The Sweboz

[Macilrille]

If you know what you are doing, you can change the script to get reforms before. I do not, but some do and you should be able to do a search and find roughly how. It can definately be done.
However... why? I have taken most of Europe with Sweboz, from the Pyrenees and Sicily to Nordkap, from Gawjam-Bastarnoz and Gintatas-Ostan to Tearaght Island, with no reforms until long after the required time despite all builds being right. Only reformed units I had until the last 20- 25 years were those I bribed from Rebels.

You already have badass units with high morale. You can pwn anyone.

[Duguntz]

You already have badass units with high morale. You can pwn anyone.

Cannot say better! Look, I beated the crap out of multiple elite roman stack whilt outnumbered. Another understimated unit are the Juguntiz Hatiska (orthograph?)... Unferth of Gergovia, AP weapons are your best friends! no matter if your ennemy is impressive with his elite unit. I mean, why wait the reform... an experienced Slagonez unit beats a Catank unit.. It's only a matter of mixing your troops rightly! (and to read the strategy guide of Macirille to give you ideas on ''how to beat the crap out of barbaroi'')

[WinsingtonIII]

Frankly, I'm not sure why you're in such a hurry to get the Germanic Heavy Cavalry. They're certainly good, but Germanic Light Cavalry, Celto-Germanic Cavalry, and Gallic Light Cavalry easily get the job done. Roman cavalry can't compete and the Gallic cavalry is pretty much on the same level with the exception of the bodyguard version of Brihentin. The recruitable Brihentin have worse stats and can be taken down by Celto-Germanic Cav. Especially if you have Temples to Deiwoz and Fields of Games in your troop producing cities so they come out with three or four experience chevrons right off the bat.

[Macilrille]

That indeed is the basis for Sweboz pwning the world, so basic that I thought I need not say it Forget about economic temples, use Deiwoz to give you experience and in distant settlements, Wothan to give Law. Drop the rest, they are largely useless.

[Duguntz]

The best, (following the basic sweboz recruitment strategy) is to build a level 3 Deiwoz temple plus a blacksmith... With that, even an army of light troops can compete with ANYTHING the world can field, appart of horse archer. All units start right off the bat with upgraded weapons and 3 chevrons... your medium troops can even beat the elites of Romans... Celto-germanic cav. do wonder on the battlefield and even your light Reidonez are very good for light cav... dude, appart if you're really onto big heavy armour, don't wait the reform, and start to kick some arses

[WinsingtonIII]

That indeed is the basis for Sweboz pwning the world, so basic that I thought I need not say it Forget about economic temples, use Deiwoz to give you experience and in distant settlements, Wothan to give Law. Drop the rest, they are largely useless.

Well, I think Frouja can be useful in the early game to boost population growth, considering how small most of your towns start out. But Soap Makers and Healer's Huts are both very effective for that as well.

[athanaric]

Well, I think Frouja can be useful in the early game to boost population growth, considering how small most of your towns start out. But Soap Makers and Healer's Huts are both very effective for that as well.

The temple of Frouwjo is the most cost-efficient temple in EB. For just 2400 mnai (cost of both tiers combined), you get +20 happiness and +1% population growth. Though later on, Deiwoz and Wathonoz become more important for the player - as was the case in real life, where Wodan eventually became the most important one, at the expense of older deities (especially female ones). Seems to be something of a general tendency that can culminate in monotheism.

[Macilrille]

The only cases where I use Frowjon instead is those cities I have plundered a couple of times and/or that the stupid AI has emptied of population by drafting them all as cheap levies to throw against me, as soon as it reaches pop 6000 I change to the more useful ones. My home towns where I recruit are all Deiwoz/Tyr and my third/fourth building in these are either soap maker or healer, fifth/sixth usually also, so I have both fairly early and can churn out units with experience, experience matters a lot in EB.