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Knew I was missing someone:

Make that seven down and three to go.

Wondering if a wandering mod could change the title

With todays preview, we finally reach a point where more than half of the Occultus factions have been previewed (See list below).

An excellent visual representation by CanOmer at the TWC:



Now only three faction slots are free, and no culture slots.The previewed factions in order of appearance are:

1. Pergamon

2.Mamla'ha biMassylim

3.The Boii

4.The Lugiones

5. Taksashila (Mauryan Satrapy)

6. Bosporan Kingdom(Announced but not previewed)

7. The Nabataean Kingdom or Malkûtâ Nabâta |The sheer perfidy of the EB team- if you peruse the post you will notice Nabatea's status as Nabataea (denied by team)|

Ps. not counting the Pritanoi as they already exist in EB as the Casse.

If asked to predict the remaining three factions, my choices would be in order of probability

1. A Celto-Iberian faction
Though not yet confirmed by the EB team, based on the comprehensive way they were presented in EB, and on random comments by EB members (innuendo-Moros' 9,955 posts ), IMHO they might as well be declared.

The strongest point in their favor is that of all proto-factions represented in the original EB, they are the only one with an completely developed troop and trait list, their only competitors being the Helvetii.

2. A celto-thracian faction

3. A Syracrusan faction

Thats it, on the basis of the existing culture slots and the amount of archival information available, I cannot think of any more factions that are likely(note the emphasis on likely) to be worthy of inclusion.

Pps. I am not including pseudo-nationalist sentiments here, and would prefer that this thread be free of them.

What do you think are the most likely contenders ??

Should this be merged with the 'New Factions' thread?

Could have posted there, but just wanted to celebrate the fact that 2/3rd s of the occultus factions have been revealed and that on a more personal note my name just got referenced: check the Takashila preview(History Section)

PS. That thread is also getting a bit crowded with quite a few of the options either plain out rejected or previewed

PPS. an excellent list given by Future Filmmaker also at the TWC:

(Iberia)
Callaeci
Arevaci

(Cisalpine Gaul)
Insubre

(Gaul)
Pictones
Nervii
Eburones
Treverii
Sequani (denied by team)
Helvetii (denied by team)
Massalia (denied by team)

(Germanic)
Veneti
Cimbri
Suiones
Bastarnae
Marcomanni
Chatti
Cherusci
Quadi

(Baltic)
Venedi

Nabataea (denied by team)

(Nubia)
Aksum (denied by team)
Kush
Meroë

(Mauritania)
Mauri

(Asia Minor)
Bithynia
Galatia (denied by team)

(Arabia)
Minaeans
Hadramaut
Qedarites

(Georgia)
Kolkhis (denied by team)
Iberia (denied by team)

(Illyria)
Scordisci
Delmetae
Ardiaei
Taulanti
Dardani

(Hellenic)
Syrakousai

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At the risk of sounding like a broken record:

1. The Belgae (I would give my left leg for them to be a faction)

2. Galatia

3. Caucasian Iberia

4. Not really sure, my brain tells me Bithnyia or Tylis (Populous Romanus your charms have worked on me) but my heart would like to see the Bastarnae or the Bituriges-Cubi although the latter may be too familiar to the Arverni and Aedui to qualify as a faction.

Haven't you missed the Bosporan Kingdom out?

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With Pergamon already in-game this is extemely unlikely, Anatolia will be crowded that way with 1 to 2 rebel provinces at the start. I think empty spots elsewhere will be filled first.

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I'm a horrible guesser! I want to see some new Occultus sigs around so we can continue the guessing game!

Should this be merged with the 'New Factions' thread?

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Thats what i was thinking

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Yep, the Bosporians were announced but have yet to be previewed.

I hope the OP is right about a celtiberian faction because EB the game (as opposed to EB the history lesson) needs a faction around there.

I don't think Syracuse will be in, since team members have said they were historically insignificant in the timeframe. I'd quite like them since they're fun -- old school Greek military between Roman/Carthaginian/Epirote militaries -- but I don't think it'll happen. Still, with any luck I can fake them by migrating the KH using cheat codes, as I did in EB1.

I wonder if we'll get the Yuezhi, now the map has been extended east.

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We're working on them

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Arevakoi, Ardiaioi, Syrakusai...
Last one could be anything: script-purposed slot, Atropatene or Caucasian Iberia, any Aquitanian tribe or a migrating Belgae tribe...

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4 slots

probably one or two factions near the caspian sea and one or two factions between Gaul and the lusotanii.
that leaves 0-2 factions for the rest of the map. I'd say one of them is celtic. the other one, I don't know I don't think they would make the last one celtic aswell. that is when there is only one faction in iberia and one near the caspian...
Syracuse is not that much off imho, let's see about that.

I'm craveing for a new occultus sig now that Takshila has been revealed :)

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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

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I think they said their wouldn't be a Mauryan Empire faction... but instead they've given us a Mauryan Satrap Kingdom. So they technically didn't lie, I think.

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there´s always the historical encompass of time that exactly in 273bc the indians where in civil war and not until 267b.c. will tashakila have to choose to return to being a satrapy or probably fend of a kind of mongol or timur the lame kind of invasion springing from the east altough if thats scripted we know they´ll stop around gedrosia so we can actually have to play a migration campaign and bring the gypsies into europe 1500 years before they arrived in europe ... OH YEAHHHHH just a litle bit of history repeatinggggggggggggggggggg

as for the factions since they brought in an indian satrapy maybe a meroe kingdom might be nice ethiopians showing the blackpower (just a litle bit of history repeating ? )

arevaci if they don´t make it this time will make lusitanians far more powerfull particulary since it seems conquering new lands for both romans and carthaginians will be hindered by the new found importance of culture (like it can take 20 years before pacifing a region i mean the romans spent 150 years pacifing the lusitanii after having conquered them) while the lusitanii will take a big advantage of the fact that the upkeep will probably be decreased thanks to the new engines qualities wich was the roman greater quality but now with proper micro management one can fight off the romans by manpower

the 3rd faction i´m suspecting is the khwarzians a new kind of step cathraphact faction

and ofc the never ending syracusans master of greater greece the most powerfull city state of the greeks the destroyers of the carthaginian sacred band the defender of all the western mediterranean greeks the birthplace of the greatest greek minds of all times and the pinacle of greek power as a republic the true land of meritocracy where the lowest born greek can achieve the rank of dictator by sheer genius and willpower the last remainder of true greek aristocracy for that and much more syracuse more then any barbaroi petty kingdom may it be tylis the georgians or the atrepanes deserves the last place of honour amongst the great deservers of the world much more then a bunch of flee infester horse riders of the sahara or stinking germano celtic halfbreed´s who´s notion of culture is how to best use menour to build huts

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Nasty trixie EB Members, yes, I told us they were trixie.

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Btw, regarding the celtiberian faction.... People have been talking about the Arevaci but what about the Cantabri/Astures (maybe an alliance of both, kinda like KH)? They were the last ones in Iberia to be defeated by 19BC and gave many headaches to the romans so its a bit sad that they are just represented by rebels. But sure, that would be the same for the Arevaci.. This is ofc presuming that we'll get a new faction in hispania, and that the non-celtic ones (like the turdetanians or the edetani) will be represented by cartage and regionals, who knows what the team have in the sleave to us?

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That's 9956 posts now to sift through for clues and blatant disinformation.

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Moros should frequent the gameroom more. Moros would pwn at mafia.

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I will say it for the last time (because to be honest I am getting sick of it myself) but my logic behind suggesting a Belgic faction is as follows:

1. They are culturally distinct enough from their Gallic cousins that they would not be a clone of the Aedui and Arverni.

2. Caesar informs us that they migrated to Britain (which I aim to prove conclusively in a few years time) as evidenced by the presence of the Atrebates of Britain.

3. Caesar also informs us that Diviciacus of the Suessiones ruled portions of Britain and Gaul (points 2 and 3 qualify them as expansive enough to be factions, more so than Syracuse the KH, Saba, Tylis, the Pritanoi and possibly the Lugii).

4. There is sufficient room on the campaign map for a Belgic faction to exist without immediately coming into conflict with either the Sweboz or Gauls.

5. Victory conditions are very simple based on reading the historical information: Southern Britain, a portion of Gaul and the trans-Rhine area the Belgae are reputed to have migrated from.

6. We have plenty of personal names of Belgic rulers to flesh out a family tree.

7. They are well researched.

I'll shut up about the Belgae now.

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Ahahahahahaha Brennus, worst case we'll get a Belgae submod up and running lol

Technically a celtiberian faction isn't confirmed, so still 4 slots :P

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From my perspective, the four most likely candidates are, in order of likeliness:

(1) Celto-Iberian tribe or confederation - several candidates for this one; viable roster already exists in EB1; campaign map void of neighbors

(2) Belgic tribe or federation - same reasons as Celto-Iberians, minus the campaign map part

(3) northern Arabian faction - based on team comments about new Arabian units and province reshaping in the Palmyra/Nabataea area

(4) western Numidian faction - necessary counterpart to the confirmed Numidian faction

Honestly, I think there are several contenders for #4 whose cases are just as strong/weak, like Syracuse, Kartli, Atropatene, and a Celto-Thracian faction. But having two Numidian factions at the start just seems like a historical requirement to me.

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Not sure, but if I'm well remembered the team said that both the Averni and the Auedi are getting less starting provinces so there's more space for a new faction there IMHO ;)

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Celt-Iberia and the Belgae seem likely choices and I wouldn't bee too surprised if we saw another faction in Thrace or Arabia. Other than that I think there is a chance another nomadic faction will be included.

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it's possible, but I don't see any necessity for this being the case. I'd need evidence for the EB team working on a new Gallic faction.

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I think we got plenty of Celtic factions, specialy in that area, just remembering what I heard about gaul not being so crowded at the start. Belgae would be cool but I would personly one more faction in Iberia to make things more interesting to the Lusotannan.. Sorry Brennus :P

But we must remember that the goal of the EB team isnt just to make a balanced game but mainly to teach us about history and lesser known ancient cultures. So they arent putting factions in just for the sake of filling provinces. So, I would expect some more surprises like the Taksashila ;)


Btw, talking about Iberia, someone made a very nice proposal about Caucasian Iberians in the TWcenter (I'm a lurker there, can't get enought EB :P), would be interesting to see them ingame
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=175692

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I understood that from the beginning: however, there's simply no guarantee there will be a faction there-nice as that would be.

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The inevitability of an celto-iberian faction can be judged just by looking at this map posted by Casual Tactician at the TWC:


made by this utility:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...30#post9816030

The importance of an faction to balance out both the Gauls as well as the Lusotann are self evident. Moreover the faction also conforms to the twin requirements of historical influence as well as well documented sources.

PS. added a detailed list of probables by Future Filmmaker to the original post(replicated here)

(Iberia)
Callaeci
Arevaci

(Cisalpine Gaul)
Insubre

(Gaul)
Pictones
Nervii
Eburones
Treverii
Sequani (denied by team)
Helvetii (denied by team)
Massalia (denied by team)

(Germanic)
Veneti
Cimbri
Suiones
Bastarnae
Marcomanni
Chatti
Cherusci
Quadi

(Baltic)
Venedi

Nabataea (denied by team)

(Nubia)
Aksum (denied by team)
Kush
Meroë

(Mauritania)
Mauri

(Asia Minor)
Bithynia
Galatia (denied by team)

(Arabia)
Minaeans
Hadramaut
Qedarites

(Georgia)
Kolkhis (denied by team)
Iberia (denied by team)

(Illyria)
Scordisci
Delmetae
Ardiaei
Taulanti
Dardani

(Hellenic)
Syrakousai

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Nice map, but Aeduoi and Auernoi will have only one province each, and imo Boioi and Lugoi will have one too...
The Pritanoi will have the central province, but the Isles will have new borders too...

Also in that list I think you can remove the followings: Nervii, Eburones, Treverii, Bastarnae and Quadi; maybe also the Marcomanni, as all these weren't present at the start date...

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i forgot the illiryans the aulletes are probably one of the most deserving one´s including their queen teuta and her pirate rable since we can assume the arevaci or a kelto iberian faction will be in i suspect syracuse is a no go but the kwarzhians still seem a very viable and very reliable choice

but assuming the team wishes to surprise us then meroe or a an ethiopian faction make for a pretty darn strong case particulary if what i suspect that the steppes are going to be cleaned out of setlements and there will be alot of level 0 permanent stone forts (making up room for 5-6 new regions)

furthermore the team didn´t released a culture slot for the indians they are represented as persians so if they do the smart thing and join the west and east hellenic cultures into 1 trans hellenic super culture they have the necessary culture slot to put in the ethiopians/sudanese culture

there´s at least 30 deserving people for a culture including 5 others then the lusitanii in iberia 5-6 in gaul the gallo thracians the basternae noricians kwarzhians the mauritanians the other numidian group the garamantines 2-3 arabian tribes including the nabatu or the palmyreans there should also be 2 other steppes group worth mentioning so they have alot to pick from (almost forgot a few other germanic tribes like the chattii)

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Up the Bellovaci!

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Nice map, but Aeduoi and Auernoi will have only one province each, and imo Boioi and Lugoi will have one too...
The Pritanoi will have the central province, but the Isles will have new borders too...

Well the map for EB 2 is still a WIP: the map displayed in my post is a fan-made project that transposes the previewed factions onto the old map. So naturally inconsistencies will be there.

Another option that I had not considered is that the Yuezhi might be brought back; in fact they were in the first public release EB.81 and were only dropped in the later versions- so I would classify them as a strong contender.

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From EB members on the TWC

Replying to a speculating map
So I gess this is the official (?) one

About the Yuezhi

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