Looking for a faction to play as in BI/R:TW

[El Diablo]

...and the circle completes. One leaves TW to go to Xbox and I, well I...

I was playing the xbox 360 on the weekend and turned it back on on Sunday afternoon to get the *ahem* red ring of death. So have packed it all up to send off to Bill gates to fix it (you know he does the repairs personally now).

So fire up the old computer and think about what to play? I have as my last saved game a Brutii game nearing civil war (well I have greece and most of the Pontiac territories)...

Or should I start a new campaign as a different faction?

Ideas? - or should I finally play that first BI campaign? If so any ideas (note I am not too good on the old HA's)

ED

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

BI certainly is slightly better than R:TW in terms of challange capacity. If you hate horse archers, then a faction such as the Franks or another Germanic/Celtic barbarian tribe may be attractive to you. You also could try one of the Roman Empires, but they're a little more difficult to manage due to their initial size and powerful neighbours. The Sasanids are a brilliant faction as well, albeit a little easy due to the power of their general's bodyguard, but they need to rely on cavalry most of the time. They have one good infantry unit, but can only get it in their starting lands at the Huge City level.

[El Diablo]

Thanks Omanes. I had a breif look last night and think I may try the ERE. I will have a look at the guide to see how to kick it all off.

To the rest of the org...
What would be your best hints for the ERE???

ED

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

The primary initial concern is border fortification. There's the very powerful Sassanids to the East (start attacking from the start) and the hordes are rapidly approaching from the south (start attacking from c. 20-30 turns in).

Fortunately the borders are easily defended. I typically form border forts garrisoned by a large force on all river passages in these areas to hold off the foes once they arrive and begin attacking. If you can hold these positions and prevent the enemy from breaking through then you are almost totally safe. If they do break through, things do get a little more difficult. The massive hordes especially often cannot be easily held off, so at times you may end up having to sacrifice your eastern most European cities and take them back later when the horde starts occupying (and henceforth disbanding its troops automatically as it does so). That's a tactic you may have to use frequently in the case of BI hordes - united they're unstoppable, but if you give them time to divide and spread after settling down, then they are much easier to destroy.

It also may be advisable to note that BI horde factions automatically re-horde if their last settlement is taken, so it can be wise to leave them with at least one, preferably poor, settlement to prevent this from happening.



BTW, posts split from it's parent thread to form a new thread. I've done this since this is a different topic to what was discussed in the parent, and probably would do better in its own thread.

[Long lost Caesar]

I like playing as the WRE, but only go for them if you're good with handling your money well and fighting against-the-odds battles, as it'll happen a lot. Oh, and be prepared for a lot of surprises (rebellions, financial troubles and the like) but all the same they're great fun if you're up for a challenge

[Quirinus]

I'm also looking for a faction to play as-- my Greco-British campaign is nearing an end. I actually do have another Greek game waiting to be completed, but I'm looking for a change. Awesome as those hoplites can be, it does get a little monotonous.

I'm thinking of playing an Armenia, Pontus or Numidia short campaign next, can't decide which. I like Numidia's units, but I hate that you have to fight the Romans.

[El Diablo]

Okay so I attempted to play BI last night (just the first few turns to get the idea) and the ERE seemed a bit full on.

Thus I tried the Sassinids as many think it an easy faction to play.

I note that in the guides it staqes that you will be rolling in money.
That did not seem the case to me. Do I need to disbank loads to troops?

I sent the 1/2 stack next to your starting assassin down toward tarsus must of my starting armies on the way to Antioch and the northern towns troops towards the rebel settlement whose name excapes me.

I started building sewers in all towns (as that was all I could really afford) and after two turns I had not really made a significant amount of money to get the building queues sorted. This was despite getting every tax rate to blue/yellow faces.

Also if I do have to disband troops, which ones are of the leats worth? I assume that the horse archers and Cimb-i-tank things are the way to go.

Any hints?

[Quintus.JC]

I don't know, the Sassanids always seemed pretty easy to me. No worry of being backstabbed and quite advanced technology development. Money does becomes an issue early on as you have nobody to trade with (The only faction bordering you is ERE, and you're at a war with them). Buildings isn't that important really, you'll be steamrolling once you capture Antioch. Use that fellow at Phraaspa, I think he's got 4 command star plus night attack, you should have some useful units (Clibanarii, experienced Levy spearmen) on your Eastern cities, move them to the west and form a utra-powerful army. You should have 3 units of Clibanarii, these guys could take care of most Roman troop for you. Advance towards Antioch, siege it but don't assult the walls as you haven't yet got Sugudians, who are literally you only useful infantry unit. Fight in the open with your spearmen backed up by lots of missiles units. Clibanarii is key to your victory and the Romans should stand a chance really. After capturing Antioch destroy the Christian church as if brings too much unrest. annex nearby settlements which are all some of the richest in the game, you should be literally unstoppable once you're able to train cataphracts. Antioch has that facility most of the time... The Romans should of already built you a royal stable when you capture it.

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

As the ERE (or indeed almost any faction in that region) I've always found that the financially best course of action is to move the capital or even just capture Antioch. Strangely, in every game I've done that, I've never gone into the red. Ports on the island of Salamis also can be useful as well - that place is a real cash cow if the sea trade gets going.

[WarMachine187]

yeh,the sassanids only problem is money.Instead of Antioch,tho,i normally head for alexandria then Antioch.It should be extremely easy to take down the ERE no matter which way you take.theyll be way to busy wit the huns,vandals etc, to bother you.

[Quintus.JC]

As the ERE I've always found that the financially best course of action is to move the capital to Antioch. ....

I do that too in the early stages when I'm busy fighting the Sassanids. But later on I move my capital back to Constantinople when I start attacking the West. Although Antioch is much closer to some of the most important cities in ERE.

[El Diablo]

I had a quick run through last night (on E/E ha ha - I am such a wimp) and a few thing struck me.

It is awesome when you have no idea what a any troop types are capable of.
Advanced on some roman "spearman" and pow out fly pila. Was not expecting that.

Also it seems there are some severly overpowered troops in BI. Clibanarii are just tanks. Almost unstoppable (albeit on easy), but then up agianst a roman general and three units of Clibanarii took an age to route him.

I also found that HA don't really do all that much damage. Insaying that I am sure that Limitarii and Commis-whatever are probably highly armoured. Who do they hurt then? Or do they require weapon upgrades to become effective?

It is also a quite a hike from the starting cites to anything really. Troop producing cities that far away are not all that helpful really.....

Thoughts?

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

It is awesome when you have no idea what a any troop types are capable of.
Advanced on some roman "spearman" and pow out fly pila. Was not expecting that.

BI does have units which do things you wouldn't expect them to. Pretty much all Roman Infantry units, with a couple of exceptions, can fire some form of javelin or another at the enemy prior to charging.

Also it seems there are some severly overpowered troops in BI. Clibanarii are just tanks. Almost unstoppable (albeit on easy), but then up agianst a roman general and three units of Clibanarii took an age to route him.

Clibanarii themselves are fairly overpowered, although the general's bodyguard, Clibanarii Imortals, are the most powerful and unstoppable unit in the game. One unit of them can change the entire cause of a battle, as I learnt when one rammed into the front of an engaged Comantes of mine once.

I also found that HA don't really do all that much damage. Insaying that I am sure that Limitarii and Commis-whatever are probably highly armoured. Who do they hurt then? Or do they require weapon upgrades to become effective?

I don't think they are quite as powerful in BI as they were in R:TW. Of course this doesn't stop you using hit and run style tactics, but enemy forces will take much longer to get run down.

[Quintus.JC]

It is also a quite a hike from the starting cites to anything really. Troop producing cities that far away are not all that helpful really.....

forget Ctesphion. You don't need any troop producing cities in the East, just pull all of your starting armies and capture Antioch, you can use that as your biggest troop production centre, once you get Antioch it's almost game over.

[El Diablo]

Ahhh the wise words of the orgahs.

Played a wee bit last night again and the money troubles disappeared in a flash when I took Antioch (as predicted above) and that was with out having trade rights with anyone!

I was a wee bit lucky as I fought an intense battle outside Antioch (even with 3 units of Clibanarii) and afterwards got a "man of the hour" which gave me a unit of CI to add to an already impressive army.

That left a pretty pathetic army inside Antioch and a super-impressive one outside!

I also exterminated Antioch (for public order) and demolished the church building a temple to the great god Z.

However there is still some pretty horrific public order issues. I know that peasents are not good as garrison troops (I dont use them for that anyway). I managed to sneak a wee bit of the army out to take tarsus (again exterminate and buld Z temple). But now it will be quite a few turns of waiting till I can move on. Also if the ERE shows up with any sized army it will be hard to take them out and remain as garrison troops.

Is this usual? The religion thing being used to slow "blitzers" down and let the AI have time to retaliate?

[Magraev]

This is typical for the Sassanids. Christians really dislike being under Sassanid rule, so get the area converted asap. Remember any type of character with the Zoraastrian (sp) religion will assist in conversion - family members, diplomats and so on.

Remember to move spies in to remove enemy spies too. If they are Zoraastrian that's only better.

[Quintus.JC]

Antioch should have the facilities to train Cataphracts, if not then build one. A combination of Cataphracts and horse archers will prove impossible to beat (if used wisely) even against the mightiest of the ERE army the AI sent against you (in the open field). Clibanarii are great but Cataphracts are even more powerful, there’re unstoppable. Their only short comings is the time it takes to train them, also the recruitment cost and upkeep comes to mind if you aren’t very rich.