Arverni Vs. Aedui

[MisterFred]

I've never played one of the Gallic confederacies. If I start a green campaign, which one should I choose? What makes the two different?

[Unintended BM]

Victory conditions and one unit, pretty much.


Aedui


Arverni

Aedui's unit is probably better because it's more unique. Both are very good though.

Also, the Aedui have an easier time at the start. It's much easier to surround the Arverni and wipe them out quickly. That doesn't mean you'll have trouble at the start with the Arverni, both games are pretty easy once you get going anyway.

I personally like the Arverni skins better than the Aedui skins, but that's really personal preference.

[Brennus]

I usually go for the Aedui, again like Unintended BM i prefer the skins on the Aedui and the Carnutes units. I personally find the Averni starting situation easier though, all your units are concentrated in Transalpine Gaul rather then split by the Alps. Although if I am honest I have yet to succesfully complete a campaign as either (I have good feelings about my current one though!).

[Apázlinemjó]

I like the form of government of Arverni more, GOD KING! Their skins look nicer too. However Arjos is just a waste of mnai, at least 'till they have two weapons and keep switching them during the battle. That's why in MP battles I would go with Aedui instead of Arverni, but in campaigns Arverni all the way!

[athanaric]

Aedui

+ Unique unit: Carnute Cingetos
+ Gallic skins (also Mori Gaesum)
+ Goidelic skins - they come in ginger for this faction!!!
+ Democracy (well, at least no stupid theocracy)
+ Starting position (with port and further away from the Suebi)
+ Receive additional law boni from the Gallic council and Obelix' backyard


Arverni

+(-) Cool factional colour, probably too bright in the long run though
+ General (FM) skin - epic!
+ Historical reasons - they put up a fight against the Romans
+- Not so unique unit: Arjos. A slightly weaker but more numerous variant of Solduros.



Of course, this is my own PoV and for the most part highly subjective.

[Arjos]

The choice is yours as people said there are little differences between them:

Aedui: Democracy, bigger Type 2 Government area over different territories, bonus from special buildings in Armoriae and Mrogaule (not sure for the one in Tolosa), Carnute Cingetos.
Arverni: Elective Monarchy, eastern focused expansion, no bonus, Arjos.

Note: The Aedui will get in contact with the Romans sooner, the Arverni with the Sweboz...

About historical background, the lawful "masters" of Gaul are the Aedui, but the Arverni are a "new" emerging force...

[Gaius Sempronius Gracchus]

Hmmm... I actually find playing as either a little...., unsatisfactory. Not really anybody's fault, it's just that..., well, you can't war like Gauls. I have been toying with the idea of working on a mod, with particular regard to the Gauls.

So, what do I mean by not being able to fight like Gauls? Well, we have a description from Caesar as to the Gallic tactic for sieges, and there are no siege engines, no venaea(?), just a group of soldiers in Testudo formation who approach the gates and attempt to either break down the gates or undermine the walls (this is probably why Gallus Murus was utilised - a perfectly adequate defence against such actions). And that was by the middle of the 1st Century BCE....

So, taking towns just isn't on the agenda (if you want to role-play). I actually had a pretty succesful campaign as the Aedui; took all the towns down to Capua and only had a small contingent of Romani left at Rhegium before I had to face the Sweboz in my Northern holdings - but, as I have said, I found this (from a role-play perspective) very unsatisfactory.

But, the role-play option really isn't open to you either, because that relies on trading, and you are surrounded by enemies (the Arverni/Aedui and Eleutheroi), so you HAVE to campaign a la Romani.

This isn't a moan, by the way, it's just an observation. What's needed are; more Gallic factions, and more provinces in Gaul. But also, a slightly different take on the diplomacy side.... But, I don't really know how much one can do within the framework of the game's engine - something along the lines of raiding territories (or being raided) - rather than outright attacking towns, affecting the diplomatic options of your opponents (so's you can demand protectorates etc.) Is there anyway of scripting armies in provinces to affect the factions this way?

This would also allow for the inevitable Romani invasion to be something of a culture shock for the Gallic factions (and only then would siege engines come into play - as the Gauls showed vs. Caesar, they quickly learnt to copy the practices of the Romans..)