Hardest and easiest factions

[Warlord 11]

Who do you think are the hardest and easiest factions you have played?

Is say:
hardest: Arche Seluekia
easiest: Romanoi

[the_mango55]

Of the factions I have played?

Easiest: Romanoi
Hardest: Saurmatia (hard to make any headway, populations and incomes just too small)

Havent played as Epirus or KH yet, I imagine they will be very hard.

[Chester]

Easy- Romani

Hard - just about every one else I've played is hard

[Stormy]

Easiest: Romani, Karthadastim, Koinon Hellenon, Ptolemaioi

Hardest: Sauromatae, Casse

[NightStar]

Easiest: Romani

You got tons of cash if you play it right and strong units from the start.

Hardest: Pontos

I have only played Sweboz as well but Pontos was much harder as I got engaged in conflict against A. Seleukia, Ptomelies and Hayadasdan at the same time.

[Zenith Darksea]

Hayasdan isn't exactly a picnic either.

[Danest]

If the greeks don't play their first few turns just right, they could lose 2 of their 3 towns almost immediately depending on enemy aggression. That would leave only Rhodes, and if your fleets die/disband, the city is stranded.

[jerby]

I foudn arche seleukia not that difficult to start up....just Obliterate your eastern towns..destroy all buildings to get cash....take them back after soem years...getting 10k every turn....just withtin 15 turns

[LorDBulA]

Hardest: Gatai.
This is firs game in witch i have to fight for my life, and if i didnt make some wery good and well timed decisions i could be dead by now.
And with 2 full roman stacks and another one half full steaming for my homland i am not out of the woods yet. And this will be 3rd year of most heavy and intensive fighting ever. Especialy so becouse it takes place in heart of my country.

Ow and mortality rate of my Kings is just insane. I am 24 years in game and i already had 6 kings.

[Justiciar]

Easiest: Sweboz tbh. SPQR was easy aswell and less prone to bankruptcy, but there's nobody else up there to even begin challenging the Sweboz for at least 50 turns!

Hardest: Yuezhi

[Dayve]

I haven't really played many campaigns so far, and only 3 i've actually stuck with for a little while... All have been on VH/M. The easiest, unfortunately since they are my favourite people to play, was the Romani. I never went into debt and starting cities were well populated with good income and i was even able to start recruiting proper armies by turn 2...

KH was difficult for the first few turns, i held onto Sparte and Athens by the skin of my teeth, sometimes winning defensive battles with literally less than 20 men left... But after i got 4 units of Iphri Hoplites shipped over from Rhodes all went easy and i quit out of boredom and disappointment that i couldn't recruit Spartans...

Seleukia was difficult only because the Ptolemies kept bribing everything i owned... When i got a steady income after about 20 turns my cities were well defended and i had a small army taking towns from Ptolemy...

Baktria was very difficult at first, i defended the city itself against a rebel army which i genuinly thought i would lose... Then the gods mustve interviened because the enemy general died and his army chain routed... I took a few cities and the Seleukids got very aggressive... Difficult for a while but when i built paved roads everywhere it got rather easy...

Karthadastim... Played 10 turns and never even got attacked once... Built a full stack army and quit...

Currently playing Aedui, very difficult start, massively in debt with no good army... But i've built roads and farms and it's getting easier... Although Belgic(?) rebels just annihlated my experienced half stack army, but i hired a ton of mercenaried and took the city... Those belgic rebels have some powerful units... Especially the guys who look like Gaestae but don't have two hit points... Can't wait to recruit them for myself.

Easiest faction - Romani
Hardest - I'll get back to you on that when i've played as everyone.

[Armenian Warlord]

Hayasdan is the hardest faction I've played by far. The lack of infintry and selukia as the enemy they kick my ass no matter what I do. I have managed to get cath archers with some merc infintry but all they had to do is put together 3 100men generals and that was it for me. I only managed to kill 100 while those 3 generals routed 10 units(4 cath archers). Their infentry also kick ass dude. I had 1000 archers on stone walls and they only managed to take out 150 out of 600 after completely depleting their amo

[the_handsome_viking]

The easiest faction is the Eleutheroi by far.

Second the Romani.

The hardest factions logically will be the poorest ones with the least amount of starting settlements.

I've heard the Casse were hard, but I didn't find it particularly hard to become the richest faction with them and conquer the British isles.

That said... it wasn't a walk in the park.

[Keba]

Easiest: Arverni and Romani ... that is my experience.

Hardest: Epiros and Sweboz ... I couldn't make any headway with either faction.

Although most factions are difficult, and even the smallest mistake can defeat even the migthiest faction. I had a particularly embarassing defeat when I lost my central territories with the Seleucids to a couple of Eleutheroi armies, in the first 6 turns.

[Elthanas84]

Easiest: Makedonia (great starting army), Sauromatea/Yuezhi (0 Upkeep archers), Casse (only rebels as neighbours)

Hardest: Romania (Lost 3 of my Cities in the first 4 turns to Pyrros (Bribe)), Greeks (Don´t like their units *gg*)

[Sarcasm]

Ranking of the factions I've played, easiest to hardest:

• Romani
• Sweboz
• Iberia
• Casse
• Koinon Hellenon
• Arverni
• Aedui
• Arche Seleukeia

[the_mango55]

Makeonia is pretty easy also, if you can deal with going way way into debt by keeping most of your starting army. You start with 3-4 Companion cav, and 4-5 thesalonian cav. these combined with enough cheap hoplites to hold your lines, and plenty of 120 man skirmishers to serve as garrisons, and you have an unstoppable army, enough to take all of greece and thrace with no problems.

[PSYCHO V]

Well, been doing ok with the Aedui, until the Sweboz decided to launch a massive multi-pronged invasion across the Rhine bringing with them several dozen Scythian horse arher units!

Dam the're badass. My predominantly infantry forces on the eastern front just get chopped up with their incessant archery fire.



First time I came across them was when I tried to sally out of a siege. I had around 800 troops, mostly Lugae and Bataroas. The Sweboz had around 500 troops but that included some 5 units of Scythian horse archers.

Contemptous of this pitiful enemy force and enraged that they had dared to take such an action. I intended to sally and show them the end of an Aedui blade. Thus to battle did I go.

The Sweboz took up a defensive position on a nearby hill with the Horse archers providing a screen on the plain at the foot of the hill..

Confident of my numbers and with complete trust in my legendary general, I thought the task would be a relatively easy one. Form your lines three rows deep, march toward the Sweboz general and his surrounding infantry, encircle and defeat him. Rout his infantry and then form a defensive circle and hope to wear down, incite the cavalry into melee and defeat them in detail or hope they note how the battle’s going and withdraw.

Well if only everything was that simple. Having got through the gates and formed the lines, I watched with satisfaction as my horde lumbered toward the badly outnumbered Sweboz… Then it began to rain… rain arrows. Streams of the sods. I had several hundred metres across flat ground to cover before I could even engage the enemy. Too far to run, I could do little as one by one the ranks were thinned.

Thinking that I was now too far from camp and that turning tail would only increase the slaughter and cause the troops to rout I plough on. Besides, I was after bloody vegeance!

Seeing the slaughter, panick began to set in, the troops were ordered to begin running toward the enemy sooner than would have otherwise been expedient. By the time they reached the foot of the hill we had lost 200 of our number and all were tired.

Several units held the centre of the line and threw javelins into the enemy infantry up the hill whilst I tried to run units up both wings in an attempt to encircle them. It was a complete disaster. The troops on the wings were exhausted by the time they were half way up the hill. They were surrounded with infantry and then cavalry .. and routed. A vain attempt by the general to rally and even charging bravely into the rear of enemy units came to little. The units on the plain fared little better and didn’t take long before they too were routed.

Seeing how the battle was going and not wanting to loose the settlement (ie everyone) I endeavoured to retreat and hoped to hold off the enemy safe in the fort until next season when reinforcements would arrive. To these ends I managed to withdraw the general (now with only 9 men) and some surviving albeit badly mauled units and made a dash for the gates. The Scythian cavalry gave chase. Again it was a slaughter. Most of the troops were cut down. My 8 star general and faction leader was felled with an arrow to the back whilst in full gallop.

17 men made it back safely but before they could sigh with relief, surviving elements of other units (now only in 1s and 2s) reached the gates and as they passed through, so followed the whole Sweboz army. As the sun set and fog / mists rolled in, the whole battlefield was a tragic picture...scattered piles of my once proud warriors. Isolated guys cut down making a run for it.


The Army, faction leader and settlement were all lost. It was a textbook disaster that brought to mind accounts of the likes of Carrhae, Crecy, Agincourt, Balaclava, etc. A very good lesson for one not to become too complacent or over-reliant on a certain tactical mindset. Underestimating an unknown enemy and subsequent tactically stupid decisions will bring the best general down eventually.

Having often scoffed at the errors made in the great battles of history, I was just surprised that I had done this myself.

[Reverend Joe]

That belongs in a textbook, man. I mean, it was awfully nasty, but it just seems so much like an actual battle- plus, it has one or two good lessons.

Myself, I have developed a phobia of horse archers; unless I have cavalry that can catch them, I become almost frozen with fear whenever I see them deployed. That's how they always get me, too- I never know what to do, and I always pull a Dariush and suffer a humiliating defeat.

[EPA]

I've played as the Romani and the Casse and found the Casse easier than the Romani. The thing is you can chose to launch an invasion wherever you chose. I took the whole island of Britan plus Ireland and chose to invade modern Normandy, D-day, Celt style, and made plenty headway. My strategy is to wait until a enemy army is nearby, attack one of their cities, they attempt to come to the rescue only to be ambushed by Hundreds of Boatroas and Gaelic dougnuts (the hammer blokes), I've found those two useful for ambush. Repeat until their army is nearly nothing. But if I am ever lossing I take every man i have left. Destroy the remainder of my cities to leave nothing for the enemy. And do a migtration type thing. I had to migrate with the Germans in RTW so many times I ended up in, get this, Antioch. I eventually won the game by beating Egypt, Pontus, Armenia, and Parthia and Invaded Italy taking Capua then Rome. Setting my Victory Conditions. I am resently playing as the Scippi. I own Almost all of the modern Islamic world. I am planning to invade Spain and use Hannibals stratigy they will never suspect it. the Julii have made it knowhere nither has the brutti. Beacuse I took all of Greece before the could. My plan for Italy is to invade from the North south and east. North through Gaul and across the Alps. (they are not hostile) My army in Africa to take the brutti homeland. And both my legions in greece. the Macedone hold Illyria and Cyrencia. I am still wondering how they got to Cyrene.

[Divinus Arma]

You swept rhough egypt with Casse? Holy smokes! What turn did you get to?


Easiest: Romani.

I have played Casse, KH, Romani, and Aedui. The Aedui is extremely difficult to get rolling. Enemies on every side. First Arverni, then Rome, then Sweboz, and lastly Iberia. It took me twenty years, but I finally squashed the Arverni and subsequently pushed into Northern Italy. I have managed to avoid a war with both Iberia and Sweboz, but they are building on my borders. I'll try to squash the italian penninsula before engaging those dastardly germans.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

I've played as the Romani and the Casse and found the Casse easier than the Romani. The thing is you can chose to launch an invasion wherever you chose. I took the whole island of Britan plus Ireland and chose to invade modern Normandy, D-day, Celt style, and made plenty headway. My strategy is to wait until a enemy army is nearby, attack one of their cities, they attempt to come to the rescue only to be ambushed by Hundreds of Boatroas and Gaelic dougnuts (the hammer blokes), I've found those two useful for ambush. Repeat until their army is nearly nothing. But if I am ever lossing I take every man i have left. Destroy the remainder of my cities to leave nothing for the enemy. And do a migtration type thing. I had to migrate with the Germans in RTW so many times I ended up in, get this, Antioch. I eventually won the game by beating Egypt, Pontus, Armenia, and Parthia and Invaded Italy taking Capua then Rome. Setting my Victory Conditions. I am resently playing as the Scippi. I own Almost all of the modern Islamic world. I am planning to invade Spain and use Hannibals stratigy they will never suspect it. the Julii have made it knowhere nither has the brutti. Beacuse I took all of Greece before the could. My plan for Italy is to invade from the North south and east. North through Gaul and across the Alps. (they are not hostile) My army in Africa to take the brutti homeland. And both my legions in greece. the Macedone hold Illyria and Cyrencia. I am still wondering how they got to Cyrene.

? You lost me there. You are playing RTW vanilla now with the scipii? It started out describing EB campaigns (casse and romani) but then went to scipii after talking about the casse part.

[PSYCHO V]

The Aedui is extremely difficult to get rolling. Enemies on every side. First Arverni, then Rome, then Sweboz, and lastly Iberia. It took me twenty years, but I finally squashed the Arverni and subsequently pushed into Northern Italy. I have managed to avoid a war with both Iberia and Sweboz, but they are building on my borders. I'll try to squash the italian penninsula before engaging those dastardly germans.

Germans: Dont under-estimate them..and if possible take some Gaesatae, you'll need them. Not sure what date your at, but later in the game they start to hire horse archers (see above) ..you've been warned

[jebes]

Crap, I have left them alone for the last 50 years and they have done likewise to me. Now my prudence and peace will be met with Horse Archers? They are going to rip through my Luece Epos. I guess I will hae to hire Curepos, though I don't know if they are much better.

[QwertyMIDX]

They're the same. You'll have to use Sotoras as cover and then send your LE to run them down.

[Gealai]

Indeed Sweboz with Horsearchers are a nasty surprise for the Averni, as they had to learn recently against me. :) Having them in the west togheter with Ridohárjoz as a first screen is simply amazing.

They are fairly easy, compared to other faction, given that they have free space to roam and affordable flexible infantry of good quality with good quality. Great generals and bodyguards, I like playing with them.

Gealai

[EPA]

You swept rhough egypt with Casse? Holy smokes! What turn did you get to?


Easiest: Romani.

I have played Casse, KH, Romani, and Aedui. The Aedui is extremely difficult to get rolling. Enemies on every side. First Arverni, then Rome, then Sweboz, and lastly Iberia. It took me twenty years, but I finally squashed the Arverni and subsequently pushed into Northern Italy. I have managed to avoid a war with both Iberia and Sweboz, but they are building on my borders. I'll try to squash the italian penninsula before engaging those dastardly germans.

I did'nt Make it to egypt with Casse I said the Germans. Read closer, I had to migrate to Antioch the city with vanila RTW Germans. I was being invaded by Romans, Britons, Gauls, and Scythians I had frends with the brown blokes whos name excapes me right now. Had no choice but to pick up and move out, littlerally. I didn't make it anywhere with Casse, I entered mainland Europe conquerd belgium from the Aedui. But I was CTDed when I started my rise to power. Is there anything I can do about this by the way?