Six down- four to go to!!: 4 faction slots left

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Originally Posted by Maeran

Following VT Marvin's link: Sooty formed a band?

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LOL, yeah, already in 1979 (same as I was born), it is a legend, highly recommended! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toy_Dolls

But in order to post also something more on topic: I am really happy about the factions previews, but if I am not asking too much, as I can understand how much work each preview has to take, I would love to hear more about gameplay mechanics, strat-map campaign (AI, decisiveness of battles or just stack-spamming), PSFs, etc. Maybe the Team could incorporate such news into coming preview?

Due to highly foreseen circumstances, we regret to announce a slight delay to our most imminent preview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6jqaA_jeZ8

We appreciate your patience in this matter and will aim to post the new preview as soon as possible.

The reasons we are delaying the preview (aside from the fact we have exacting standards we would like to meet) are as follows:

1. We're making it BIGGER: We had some things lying around the forum that we would like to show in addition to the faction preview, so we decided, while we were at it, to add these as well.... and some other stuff on top of that.

This is getting juicier and juicier :P

will it still be out before christmas?

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Originally Posted by war is hell

will it still be out before christmas?

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Yes, and even better it won't require batteries :p

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I would love to hear more about gameplay mechanics, strat-map campaign (AI, decisiveness of battles or just stack-spamming), PSFs, etc. Maybe the Team could incorporate such news into coming preview?

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THIS. Let's face it, unit pictures and description can only get you so far. What made EB truly interesting were the gameplay additions, which made the game "fresh" and much more enjoyable than Vanilla.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,4,3,2,1,0!

... BLAST OFF!!!:tnt::applause:

Can't say I didn't expect this. Iberia needed an additional faction to make things interesting and Celtiberians were the obvious choice here. The question is who is next. From a purely gameplay perspective, I think that we need at least one more faction in Eastern Europe (maybe an another Dacian faction?). Besides that, an additional Gallic faction would be nice. The Belgae would fit nicely here.

As always, I oppose the introduction of Syracuse as a major faction for gameplay reasons - they would be dead within the first 10-15 years and they wouldn't even last that long if the player was playing Carthage or Rome. Syracuse can be modded in after EB2 is released (at the cost of, let's say, Saba), but it shouldn't be included in EB2 Vanilla.

I'm not sure about Great Britain - an another faction there would be nice, but only if the region wasn't so isolated in every game. How is the naval AI in MTW2? Does it make naval invasions? A land bridge between continental Europe and England would be lame...

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Originally Posted by Cybvep

Can't say I didn't expect this. Iberia needed an additional faction to make things interesting and Celtiberians were the obvious choice here. The question is who is next. From a purely gameplay perspective, I think that we need at least one more faction in Eastern Europe (maybe an another Dacian faction?). Besides that, an additional Gallic faction would be nice. The Belgae would fit nicely here.

As always, I oppose the introduction of Syracuse as a major faction for gameplay reasons - they would be dead within the first 10-15 years and they wouldn't even last that long if the player was playing Carthage or Rome. Syracuse can be modded in after EB2 is released (at the cost of, let's say, Saba), but it shouldn't be included in EB2 Vanilla.

I'm not sure about Great Britain - an another faction there would be nice, but only if the region wasn't so isolated in every game. How is the naval AI in MTW2? Does it make naval invasions? A land bridge between continental Europe and England would be lame...

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I pretty much second everything you've said.

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Originally Posted by Cybvep

I'm not sure about Great Britain - an another faction there would be nice, but only if the region wasn't so isolated in every game. How is the naval AI in MTW2? Does it make naval invasions? A land bridge between continental Europe and England would be lame...

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It is much improved really, I've only played one real campaign in Kingdoms but it was noticeably better and much more often occurring. Factions actually went looking for weak/rebel coastal provinces to invade.

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Originally Posted by Moros

It is much improved really, I've only played one real campaign in Kingdoms but it was noticeably better and much more often occurring. Factions actually went looking for weak/rebel coastal provinces to invade.

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it's much better indeed
one of my best Total War moments: me being busy at war with the empire as france, and suddenly a huge stack of irish troops lands in brittany and attacks my cities, without me even provoking the irish
so yes, the ai sometimes does smart invasions

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Originally Posted by fightermedic

it's much better indeed
one of my best Total War moments: me being busy at war with the empire as france, and suddenly a huge stack of irish troops lands in brittany and attacks my cities, without me even provoking the irish
so yes, the ai sometimes does smart invasions

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In the 16th century, during the reign of Henry VIII, the English had the same idea. However the town they landed in had a good store of wine, so having gotten drunk the English troops just went home.

So theoretically this could be the final faction list.

The mods are on record saying they woin't use all ten "new" slots on first release, maybe they will have three spare for further releases (space bats mod?).

Looking very balanced, the only one I really see coming on is Caucasian Iberia.

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Originally Posted by Cyclops

So theoretically this could be the final faction list.

The mods are on record saying they woin't use all ten "new" slots on first release, maybe they will have three spare for further releases (space bats mod?).

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Correct.

So it won't be a problem to reveal the final map now? :yes:

So all factions for the first release are revealed. Will there be previews of the other factions before the release of the game, or will they be revealed just before they get integrated? And will there be more previews of the already known ones?

There could definitely be a preview of the Bosporan Kingdom. They were revealed probably two years back but we haven't heard much about them since.

Wow, I was just wondering which faction I'd most like to see a preview for, and I think the Bosporan Kingdom is definitely one. I guess their units may just be standard Greek fair, but I'm hoping for some unique flavor.

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Originally Posted by Brave Brave Sir Robin

There could definitely be a preview of the Bosporan Kingdom. They were revealed probably two years back but we haven't heard much about them since.

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Well that´s true and would be quiet interesting. Since Rome and Carthage, as well as some other factions had a preview, I wonder if there will be some for Mekedonia, Aedui, Ptolemaioi, etc.
Another thing. I recall that the Koinon Hellenon from EBI will be reworked to some extend, would also make an interesting preview.

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Originally Posted by Ptolemaios

I recall that the Koinon Hellenon from EBI will be reworked to some extend, would also make an interesting preview.

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Excellent point. I am extremely curious to know what they have in mind for the KH. They've stated a couple times now that expansion will bring up unique challenges for them, since the faction is essentially just an alliance and not a proper state. I think we could seriously use some more information on that prior to release.

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Originally Posted by B_Ray

I think we could seriously use some more information on that prior to release.

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It will include Syracuse.









......Sorry that was a very cruel joke :clown:

SYRACUSE.......yay!!!!... not its own faction per sec! but still!!!



...........ohh it was a joke!!!

Maybe you start as minor Greek Koinon, like the Achean or the Aetolian League. And you have to conquer several hellenic citys, including Syracuse, to convert your faction into a super Koinon.That´s just wild guessing, and will be probably completely wrong. But since it is just a joke anyways... We will see

Ya know, a third preview for the Getai wouldn't go amiss. :clown:

Well with that signature....

with this twitterpost of Kull i remembered this good old thread. so quicksearch an rebump... :clown:

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Settlements now finalized for the alpha release with inclusion of variants for Taksahila, Ptolemaioi, and one other faction - Kull

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what do you people think is the non named faction? my guess is Atropathene (sp?)

That would be nice, and we really could use another not so hellenised eastern faction though I gess Belgians will be in EB2 at some point.
I wasn't expecting more factions to be on first release but that and Tux/Alin answering that on the first release would be "around 28 factions" somewhere in the twc is a "bit" suspicious.


PS: Bobbin about Atropatene on twc (2011)

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They are a perfectly viable faction for EBII and most definitely were "kicking" in 272bc.

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Well I'll say this at least, we haven't picked all of our factions and there is certainly a chance that Atropatene could be chosen....but we are not going to pick the final faction(s) until after EBII's 1st release. So you are welcome to post any useful research here but you won't know if they get picked for quite a long time.

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Originally Posted by Hotseat_User

with this twitterpost of Kull i remembered this good old thread. so quicksearch an rebump... :clown:



what do you people think is the non named faction? my guess is Atropathene (sp?)

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It's an announced faction.

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Originally Posted by Moros

It is much improved really, I've only played one real campaign in Kingdoms but it was noticeably better and much more often occurring. Factions actually went looking for weak/rebel coastal provinces to invade.

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I know I'm responding to something old but what's great is that you can mod the ai to be even better in more direct ways compared to Rome 1.

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Originally Posted by Brennus

It will include Syracuse.









......Sorry that was a very cruel joke :clown:

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you standing alone against the syracusan phallanx with their brutiai pezoi and their marmetine allies flanking you and the greek nobles with their big sticks charging your rear would be a cruel joke

i still think syracuse would make for the most challanging gaming experience in the game they would have to either side with the romans and loose southern italy to try and get all of sikilia sardaine and alalia (getting the reward of having massilia and emporiom and arse joining them in their koinon ) or side with the kart hadast and try to take over where phyrrus had failed all of megas hellas including capua (like you took control of sikilia the massilians would join you if you took control of sardinia emporium would join you and once you took corsica arse would join you)

ok will shut up now i already rambled enough about the advantages of the syracousiai

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Originally Posted by Moros

It's an announced faction.

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While I´m usually allways craving for new factions, I´m more than satisfied with what is already anounced for EB2, as someone else said in the TWC it already feels perfect, the map already seems very well balanced with interesting factions everywhere, the 2 last slots are just bonus to be used in latter releases or submods. :)

Anyway, I´ve been playing Eb1 since 0,8x and there are still campains I want to do in it, recently started my first serious gallic campain ever with the Aedui and it´s been lots of awesomeness!

Factions Map of EB II:
http://uppix.net/FwhJjW.png

Without faction names:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://uppix.net/eXFzDi.png

First to all I want to thank the EB team for this great great job.
I am a fan and player since the beginning and haven't been even active for years but the news of the coming release made me very happy and eager to come back to the forums (specially since the disappointment MT:Rome2 has been).
The question is about the map, is this map final? With the desert/inacesible regions in northern europe, Scotland, south Ireland?
Is a Belgae faction confirmed? :sweatdrop:
Also keep the excellent job and be sure I would wait another year or more for EB 2 if it would take to have it.

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Originally Posted by Fabio Scevola

The question is about the map, is this map final? With the desert/inacesible regions in northern europe, Scotland, south Ireland?

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It is based on this map which is now outdated I think: http://oi49.tinypic.com/34gx4s5.jpg
Because I saw that they changed the map after into this:
http://uppix.net/2XdPW1.png

Actually I am not sure which is new/old.

the map is pretty much accurate the provinces are divided into subprovinces thanks to the permanent stone forts so just because you control a few permanent stone forts or capital regions doesn´t necessarly means you control the entire region so a few factions might seem a bit buffed up on this map (correct me if i´m wrong) i don´t think erebus is unacessable you can enter your armies there and kick the crap out of any rebels that might be thinking to pay you a visit it´s just uncontrollable no cities no permanent setlements no water no good to waste time there or trying to extract anything out of it (at least in the stepps you can harness livestock horses and slaves ... )

also the pritanoi are suposed to have no sea conection so looking at the map ...

but i´m talking out of my memory so 4 years after not everything is assured to be in pristine conditions in my own memory

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Originally Posted by Fabio Scevola

First to all I want to thank the EB team for this great great job.
I am a fan and player since the beginning and haven't been even active for years but the news of the coming release made me very happy and eager to come back to the forums (specially since the disappointment MT:Rome2 has been).
The question is about the map, is this map final? With the desert/inacesible regions in northern europe, Scotland, south Ireland?
Is a Belgae faction confirmed? :sweatdrop:
Also keep the excellent job and be sure I would wait another year or more for EB 2 if it would take to have it.

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The first map that CanOmer showed is final. The Eremos region includes northern Scotland and southern Ireland as we have insufficient archaeological data to support the idea that a socio-political structure, which would have been complex enough to be incorporated into an expanding empire, existed there.

The Belgae are not a confirmed faction (as much as I would like them to be). However this does not mean they have been ruled out as a future faction.

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Originally Posted by Brennus

The first map that CanOmer showed is final. The Eremos region includes northern Scotland and southern Ireland as we have insufficient archaeological data to support the idea that a socio-political structure, which would have been complex enough to be incorporated into an expanding empire, existed there.

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The Boii have two provinces instead of one though.

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Originally Posted by Brennus

The first map that CanOmer showed is final. The Eremos region includes northern Scotland and southern Ireland as we have insufficient archaeological data to support the idea that a socio-political structure, which would have been complex enough to be incorporated into an expanding empire, existed there.

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neither did the steppes thats why most empires prefered to stay out of it (except for the russians in 19th century but then again by then even the french spanish english and italians where fighting over the sahara )
i still defend the steppes as 1 single region with multiple stone forts to control sub regions of it

wasn't there going to be some sort of Eremos or Province swapping with Sardinia and corsica? At least I recall someone(of the EB team) suggesting they would be handles differently than before.

I have to say, with the additions of Pergamon and the Bosporan Kingdom, my prospects for a migrated faction campaign are a little inhibited. Not a bad thing, since both are awesome in their own right, but from the things I tried in EB1, there's only Massalia and Kyrenaia left.

the sahara the far north parts of ireland sardinia corsica and all of central arabia will be 1 single province known as eresmus aka uncontrolable or unconquerable regions there might be more ofc

you can still enter them if an eleutheroi army is getting to cloose to your own borders but it shall be unconquerable

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Originally Posted by QuintusSertorius

I have to say, with the additions of Pergamon and the Bosporan Kingdom, my prospects for a migrated faction campaign are a little inhibited. Not a bad thing, since both are awesome in their own right, but from the things I tried in EB1, there's only Massalia and Kyrenaia left.

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siracuse or the schytians can make for a very challanging game there´s also the illergetes around emporium or the tartessians from southern hispania

or the magnificent irish should also make for a nice novelty campaign (use the aedui or the arverni for this one to get acess to the great ships or armorica )

another steppe faction can be the kwarzarian with more enphasis on heavy cavalry and litle bit less on horse archers for historical acuracy (requires confirmation)

in africa one of the numidian tribes was left out

there´s the kingdom of axum with their elephants or meroe (ethiopia and sudam )
or ofc the most challanging campaign the garamantines who had a trade empire across the sahara (fezzah region of lybia nowadays) but this last one might require sine tweaking on the trade since they had acess to large amounts of salt gold ivory wich they traded for grain spices or trinkets with the ptolemaioi kart hadast or the red sea merchants so

there´s plenty of migration campaigns available some more worthy or requiring of tweaking then others (and i haven´t even mention the 4 great belgic tribes or the bituriges or the aquitani/basque with their solduros and basque heavy infantry if they could be melded into 1 faction )

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Originally Posted by Ca Putt

wasn't there going to be some sort of Eremos or Province swapping with Sardinia and corsica? At least I recall someone(of the EB team) suggesting they would be handles differently than before.

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There is still, the interior is indeed Eremos representing the Nuragic/Sardinian communities which were never really conquered afaik, mostly because they lived in too small and independent societies...

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Originally Posted by moonburn

neither did the steppes thats why most empires prefered to stay out of it (except for the russians in 19th century but then again by then even the french spanish english and italians where fighting over the sahara )
i still defend the steppes as 1 single region with multiple stone forts to control sub regions of it

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Actually coordination and a recognised central authority often existed in the steppes...
Local "kinglets" even intervened or were sought out by the Hellenes to tip the balance in Black Sea's affairs...
Even more most of the treaties in the area by non-nomadic peoples, specifically centre around how to deal with the non-stop menace from the horsemen...

In time all the local kingdoms were taken over by Scythian or Sauromatian nobility (same goes in Central Asia with Tocharian and Sakan families). The real problem rested on the absence of "conquerable" infrastructure (in a settled way of warfare), the Russians in fact settled communities to convert pastures in arable land. Something possible thanks to firearms eclipsing the bow. And of course a good deal of resources thrown at the local uprisings, which were dealt with successfully...

there´s even some greek/hellenic texts refering to a kind of semi-permanent schytian camp around the ukraine wich was estimated to have 1million people living there under a great schytian king and quite a few archeology made found evidences of schytian native potery and other crafts wich implied some specialized places (kart wheels most notably)

theres also the subermse city´s around the saka homeland (since the lake was given to flash floods ) so i´m well aware that the steppanites created such plces where dedicated craftsmen could develop their technologies wich we could consider permanent dweallings i mean even the composite bow requires weeks before being completed and moving them around could compromise their quality

but for historical purposes a more fluid steppes instead of taking hold of a so called capital would make more sence

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Originally Posted by moonburn

but for historical purposes a more fluid steppes instead of taking hold of a so called capital would make more sence

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It wouldn't because it never was an homogeneous cultural continuum, that the engine poorly reflects how areas were captured is a whole different matter: EBII will have ports and permanent forts represent the larger settlements present in an historical region, but there's little that can be done about the game's "capture-the-flag" mechanic...

All the provinces would need to be "fluid" for historical purposes...

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Originally Posted by moonburn

siracuse or the schytians can make for a very challanging game there´s also the illergetes around emporium or the tartessians from southern hispania

or the magnificent irish should also make for a nice novelty campaign (use the aedui or the arverni for this one to get acess to the great ships or armorica )

another steppe faction can be the kwarzarian with more enphasis on heavy cavalry and litle bit less on horse archers for historical acuracy (requires confirmation)

in africa one of the numidian tribes was left out

there´s the kingdom of axum with their elephants or meroe (ethiopia and sudam )
or ofc the most challanging campaign the garamantines who had a trade empire across the sahara (fezzah region of lybia nowadays) but this last one might require sine tweaking on the trade since they had acess to large amounts of salt gold ivory wich they traded for grain spices or trinkets with the ptolemaioi kart hadast or the red sea merchants so

there´s plenty of migration campaigns available some more worthy or requiring of tweaking then others (and i haven´t even mention the 4 great belgic tribes or the bituriges or the aquitani/basque with their solduros and basque heavy infantry if they could be melded into 1 faction )

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You're right, there are plenty of options in general, but I only like playing Hellenistic factions (the core Greek roster is just awesome), so Syracuse or Emporion are the only ones of those which would appeal.

There will be No Parthia/Pahlavan ?!?!

Of course there will be Parthia, what makes you think that there won't?

well it was not in the first page i searched!!
i was surprised too!

so its great to play a faction to an empire in EB II !!:2thumbsup: