best faction to turtle with?

**CountMRVHS** · 06-26-2008, 21:42

Maybe Germany. You'll be relying on their Spear Warband in the beginning, but they do get some good cav later on; even Barb Cav isn't that bad. Economy might be rough, but if you just sit & build smartly without trying to make a huge army (which you shouldn't need anyway), you should be good.

Egypt would be easy, too, but the question there is: Can you *really* live with yourself while playing Egypt? Stupid yellow cheating cheaters....

In BI, maybe the Saxons or the Sassanids. Both can command a "corner" of the map fairly easily. Apart from those 2, the randomness of BI means it's hard to predict how any faction might fare as a turtler.

**Quirinus** · 06-28-2008, 16:16

Definitely not Germania, or any barbarian faction in RTW, IMO. I mean, blitzing is a must for barbarian factions, before they are brought under by squalor problems.

The Julii, IMO, is the best faction for turtling, because of its easily defensible frontiers (or the Brutii, who have no hostile frontiers at all!), and the fact that they only get better with time (Marian Reforms).

In BI, maybe the Saxons or the Sassanids. Both can command a "corner" of the map fairly easily. Apart from those 2, the randomness of BI means it's hard to predict how any faction might fare as a turtler.

What about the Celts? You can't beat having an isolated island for turtling. The Berbers are not bad too once you've driven the Romans from former Punic Africa.

**CountMRVHS** · 06-28-2008, 23:20

Really, squalor? A problem for barbarians?

I've never noticed that. Could be because I always play short campaigns as barbarians in RTW -- I find it unrealistic for any barbarian faction to directly control 50 provinces. Still, I just did a Britannia campaign where I literally did no invading, except to take Ireland (I had modded the game so Samarobriva starts as rebel). I waited until the Julii made it up through Gaul before I made my move onto the mainland. Must have been between 60 and 80 turns of just building and waiting, and I noticed no significant problems, squalor or otherwise.

Which reminds me: Britannia would definitely be a good faction to turtle with!

**woad&fangs** · 06-28-2008, 23:38

Brittania is a good one.

**Quirinus** · 06-29-2008, 04:48

Originally Posted by CountMRVHS

I've never noticed that. Could be because I always play short campaigns as barbarians in RTW -- I find it unrealistic for any barbarian faction to directly control 50 provinces.

Exactly my opinion!

I've never completed a long campaign as the barbarians as a result.

Still, I just did a Britannia campaign where I literally did no invading, except to take Ireland (I had modded the game so Samarobriva starts as rebel). I waited until the Julii made it up through Gaul before I made my move onto the mainland. Must have been between 60 and 80 turns of just building and waiting, and I noticed no significant problems, squalor or otherwise.

Actually, you may be right, I haven't played a whole lot with barbarian factions, I've completed a grand total of three barbarian short campaigns-- Scythia, Dacia and Spain, which all start on or near high-growth areas, so that may be the problem...

**Ibn-Khaldun** · 06-29-2008, 09:28

The best faction to turtle with is the Brutii ..
Just like Quirinus said .. they have no hostile borders at all ..
You can just sit there and build up your cities ..
On 40th turn squalor starts affecting public order tough ..
Also .. Senate becomes pissed off if you do not follow their orders ...

Britannia is a good faction too to turtle ..
You just have to let Samarobriva to rebel and then you can live in your island peacefully a long time ..
Non of the barbarian factions ever makes a naval invasion there and the only ones you should fear are the Romans ..

In BI the best faction to turtle with are the Saxons I think ..

**Omanes Alexandrapolites** · 06-29-2008, 09:44

Squalor has never really been any more problem for me as a Barbarian faction either. For me it pretty much ends up being to the same levels that a normal faction gets to when it hits the highest supportable population levels of the huge city level. The only real difference being that it comes sooner (same amount of growth with a lower total settlement capacity).

**Magraev** · 07-02-2008, 12:19

I'd go with greece or macedonia. Start turtling after an initial blitz of the other to make a nice coherent kingdom of what is greece today. As greece you would have to abandon syracuse though.

If you don't want to blitz maybe you could try with armenia - you just have to sell most of your army to afford it...

I would also say no to a barbarian faction - not a good idea to sit idle for 100 turns with them...