We have seen many a, 'favourite faction', thread, and favourite unit opinions also - however within these - there are very brief opinions and often poor reasoning.
Although they are fun and community-orientated.

And so, I make this thread, asking members to quote which Factions they have played the most with - their advantages - and their disadvantages.
How far they played with those different factions, and which pleased them the most.

For myself, I will comment first on the Arverni, and later Epeiros or the Getai.

(This is in the theme of the Faction Walkthroughs seen elsewhere.)

The Arverni

My current faction.
At first, some time ago on EB 1.0, I attempted an Aedui campaign.
I found the initial position of both tribes to be quite devastating in economic means, and quickly abandoned it - as I try my hardest not to cheat in all campaigns.

Then, recently I thought I would attempt the same situation from a lighter coloured side.
I found the Arverni slightly more desirable in both the positions of their starting towns, and the marginal superiority in troop strength.
The three Arverni towns are closer, the Aeduan Mediolanum being for the most part - an economic drain for the AI.

With my Gallic troops I found I could create one and a half good stacks, and already having discovered that I must attack the Aedui immediately, or face devastating deficit, I sent my army across the Saone at once, and besieged Bibracte.

There were three major battles with the Aedui, each was a nail in their apparently triangular coffin.
The first at Bibracte, the second in the plains in front of Avaricum, the third in the western passes of the Alps.
They were subdued before the winter of 271.

So this does not become an AAR, I will now explain the strategic neccessities I found with the Arverni, rather than to dwell on my personal campaigns.

Needless to say, the Arverni cannot exist, once having supremacy of Gaul - in sublime happiness with the Romans, the Lusotanann or the Sweboz.

The first will always now require the possession of Massalia, and always attempt to create the province of Narbonensis.

The second must, by restriction of the AI's tactical ability, absorb Iberia, and then pass northward through the Pyrenees for further military prowess.

The third, may at times decide against crossing into the territory of the Belgae - if it can conquer the Boii and Noricum - however the Sweboz have always several great armies by the time they are prepared to leave Germanica, and are therefore always a great risk.

I consider it best then, without damaging the player's personal strategy, (Whether he wish to conquer Britain, or leave Europe to it's own devices and from Gaul conquer Africa),
that the player should invade and exile the Romans from Italy, and with total control of the peninsula - place a small army on the southernmost part, and build Patavium as a fortress, with a larger army there.
Then the player should create a fort on the western end of the Pyrenees, and either build Emporion as a fortress, or create fortifications blocking the eastern pass.

The garrisons here would never have to be of great strength - and some players would prefer to conquer Iberia anyway.
I usually have set goals - estranged from historical belief - and therefore keep many factions like zoological studies, locked in their own assigned areas by military force.

As for the Rhine, the strength of the Sweboz may indeed neccessitate their demise - but otherwise the great river may be used as a fortress in itself at a further military expense.

Thus would one maintain a Gallic kingdom in the Celtic homelands and in Italy with little chance of being successfully assailed.
With the possible exception of a Catuvellauni invasion.

From here, there are many options for expansion - limited only by the power of the players navy.
I advise players to, 'think outside the box', and attempt wild colonisation attempts, such as attempting a Celtic possession of the Caucasus.

These often lead to very difficult battles, even on M/M, because of the huge gap between cultures.

But this freedom of conquering, once one has gained the right to make choices as I have shown, is what makes the game enjoyable for me.