i've always like the factions with reforms, because it helps to shape my campaigns. In 1.0 i played the sarmations, KH, AS, the Hay, carthage, and the romans. All of these were half campaigns, because i lose interest in one faction and always want to try another. Right now i'm playing the romans in 1.1 and i want to play so that i can see all the reforms. Then I want to play an eastern faction, maybe the saka or parthians.

By far my sarmation campaign was the most fun, but it went down the tubes fast when I went broke and the parthians invaded me with everything they had. I was holding them off, but could never turn the tide of the war. Then I had a killer CTD, and that campaign died.