Factions you haven't played/never got into

[Rilder]

We all have our favorite factions, like those Greek factions so you can pretend to be spartan, or the Aedui/Averni so you can play EB naked, But what about those factions that have never seen a save file for you, or those factions you've played but give up after 5 turns to play a different faction.

Personally the factions I haven't played at all:

Saka (horse archers :P)
Pahlava (Didn't even play parthians in vanilla ever)
Hayasdan (didn't play armenians in vanilla either)
Arche Seleukeia (Too big an empire, like to start small)
Averni (Like the Aedui logo better)
Makedonia (surprisingly)

Factions Ive played but gave up quickly:

Sauromatae (argg horse archers)
Bactria (province distance mainly but mainly cause I just don't feel like playing them)
Saba (almost got into them a couple times but eh)
Karthadastim (Kind of big and too farspread for my tastes)

Think thats it.

Go go go ebers!

[General Appo]

Arverni: After a Casse and Aedui campaign I just felt like the Arverni could wait. Will get to them someday though.
Ptolemaioi: Nah, I tried a couple of turns, but it just didn´t feel right. I´ve never been a fan of huge starting empires, and I had just done my Seleukid campaign, so I was probably just tired of starting big. Will do them someday though.

Rilder, you seem to have an unhealthy dissaproval of Horse Archers. Don´t you know they are the most cost effective units in the game when used correctly?

[Rilder]

Rilder, you seem to have an unhealthy dissaproval of Horse Archers. Don´t you know they are the most cost effective units in the game when used correctly?

I'm an Infantry Commander, I just don't like using horses at all, I don't care about cost effectiveness

[Che Roriniho]

Let's see...

Qarthadastim: Just don't really like them, didnt feel right. Will play them properly someday though.
Sauromatae: There is only 1 TRUE nomad tribe! Saka! Saka! Saka!
Pahlava: Never really got on with Persians. Will try with them someday
Hayasdan: Just sound a bit boring really.
Saba: as above
Ptolemaics: Too Big
AS: as above
Audui/Arverni/Casse: Will do someday, but I jut can't use them effectively.
Getai: Too Barbaric
KH: Will do someday, but definately playinn second fiddle to Maks
Makedonia: HOW THE HELL HAVE I NOT PLAYED THESE?
Baktria: Really like their History ad Unit availability, but it's just a bit difficult for me (I know, I'm crap). Also, last time I played them, an almost perfect General was killed in his first battle (16 years old, not a single vice, all good. Even had Talented Tactician when he took my daughter in Marriaage. Shame, I was going o do an AAR of it.

[QuintusSertorius]

I've only ever played Romani and Epeiros-as-Pergamon. The latter were notable amongst the Successors for not using phalanxes (largely because they lacked the manpower).

I don't like phalanxes, horse archers or barbarians, so I'm not left with much choice.

[Che Roriniho]

I flipping Love Horse Archers, Phalanxes, and Heffalumps. Baktria would seem the perfect choise then... If only they didn't have such a tricky starting position. They need another city like I need Gold.

[jhhowell]

I've only played Rome (1 long campaign, two false starts since then), Hayasdan (almost done, stay on target!), and AS (got bored because nobody would attack me even on VH).

The "to do" list includes Rome (probably next, using one of QuintusSertorius's posted save games to let me start within sight of the Marian reforms, which I've never seen), Bactria, KH or Macedonia, and a steppe faction. Probably never have time to do all of those actually.

Not really interested in the western barbarians (Casse least interesting, Getai most interesting but still unlikely to get around to playing them). Carthage seems like it would be similar to a Rome game, and I prefer Rome. Epirus is my least favorite of the three Greek factions. Pontus looks like a less interesting version of Hayasdan, Ptolemies like a less interesting version of AS. Saba just suck.

Che Roriniho: why do you think Hayasdan would be boring? I find the reforms make the game very interesting. And the unit roster is one of the best in the game, IMHO.

[Reno Melitensis]

Well lets see, on v.79 I played Romanii, on v.8 and v.82 Romani again, then om v1 and v1.1 a little bit of Pontus, and little more Pahlava and Romanii again. I must be Romanii edict, oh by Jupiter Maximus.

Cheers.

[The Celtic Viking]

Romans. I tried them, got bored and dumped their asses.

Ptolemaioi: I actually wanted to play these, but the UI is just too bright for me. I can't play with it, and I'm too lazy to find out how to switch back, and then actually do it too.

Carthage: I've tried to play as Carthage several times (to kick Roman asses from the other side), but I could never find any "staying appeal" in them. I can't put my finger on it exactly. They're too bloody rich, too.

Makedonia & KH: Like Carthage, I couldn't find any real appeal in them. I liked KH better than both of the others, though, but still not enough.

[Fondor_Yards]

Man, some of you guys need to play more factions. There are factions other then Rome.

Only never played the Saba, fan of heavy units, something they completely lack. I'll get to them some day, just to try them probably.

The only faction never got into are the Seleucids really, I like their roster and story, don't like their starting position much.

[Rilder]

Man, some of you guys need to play more factions. There are factions other then Rome.

Rome is fun, but I'm sticking away from them because everytime I play them I always have to have a specific legion, and its more fun just to pick random units to make an army.

[Warmaster Horus]

Well... I've never played Qarthadastim, never been interested for some reason. Lusotana, Epeiros, Sauromatae and Saba I've never played either, because I've never had the will to try them properly. The Ptolemaioi as well.
As for the factions I've started but never went long... Casse, started an old 0.81 game that got killed by rebels; Aedui, Getai, Arverni and Sweboz I've never stuck around for. There's not much interest there for me, although I enjoyed reading about Gallic and German culture.

[The Fuzz]

Makedon, for some reason, despite owning quite a few books on Hellenistic Macedon. I just can't get into a campaign as them.

The Casse bore me to death, though I reckon I should give the Aedui a go soon. Pity the Galatians aren't in this mod, could use a Celtic faction with proper enemies. ;)

[Praetor Diego]

Carthage is interesting to play. They have lot of money, but in war with Rome they will face full stacks of heavy infantry (usually a mix of camilian Triarii, Princeps, and Pedites Ext).

[||Lz3||]

the fact that I dont' have that much time to play ,and I spend a lot of my computer time here posting or modding my EB limits the amount of games I can play

So far I've only played

• historical Rome à la Quintus (in progress 220bc)
• AS (after playing the new historical battles hehehe I didn't know I liked phalanxes in progress 260bc ,)
• Pahlava (My army was butchered by some reber HA, haven't tried since)

To do list:

• Makedonia
• Koinon Hellenon
• Casse
• Baktria

The ones less likely to be played (due to lack of time)

• Getai (I dont like brown >.>)
• Epeiros (seems similar to makedonia)
• Saka/sauro (I dont like being the raiders hehehe )
• Averni/Aedui/Sweboz (emmm hehe lack of time)
• Ptollies/karthadast ,I dont like being in the desert >.>
• Lusos /Im not good ambushing
• Hayasdan (after a long AS campaign I would like to go far from that area )

and well every campaign is great and awesome work is behind every faction ,I'll try to play them all eventually

[Atraphoenix]

If I want to play an infantry commander of course Romani;
but mostly I like cavalry so for me my best faction is pahlava but I do not advise you because you have fight each battle yourself otherwise you are crushed by AS. but really it is a good challenge esp. if you play BI.exe .

I am playing now around 259 258 I conquered all persia and just started mesopotamian war.

I hate phalanxes I only love them under my arrow rain . so not any phalax using faction ; I wonder to play my loyal bactria but havent tried yet.

maybe suevi but I like huge cities

the others go hell...

[QuintusSertorius]

Man, some of you guys need to play more factions. There are factions other then Rome.

Not when you don't like phalanxes, horse archers or barbarians, there isn't. Sure you might just about get away with a Qarthadast game if you didn't bother with the pike units, but that's a stretch.

[johnhughthom]

Not when you don't like phalanxes, horse archers or barbarians, there isn't. Sure you might just about get away with a Qarthadast game if you didn't bother with the pike units, but that's a stretch.

You could try Saba.

[Fondor_Yards]

Not when you don't like phalanxes, horse archers or barbarians, there isn't. Sure you might just about get away with a Qarthadast game if you didn't bother with the pike units, but that's a stretch.

Carthage only has 1 pike unit, their elites. I can see not liking HA and pikes, but why not barbarians?

[QuintusSertorius]

Carthage only has 1 pike unit, their elites. I can see not liking HA and pikes, but why not barbarians?

Don't like disordered armies of almost entirely unarmoured troops. The Gallic roster has some good units, Iaosatae, Neitos, Leuce Epos, Keltohellenikoi, but otherwise I'm not overly impressed. Of the Lusotanii roster, frankly the Qarthadastim have better Iberian options than they do.

Plus their starting positions and economies are pretty weak, not to mention surrounded by other factions. I tried a Casse game very briefly, but gave up after a few turns. Also tried a migrated Arverni one to Galatia, but similarly wasn't inspired by them.

I like having a mix of infantry, heavy, medium and light, the barbarian factions seem only to have elite heavy and screeds of light. Unless you bulk up your line with mercenaries.

[Celtic_Punk]

how can you not like celts just cause they dont have armour? racist!

but seriously their defence skill makes up for lack of armour in close combat, most of them have javalins, and a number of them scare the shit out of other units (like naked spearmen and such) i'd be scared of a 6'2 200lbs naked celt armed with a spear or massive longsword

their only short fall is when getting pelted with arrows. but their lack of armour means they can close the gap quicker, and your chariots can cover their advance. and their other cavalry(later period that is) is hard to match (the only match ive found for celtic cavalry is persian or steppes and you aren't likely to be facing that unless you become an insanely large empire)

i've never gotten into carthage, gauls, spain, the arabs, saka, skythians, eprios, or any of the successor armies, or the persians.

i only play 2 campagins at a time

edit: the problem with casse is you can't afford mercs until much later when you unite the isles, and cross the channel and get a good base of operations (i.e. brest and normandy)

[Tellos Athenaios]

Please note that my opinions are my own. I may be an EB team member; but these [opinions] certainly won't count for the EB team as a whole!

Factions I haven't played as for reasons of "I prefer the other":

Epeiros (too uniform; even though they got some pretty cool units) ; I prefer KH & AS
Arverni; I prefer Aedui & Casse
Makedonia; I prefer AS

Factions I haven't played as but which I intend to explore:
Lusotanna
Makedonia (not sure, though)
Sweboz
Saka
Sauromatae (but I think I prefer the flexibility of the Saka & Phalava)
Phalava
Pontos
Hayasdan (but I think I'd prefer Pontos & Pahlava, as I feel the Hayasdan remains a bit stuck in the middle of either)
Saba
Getai (for some reason always the first to come up as "something different" only to be dismissed by "nah, next time...")

Factions I just won't play:
Romani (boring/legions/too easy - I once tried a little campaign to get over my predjudice they'd be boring thinking "but them traits & reforms, gotta count for something?". Unfortunately: my predjudice was confirmed by fact they are too easy for my tastes. I mean: fully developed barracks right from turn one saving what feels like ~40k per city [with these barracks] ? Not to mention the turns it'd take? ~70? And I just don't like legions; it makes even your army composition a formal & boring matter. I got impatient and quit (after taking Taras or thereabouts).)
Carthage (boring/too many elites - I've got that strange feeling over 70% of their factional troop types are elite. And that you don't have to build up much either. Though I might try them once, if I'm really in the mood for something completely different.)

[Fondor_Yards]

Don't like disordered armies of almost entirely unarmoured troops. The Gallic roster has some good units, Iaosatae, Neitos, Leuce Epos, Keltohellenikoi, but otherwise I'm not overly impressed. Of the Lusotanii roster, frankly the Qarthadastim have better Iberian options than they do.

Plus their starting positions and economies are pretty weak, not to mention surrounded by other factions. I tried a Casse game very briefly, but gave up after a few turns. Also tried a migrated Arverni one to Galatia, but similarly wasn't inspired by them.

I like having a mix of infantry, heavy, medium and light, the barbarian factions seem only to have elite heavy and screeds of light. Unless you bulk up your line with mercenaries.

Hm you should give the Getai a try then. Start poor, but a lot of mines in the surrounding provinces fix that problem once you get them. Doesn't start bordering anyone, the closest factions get stuck in their stalemate down in Greece which leaves them easy prey for you if you so chose. If you don't want to fight them, you can easily take Naissos, stick half a dozen Drapanai, and they can't do jack to you even if they have all of Hellas. You could then head northeast to take the Black Sea cities, west to Illyria and it's mines, or northwest into Central Europe to fight the Romans and Germans instead.

They have good light infantry, *Komatai, Komatai Pelekuphoroi, and Drapanai* medium infantry, *Getikoi Stratiotai, Taxeis Triballoi, Galathraikes, and Thraikioi Peltastai* and heavies.*Thraikioi Rhomphaiaphoroi, Komatai Thorakitai Stratiotai, Ischyroi Orditon, and Komatai Epilektoi* Add to that good composite archers *Scythians and Komatai Agrianai* and good cavalry *Scythian Nobles, Thrakioi Prodromoi, and Tarabostes* makes an army you couldn't ask any more of. Plus nearby celtics/galatians, illyrians, and greeks to fill out your ranks if you desire.

[Tartaros]

i think i "played" with every faction, but these i tested for some seasons, but then leave alone

Saba - no real elite´s, boring unit roster
Pontos - always prefered hayasdan because of there reforms and units
Casse - everytime a slow start, but i think they have interesting units, but don´t like there generals
Ptolemaioi - oh shit, they are too save and rich
Lusitannan - i just like: "Iberia Rising: A Lusitannan AAR" - Chirurgeon
Averni - don´t like them, prefered aedui or sweboz
Pahlava - i don´t know why

[johnhughthom]

Fondor_Yards speaks the truth, I believe you would enjoy a Getai campaign if you gave it a try QS.

[Mithridates VI Eupator]

Let's see...

Haven't played:

Sweboz: Not really a big fan of barbarians, like fighting them but not "being" them.

Aedui: same as Sweboz

AS: too big

Carthage: A bit to big, no one to challenge them in Africa.

Makedonia: don't know why actually, but I prefer Epeiros.

Sauromatae: Prefer Saka, they have a more interesting starting position and unit rooster.

Have only played a few turns:

Ptolemaioi: a bit to big, never really gotten into them.

Baktria: Want to play them, but have never really gotten around to it. Will do nsoon, though.

Arverni: Played a while, but, a I said, I'm not really the barbarian type.

KH: Don't know why really.

One of the reasons for these never really being played is that I'm too hooked on a small group of factions, namely Saka, Saba, Pontos, Hayasdan and Lusotannan. Played at least two campaigns with each of theese factoins, and some, I get even more fond of the more I play them.

[Mediolanicus]

Epeiros - I don't know why, but I just can't get myself to start a campaign with them.
Arverni/Aedui - I am playing a Arverni campaign now and after some time it became fun to play, but I don't like the way your starting position makes you blitz. And I don't like blitzing. To stay alive as one of the Gallic factions you have to kill of the other one in the first 2 years of the campaign or you're bankrout and doomed.
Baktria - Province distances.

[Ibrahim]

I haven't played as any faction other than saba, AS, and the romani (in that order).

reasons are numerous, mostly gameplay: I like to hold on to what I have, then expand (AS-played twice), or grow in peace for a while (saba-played once), or neighbors are idiots (romani-same as AS). steppe factions have no appeal to a city slicker, and I will not play a faction that practices human sacrafice regularly(i.e every generation or two).

KH, baktria, Makedon, epeiros, and ptolies I plan on playing, but not now.

[konny]

Started several times but did not hit "End Turn" once. I love micromanagement, but not from turn one in an empire that I did not built myself.

A different story same outcome: A lot of conquest to do, but somewho I don't get it with their starting position: no roads form Egypt to Palestine and dozends of pirates' fleets blocking off every movement by sea. The last time I played them I lost the faction leader + the entire army trying to ship them to Sidon.

I am always bancrupt before I am able to gather my armies. No money, no hope on economic development and the next interesseting town to plunder lightyears away.

I am not really a Celts' fan. I had one campaign completed with the Arverni and twice conquered the British Islands with Casse. No longer attempt with the Aedui. Not planning any further campaigns with them either.



With these I always play for about 20 to 40 years in the campaign and quit after conquering their homelands. I think they are lacking a mission to "Alexander" the world and are best kept where they are.

Basically the same, but I think I have only started more campaigns with the Romans. But also with the Sweboz I usually quit after haveing united the tribes and conquered a bit Celtic lands around.

.

I never managed to get beyond the first tuns without beeing crushed by either AS or the steppe people. But I keep on trying....

These two are highely recommended by me: A lot of fun is guaranteed; sometimes a bit furstating too when the endless stacks of the Yellow and Gray death start rolling. The only problem is that you have to survive the first 20 years, what is absolutly not easy.

These three are my second favorite, and I can't say which of them is best. Excellent troop selection, a good potential in the later game and lot of (different) aspects for roleplaying the factions.


My favorite. Excellent possibilites to roleplay, easy start but becomes much more difficult later (I prefer it that way) and a clear mission to conquer the entire map.

.

[QuintusSertorius]

Hm you should give the Getai a try then. Start poor, but a lot of mines in the surrounding provinces fix that problem once you get them. Doesn't start bordering anyone, the closest factions get stuck in their stalemate down in Greece which leaves them easy prey for you if you so chose. If you don't want to fight them, you can easily take Naissos, stick half a dozen Drapanai, and they can't do jack to you even if they have all of Hellas. You could then head northeast to take the Black Sea cities, west to Illyria and it's mines, or northwest into Central Europe to fight the Romans and Germans instead.

They have good light infantry, *Komatai, Komatai Pelekuphoroi, and Drapanai* medium infantry, *Getikoi Stratiotai, Taxeis Triballoi, Galathraikes, and Thraikioi Peltastai* and heavies.*Thraikioi Rhomphaiaphoroi, Komatai Thorakitai Stratiotai, Ischyroi Orditon, and Komatai Epilektoi* Add to that good composite archers *Scythians and Komatai Agrianai* and good cavalry *Scythian Nobles, Thrakioi Prodromoi, and Tarabostes* makes an army you couldn't ask any more of. Plus nearby celtics/galatians, illyrians, and greeks to fill out your ranks if you desire.

Might be worth a look-see later on then. Certainly sound more viable than when I was trying to play the Arverni as Thrace.