I don't recall us having had a poll on this. Please give reasons.
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I don't recall us having had a poll on this. Please give reasons.
byzantium; vardariotai and more vardariotai
Portugal... good balance of unit types, great gunpowder once there, great ships, Conquistadores in the new world... and a good starting position. First Iberia, then the world!
:egypt:
You start with Mameluk Archers, can declare Jihad on the first turn and never run out of money. You also get the first crack at the Mongols and the Timurids. The only real complaint is that they're too easy.
You Forgot the Papal States, (along with Aztecs, Mongals and Tirmiurds), so went for scotland as they are another fav, Denmarks also good too BTW, (I love infantry as you can tell and loathe cav).
pourtugal. kill spain then consolidate, kick moors out of iberia consolidate, cross gibraltar kill moors and once angain consolidate
For the Empire!
It has to be those Juggernaught like units they get. I love seeing my Two handers and Forlorn hope scare the crud, then tear the crud out of mine enemies!:beam:
Ze Holy Roman Empire :laugh4:
The colors, black yellow, look really nice; they got nice units; good generals speeches; good announcement texts during battle; good text audio on the campaign map; a location to expand into every direction overland (though it means you're surrounded by many factions); etc.
With HRE's campaign I've had the most fun.
Turks: Awsome location. Superb economy. Easily defendable. Just love the units. My siphais are untouchable. Later foot units are highly versatile.
Runner up: Byzantine (sadly portraited in M2) and HRE.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JCoyote
QFT!
Their javelin infantry and cavalry is so effective is almost unfair. Then throw in the arquebusiers and Avertous and you got yourself the best INFANTRY based faction in the game
I'm torn between Moors and England.
English have great Longbows and that's all really and Moors got cheap and effective early units that are still great in the late game.
So I am going to abstain from the poll as I cannot decide.
Scotland every time. Patriotism I suppose is the reason. They don't have the best selection of units, including no xbow units or gunpowder infantry, but they do have Galloglaich rebels to hire which are my favourite unit. Seen as they start from such a small position I like marching them out and proving their force. :D
Russia, but Sicily comes in second.
Sicily, awesome muslim archers and one of the best factions to blitz with. Take northern italy, and the byzantine empire at the same time
All the way Byzantium!
Russia- Russia seems to be designed for those of us that like to turtle and take the campaign slowly. You get a nice position in the corner of the map, and can generally avoid contact with just about everyone if you don't go too much further than Kiev (don't take it either). The only ones who start wars are the Poles, but peace treaties with the Poles are always economically benificial.
Once you hit your late game units, you become really powerful.
I am an avid Russia player, but I play the opposite with Russia. My western Border stays at roughly Vilnius and Kiev while I consolidate power in Eastern Russia (Volga+Sarkel) and then I head down through Georgia, into Armenia and then take Mosul. At this time the Poles attack, and I really just have to swamp them down with large amounts of Kazaks, seeing as their units are superior to mine in the early stage.Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulTa
The Middle East has very rich cities, ripe for the sacking!
Russia
Dvor cavalry and dimounted dvors :smash:
Not to mention the tzars guard :smash:
And with gunpowder: the best hand gunpowder unit in the game Cosak Musketeers!!!
HRE for having more then 5 provinces..... OH SNAP.
I like the Moors as they generally have weaker units than the Christian equivalents, so tactics tend to be more important. I also like the Christianity vs Islam conflict on Iberia. And I like camels ~:).
I had great fun exploring North Africa and finding a way through the desert the first time I played M2TW.
Gotta be merry olde Englande! I just love Longbows, and DEKs rock. Besides, it's nice to have to crush the frogs in each and every game!
The Byzantine empire, awesome position once you consolidate, and the most cool looking units in the game :yes: , finally, it's a real challenge after the 1250's withouth gunpowder
Spain all the way. Besides for having a good starting position for both beating Muslims and getting to the New World, their gunpowder, ships, infantry, Pavise crossbowmen, calvary, skirmishers. They have a much better professional army than Portugal and France is easy to conquer after it gets involved with the HRE, Milan, and England.:2thumbsup:
Turks. Good starting position, good infantry and cavalry (JHI beats zweihanders 1 on 1) and you get to fight all of the Mongols and Timurids before anyone else ruins your fun :2thumbsup:
AND you don't have to listen to a psycho with a pointy hat in Rome :laugh4:
Oh and decent melee infantry that can also shoot long range missiles.
Can't vote but my two cents would be boring England. An island that gives a good start defensively supported by a strong fleet.:2thumbsup:
I'd have to say Turks. JHI in towns are brilliant if kept on the offensive.
The many forms of (any environment) horse archers. Wonderful for slimming the enemy before he reaches our house.
Playing as the commanding general of the "psycho with the pointy hat". Your own generals can freely have 0 piety and you command those burners to get rid of almost anyone anywhere in the world. Who needs assassins when you have these guys?
HRE - more colour scheme and starting position than units imo.
byzantines are a close second.
with out a doubt HRE for their power to steam roll in every direction and leave no prisoners
Scotland, because of the sense of patriotism ( as said by ezikiel) and the mixture of great infantry ( far better than there rating suggests) and there awesome cavalry. Plus they have an okay startegic position as they can take one of the biggest armies in the game literally from the off
hafta say Hungary. They have nice starting spot for having interesting enemies. Catholics, Orthodox, and muslim all at the same. plus awesome cavalry.
England Crusading, Long Bows, it's a merry old island :2thumbsup: !!!! Spain was cool too :smash: :smash: the Moors take Africa & work your way into Europe:beam: . I have not tried Russia sounds good next round :yes:.
I like Spain. Great starting position, with Muslim Moors and a weak Portugal to beat up on. Excellent Naval units with the best position to invade the New World. Not to mention my favorite calvary unit that are useful early and late in the campaign, Jinettes. "The lances in Spain fall not too gently upon the plain." Team them up with an all cav army including Knights of Santiago and Crossbow cav, they can take on just about any army.
But still a hint for all who hanent tried it yet:
play Russia on VH/VH, or maybe it was coinsident that at both times i played Russia I got the whole first imapact of both invasions Mongols and Timurids, so that made for a heck of a problem :)
But also their units beat ass, although there is no infatry unit (without upgrades) which has defence over 16 :(
They still kicked all asses that came across in the game, when used with a little tactic abillity :smash:
Actually, reading this thread has changed my mind....I just started a moorish campaign, but I'll scrap that and have another go at Ze Germans!
Didn't like it the last time I played it tho, as I was finished by turn 50...Won't play it offensively this time tho...
sticky anyone?
HRE - because i played with them first and it is "old-school" medieval catholic faction.
moors - Because it is great opposite of HRE . And i love camel gunners :yes:
And i want try wti Turkey (i player with them in EUII )
England.
Portugal only.
Luckly with a mod done by Portuguese that corrects a lot of historical inconsistencies of vanilla map.
Portvcale v1.1b
Russia. I love camping and letting the rest of the world develop, and Russia is great for that. They get absolutely terrific units (cossack musketeers are panzers in sheep's clothing) and have a wide array of foes to face. Mongols, Timurids, Catholics, Orthodox...Games as Russia are never boring. Plus, it's just fun to conquer rediculously huge, empty provinces. :laugh4:
so far my favorite faction has to the mongols. I downloaded a mod that lets me play as them, I forgot the name, and they are my latest campaign. I rp'ed the starting force as one of the small nomadic tribes of the stepp. When the real horde arrives, I will unite my tribe with theirs, and create a glorious empire that reaches to the new world. Plus the mongols fulfill my need for large horse archer armies. Happy hunting!! :smash: :skull: :charge: :gah:
My campaign went just the opposite of that. Within ten turns I found myself swamped with agressive polish armies and spent the next two hundred years fighting continual wars with the Poles, then the Danes, and then the Hungarians, one after the other with only brief pauses. Still, it is a lot of fun, and I think the Russians excellent balance of infantry and cavalry archers is about the only thing that's allowed me to fight back effectively. It's also a lot of fun to use woodcutters to ambush knights and enemy generals.Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulTa
Spain all the way! :2thumbsup: I love them because by the late Medieval Age - Rennaisance they were the Worlds superpower at the time and I really am enjoying playing as them as well as reading their history:book:. Habsburg Spain, the Reconquista, the Conquistadores (Cortes - what a legend) I love everything about the Spanish.
Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation - that's the HRE if you haven't guessed it yet.
The name, the color scheme, the great unit roster, the challenge, it all fits. :yes: Plus, I'm German, so I guess a bit of patriotism flows in as well... :germany: :2thumbsup:
England and Scotland tie for second place and third is Denmark.
With a bit of modding to make DIKs (oops... read every letter individually please :laugh4: :laugh4: ) on par with Dismounted Feudal Knights - which they should be anyways - and modding DGKs into the campaign, the HRE has an amazing unit lineup, lacking only decent archers.
Very solid Infantry: DIKs, DGKs, Zweihander, Armoured Sergeants
Amazing Heavy Cav: GKs, IKs, Teutonic Knights
Perfect Artillery: Serpentines, Basilisks, Cannons
Useful Missile Troops: Pavise Crossbows, Mounted Crossbowmen, Arquebuisers
plus the later availability of Landsknechts and Swiss Pikemen
Once you have secured your starting territory, the sky's the limit. West, East, South, or North, you can go anywhere. :2thumbsup:
Spain for me too.
A starting position with plenty of non-Catholic territories to cut your teeth on.
Easy access to ocean and sea.
And - IMO - the best voice work in the game. All the Spanish voices are perfectly done. Listening to the same speeches done in the different voices just doesn't sound as good. ;)
I also lived there for a few years while in service so, I feel a bit of attachment that way too. I need to get back there....
Hey nice one I used to live in good old Espana as well!Quote:
Originally Posted by Kraggenmor
Too difficult to answer, from my point of view.
I have played as Scotland, England, France, Spain, Denmark, Russia, Turks & Egypt so far and have thoroughly enjoyed them all.
Each had their own "good points".
France I found challenging because everyone attacked me.
England was great because I love longbowmen and the Sherwood Archers.
Scotland was a blast taking a small nation without gunpowder units and conquering everything.
Denmark was great because I focused on cities and wealth because I could build Norse Cleric cavalry in cities.
Spain because of their excellent units and different starting location.
Egypt because they can roll over just about anyone.
Russia because of their units and starting position (can turtle if you want to)
I found the Turks to be the most challenging because I am having difficulty getting any economy going while holding off the Byzantines.
I think I'll pick Scotland, just because it was so challenging to win.
I chose Denmark but its really a tie between Denmark and HRE for me. I've played more Denmark campaigns so I used that as a tie breaker since we can only choose one.
Excuse me if I'm wrong, but Scotland are not completely without gunpowder - I once acquired a few cannons and a mortar as them.Quote:
Originally Posted by alex9337
Those are seige, not units though. He was a bit unclear but he meant actual units of men with firearms like Muskteers, Hand Gunners, Camel Gunners, reitiers e.t.c.Quote:
I once acquired a few cannons and a mortar as them.
France - Because I have an overwhelming desire to repeatedly send my hugely expensive massed knights and nobility up against English longbows. I can do this either on horseback or dismounted trudging exhausted through the mud over the bodies of earlier attacks and all the while be historically accurate! It just doesn't get any better than this!:wall:Quote:
Originally Posted by econ21
Scotland all the way......."Where's the fight?"......Love to wipe out the English and Danes and then I head south and east.............Scottish Pikes....Deadly........:smash:
Turks.
Speed, mobility, firepower, decent all cavalry armies, horse archers (!), Jannisaries, versatility in mid and late game towards balance of all cavalry and mixed armies.
Hey Timurids and Mongols should be added to the poll. IMO a reasonable candidate for a sticky too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sinan
I agree..My vote has gone to Turks....
I voted Sicily because they have great melee units; Sword and Buckler Men, Norman Knights, and of course, Arquebusiers ,a gun powder unit!
I like Venice too though for their Heavy Infantry, and Spain for their Javelin Class units.
Hungary. Mostly because starting position and early horse archers. Later units are not so important as my early units still make the backbone.
Starting position you ask?
Well I can take venice and bologna without getting in war with HRE. With venice, bologna, zagreb and budapest I have enough money to do virtualy what ever I want.
Always been partial to England. They have a great starting position with which to consolidate and then expand. Not the best units though, and you face the problem of expanding against catholic neighbors with the pope breathing down your neck.
I'd like to say Scotland for patriotic reasons but while they are fun, the best factions are those with challenges (and variety too):
-- Venice and HRE for their awful starting positions
-- Russia and Turkey for intersting troop mixes and the Mongol/Timurid threats
With the winner by a short head being Turkey.
Is the poll malfunctioning?
A couple of posts flying the flag for Hungary yet no votes registered for them in the poll!?
As of the time of this post, notice that England and Scotland — the British Isles — make up 23 percent.
Just an observation.
France defiantly. Sexy crossbowmen, Powerful Calvary, and enough infantry to fill you wildest dreams.
I love the Russians, mostly because I'm a Ukrainian-American :beam: Needless to say Kiev becomes my capital when I take it.
That aside, I like Scotland as a close second. I love Greek Phalanx's and Scottish pike give me as close as I can get to it.
Okay, I have only been playing II two weeks and have only gotten to about 40 turn in on any campaign before I switch. So far I've tinkered with English, Spanish, Portugese (several times) and now Milan.
Maybe it's growing expertise and knowledge, but Milan is really interesting from a family angle. With the core of five cities all right there in northern Italy I can actually develop positive governing traits by city-hopping. I have three pretty darned nice governors (one of which is also close to an effective 10 general depending on circumstances). It's also nicely set for crusading and early pope ring-kissing.
Also interesting to de-emphasize castles into oblivion. I use them when I capture them only long enough for any repairs they can do (my small cav and vanilla archers & crossbows still, mostly) and just long enough for the unrest to cool and some basic pop control buildings (that apply to cities too) to get built, then I convert them to cities and use the militia garrison to hold them. Milanese militia are solid. And when the crossbows can be made (and thus are free as garrison too), well, it's a no-brainer to convert. They are actually cheaper in maintenance.
The central spot means I have no secure borders, just more and less secure ones. If it weren't for the defensive power of Milan (and the ungodly money-grubbing ability!), I'd be uncomfortable with that. I like having SOME secure flank. At the moment I'm "at war" with France (port blockades, starting to beat down their navy and may go grab Marseillie to teach them a thing or two), still in a state of war with Venice after grabbing Venice (more port blockades) and the Moors decided they don't like me too (more port blockades).
For some reason they are all afraid to attack. They're probably coordinating. :help:
My cardinal is poised to become pope, but ol' Greg refuses to croak. So I sent along a little gift to Rome. Naples turned up with the plague the turn after I conquered it (and finished those Sicilian back-stabbers!) so I sent a spy to hang out in the Pope's kitchens. So far he's not terribly infectious it seems, but I still have hope (and he still has the wicked little mouse to show for it).
I find myself auto-resolving a lot though. In general, not as Milan. I played out a lot more battles in RTW, though fewer in MTW. Something about the tactical system's working isn't "fun" enough. I think I'm finding the controls a lot more squirrelly than in the earlier ones.
But despite liking Milan a lot, I also like the others. And want to try some horse archer-based cultures, and something non-Pope centric.
I do wish we had the option to start in early/middle/late like in MTW though. I tend to not play out campaigns to the bitter end, so I'll never see gunpowder at this rate, or even Mongols.
I would have to go with the Turks.
Excellent horse archers, excellent foot archers and perfectly good infantry. My only real complaint is I feel cheap using them, as the computer seems almost totally unable to stop a well coordinated horse archer and lancer army.
My second would have to be the HRE.
You are in a position to expand in all directions. If you want an easy, quick and exciting game you can rapidly strike in all directions, crushing all those in your path. If you want a more challenging game you can sit tight and weather the storm of the many inevitable enemies you will have to fight.
In fact I like all the factions.
I’m a little surprised no one voted for Hungary and Poland. I more or less understand why no one voted for Hungary just because they don’t have anything that the Turks, Egyptians and Byzantines don’t have a better version of. Even so they allow you to play a catholic faction with horse archers, are on the border with Islam and orthodox Christianity and are in a generally cool geographic location (at least for me).
Poland has Polish Nobles which are in my opinion one of the best units in the game by far. Lithuanian archer can deploy stakes and woodsmen are incredibly powerful for their exceedingly low price.
It seems the eastern European factions are underestimated. Perhaps it is more game play factor that effects their popularity than effectiveness.
Russia. Has all the units I need for my tactics. Tsar's Guard is an excellent cavalry unit, Dvor's of both types are excellent hybrid units, and the Cossack Cav is a excellent medium horse archer, plus it has the fast-moving ability! Something that makes it's other role as med cavalry more rewarding.
Aside from that Russia is just awesome and gives you a very rewarding campaign complete with Mongols and Timurids! It's hard to keep the barren Steppes defended and profitable. All the more challange!
England. Red FTW! Archer Spam FTW! Stakes FTW!
Please help me. I just got the game yesterday, the Gold edition. When I click single player and grand campaign. Only 5 factions symbols appear - England, France, Holy Roman Empire, Spain and Venice. How did you all manage to play as the other factions? I am only allowed to choose among these five.:help:
A simple search on the forums should have gotten you the answer but I'll tell you nonetheless :
1 - Completing a campaign with any faction should unlock the others.
2 - If you can't be bothered, you can mod your descr_strat file and move the factions you wish to make playable from the unplayable to the playable section (cut and paste)
Thanks. I think I'll start with the English grand campaign first before moving on to the others.:beam:
Venizia!
Cool mix of eastern and western styles, nice starting position, untouchable island base south of greece.
they are almost too easy; the HRE just cant take em out before they get too strong.
I don't know why, but I can't vote... :furious3:
But my favorite faction is Scotland!!!! Highlanders forever!!!!!! :2thumbsup: :scotland:
perhaps you voted at one point in the past and didn't know?
no wait....its because you are still a junior member. post a little and thatll go away.
Thanks for the information :book:Quote:
Originally Posted by Prussian Iron
My favourite is scotland too, I like small factions to start with and just generally like there unique unit roster. :balloon2:Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael333
However, Mercury, if you have a small faction, there's a good chance the neighboring faction will declare war on you, if you're relations are adequate.
P.S. Holy Roman Empire forever! :D
wait thats UNLESS you're relations are adequate. Sorry.
Can't vote, either. I love playing Hungary.
One: because I am Hungarian (Magyar) so love building a Hungarian Empire, Two: because I love horse archers, my favourite tactics is HA hit n run. My favourite battle goes like this: I lure all the archers away, then sweep them with cavalry from that on just surround the enemy and rain them with arrow until one or two starts to run, then charge...
nice necro
I think certain necros can be overlooked if it stimulates conversation. The citadel has little conversation anyway. No biggie.