Faction for new campaign

[Alsatia]

I don't think you want to see a thousand streaking men running towards you. Then again the satisfaction of a barbarian (or hellenic) player sacking Roma may compensate.

I've heard that it is almost impossible to win with Pahlava without cheating.

I also haven't tried saka yet... I'll try one day.

[Aemilius Paulus]

What about Eperios? Most interesting Hellenic faction IMHO. AS and Ptolies start out too strong, and have too many elites (making game easy). KH has a basically all elite-roster, too strong once again, and Maks have the same problem, not to mention being depressingly similar to AS and Ptolies. Eperios is an interesting, original, and a bit more difficult faction who has also the most interesting position IMO. Right in the Middle of West and East (in the EB sense). To the East, most of the civilised world; to the west, Romani and "barbarians". You get to fight all types of factions, unlike some, such as Baktria, who must face endless stream of Nomad and AS spam.

[option]

What about Eperios? Most interesting Hellenic faction IMHO. AS and Ptolies start out too strong, and have too many elites (making game easy). KH has a basically all elite-roster, too strong once again, and Maks have the same problem, not to mention being depressingly similar to AS and Ptolies. Eperios is an interesting, original, and a bit more difficult faction who has also the most interesting position IMO. Right in the Middle of West and East (in the EB sense). To the East, most of the civilised world; to the west, Romani and "barbarians". You get to fight all types of factions, unlike some, such as Baktria, who must face endless stream of Nomad and AS spam.

This. Epeiros was the first faction I played in EB, and not knowing anything about them previously (except Pyrrhos), I fell in love. Carthage is more interesting as a culture IMO, but they're definitely a lot easier, starting with a fantastic economy, no enemies, strong factional units, and lots of room for uncontested expansion.

[Tristuskhan]

I've heard that it is almost impossible to win with Pahlava without cheating.

Definitely false. If you're skillful enough, you can win with Pahlava in Hard campaign difficulty, and even without blitzing or retraining (only merging). You just have to learn to love every single of your men and minimise losses (so no autoclac for example, since even weak rebel bands are a very good target practice and gold-chevroned HA's are the supreme weapon).

[Ezephkiel]

Ive just started a pahlava campaign, about 20+ turns in, haven't had a war and am allied with 12 other nations oddly enough. Might wipe out the sauro's and take the steppes for myself though, but i like going the hard way round. But they seem quite a fun faction so far, with their sexy armoured horsemen.

[the man with no name]

I say the KH migration to Anatolia. Very interesting. Make a poll for this.

[Cyclops]

I say the KH migration to Anatolia. Very interesting. Make a poll for this.

Of the ones you pick I say no to Rome (easiest in the game), all the HAs are a bit tough on me mentally (I am descended from Irish bogtrotters, horses are for betting on) so go Carthage. I saw a suggestion in an earlier thread for half-stack limit. Carthage gets sweet units and the money to support them so force yourself to build short stacks of pure gold and cut holes in you foes. Elite Africans, Balearics (both kinds) armoured Elephants and sacred band cav should do the trick.

Of the others Saba is a genuine change, the most distinct flavour in the game I would say, aside from the weird undesirable HAs.

I am currently revelling in a Hayasdan campaign, it has stabilised in 240 BC and I am at peace with AS for the first time in 30 years! The AI has made a good diplomatic choice. Of course now I am in a death match with the Yellow peril but you can't have everything.

[Alien of Germania]

Go for Baktria Mikhail you wont regret. Slow start and long distances to travel but an amazing troop variety and good quality. Just my 2 cents here.

[Mikhail Mengsk]

MMmh i think i will start a campaign with Pahlava and another one with Baktria or Carthage, thank you all for suggesting! :-)

[Tristuskhan]

Ive just started a pahlava campaign, about 20+ turns in, haven't had a war and am allied with 12 other nations oddly enough. Might wipe out the sauro's and take the steppes for myself though, but i like going the hard way round. But they seem quite a fun faction so far, with their sexy armoured horsemen.

Trying to hold the steppe is surprisingly the real "hard way round" for Pahlava. Unrest, distances and the global poverty of the land are a true deterrent. It's easier to fight a Seleucid elite stack per turn in Mesopotamia than to hold Chighu and Gava Alana...

[Atraphoenix]

I don't think you want to see a thousand streaking men running towards you. Then again the satisfaction of a barbarian (or hellenic) player sacking Roma may compensate.

I've heard that it is almost impossible to win with Pahlava without cheating.

I also haven't tried saka yet... I'll try one day.

I never cheat with pahlava,
but You have blitz untill you capture antioche, stick to mercenaries, that means you have to sack cities,
It is quite possible
but you have to get used rinse and repeat tactics.
offence is best defence with them. just play VH/M in hard do not expect to expansion.
if you play VH/H or VH/VH with pahlava use 0 recruitment mods. but best is VH/M on alex.
also check this link it may help you a lot.

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=117201

[Irishmafia2020]

Baktria is one of the most interesting and challenging campaigns in the game, although it can become lonely living out on the end of the world... Epiros and Macedonia both have interesting starting positions and great faction rosters... Pontos is challenging and well placed for action... KH has a great economy, really strong infantry and endless possibilities for viral (seaborne) expansion. Armenia and Saba are really challenging, and you have to love them to play them well. Saka has the best HA's and eventually some of the very best heavy infantry as well... Either Celtic faction starts out with great units and faces a desperate struggle against aggressive neighbors... Personally I like a challenge so I don't play the Romans, Iberians, Casse, Carthaginians, Ptolemies, or Seleucids - although if you allow your empire to collapse at the beginning of the game, all of those factions would be potentially difficult to play. Also, I did not comment on factions that I am indifferent too, although campaigns with the Getae, Sweboz, Sarmatians or Parthians might be just as challenging and intersting as anything else...

I guess that what faction you like comes down to a matter of taste, although my personal overall favorite is Bactria which plays like a frontier scenario as you are initially poor and fighting highly mobile HA armies that seem to melt away when you chase them with heavy infantry - eventually, if you survive fighting your superpower neighbor (AS) and the predations of the natives (Saka,Pahvlava) you might build yourself a decent little indo-greek kingdom with very distinctive units. The downside is that if you want to interact with the Mediterranean world at all, you have to get there - by conquering the entire Selucid Empire from the East, or by taking out Armenia and getting a Black sea port... Oh yeah, you also get some decent Horse Archers with Baktria!

[Prussian to the Iron]

Saba is a very cool faction, and it offers challenges as well.

Starting Position:

You start out isolated from everyone by rebel cities, and so can expand in any direction without fear of repurcussions for the first 20 turns. You can also land units across the gulf into northwest india, and start pumping out elephants. Ultimately, you have the choice of fighting the inevitably-crumbling seleucids, or the stronger Ptolemaioi. Both offer challenges, but I prefered to take on both at once.

Units:

Some of the best early-game units available, period. They have great non-phalanx spearmen, and their bowmen-spearmen are some of the most flexible, versatile, and useful units in the entire game. You mostly keep them behind the main battle line until they exhaust their ammo, but they can be used to patch up holes in the line and hold them for a sufficient amount of time versus most non-elite units.