exchange for semi-autonomy in her affairs although this was not always a given due to her relative isolation from the Seleucid heartlands of Syria and Mesopotamia. To compound this insult, the Seleucids and to a lesser extent, the Sauromatae through money and strategic marriages respectively have granted the surrounding petty kingdoms mutual protection from aggression by Hayasdan. Therefore, patience is advised until an opportunity arises to throw off Seleucid vassalage and attack when the gaze of the Sauromatae lie elsewhere.
Late strategic situation:
With her sovereignty now without question, Hayastan has the option of further expansion into the Seleucid heartlands to cement her status as in imperial power. This will inevitably put her into contact with Hellenistic culture which she can co-opt for her own purposes although not to the same extent as neighbouring Pontos. However, with her newfound status and wealth comes new enemies. The Ptolemies and the Nabateans will resent Hayasdan’s expansion into Syria and will bitterly contest her influence in the area. Pontos will also become increasingly threatened by her dominion, thus a careful watch should be maintained to gauge her intentions. The Seleucids, undoubtedly diminished by Hayasdan’s imperial rule will also plot unceasingly to seize back her lost possessions from her newly acquired empire. Maintenance of an Achaemenid style administration will bring many benefits to Hayasdan although secondary administrative hubs may have to be established to check the power of her satraps. Stay the course and Hayasdan may yet enjoy a new golden age.
Faction Mechanics:
• Seleucid vassalage
• Imperial Hayasdan
Army composition:
Hayasdan’s roster consists of various tribal levies with a good array of cavalry that should serve her well as she seeks to maintain her sovereignty in the face of aggression from the surrounding kingdoms and petty chiefs. Should she gain influence in her immediate periphery, additional Caucasian and Persian regionals can be levied to serve in her military. Should she gain true autonomy and expand her dominion ever further, well trained, and equipped retinues will be made available to her along with a plethora of foreign peoples willing to bask in her newfound power and defend it with zeal.
The riders who accompany the Arkhy and his trusted aides are drawn from the Nakharar and Azat nobles and are all covered from top to bottom in the finest scale and plate armour available, armed with barge pole and mace. They deploy themselves in battle atop the finest steeds, armoured in the same manner. They fight in the manner of the Cataphract which is a relatively new introduction to these lands, a product of steppe warfare that Hayasdan has taken for her own. They will often be the last to fall in battle.
The horsemen that serve Hayasdan are all seasoned riders despite her mountainous terrain. Javelin and bow armed cavalry gallop out to harass her foes from afar whilst stout medium cavalrymen follow them, never far behind. None should ignore the much vaulted and healthily feared Cataphract, covered from head to toe in finely made armour and armed with the much-feared barge pole which can impale any enemy and leave them to be crushed under the combined weight of their baneful hooves, their sheer bulk and their heavy armour. As her dominion expands, Hayasdan can gain access to even more exotic mounted options to bolster her already solid cavalry roster.
The infantrymen who fight for the Arkhy consist of lightly armoured levies and warriors who fight in the manner of the Persian Sparbara although more seasoned tribal warriors from Kartli, Egrisi and other locales can be co-opted to bolster the front line. Galatanised units can also be recruited to comprise a functional but unexceptional infantry core. As Hayasdan’s dominion expands, Hellenes, Persians and other foreigners can be recruited to fight for her. Finally, the Gund, masters of the spear, shield and bow can be drawn from the sons of the lesser nobility to reliably serve as much needed professional troops.
The missile troops that Hayasdan recruits to fight in her name can be relied upon to provide adequate supporting fire although their poor armour and discipline will leave them vulnerable to being intercepted and broken by faster or better-armed opposition should they get too close.
Overall difficulty:
Hayasdan’s sheltered starting position, her utilitarian roster and the relative simplicity of her reforms and mechanics make her campaign a solid first pick for a player just starting to explore Europa Barbarorum II.
Rating: Easy
I will refine this example and other assessments as the changes for 2.4 trickle in.
