Scots

[Antagonist]

IIRC from early previews, the Scots unit roster is summarised as being a mixture of Norman-style, conventional feudal European "lowland" units and "dangerous but unreliable" Gaelic highlanders. As far as I know the basic highland/lowland distinction is fairly accurate, but the depictions of the highlanders especially are likely to be fancifully romantic and primitive, influenced by Braveheart etc.

I'd certainly like to see their unit list as I'd quite like to play as them, although I suppose there's a stronger argument for more Eastern or Islamic factions before things like Scotland. I hope they will be interesting though, especially the Gaelic units should make them less of a generic western European faction.

Antagonist

[Bob the Insane]

Well it will be fun in vanilla and it will give the modders something to play with (a la the Illyrians in RTR, formally the British faction)...

Being British I naturally think this is great, but I do understand the opinion that another Muslim or Orthodox (or even pagan) faction would have added more variety to the game. And RTR (and others) have shown how you can have very distinct regional rebels implying a distinct but small faction is present...

[Spino]

Well as I recall everyone and their mother complained that Scotland was not even included as a minor faction in MTW1. Add to the mix the number of modders who addressed the issue by making Scotland playable and the fact that CA eventually made the Scots into a playable faction in Viking Invasion and you can why CA decided to make them a playable faction in MTW2.

I get the feeling there are more Orgahs dismayed about the inclusion of the Aztecs at the expense of some other European or Asian faction of historical note (i.e. Aragon) than there are people disappointed about the inclusion of Scotland.

I really look forward to playing as Scotland for the same reasons as I enjoyed playing the minor factions in RTW (i.e. Armenia); it's incredibly fun to play a faction with its back against the wall and the odds stacked heavily against it.

[Martok]

Well as I recall everyone and their mother complained that Scotland was not even included as a minor faction in MTW1. Add to the mix the number of modders who addressed the issue by making Scotland playable and the fact that CA eventually made the Scots into a playable faction in Viking Invasion and you can why CA decided to make them a playable faction in MTW2.

Good point; I should've mentioned that as well. I can say with certainty that the Scots were sorely missed by my friends that formed our little MTW group. We were very happy when Viking Invasion and (later on) VikingHorde's XL Mod allowed us to play as them!

I get the feeling there are more Orgahs dismayed about the inclusion of the Aztecs at the expense of some other European or Asian faction of historical note (i.e. Aragon) than there are people disappointed about the inclusion of Scotland.

I would certainly be one of those people! I was actually about to rant about that again, but I'll refrain....

I really look forward to playing as Scotland for the same reasons as I enjoyed playing the minor factions in RTW (i.e. Armenia); it's incredibly fun to play a faction with its back against the wall and the odds stacked heavily against it.

Exactly. Even in VI and XL, the Scots were a fun challenge, being pressed up against the English right from the start.