Some quick questions

[artaxerxes]

Actually I've been playing EB since 2008, but for some reason I just realized there's a lot I don't know about it (perhaps because the only campaigns I've ever stuck with are almost solely AS ones)

Anyways, I'm curious:

- why is it that in many cities (as AS) I build Trade Caravan Scout Parties. But even if long time goes by and the city is a Huge City, I can never upgrade to actual caravans?
- do Makedon, Carthage, Getai, Baktria or Epeiros have any reforms (they're the next ones I want to play, so I wanna be prepared)
- what is Epeiros' strength in units? I mean, I guess Makedon have the superior phalanx. But is Epeiros almost a classic Diadochiesque faction or have they strengths that lie elsewhere (I have played so many AS campaigns that you have to tell me this, for otherwise I'll just continue doing 'hammer and anvil' with whatever infantry and cavalry I can muster)

[Macilrille]

I cannot answer your questions. However, if I may ask you one and perhaps make a suggestion;

The Question: If you have played a lot with the AS, why then play with other Diadochiiesque factions? Same units, same tactics, just a new land and if you are lucky one new enemy faction that you may not have faced before?

Suggestion: Try something new and completely different. Play as Rome, Sweboz, Lusos, Carties, or Steppe faction instead. It will with certainty enhance your experience and broaded your horisons, and I speak from experience. As most people know I am a lover of Rome and Sweboz, but one of my funniest campaigns was as Baktria. Entirely new setting, units and enemies. AS was OK as well, but Baktria really provided much fun, as did the Getai, but that seemed almost too easy so when a persistent CTD stopped me, I did not reload an earlier save.

Now I will probably try to finish a Roman campaign, and achieve Imperial Reforms, and see if I can take the map with Sweboz (these are loose plans and may never happen), but after that my next new experience will probably be Macs, Lusos or carties, or even Steppe. It is important to broaden one's horisons.

Oh and yes, Baktria has a reform, but I think it is tied to the MoT one. There may be a Cata-reform as well, but I never got it.

[artaxerxes]

I cannot answer your questions. However, if I may ask you one and perhaps make a suggestion;

The Question: If you have played a lot with the AS, why then play with other Diadochiiesque factions? Same units, same tactics, just a new land and if you are lucky one new enemy faction that you may not have faced before?

Suggestion: Try something new and completely different. Play as Rome, Sweboz, Lusos, Carties, or Steppe faction instead. It will with certainty enhance your experience and broaded your horisons, and I speak from experience. As most people know I am a lover of Rome and Sweboz, but one of my funniest campaigns was as Baktria. Entirely new setting, units and enemies. AS was OK as well, but Baktria really provided much fun, as did the Getai, but that seemed almost too easy so when a persistent CTD stopped me, I did not reload an earlier save.

Now I will probably try to finish a Roman campaign, and achieve Imperial Reforms, and see if I can take the map with Sweboz (these are loose plans and may never happen), but after that my next new experience will probably be Macs, Lusos or carties, or even Steppe. It is important to broaden one's horisons.

Oh and yes, Baktria has a reform, but I think it is tied to the MoT one. There may be a Cata-reform as well, but I never got it.

:) Well the reason is that I have FAR from tired of diadochi factions. The only reason I'll play Epeiros, Maks or Baktria is to experience a different early game than AS. Having played 4 or 5 AS campaigns, I've gotten to the point where I do the same moves each time for the first many turns, and that's just getting a little boring. I really want to fight the exact same wars, I just want to lead the other guys ;) Pontus and Pahlava may also be something I look into. Generally I'm just obsessed with the land between Marakanda-Armavir-Sidon-Alexandropolis-Ambracia ;)

[Macilrille]

If I may make a comparison, I have far from tired of missionary, but others are fun as well- if you get my drift...

[Ludens]

- do Makedon, Carthage, Getai, Baktria or Epeiros have any reforms (they're the next ones I want to play, so I wanna be prepared)
- what is Epeiros' strength in units? I mean, I guess Makedon have the superior phalanx. But is Epeiros almost a classic Diadochiesque faction or have they strengths that lie elsewhere (I have played so many AS campaigns that you have to tell me this, for otherwise I'll just continue doing 'hammer and anvil' with whatever infantry and cavalry I can muster)

1) Macedon and Bactria get a new phalanx unit and bodyguard respectively when the MoT event strikes. Carthage has its own reform that upgrades several infantry units. Getai and Epeiros get nothing.
2) Epeiros' unit roster is identical to Macedon, except for a few units. Epeiros does not get upgraded pezhetairoi, but they can recruit Tarentine cavalry. They also replace the argyraspides with the Chaeonion agema and the hetairoi with the Molloson agema. Although the argyraspides and the Chaeonions are comparable, the Mollosians have rather less armour than the Hetairoi. Some people think the Mollosians' greater speed and endurance makes them more valuable than hetairoi, but you can only recruit them in one province. On the plus side, you can recruit elephants in Epeiros capital (at least, you could in EB 0.8: not sure about the current version).

I can't answer your first question.

[XSamatan]

concerning your first question:
There is no bonus for AS on this building, however you can mod it in edb. If an other culture builds the caravans you will receive the bonus they would have got.

XSamatan

[Ca Putt]

Afaik trade Caravans are for Nomads, build roads your "civilized"^^

Macedon and bactria have a reform tied to the March of time event: Reformed Pezhetairoi(mak) and Late Bodyguard(Bak).
Carthage has a reform which you can read in the FAQ
Epeiros has pretty much similar units to Macedonia just with early access to Illyrian instead of tracian units and the chance to get elephantes very far north/west, and you "can" expand towards Italy

[athanaric]

- why is it that in many cities (as AS) I build Trade Caravan Scout Parties. But even if long time goes by and the city is a Huge City, I can never upgrade to actual caravans?

Trade Caravans can only be built with a Type III or Type IV government (for AS and Baktria; Pahlava, Saba, and Nomads get them anyway).

- do Makedon, Carthage, Getai, Baktria or Epeiros have any reforms (they're the next ones I want to play, so I wanna be prepared)
- what is Epeiros' strength in units? I mean, I guess Makedon have the superior phalanx. But is Epeiros almost a classic Diadochiesque faction or have they strengths that lie elsewhere (I have played so many AS campaigns that you have to tell me this, for otherwise I'll just continue doing 'hammer and anvil' with whatever infantry and cavalry I can muster)

Makedonian phalanx roster vs Epeirote phalanx roster:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The one Epeiros doesn't get is the Heavy Phalanx, a March of Time tied reform unit.

[vartan]

I'm going to have to agree with Mac here. If you plan on playing MP any time, the greater and broader experience of playing many factions will only help you in the long run. By the way, I think Knight of Heaven (KOH) played as Epeiros in the old tourney and the main differences was I believe a greater use of Agrarians (sp?) and a different cavalry and elite phalanx unit.

[artaxerxes]

Well, I've just started an Epirote campaign, blitzed Macedonia, lost Taras, sailed to Taras and retaken it and then CTD'ed ;) but thanks a lot for all your answers, it's cleared a lot. fx about the caravans, it always bugged me that I could build them in some places and not in others. Just theoretically: could I build a lvl 3 gov > build caravans > demolish lvl 3 gov > build lvl 1 or 2, and still get the effects of the caravan building? or would it then be rendered useless.
As for new experience, I'm getting a bit of it in my Epirote campaign fighting Camillan Romans, whom I really didn't fight that much as AS :)

[athanaric]

Just theoretically: could I build a lvl 3 gov > build caravans > demolish lvl 3 gov > build lvl 1 or 2, and still get the effects of the caravan building? or would it then be rendered useless.

Yes, that works. A regular exploit, same as with barracks.

[artaxerxes]

Yes, that works. A regular exploit, same as with barracks.

Wow, so it works with barracks too? So you could build first lvl 4 govs in Babylon, Seleucia, Antioch, Susa, Persepolis etc. and upgrade the regional MICs all the way and then switch to lvl 1 and upgrade the factional ones? And then get all the possible AS units of the province? :D

[Duguntz]

Oh gosh, that'd be awsome! :) to train uroodusios and germano-celtic spearmen in the same provinces! Rome shall tramble!

[athanaric]

Wow, so it works with barracks too? So you could build first lvl 4 govs in Babylon, Seleucia, Antioch, Susa, Persepolis etc. and upgrade the regional MICs all the way and then switch to lvl 1 and upgrade the factional ones? And then get all the possible AS units of the province? :D

How do you think do I play Hai and Pahlava campaigns? At the maximum, I could train some thirty different units in Seleukeia...

Oh gosh, that'd be awsome! :) to train uroodusios and germano-celtic spearmen in the same provinces! Rome shall tramble!

I don't have a campaign screenshot right now, but this way, you can train all of these units in Carrodunum (complete with 4 chevrons, thanks to Deiwoz):

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

For this and other tricks with the Swêboz, you might want to have a look at this:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...5%8Dz-Gameplay