New to EB, some questions

[vollorix]

Rome is kind of catwalk, unless you skip about 20 years and start conquering afterwards. By this time you might meet Carthaginian resistance in Sicily, Epirote armies in Italy ( led by FM´s ), perhaps even Aedui threatening your northern boarders ( pity there are no Illyrians there to raid your coastal cities ). So, yea, sitting 20 years and doing nothing, letting your FM get all wealthy, corrupt, fat and snobistic, might be a way to "enjoy" the game ^^
Seleucids are very easy, except those Parthian baggers; the only problems i had was fighting Arabian folks without using to many missile troops - in my first ( and only one ) Seleucid campaign i´ve managed to loose my FL during the siege of Palmyra, lmao...
Never played Saka or Sauros ( i hate HAs... or better said, it´s annoying how easy it is to win a battle using them, and how micro heavy a battle might get, at the same time ), but Pontus and Hay are the two "eastern" factions with a real challenge, at least untill you own a couple of money making towns. Then it´s, again, quite easy.
I find Aedui/Arverni much more challenging concerning their income even if you own enough settlements, blitzing the opposite side, and grabing some Eleutheroi towns quite fast. But i´ve never experienced a pressure from Sweboz or Lusos, nor Casse ( of course ^^ ). Romans might be nerving, though ( if they manage to take the rebell settlements fast enought, at least ).
The most fascinating experience i had was playing Pahlava, i think. You´ve got a goal - the mighty reforms. Actually, you don´t need them at all, lol, since your HA´s and Catanks make a short work of any faction, but at least you can achieve something, and you must do it right, or you´ve wasted a lot of time ( one word: nomad market and the build orders...hehe ).
Never played Ptoleys: if Seleucids are allready quite easy, what would i do with Egypt, who has no natural enemies at the game start, aside from the greyish ones?
Casse are fun, but they are to OP compared to the other two Celtic factions ( Milnaht, Batacorii - win! Who needs reforms? )
As long as there are no counterfactions in the game ( to simulate civil wars, not be safe from betrayl, to face a real threat, instead of those poppy rebels ) none of the "big" factions will be really challenging, imho.

[fomalhaut]

the Pahlavan faction should be the model for many factions, it kept me playing til the very end. very engaging, varied and fascinating campaign. the visuals, music and stuff helped too

[NikosMaximilian]

Try the Saka in H/H without rushing, now that's a challenge! You are poor, and so are your starting regions. The autocalc doesn't make you any favours, because a battle you can win easily playing with horse archers tactics, are calculated more by melee, so those 240 phalangitai are horse-archers slayers. By the time you went south enough to develop an economy it's likely that you are at war with the Arche Seleukia, Baktria, Pahlava and maybe the Sauromatae too.

Also, the goverment system is completely different from the Romans.

[moonburn]

herm playing the arche seulekids is not easy walk if you don´t play your 1st 8 turns right (ptoleis out of mikra asia secure the east and try and build mines and stone walls and ofc attack the phalava 1st as not to loose precious vassals)

[vollorix]

Why should i bother with those poor towns in Micra Asia? Drive Ptoleys back to Alexandria - that´s all you have to do in your first turns. Those two small towns are isolated, no FM´s leading their armies there ( the one at the start of the game is too old and dies short after ). Once you have secured the Middle East you can steamroll the Ptoleys if you want; let them produce levies in Tarsos and Side, who cares? :) I´d rather wait until they build some mines in Tarsos and then take it, together with Cyprus. All Ptoley barracks can be used by Seleucids, so simply give them enough time to build the military infrastructure ( and AI loves to do it in the first place ), and then invade and say "thanks"...
My campaign was even on VH, iirc, because i wanted a challenge. All i got was about 10 turns to stabilize my provinces, after 5 years i knew, there will be no sufficient resistance anymore. That´s what i call easy, though, the Parthians are a pain in the a**, but that´s only in the beginning. Voila.

[A_Dane]

I really gotta say, that I find Carthage to be easier than the romans.. If you just build up markets, and start conqueroring North Africa + Spain, you'll be swimming in money. Once you get mines upgraded as well, you'll have more money, than you know what to do with, upgrade them, and you've basically won. In my current game I bought out the AS from Mikra Asia, and gave their possessions to Pontos.

Why? Because I couldn't spend my money otherwise s:

[Ca Putt]

now that's what a real Carthagian would do ^^

so let's conclude, when looking for a challence do not play: Romani, Karthastim or Ptolemaioi. (unless you hae some nasty house rules)