Whats the best roman faction in RTW?

[kburkert]

I think the senate just sucks and the scipii rule but they have to face carthage and greeks first.

[Drusus Magnus]

Well apart from gladiators, they all have the same units. It just depends on preference, since the AI is just too stupid for you to be able to lose from it. Anyone with an IQ over 50 should... no, let me rephrase: anyone with brain activity should be able to win a campaign. It doesn't matter what factions you'll be up against.

[Telys]

Well apart from gladiators, they all have the same units. It just depends on preference, since the AI is just too stupid for you to be able to lose from it. Anyone with an IQ over 50 should... no, let me rephrase: anyone with brain activity should be able to win a campaign. It doesn't matter what factions you'll be up against.

Dont forget arcani for the julii.

[Drusus Magnus]

Dont forget arcani for the julii.

Everyone gets them. Well I'm not sure about the Brutii, but I'd guess they'd have 'em too. In my Scipii campaign I can train them in cities which have an awesome temple of Saturn.

[Zenicetus]

I don't know what someone else's criteria of "best" would be, but in terms of "easy".... that has to be the Brutii. Make a quick push into Greece and then Asia Minor, get your ports built up, and you'll be swimming in cash from trading income all the way to the end of the game. Money is never a problem for the Brutii.

[Telys]

Everyone gets them. Well I'm not sure about the Brutii, but I'd guess they'd have 'em too. In my Scipii campaign I can train them in cities which have an awesome temple of Saturn.

Well I've only really played as the scipii once and I dont think the brutii can recruit them but hey, what do I know, absolutely nothin.

My favorite roman faction would have to be the julii, even though they dont have the best location, I find they are more interesting to play as than the other houses. If I had to choose between the brutii and scipii I would have to choose the scipii for their ships.

[x-dANGEr]

Arcani are recruitable for all the Roman factions (At least in Custom Battles they are 0-o).

Though, I take 'best' as 'most exciting' and for that I'd pick Carthage.

[Matthew-p]

arcani are for all the roman factions

[gollum]

Welcome matthew_p to the org, enjoy your stay.

This is a bit of an old thread, but yes you are right that the AI is not of the highest order and there are many overpowered units in vanilla RTW.

The Julii are the only Roman faction that give a semblance of a challenge. Brutii and Scipii are way way too easy as they become too rich too fast. As the julii i try to conquer northern Greece and Asia Minor and Carthage faster than the Scipii and Brutii can in order to limit their expansion and secure a challenging mid game and an easier end game. The barbarians can always be converted later.

Fighting the Britons is indeed a pain, by virtue of the hugely overpowered head hurlers (that throw armor piercing! heads with missile attack 17!) and their chariots of course that have more lives than a persian cat (too many hit points for the chariot horses when cavalry horses have none). The germans are a nuisance at best however - the AI does a really bad job of their phalanxes as they dont affect the autocalc results between AI faction battles.

All these problems can be somewhat resolved by home modding or by using one of the many mods available for RTW.

[Lord Reid of Britannica]

I like the scipiians the most, mainly because I like their colour the most. But secondly because their starting position allows them to go anywhere they want if you dont follow the senate's commands.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Well apart from gladiators, they all have the same units. It just depends on preference, since the AI is just too stupid for you to be able to lose from it. Anyone with an IQ over 50 should... no, let me rephrase: anyone with brain activity should be able to win a campaign. It doesn't matter what factions you'll be up against.

That's true, but sometimes there is positioning that's a lot better for some of the campaigns.

If I'm not mistaken, Scipii only has one settlement and is right in the middle of Italy. In my opinion, that's not the best position. The Julii have an alright position, at the north and fighting the Gauls. The Brutii, have the best position with two settlements and they are perfect to expand.

[Squid]

If I'm not mistaken, Scipii only has one settlement and is right in the middle of Italy. In my opinion, that's not the best position. The Julii have an alright position, at the north and fighting the Gauls. The Brutii, have the best position with two settlements and they are perfect to expand.

The Scipii like all Roman factions have 2 settlements, 1 on the southwest part of Italy proper, and 1 on the northeast part of Sicily.

[Garvanko]

Brutii is the best balanced. Their position in the map means they will benefit from the vast wealth of the Med, while their temples generally provide the benefits that are required in a campaign.

Scipii obviously for weapons upgrades and sea trade. Close second

Julii has the best temple for traing Generals and Governors - Jupiter. But their growth and happiness temples are only good either early in the game or late.

[Avicenna]

What's wrong with Ceres or Jupiter in the early or late game? Ceres temples give you can edge over the rival Romans, due to fast-expanding cities because of farming bonuses. Jupiter can be used to keep the barbarian settlements tamed. Nothing wrong with them midgame, in my opinion.

Also, you can expand wherever you want and ignore senate missions. Any faction should try to go for Carthage and Greece, being the rich provinces they are.

[Krauser]

I think the Brutii are probably the best because they get so much money. They don't have to worry about money whatsoever whereas the other roman factions don't get rolling for a little bit longer.

[Slug For A Butt]

How about the Julii's potential access to the Awesome Temple Of Horse? Certainly makes for a powerful military. I only ever got one, but as you can imagine it became my recruitment centre (+5 exp).
I find the Scipii boring because of the large distances involved in travelling around Africa.
I love the military opposition of the Brutii, fighting against strong phalanxes early game is more interesting than fighting spear warbands I feel.

But as has been mentioned already, all the Romans are a little too powerful and similar.
I'm loving my Thracian campaign atm, phalanxes and falxmen are strong early on. But I'm wondering how they'll bear up in later game (not good I fear).

[Quirinus]

How about the Julii's potential access to the Awesome Temple Of Horse? Certainly makes for a powerful military. I only ever got one, but as you can imagine it became my recruitment centre (+5 exp).

Yea... but if your one temple is located somewhere inconvenient like Samarobriva or the like... besides, as the Julii, the Gauls are the very first target. Plus Britannia and Germania sometimes join the party... in my Julii games the Gauls rarely last long enough to build a sacred circle of Epona (that's what the Awesome Temple of Horse needs, right?).

I'm loving my Thracian campaign atm, phalanxes and falxmen are strong early on. But I'm wondering how they'll bear up in later game (not good I fear).

imo the Thracians are not very rewarding to play, your high-tier units have nothing on the high-tier units of other Greek factions, not to mention the Romans. iirc the stats of the Bastarnae (I think) you get are even lower than that of the merc version. Do not want. D:

But that's me personally. If you're loving it don't let me rain on your parade. :)

[Morgoth101]

Personally, I like the Scipii, although they don't have the greatest position of settlements to start with. The Brutii have an amazing income, which you can increase with their temples of Mercury. The Julii are kinda OK in my opinion. They don't have properly developed settlements to capture in the north, unlike for the Scipii, who have Carthage and Thaspus, and the Brutii, who have Athens, Sparta and Larissa, even though they often get plagues.

[Morgoth101]

On the whole, the best faction would depend on how you want to play. All factions have the same units, obviously. The Brutii is quite easy. You have a cool income, and cities with a cool income as well ahead of you. The Julii is kinda easy too. The Gauls don't have the ability to train units that are tough to deal with early in the game, so you can quickly eliminate them before they can. The Scipii are kinda challenging, as your starting units are not that good. But if you can capture Carthage early on, you can get pretty decent units. Ususally, when I capture Carthage, I can train Triarii (its usually before Pre-Marius reforms). I played S.P.Q.R once, which was kinda fun. All I had to remember to do was to keep Rome gaurded with a strong garrison, as the other romans would attack in the future!
For non-roman factions, the Seleucids are quite challenging. Your starting units are bad compared to what your neighbours can bring(who will all most likely attack in the first few turns!). But if you survive the initial attacks, you could capture the entire map. Their Scythed Chariots are godlike! For Carthage, you CANNOT lose Carthage, Lilybaeum, or Caralis, as it would mean those who took it (usually the romans) can eventually take all your cities and destroy you.

[dakar97BG]

I think the best one is Brutii but its alot more fun and interesting to play with the Julii and the Scipii is kinda them both in one

[Napoleon The Emperor Of Europe]

I think the best one is Brutii but its alot more fun and interesting to play with the Julii and the Scipii is kinda them both in one

I say the Juli is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!For I will be Emperor!!!!!

[Matthew-p]

well its a though 1 i think it the brutii they have 3 xp shenron 4 for trarii but they have to take on greeks macedon and eastern factions scipii have gold gold sword and shield julii are me fav but they take on germans with axemen and berskers and the britons with head hurdlers and they dont route forever so yea oh and u only need the iq of a spade to beat the ai

[Drusus Magnus]

We should also consider the temple bonuses. The Julii bonuses are somewhat useless in my opinion, but the Brutii can pump out better units with better morale if they build a temple to Mars, and they can increase their already outrageous trade income in the Aegean by temples to Mercury.

The Scipii also have some improved units with Vulcan, and a very good ship, the Corvus Quinquereme(sp?).

So in terms of military might:

Scipii, followed very closely by, or even tied with, the Brutii.
Julii.

But I think the differences are neglectable.

[teja]

The best are Scipii and Brutii
Julii suck most of them.

Anyway I prefer other nations but the romans

[Severous]

Hi

Im playing Brutii and have played Julii. Both seem exactly the same to me.

Prefer the red colour of Julii and it contrasts better against the green of grass battlefields.

More seriously...the preference is not so much about your own troops but which enemy you want to fight ?

Ive enjoyed both Julii and Brutii as they have taken me in different directions and against different opponents.

[lars573]

The best Roman faction is the eastern empire.

[kburkert]

In RTW not BI