Best R:TW game? or mod?

[13th-Caesar]

Are any mods unbiased? For instance, surely EB is biased towards barbarians, same with BI?

[Warmaster Horus]

No, that's a mistake due to the name. If you check the EB faq, you'll find:

Q: Is your mod all about barbarians?
A: No, our mod seeks to recreate, as accurately as possible, the classical world as depicted within R:TW at the time of campaign start. This includes all factions, and we have modders working on every area. Personally, I like Rome the best.

Q: Then why do you call yourselves "Europa Barbarorum?"
A: The project was born over a year ago, when the thought was that the team could provide as much historical information as possible to help CA portray the barbarian factions as more than just a bunch of drooling, naked neanderthals. When it seemed clear that CA wasn't accepting outside help, the team became determined to turn this research into a mod. The purpose of the mod expanded to include accuracy for all factions, but the name has become part of our identity. It may not be completely descriptive any longer, but the team has always been known as Europa Barbarorum. It is like a given name, it is a part of who we are, not what we are.

In addition, the term "barbarian" originally meant foreigner. Everyone is a "barbarian" to someone.

To think that BI is biased towards barbarians is right and wrong. It did introduce more depth to the "Barbarian" factions, but it also added to the Romans (Western Roman Empire and Eastern Roman Empire). For example the rebellions, and various traits (such as "ups the reds"...).

Most total conversion mods set during the RTW time (270BCE-14CE) are actually rather unbiased. They try to provide historic reality with gameplay, meaning every faction has a chance of winning. For further proof, check out the EB threads (especially the Gameplay Guides section, here:https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=128). You'll find plenty of players choosing different factions.

If you want to see the difference between EB and RTR, you'll just have to check the mods yourself. EB is the most historically accurate (comes with biographies for some starting characters, in-depth description of buildings and units). RTR, though, is a good compromise between EB and RTW.

[econ21]

The Romans (and Greeks and Egyptians) are all very well done in the realism mods. RTW Greeks have a rather thin line up and the Egyptians are abomination; RTR and EB improve them a lot. The Romans in RTW are actually pretty well done, so you won't notice too much of a change in RTR and EB. But they are gloriously skinned in the mods; the equites or the triarii, for example, are very resplendent. RTR and EB also can do fun things for the Romans with traits - in EB you can get a triumph, for example; in RTR you can use Marcus Camillus's Roman leadership mod to get numbered legion ancillaries and leadership traits.

I'd particularly recommend BI for those who like the Romans. It is great to have them on the defensive - especially in the West. Their troops are still excellent, but they have to take on multiple stacks of nasties. Goth Mod for BI is a kind of RTR makeover of BI and very highly recommended. IBFD is similar.