I prefer the three Byzantine factions to the one. UG, the Trebizond Empire (misnomer) DID conquer Armenia and annexed Georgia. It eventually lost these to the Ottoman Empire obviously, but it was far more active then other factions. I don't support the "virtual" faction idea, mainly because the AI uselessly expends troops in that direction, builds up massiveborders to said rebelsm, and almost exclusivly attacks them. It creates a situation in which there is total peace. I in fact think the rebel AI should be crippled, so that the actual factions within game expand and stand a chance against the much more intelligent Human.

On factions though, I really want more religions represented then just Catholic christianity. I'm sick of having catholic revolts in EGYPT for the love of Allah the merciful. I champion more Islamic factions or Pagan ones specifically.