After Carthaginian gets their phalanx, they are probably the hardest to beat

[GFX707]

It still takes them 2 turns each to turn out sacred band units....and elephants too for that matter....when you consider that a lot of nations can turn out pretty good infantry in 1 turn coupled with how unreliable elephants can be Carthage aren't that great....one of my favourite nations to play as in the campaign though.

Plus the hardest and most important battles will be fought early on against the Romans who have quality low-level infantry....whereas the Carthaginians do not. I think most of my victories in the campaign against the Romans were thanks to city walls....of course as soon as you can field Poeni and a decent amount of elephants (especially against pre-Marian Romans) you win.

[Garvanko]

Greece has easy access to Cretan Archers (which gives their phalanx great support), though, but their Cav selection is ridiculous shallow, and generally weak. Your stuck with Militia and Greek Cav for the entire game, which makes fighting the Romans late on a heavy task, as Im finding out. Armoured hoplites and Spartans are pretty good though.

Nevertheless, Carthage has the best selection, IMO. Better than Seleucids, Egypt or the Romans. Armoured Elephants behind Poeni and Sacred band infantry, Sacred band cav flanking... magic. The Phalanx makes them unstoppable.

[Nelson]

Saturnus is right. A fully developed Seleucid army is very, very tough. Strong phalanx, legion style infantry and great cav, including elephants and chariots. Their army is excellent for every occasion.

[Brutal DLX]

The Seleucid Empire has the richest choice, I agree, but I would nevertheless vote for Parthia. Untouchable with the right army composition.

[professorspatula]

Well if you're going to start that kind of thing, I vote for Numidians. All Numidian light cavalry armies are destroyers of the known world.

Carthage does have a very strong army when everything is available, but the Seleucids edge it for me. Their phalanx units are available early on, and are superior to the basic Carthage infantry, plus Silver Shield Pikemen can when on the defensive slaughter even Spartan Hoplites. And their legionaries are a match for their Roman counterparts and provides the Seleucids with a heavy and mobile infantry force. There isn't a great deal between the two really, aside from Carthage's weak infantry early on. Oh, and lack of Archers. No archers makes things a little trickier for the Carthaginians compared to the Seleucid force. Greek archers might be rubbish, but still preferable to slingers in most cases.

[Taiwan Legion]

I find that fighting early field battles against romans to be very easy. Your elephants can stomp through all of their stuff onstoppable.

[Garvanko]

Professor, Armoured Elephants with their missile attack are better than Cretan Archers.

[Dutch_guy]

Carthage does have a very strong army when everything is available, but the Seleucids edge it for me. Their phalanx units are available early on, and are superior to the basic Carthage infantry, plus Silver Shield Pikemen can when on the defensive slaughter even Spartan Hoplites. And their legionaries are a match for their Roman counterparts and provides the Seleucids with a heavy and mobile infantry force. There isn't a great deal between the two really, aside from Carthage's weak infantry early on. Oh, and lack of Archers. No archers makes things a little trickier for the Carthaginians compared to the Seleucid force. Greek archers might be rubbish, but still preferable to slingers in most cases.

exactly, the lack of archers I find very annoying, the only reason why I've only tried the Carthaginians for a couple of turns....

I think that's how the AI thinks of it too, since they always seem to - purposely ;)- lose against the ROmans, always.
They never get any elephants ( excludng the starting ones ) let alone Sacred band

The SE have the best al round army, the best of everything ( exept maybe archers, and HA )
So it's hard to compare the SE to the Carthaginians, the thing they have in common though is a hard starting position.