Favorite phalanx-based faction?

[Aemilius Paulus]

Actually, Epeirote government is quite good.

Meh, I prefer my good ol' Roman ones. Although the Hellenic experience bonus the governments offer is quite nice, much better than what the Romans have... At the same time, without that experience bonus, the Ptolies/AS governments are crap IMHO.

[Apázlinemjó]

Pontos for me, because of the wide variety on the unit roster next to the phalanx units. (Galatian naked dudes and scythed chariots do nice insta routs together.)

But if I have to stick at a hardcore phalanx based faction, then it's Makedonia. Hysteroi Pezhetairoi (sp?) is just the best phalanx unit in the game, since they are much cheaper than the elites, yet they have almost the same stats. Also their high end units belong to the bests of the game.

[A_Dane]

as some others have said: i think pontos would be a nice choice too, it might not exactly be a phalanks based nation, but i sure used alot of them when fighting the seleucids, simple because it was the only efficient way to hold their pahalanks in check while i killed the rest of the army with slingers/fm's.
it' a pretty hard campaign, but you get acces to the galatian unit's if you're fast, and a bit later once you've taken the bosporus you can get some neat heavy archers too back you up :b

[keiskander]

I would say Koinon Hellenon. True most of their units (almost all) are hoplites fighting in phalanx formation but they are more flexible then phalanxes with sarissas and dont need to depend on the ground they fight on. Not as wunerable when it comes to flank attacks i would say cause you can easy switch them around.

Also a great faction if you like infantry as i do. Thorakitai Hoplitai and Epilektoi Hoplitai are yummy to play with

[The General]

I love the idea of a Central-Asian melting-pot of a Hellenistic empire, blending Hellenistic, Persian, Indian and Chinese culture, being the masters of the Silk Road, controlling the trade between China and the Mediterranean, and of course, they've got such a great versatility when it comes to units available - light infantry, skirmishers, archers, horse archers, medium infantry, phalanxes, cavalry, heavy infantry, phalanxes, archers, cavalry, armoured horse archers, cataphracts, elephants! Makedonian/Hellenic, Persian, Baktrian, nomad and Indian troops! What do they not have?!

(... An elite phalanx. *sulk*)

The units are very beautiful too (althouh their Thureophoroi and Thorakitai are a bit bland).



The biggest problem, as many have mentioned, is their starting location. Surrounded on three sides by Arche Seleukeia, who's bound to betray you no matter the state of their collapsing empire (if you do not betray you masters yourself, that is), and after that, the Grind begins.

[HunGeneral]

Well I would say Arche Seleukeia and Makedonia in First and Epeiros at Second place.

Reasons:

Arche Seleukeia: (I wonder why nobody has choosen them so far) A large empire at the brink of demise with a wide variation of troops and the potential to become the empire of alexandros reborn (or even better). The reforms are a pain in the back, but atleats you don't need to depend on the MOT. A huge scale of enemies: Nomads in the east, traiterous yellow fever hordes in the south-west, true Makednos in the west, galatians in the middle of Asia Minor pluss the upstart persianized kingdoms in the northern mountains. Beat these however and you can have your own "Roman empire of the east" and west if you choose to go that way (Type I goverments in Pella, Baktria, and Alexandria and Mesopotamia). First class units of all kind from India all the way to Hellas. Any kind of army you can think of. What else do you need

Makedonia: as said by many so far, good troops, good place, great history, lack Thorakitai, depend on MOT and the Elite is in Hellas only. Wonderfull none the less

Epeiros: a little barbarian-like but that is there strength - recruitment also quite limited, but still good Elite cavalry is fantastic, but limited aswell. What makes them really atractive are: - Phyrros and his son, - don't need MOT and can kill of the Romani so others won't get it either (insert evil )

[Andy1984]

The Arche: there armies may not always be pike-based because of the sheer amount of regional units, but as said: they can train (and pay for) any army you desire. Not only are they facing very different enemies, but they also get to fight them on very different terrain (sandy deserts, stone deserts, steppe lowlands and high mountains, the very distinctive terrain in Asia Minor,...). How many factions experience this in the early game? And as most important feature: they can build truly expensive units, artillery and ships, which means you'll never run out of options to throw away your vast funds.

[retep219]

Well I would say Arche Seleukeia and Makedonia in First and Epeiros at Second place.

Reasons:

Arche Seleukeia: (I wonder why nobody has choosen them so far) A large empire at the brink of demise with a wide variation of troops and the potential to become the empire of alexandros reborn (or even better). The reforms are a pain in the back, but atleats you don't need to depend on the MOT. A huge scale of enemies: Nomads in the east, traiterous yellow fever hordes in the south-west, true Makednos in the west, galatians in the middle of Asia Minor pluss the upstart persianized kingdoms in the northern mountains. Beat these however and you can have your own "Roman empire of the east" and west if you choose to go that way (Type I goverments in Pella, Baktria, and Alexandria and Mesopotamia). First class units of all kind from India all the way to Hellas. Any kind of army you can think of. What else do you need

Makedonia: as said by many so far, good troops, good place, great history, lack Thorakitai, depend on MOT and the Elite is in Hellas only. Wonderfull none the less

Epeiros: a little barbarian-like but that is there strength - recruitment also quite limited, but still good Elite cavalry is fantastic, but limited aswell. What makes them really atractive are: - Phyrros and his son, - don't need MOT and can kill of the Romani so others won't get it either (insert evil )

Although when it comes to Arche Seleukeia, you have to be prepared for, once again, a rather unique faction. Seleukeia is so big that one has to be prepared to mantain a gigantic, overstreched empire from turn 1 and fight a number of foes that is high enough that it is usually kept for the late game in any other faction. A player of Arche Seleukeia has to be ready for a three-front war from the get-go.(Against Ptolomaioi in the Levant, against Pahlava and maybe Baktria in the East, and against various factions in Anatolia.) If you win, of course, you are pretty much set for the game. But victories, especially against the Pahlava and their deadly Horse Archers, will be hard to come by if you decide to use phalanxes. Seleukeia is, in some regards, a phalanx-based faction, especially in the West where it fights similar foes. It has one of the better elite phalanxes, the Silver-Shielded Argyraspides, with a massive AOR (well...relative to other elites), as well as much choice for the "line" phalanxes. But it cannnot rely on phalanxes to help fulfill its eastern victory conditions, and it will present a unique challenge for the player. Choose Seleukeia if you like elaborate, multi-front wars and sophisticated micro-management.

[Ca Putt]

as favorite Phalanx based faction I would choose Makedonia for all the reasons mentioned plus the playercolor is black :D. second would be bactria with the most wide spread recruitment roster. still I rather play with KH as I'm not awfully good at makedonian style phalanx warfare, I always preffered good ole hoplite battles.

oh and the AS is the smallest problem the bactrians have! I had to abandon my campaign because the saka rauka Invaded my homeland with Horse archers.