Barbarian faction opinons

[konny]

I am a little suspicious of bias due to your field of study.

That, but indeed I too find the Belgic Swordsmen one of the best units the Barbarians can get their hands on. I don't know what makes them so special because their stats are not that exceptional, but I find them regulary cutting through everything that comes popping up along the Channel. They even can give Rycalawre (what I had made the Casse bodyguard instead of chariots) a serious headache toe to toe, for example in a town square.

The spearmen are not that dramatically good, but they are level 1(!) where you otherwise get just Lugoae.

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

That, but indeed I too find the Belgic Swordsmen one of the best units the Barbarians can get their hands on. I don't know what makes them so special because their stats are not that exceptional, but I find them regulary cutting through everything that comes popping up along the Channel. They even can give Rycalawre (what I had made the Casse bodyguard instead of chariots) a serious headache toe to toe, for example in a town square.

The spearmen are not that dramatically good, but they are level 1(!) where you otherwise get just Lugoae.

Belgic Swordsmen are so good because of their spacing. Line them up next to Bataroas or Botroas and look at the difference. Every one of their opponents is facing two Milnaht basically, although they will be more easily flanked because of this. Spacing gives them a lot of pushing power as well so they generally have their opponents moving backwards. Also the big shield helps against javelins.

I too would advise Gauls for someone who prefers civilized factions. They have more armor than other barbarian factions and (a huge plus in my book) can build nifty paved roads.

[athanaric]

Belgic Swordsmen are so good because of their spacing. Line them up next to Bataroas or Botroas and look at the difference. Every one of their opponents is facing two Milnaht basically, although they will be more easily flanked because of this. Spacing gives them a lot of pushing power as well so they generally have their opponents moving backwards. Also the big shield helps against javelins.

That's the same reason why Swêboz units are astonishingly powerful. Even their skirmishers have relatively tight spacing. Don't forget the morale and discipline of the Belgian troops though, which is what makes them so reliable.

[Frtigern]

I look for high morale (16+), highly trained, and impetuous. Also like to make sure I have axemen or falxmen in my armies so I can send them specifically against armored infantry. I like the Iberian troops because of their armor piercing swords and their real effective javelins. Never underestimate superior numbers of alpine shortswordsmen against lesser numbers of heavier armored swordsmen. I always try to make the heavy infantry tired with skirmishers and cavalry with slingers firing on their flanks first and then charge them with my mass of crazed wildmen!