Is there a list of which factions are more/less complete?

[Morte66]

I installed EB last week, and I've been playing Pontos (obsessively, 12 hours a day, until my eyes bulge and my fingers ache). I just read in passing that their "unit roster isn't finished yet". I think I might wrap up Pontos soon -- I usually stop when I figure "I should win from here if I don't mess up". So I was wondering if there's a rough list of who's finished and who's not so finished in current EB?

[Arkatreides]

Looking at the units I would say all are more or less 'finished' (in the sense that they have enough units to be playable and fun and can stand up to the neighbouring factions) apart from the following:

Pontos
Saka Rauka
Sabyn

[Morte66]

Thanks.

[JeffBag]

I do hope Pontos has a really incomplete unit roster as the unit roster now is really boring. It is like taking any sucessor kingdom and taking away half the units, and given 2 galatian units and one Katputaka cavalry.

[Morte66]

I do hope Pontos has a really incomplete unit roster as the unit roster now is really boring. It is like taking any sucessor kingdom and taking away half the units, and given 2 galatian units and one Katputaka cavalry.

I like the unit list without redundancy. It makes admin simpler. You can merge depleted units, send them all to the same barracks for retraining etc.

I started games as Carthage and Armenia for a quick look, and they have three units of spearmen that all do essentially the same thing. If you take losses to 1 of each you can't merge them down to 2.3 and send the 0.3 off for retraining. It's a pain in the proverbial.

[antisocialmunky]

You'd sound like you'd love Post-Marian Rome. One unit to rule them all.

[Dyabedes of Aphrodisias]

I'm also pretty sure the Casse and Sweboz are not finished (at least I hope) as well.

With the Casse, I have I think the highest MIC, and I have Gaeroas, Botroas, Lugoae, Cwmir and chariots (I won't even bother trying to type the name).

I haven't got many of the units advertized for the Sweboz, either, with the highest MICs.

@Morte66
I don't care much for the redundancy, because I buy troops based on their pretty factor ("This guy looks awesome, I'ma buy some" kind of thing), so mine all get slaughtered to a point where it isn't worth retraining.

[Morte66]

@Morte66
I don't care much for the redundancy, because I buy troops based on their pretty factor ("This guy looks awesome, I'ma buy some" kind of thing), so mine all get slaughtered to a point where it isn't worth retraining.

Well, that's fair enough. But I wonder: if you are interested in appearance over gameplay, why not play Medieval 2 with its slick new graphics instead of a realism-oriented RTW mod? I don't mean this sarcastically, I'm curious.

[Not that I've actually played M2, I just read reviews. I may have the wrong idea about it.]

[Brightblade]

Uh, what are ya talking about? Some EB units look fantastic. And M2 looks like the artist was on LSD.

[Dyabedes of Aphrodisias]

Well, that's fair enough. But I wonder: if you are interested in appearance over gameplay, why not play Medieval 2 with its slick new graphics instead of a realism-oriented RTW mod? I don't mean this sarcastically, I'm curious.

[Not that I've actually played M2, I just read reviews. I may have the wrong idea about it.]

My computer can't run it, and with EB, why would I want to? I also like the EB time period much more. And also, I'm a fan of history and a slight stickler for accuracy at that, and M2 wouldn't help me there.

Don't get me wrong, I go gameplay over appearance more often than not; I should've elaborated, as I do hire troops on stats a lot, but when I have a variety to choose from to fill a stack, I pick which one looks cooler (I always have a constant number of hastati, principes and triarii, I just try to fill up my stack) since it doesn't matter, as I'm using them as meatshields for my prescious faction troops. "Iberi Milites or Iberi Caetrati? I'unno, the Caetrati look kinda' bitchin' with their sword thing, so I'll get them."

Then I try the others and eventually pick my favorite. I concluded that the Samnite Heavy Infantry are BAMFs after losing a few units of the spearman version and having all of my heavy infantry version left.

God, I always type more than I need to

[Intranetusa]

I like the unit list without redundancy. It makes admin simpler. You can merge depleted units, send them all to the same barracks for retraining etc.

I started games as Carthage and Armenia for a quick look, and they have three units of spearmen that all do essentially the same thing. If you take losses to 1 of each you can't merge them down to 2.3 and send the 0.3 off for retraining. It's a pain in the proverbial.

Carthage millita Citizen spearmen, Heavy Libyan spearmen, Libyan spearmen, Libya-Phoneician spearmen, etc ...omfg, why the hell does Carthage need so many damn spearmen... >_<

[Dyabedes of Aphrodisias]

Carthage millita Citizen spearmen, Heavy Libyan spearmen, Libyan spearmen, Libya-Phoneician spearmen, etc ...omfg, why the hell does Carthage need so many damn spearmen... >_<

I know. I was sieging a city, and I encountered Poeni Citizen Militia, Libyan Spearman, Libyan Heavy Spearman, Liby-Phoenecian Spearman, Liby-Phoenecian Infantry and Liby-Phoenecian Heavy Infantry. All of them are spearmen of some sort.

But ah well, they all look cool, and I assume they're accurate.

[Intranetusa]

I know. I was sieging a city, and I encountered Poeni Citizen Militia, Libyan Spearman, Libyan Heavy Spearman, Liby-Phoenecian Spearman, Liby-Phoenecian Infantry and Liby-Phoenecian Heavy Infantry. All of them are spearmen of some sort.

But ah well, they all look cool, and I assume they're accurate.

They have a hundred different types of spearmen and not a single good missle unit.

[Morte66]

They have a hundred different types of spearmen and not a single good missle unit.

I'm playing Carthage at the moment. After Pontus I wanted a faction that:
(a) was nowhere near Seleucia
(b) did not feature slingers and pike phalanxes as their best troops
(c) had some generals who could actually put in a decent charge
(d) was a really long way from Seleucia

As for the spearmen...
- The militia are not very good or notably cheap, but you can build them everywhere on day one. Or, if you're me, you can disband them everywhere on day one.
- Libyan Spearmen are quite good in melee, they carry (plentiful) javelins, and the first serious barracks will (re)train them.
- The Liby-Phoenecian Spearmen melee a little better, but have no missiles and need a much pricier barracks.

So far I've standardised on the Libyans. I might build a bunch of Liby-Phoenecians for the centre of the field army I'll need against Rome. Otherwise they're not worth the administrative aggro.

As for missiles, if you want good missiles it's Balearic slinger mercs. AFAICT. I was hoping I could build them in the Balearic Isles, but I can't so far.

Non-native barracks in eastern Sicily get you "hellenic archers", which are not that good but very cheap. They're good garrison troops -- they shoot flaming arrows at siege engines, and did I mention they're very cheap. I pump a constant stream out of Syracuse and ship them everywhere.

[Ower]

Well Carthage, has som decent slingers:P Balearic in the 2. lvl of mics