Strongest factions BI?

[orangat]

Which are the factions that has the strongest troops?

In BI the factions seems to be less balanced (compared to RTW) with factions like ERE/Huns having probably the best selections and factions like Berber which is relatively bad.

[Conqueror]

Sassanids are very strong if you manage to get a good economy going (their top cavalry units cost a lot to recruit and upkeep, but are worth it.) Unit-for-unit they're probably the best faction for field battles (barbarian hordes may have advantage due to sheer numbers.) Siege battles are their only real weakness, although the Sughdian Warriors unit isn't bad for those battles.

[Dutch_guy]

ERE is definitely the strongest faction in BI.

It has all the great Roman units, plus all the good units that the east has to offer, so to answer your question the ERE is the strongest faction with the Sassanids as a close second I reckon.

The Franks and the WRE have good units too, however, the Franks lack the cavalry and the WRE don't exactly have a great starting situation...

[orangat]

Yep all ERE lack is a good spearman unit like the palatinii of WRE and the armored cataphracts of the Sassanids are powerful.

[Cras]

since the ERE dont have good spearman, an all sassanids cavalry army will whip them to pieces.
for me that makes the Sassanids the strongest army.... they also have an awesome economy

[Cras]

oh I forgot, the sassanids cavalry is available right from the start. So while all the other countries have reasonably weak units, the sassanids cavalry can is at top strength

[Dutch_guy]

Well the Romans can simply counter an all cavalry army with an all cav. army themselves you know, as they have access to Clibanarii cav too. Also, the Roman Plumbitarii units could act as a spear unit, deploy them in deep ranks, guard mode and fire at will on. That'll inflict some serious damage to a cav. unit.

[Quillan]

The roman generals can beat any other cav unit out there easily with their secondary weapon. My first game I had a hell of a time with the Sassanid clibanarii, they seemed almost impossible to kill. Then I read in the Frogbeastegg ERE guide thread the suggestion to use their secondary attack, and when I got back into the game, I used it. They mow the clibs down down. Against Sassanid generals, it takes a bit longer because everybody has 2 hitpoints, but the romans still come out on top. Too big a difference in command stars will still skew things.

[orangat]

The roman generals can beat any other cav unit out there easily with their secondary weapon. My first game I had a hell of a time with the Sassanid clibanarii, they seemed almost impossible to kill. Then I read in the Frogbeastegg ERE guide thread the suggestion to use their secondary attack, and when I got back into the game, I used it. They mow the clibs down down. Against Sassanid generals, it takes a bit longer because everybody has 2 hitpoints, but the romans still come out on top. Too big a difference in command stars will still skew things.

Well its not really fair to compare Roman generals with ordinary Sassanid clibs.
Sassanid generals have better armor - 20,10,0 vs 12,10,4 and all Sassanid clibs have long range attack - archery.

[x-dANGEr]

All of them are uber strong (Unit wise).

[Kekvit Irae]

Sassanids are very strong if you manage to get a good economy going (their top cavalry units cost a lot to recruit and upkeep, but are worth it.) Unit-for-unit they're probably the best faction for field battles (barbarian hordes may have advantage due to sheer numbers.) Siege battles are their only real weakness, although the Sughdian Warriors unit isn't bad for those battles.

Siege battles are actually easy as Sassanids have access to heavy onagers, and they can start building onagers within six turns from starting the game (building a siege range at the capital). Once the walls are down from the onagers, send in the cavalry.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

In my opinion Cibs and Kats are badly overrated. In my view the WRE is the best, regardless of their starting position. The Sarmations are cheap, tough and fast, they can give the Eastern heavies the run around strait into the best spearmen in the game.

Added to which they can hold a bridge with just two units.

[Mithras]

In my opinion Cibs and Kats are badly overrated. .

I've watched them chew through entire armies almost single handed. In fact I watched a single unit trash around half a low tech army, They are anything but overated.

the most powerful faction has to be the Eastern empire-They have a good lineup, high technology and the cash to back it up. Their only weakness is internal religious and loyalty division which are a moot point for a good player.

[x-dANGEr]

I think the only unit that ruins BI is the Equite Clibs one.. What! They are like moving tanks.. Nothing can stop them..

[orangat]

In my opinion Cibs and Kats are badly overrated. In my view the WRE is the best, regardless of their starting position. The Sarmations are cheap, tough and fast, they can give the Eastern heavies the run around strait into the best spearmen in the game.

Added to which they can hold a bridge with just two units.

What 2 units are you referring to?

[snevets]

He means the Sarmatians.

[Drusus Magnus]

The WRE isn't THAT hard. A decent player can get out of the red by turn 3 without losing any territories. Then you only need two good armies, one in Gaul and one in Italy to protect against the hordes. The only reason why you would want more is because of religious uprisings. So the WRE is equal to the ERE.

I agree about the Sarmatians, they're one of my favorite units. I slaughtered many Celts with them.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I've watched them chew through entire armies almost single handed. In fact I watched a single unit trash around half a low tech army, They are anything but overated.

the most powerful faction has to be the Eastern empire-They have a good lineup, high technology and the cash to back it up. Their only weakness is internal religious and loyalty division which are a moot point for a good player.

Thats only because Cibs are built to kill the stupid AI, they've only once caused me problems and that was in a city where I couldn't manuver and had to meet them head on.

They're so slow they will get mauled by some Horse Archers, then you just need a unit in shieldwall for them to hit and some heavy Cav to ramm up their arse.

[x-dANGEr]

Mauled by HAs? With their armor of 18? (Not sure.. Maybe 20)