Your choice of faction: a "rational" explanation

[Pharnakes]

Baktria is of course also very good, and has the honour of being the only faction to have shock archers.

[Megas Methuselah]

Yes, but Makedon is very good too. From the very start of the game, it's like I have this semi-divine holy mission to reconquer Alexander's empire, a feeling I never have with the other diadochi factions.

I also like the reformed phalanxes...

[Pharnakes]

Yup, principes with pikes

[MerlinusCDXX]

I'm playing Pahlava right now

1. The starting position is tense but not impossible

1a. the economy has great potential...if you go after the right people (the Greeks with the Mines ;-\> )

2. I like to move a bit more quickly in my conquests, and the Pahlava seem to be custom made for blitzing the Arkhe Seleukeia

3. Horse Archers

4. Melee-capable Horse Archers

5. Armored Horse Archers

5a. relatively easy access to Indian Elephants- the Indian provinces lie geographically close to one of the Pahlav expansion directions, so it makes sense to pick them up right after knocking Baktria out of the match, and the armies, while large and apparently intimidating, fall very easily to the types of units available to the Pahlav in the general region (HA's, Saka Heavy Cav, Arachosian or Dahae skirmisher cav- counters lightly armored infantry, foot archers, and elephants, in that order, and the bodyguard units can take care of any cavalry)

6. I find the ancient Persian culture fascinating, and like the way the "Parthian Empire" is portrayed accurately, and really psyched about the 'nomadic culture shift to Imperialism' (from the little that I've read, the Arsacid Perso-Parthian Empire was the most tolerant and cosmopolitan large power in the classical world)