Are do-nothing factions normal for EB?

[Gask]

Yes ive seen that time and again where the rebel city has nothing left in it but a high star general who single handedly repels army after army till he dies of old age or something.

As for my campaigns, Pontos is usually the first faction to die. Parthia tends to be left alone and not do a whole lot. The gauls tend to tickle fight each other for decades and do nothing. Saba is well... Saba, ditto Casse. Getai usually do nothing, same with Carthage. Steppe peoples just hang out at home. Sweboz either go real aggressive or move slowly. Iberians never do anything at all. Macedon usually gets devoured by the eropites and the greeks.

All in all the real movers for me are usually always the Selucids, Egypt against the Selucids, Rome and the Eropites. Sometimes the greeks go east but not always.

Giving obscene amounts of cash to the single settlement factions early on can sometimes get them to do something Ive found.