What's the scariest playable AI faction?

[econ21]

My son asked me this question and I could not answer him: what is the scariest faction in M2TW? Let's forget the Timurids and Mongols, as they are special cases and would probably romp home as poll winners. Also, the Aztecs and the Papacy.

I guess I am asking which faction provides the most formiddable opponent or, perhaps, which one would you worry most about if you found them bordering you or marching an army into your lands?

Playing England in the early game, I would choose Denmark. They sometimes march a full stack into the Netherlands and have a lot of decent melee infantry before I have any swords of my own.

[Kobal2fr]

I guess it all depends on what faction you're playing - then whatever faction's the best at what you suck is the scariest. But I must say I'm mostly scared of the Milanese - because I played them and know how great their units are, and because they're always superaggressive and usually come out on top vs other AIs, making them even more powerful.

[sapi]

Ze Byzantine Empire.

Those vards scare me, no matter who I play

[Monsieur Alphonse]

I voted Hungary. For some reason Milan isn't as scary anymore as it was in 1.01. Since I am a disciple of ET (I mostly play England or the Turks), I usually meet Hungary when they have become a powerhouse. They have missile cavalry which is dangerous for the British cavalry and heavy infantry (DFK) who are a menace for the Turks.

[Kobal2fr]

I voted Hungary. For some reason Milan isn't as scary anymore as it was in 1.01. Since I am a disciple of ET (I mostly play England or the Turks), I usually meet Hungary when they have become a powerhouse. They have missile cavalry which is dangerous for the British cavalry and heavy infantry (DFK) who are a menace for the Turks.

Well, sure dude, but they're pinAAAAARGH

*dies with a slit throat*

[hisn00bness]

yup had to agree with Dutch guy and HoreTore.
As Russia the only thing that beat me back a few times were well developed polish nobles stacks.
The jav range on those monsters outranges the skirmish distance for missile cav so you are supposed to keep your missile cav on manual ; but the further you are the less you can use your sparase arrows to actually do decent damage.

Remember Russia starts off with Kazaks as their main unit. Sure they are fast and cheap and all; but they have somehting like 2 bloody defence AND are vulnerable to missiles.
Boyar's sons get hopelessly outclassed by the Polish monsters as well on all fronts except cost.
Hungarian missile cav and vards are a mere annoyance by comparison.

[HoreTore]

Poland and Byzantines, because of the polish nobles and the vards. By doubling the AI king's purse, they start fielding entire stacks purely out of polish nobles - terrifying to say the least. Same reason for the byzantines, but they don't field as many vards, so they only get 2nd place...

[Shahed]

They are almost all equally impotent IMO. I've never been fightened by one of those.
Timurids (which are not the point of the poll), yes, I've been scared !

[HoreTore]

They are almost all equally impotent IMO. I've never been fightened by one of those.
Timurids (which are not the point of the poll), yes, I've been scared !

So...you woudn't be scared to see a full stack of polish nobles when you're playing the danes, with all their infantry?

[PseRamesses]

From the start of the game I´ve to go with Milan. Strong spearline, decent cav and über x-bows tough in melee.

[PrestigeX]

I think that Milan and also HRE are the worst for me. I don't like fighting their armies because i found that both factions tend to make very large armies of like.. half crossbow and halfassorted infantry, a few horse sometimes. But it's just annoying to fight them because War is expensive, other facitons you can more quickly conquer bcuz they don't have so many armies hanging around.