New factions?

[Morte66]

I'd like two:

1) A Helleno-Skythian faction on the north shore of the Black Sea.

I don't mind exactly who or where, so long as it mixes classical (non-phalanx) hoplites, horse archers, missile troops, and light and heavy cavalry from the steppe. I've found these medium-weight fluid armies very enjoyable to play, compared to the straightforward Hellenic heavy pike/lance combo or the repetetive slow attrition of the HA {edit: horse archer} armies. Furthermore, it's one of the more interesting strategic positions on the map -- many directions to expand, many types of enemy to face, and it might even be worth building a navy.

But there's no faction here, so one doesn't get the chance. I've had more fun migrating the Hai/Getai to this area than playing them on their home turf.

2) Syracuse.

Nothing like starting with your toes in the fire... Judging by the Eleutheroi city in EB1, this faction would start with quite a high population and infrastructure and enough economy to run a useful army, plus a good set of walls and (I think) siege technology. If you manage to take Sicily, you've got a base which could stand off Rome and Carthage and eventually go further. Given a ruler with an Alexander streak, Syracuse might change the course of history.

Also Syracuse is a name to conjure with -- e.g. I'd heard of Hannibal's siege of Syracuse long before I knew where the city was. It's a good opportunity to let the player do something amaziing.

Syracuse might die pretty easily as an AI faction, but I'd rather that factions were balanced to be played. {People on this forum seem a little obsessed with AI faction balancing, I think they sometimes miss the point that the game gets played by humans too.}