Six down- four to go to!!: 4 faction slots left

[hekk]

I think the announcement of Takshashila only shows we can't really take the words of the DEVs here too seriously, as many of them stated before that there wouldn't be an Indian faction due to limitations.

So far, I'm very happy with the factions that have been announced so far. I can't wait to try Pergamon or the Bosporan Greeks.

While I think Syracuse was undoubtedly a very influential Greek state in it's time, I think it's unlikely it will make it. As others have pointed out before, it would quickly get steam-rolled by either the Carthaginians or the Romans. There simply aren't enough settlement slots in Sicily to properly represent Syracuse as a faction on it's own.

I'm actually hoping for a second Numidian faction. The Mamla'ha BiMassylim (the Eastern Numidians) will have it incredibly hard to be able to withstand Carthage. However, a faction located further west in North Africa like the Mauretani or Masaesylian (West Numidians) would have a fairly good position to start up from, and good time to conquer some nearby regions before it collides with Carthage. Also, a Mauretani or Masaesylian alliance with the Massylians might help to prolong their existence.

I think there could be a good chance for the Atropatene. They could be given similar units to Parthia, as they were a Persian dynasty and were remainders of the Persian Empire that ruled independently from the Seleucids. Their state lasted until 3rd century AD, when their state were absorbed by the Parthians. It would be fun, albeit quite hard, to try and reconquer former lands of the Achaemenid Empire and to try and re-establish a new Persian Empire.

I'm guessing that the last two other factions will probably be the Celt-iberians and the Belgae, and I say that with little enthusiasm as I rarely ever play as barbarians. :p