Quote Originally Posted by pezhetairoi
Nay Arkajae, you haven't been reading the earlier posts closely enough. Inter linea, buddy :-D We were talking about Thrace's -buildable- units as a faction, which have a hodgepodge flavour with no amount of variety (as compared to the other factions, Thrace has way less unit choices).

If you did read above, I believe you would notice I did mention myself the amazing range of mercenaries Thrace had and the fact that it would have to base its campaign strategy on mercs. But the point being, mercs do not make the faction. It's what it can build that is its soul. And what it can build isn't much.

And, sorry 'bout the tone above if it offends you...'m feeling a little grouchy today thanks to my lecturer. Take no mind of it. Any sarcasm was not intended.
Put it in a nice detailed letter and mail it to someone who cares mate, 'inbetween the lines' is just a nice way of saying "oh yeah I actually meant this" when what some have said here was clear enough.

The Thracian unit lineup for example is far more versatile than the Greek unit lineup which is little but hoplites.

If one discounts siege weaponry then the Greeks have the same number of variety of infantry units, one extra missile unit (heavy peltast) and flaming bacon.

Phalanx pikemen are a fine unit and whats more under a human player are unstoppable by any AI (who don't know how to use theirs), they alone could guarantee one victory. Add in the falxmen and bastarnae though and the Thracians have some pretty damned good infantry units that don't become redundant Falxmen with their one turn buildtime can still get excellent use as extras in your battleline even after bastarnae become available.

Sure the Greeks have hoplites, whoopde do, they become redundant as soon as one gets armoured hoplites. Hastati become redundant with princepes, early legionairres become redundant with legionairres, levy pikemen are useful for nothing but garrison duty once one has phalanx pikemen as the Seleucids or Macedonians.

The Thracians may appear to some to have a small unit roster but with the exception of their poor cavalry (which is the same as Greeces) they have an on the whole versatile one. Add in the unusual variety of mercenaries the Thracians have EASY access to thanks to their starting geography and the Thracians have all bases covered quite easily.