Who to play next?

[Landwalker]

Now that my Epeiros campaign has settled down a bit, I'm considering getting a taste for one of the other factions. I don't really know much about them, though, other than the unit lists on the website. I'm sure plenty of you feel very strongly about your factions, so I'd like to hear from you whom I should take a shot at next (and, more importantly, why it should be that particular faction). I've been thinking about Pontos, but I'm open to all suggestions.

Cheers.

[antisocialmunky]

Try Pontos or one of the NE factions. Its alot different to be playing away from the cities of the Mediterranian.

[Landwalker]

NE? Northeastern, as in the Saka or Sauromatae (or Baktria, or Parthia, if they're up there)?

Cheers.

[Spoofa]

Casse.

[Landwalker]

Casse.

I was kind of hoping people would elaborate or provide reasons...

Cheers.

[Spoofa]

They are Isolated, fun faction, access to cool Godillic units, freedom to invade who you want, when you want, how you want.

[Dooz]

Why not just play whatever strikes your interest? Why ask others what to play yourself?

[Spoofa]

Why not just play whatever strikes your interest? Why ask others what to play yourself?

its the new cool thing to do.

[Landwalker]

Why not just play whatever strikes your interest? Why ask others what to play yourself?

Because I don't know much about most of the factions, so I don't know what's out there to "interest" me. Looking at the faction unit lists on the EB website only offers so much information, after all. I don't know anything about reforms, attitudes of neighbors, economic potential, actual unit effectiveness (beyond "Hey, this looks like a cool unit), etc. So, I'm trying to find out other's opinions and, ideally, get them to help fill in some of these gaps.

Cheers.

[NightStar]

Right now I'm playing as Pontos and just gotten to 266 B.C and I can tell from a start it will be a rough ride. I managed to use my starting army to capture 2 settlements but I was so far into dept that I just managed clear even a couple a seasons ago.

Atm I am saving up for a mine, have virtually no standing army and and settlements that have almost nothing and can train nothing and I'm just hoping that AS will leave me alone for hopefully the next 10 years or more

[Dooz]

I understand that, but what I was suggesting was finding out for yourself might be more interesting and fun. Then again, I suppose people can and will differ and I should respect that. Enjoy.

[bovi]

I suggest trying a faction that is different to the greek style, for instance a Gaul faction or a nomad one. The nomads are really tough to play though, just so you're warned.

[Beefy187]

If your familiar with Greek lands but your bored of Greece, try Getai.

Sweboz also looks good

[johhny-turbo]

I like Baktria, cool very diverse line up. You can easily choose to field a nomad like calvalry army or a phalanx army. Also in the beginngin you have an interesting dillemma. Do you surge to the east and capture territories for the money but in doing so leave yourself vurerable to an attack from AS or do you attack them first but in doing so provoke the only empire at the beginning of the game?

[Fearless Samnite]

play the romani
i restarted to amuse myself with another take on things


build two armies of Rorarii max units and leave two slots for two generals on each army one heading north the other heading south

this crazy plan is assuming you suicided your non patrician general south because your crazy like me and got rid of the non noble blood of the family for role play purposes.

anyway first siege ticked down and they sallied at the last moment south

me 4500 men vs their 1500 IIRC

formation double lines guard mode fire at will
two family member calvary used for flanking and heavy charge

wins all around fun times not many losses
enemy morale wavered as they approached my massive lines
then i peppered them with javelins and then they slammed into a ready front with spears and shields fresh while they exhausted themselves

of course i won
cheaper upkeep too



north.....wins then it came to segesta....my force was a little smaller since i ran into debt with my crazy plan...i was just getting out of debt too +5k due to killing off of the population of captured settlements

after i lost due to not being a max full stack of 4500 :p

i noticed strangely the rebel province segesta only had one unit in it now...
so i besieged with my 2 generals asap....with troops following behind

another rebel stack came out of hiding and crushed us ....no retreat was possible.....then i was besieged by another rebel stack..

they had a grudge against me...i saved and quit i have to sleep

tomorrow revenge

[Geoffrey S]

I was kind of hoping people would elaborate or provide reasons...

Because I don't know much about most of the factions, so I don't know what's out there to "interest" me. Looking at the faction unit lists on the EB website only offers so much information, after all. I don't know anything about reforms, attitudes of neighbors, economic potential, actual unit effectiveness (beyond "Hey, this looks like a cool unit), etc. So, I'm trying to find out other's opinions and, ideally, get them to help fill in some of these gaps.

Could you elaborate on your reasons, what sort of faction you'd like to play as?

Anyway, what's stopping you from picking any faction? They're all different, that's part of the fun, and if you don't like your choice you just start a new campaign. I think it can be safely said that all factions will provide an enjoyable experience and you may find something by chance that you enjoy more than you'd have expected.

[johnhughthom]

For a different campaign try the Sweboz or Saba on general cam. Using general cam with a faction whose generals fight on foot can be a real challenge at times.

[hoom]

I reckon go for Arverni or Aedui, makes a big change from the careful, considered Hellenic phalanx based armies.

You get big long swords, plaid trous, interesting helmets, big long swords, big naked fellas with big long swords, a different brand of cavalry, oh & big long swords :)
A sword heavy army frees you of the phalanx line imperative, letting you throw the army around much more dynamically.

Campaign starts off fighting the other but quickly you wind up in conflict with the as yet not unstoppable Romani (at least in .81 -haven't tried in 1.0 yet- the Celts actually had a fairly easy time against the Camillian units).
Optionally you can head South into Iberia, North East & take on the Sweboz or go invading across the Channel into England.


The Getai are similarly cool, they get big long curvy swords & get to beat up on phalanxes :)

Lusotanan are another sword heavy faction & get to fight Carthage early.
Carthage is interesting too, more of a Hoplite style army but with some good swords available & fighting in diverse locations, Iberia, Sicily & Africa just for the start.

But really, the best thing to do is just start a campaign & start playing, you'll quite quickly get the idea of how they play & whether or not you like them.

[Copperknickers]

I find lusotana are very underused, they are brilliant for my style of play if not vey good at holding against infantry. They're skirmishers are good, you can easily out fight infabtry in your prepared and they have an esasily defended position.

[Hooahguy]

I like Baktria, cool very diverse line up. You can easily choose to field a nomad like calvalry army or a phalanx army. Also in the beginngin you have an interesting dillemma. Do you surge to the east and capture territories for the money but in doing so leave yourself vurerable to an attack from AS or do you attack them first but in doing so provoke the only empire at the beginning of the game?

agreed- they are challenging and fun, as i have found with my current campaign!

[Arzeal]

Saba is a very nice faction to play when u deceided to try different things, isolated to the point that both giants (plotematoi and Sk) wont bother to go after you, and even they bothered, by the time they reached ur cities - their troops should be extremely exhauted, and you already welcome them w. proper army. And u can try to raid their big cities which r poorly defended and quickly retreat back to the sea and continue to build up your empire in a middle of nowhere (adv mines avaible as well)

I also played a diplomatic war w. both empires: sacking cities and give it to the opposite faction and see how their stacks rush to fight for it, and sneak quitely to another huge cities ^^

[Bootsiuv]

Baktria or Qarthadastim

Both are great for s***s and giggles.

Baktria has one of the best unit line ups in the game. Period.

Qarthadastim begins with the highest treasury in the game IIRC at 10000 (at least, that's how it was in .8x). They also have some very interesting units, and the inevitable war with Roma over Sicila is always entertaining.

EDIT: If you do play Qarthadastim, make sure you disband all of your fleets. I keep one around to ferry troops to Sicila, but that's all. I think they start out with 5 fleets (once again, .8x, so this may have changed).

[Jaywalker-Jack]

Carthage are a good laugh. Interesting strategic position, and cool unit selection - Iberian units in Spain, African elite units in North Africa and Greek/Samnits mercenaries in Italy. Thats true bout the fleets, expensive to run at the start. Maybe drop the elephants too.

Ptolemaioi are also a great bet, I think theyre the only faction that dosnt immediately go into debt once you start playing. Nice safe position too and room to expand in all directions at your leisure.

Both Carthage and Egypt have a type 3 government with no annoying public order penalty by the way, helps if youre building a big empire.