Which do I choose?

[Fluvius Camillus]

1. Cappadocian Hillmen
2. Eastern Axemen
3. Anatolian Hillmen

First off, of all these the Anatolians are unable to throw javelins. And IIRC the Cappadocians are the best statwise.

They are all fine of course, but if you have to pick use the Cappadocians.

Good luck with the campaign!

~Fluvius

[vartan]

If you have the money to spend and are not role-playing and/or concerned with any semblance of a fictitious storyline, then I recommend you go with the Eastern Axemen, as they have the best statistics, considering all aspects. Review the range of the Eastern Axemen compared to that of the Cappadoccian (this should be spelled Cappadocian if I'm not mistaken) Hillmen. The Eastern unit can throw its four javelins starting at a distance of 60.5 meters, while the Cappadocian unit can throw at 49.5 meters, which means your Eastern unit has 11 meters over any opposing Cappadocians, and even more distance compared to other javelin throwers. This distance means you can throw both farther as well as sooner, which could make all the difference in tight spots (which, thanks to the almighty battle AI of Rome: Total War, means that such considerations would almost always help you only in online multiplayer). The Eastern unit also has slightly better spacing and mass stats, if that is of concern to you. It's thus no wonder that the Eastern unit has limited recruitment, while virtually all factions can recruit the Cappadocian Hillmen.

[Cute Wolf]

actually I wonder why Baktrian hillmen with axe can skirmish, but these two can't...

[vartan]

actually I wonder why Baktrian hillmen with axe can skirmish, but these two can't...

Because they aren't skirmishers...duh bruh.

[The_Blacksmith]

Because they aren't skirmishers...duh bruh.

Huur durrr xD

I would go for the Eastern Axemen, they are plentyfull and can be recruted allmost anywhere in the east, they was a massive help in my Pahlava campaign to run with the Argyraspides... as Pontos, i think you can make great use of them... just watch out for any Toxotai and Sphendonetai, because they are NOT well protected... as for the allmost endless grey death of Pantodapoi, you'll have no probs...

[Ca Putt]

they're both great units so I use them according to their AOR - Cappadocians in the west - Easterners, well, in the east^^
as long as you're not playing multiplayer battles the small price margain should be negletable(well unless you just have 1500 mnai over, that is) apart from dicipline an extra attack point and doubled boni against Elephants and Chariots(yet a small malus against horsies) the tabargane is preferable and do be blunt, as chariots and elephants are a rather scarce sight on EB's battlefields and dicipline is somewhat negletable for a semi-skirmisher the extraattack point is overtrumped by:
49 + 8 mnai
11 m range
0,05 unit mass
+1 vs cav(or better: the lack of -1)
closer spacing(tho not so cool against cav and archers)
and a wider AOR in the east.

that is offcource assumung that the online unit list is up to date ;)

fazit: as long as you're neither facing a lot of chariots and elephants nor pure archer armies eastern axemen are the unit of choice. on campaigns, on the western half of asia minor or even further western you should consider the cappadocian

[Belisarius II]

Thanks for the replies guys