Which are the difficult factions

**Callicles** · 11-18-2007, 07:14

I'm looking for a real challenge. I used to play Pontos a lot, but in 1.0 the cavalry is too strong for my personal taste.

I was considering playing as Makedon because the AI seems to have a lot of trouble with them.

I've never played Saka. Maybe them? Apart from Saka, who is really difficult to play as?

**icydawgfish** · 11-18-2007, 07:49

I haven't tried them myself, but I've heard that Hayasdan is almost impossible. You only start with one city and your raking in -a few thousand a turn with the Grey Death staring down your back. Also, AS can be difficult due to the sheer amount of micro management and keeping your people happy while defending your borders.

**MarcusAureliusAntoninus** · 11-18-2007, 08:02

Pontos is probably the hardest, followed closely by Saka then Hayasdan. Saba used to be hard, but the map change made them a whole lot easier. Makedon is actually pretty easy. The first few turns may be really hard, depending on what the AI does, but if you can get over that hump Makedonia is an easy game.

Check the faction descriptions in the select a faction screen when starting a new campaign, there should be difficulty levels listed there.

**Leão magno** · 11-18-2007, 09:10

I founded Hay to be prety dificult, but if it not enough, please try some house rules combined with a VH/H, it may please you more :)

**konny** · 11-18-2007, 11:16

Most factions have a difficult start (of them Hay is probably the most difficult) but become much easyer when the initial fighting is done, or the crisis is over. There are some that remain challanging.

With the Arverni, for example, I had severe problems to get a profitable economy even after the conquest of Gaul. That meant smaller armies with units that are in no way better than the units of your greedy neighbours (Rome and Sweboz). The same would be with the Aedui, even though I had never tried them.

I would consider Saba as very hard too, because once you have conquered the four towns around, your only way to expand is attacking the Diadochs.

**Karo** · 11-18-2007, 11:23

Hayastan is tough to start with after that it gets easier. And pontos is hard to I don't know about the rest. Haven't played them in 1.0

Originally Posted by konny

I would consider Saba as very hard too, because once you have conquered the four towns around, your only way to expand is attacking the Diadochs.

Or you could go to India and conquer it, that would be cool to do.

**Dayve** · 11-18-2007, 13:31

I always thought Hayasdan was way more difficult than Pontos. I played about 10 years with Pontos and had no problems whatsoever, even at war with the Seleukids. Hayasdan however, i've tried 5 campaigns with them and i simply can never make progress. I make progress up until the Seleukids declare war and that's me finished.

**Wolfman** · 11-19-2007, 04:15

I always lose when i play the Hai. Whether its the AS constantly attacking me or the lack of money. But i still love the riders of the Holy Mountain

**mrtwisties** · 11-19-2007, 04:44

The Saka are surrounded by foes (eg eastern Seleucids, Bactria) who are vulnerable to their style of combat. Their homelands are also protected by massive distances. Aside from the economic situation, I don't think that they're especially difficult. After a bit of raiding puts your economic situation to rights, they become fairly easy.

Saba and Hayasdan are very difficult, I think.

Or you could make Saka hard for yourself. I've been playing on General cam, which has made it much harder to implement the tight coordination that makes horse archer armies so effective. I'm also roleplaying a faction leader that wants to migrate west and wipe out the Hellenes. By 266 BCE, we had a small homeland in Anatolia and were simultaneously at war with the Ptolemies, Seleucids, Macedonians, Epirotes, Koinon Hellenon, Parthia and Bactria. The enemies to our east were all allied with one another (although the ones to our west couldn't give up their in-fighting).

It's been... interesting. A lot of unique buildings have had to perish to fund the Saka war machine.

Edit: Oh, and about half of the royal family is dead.

**Teleklos Archelaou** · 11-19-2007, 05:44

I just tried a Baktrian campaign in our latest internal build and I must say I was surprised. It's 260 and I'm barely holding on to Baktra itself, having been sieged three times by the Saka (twice) and Eleutheroi (once). Rebels are just about to take Alexandria Ariana from me, and I've lost and retaken Kophen also. Parthians are heading towards Baktra now too. Gah. The Seleukids have been driven back further too, so they are no help. PLaying VH campaign, M battles. But they are easier for sure in 1.0.

**Callicles** · 11-19-2007, 08:24

Originally Posted by Teleklos Archelaou

I just tried a Baktrian campaign in our latest internal build and I must say I was surprised.

I'm glad to hear it, and I hope the AI has as much trouble with them. Maybe its just a case of the "grass is always greener," but I'm not a fan of the predictable Baktrian steamroller... I suspect it had something to do either with their population or how they can (I think) use the Seleukid barracks.

I've decided to start a new Pontic campaign, but with extremely intricate house rules. I'm in the Fall of 240 BC in it right now and its going pretty well (although the Seleukids haven't been as tough as usual).