12th playable faction

[Sir Beane]

People seem to be assuming Portugal will be a clone of Spain because they are geographically close. Which is a really silly way of judging a faction. Prussia is next to Poland-Lithuania, yet no one has claimed they will be identical.

At this point in history there was very little to differentiate world powers. Most factions will have near identical unit rosters, as they did at the time. Portugal will be as similar to Spain as Spain will be to France, or Britain will be to Prussia. Very similar units with different uniforms, maybe different stats and one or two special units for flavor.

The only way to truly differentiate factions would be to start making things up. And we know where that leads (flaming pigs and Roman ninja).

People suggest Portugal shouldn't be in because they were on the decline. But the US didn't even exist. I know who I'd pick to be more likely to win in a fight .

[Lucidus]

People seem to be assuming Portugal will be a clone of Spain because they are geographically close. Which is a really silly way of judging a faction. Prussia is next to Poland-Lithuania, yet no one has claimed they will be identical.

At this point in history there was very little to differentiate world powers. Most factions will have near identical unit rosters, as they did at the time. Portugal will be as similar to Spain as Spain will be to France, or Britain will be to Prussia. Very similar units with different uniforms, maybe different stats and one or two special units for flavor.

The only way to truly differentiate factions would be to start making things up. And we know where that leads (flaming pigs and Roman ninja).

Absolutely.

People suggest Portugal shouldn't be in because they were on the decline

Not exactly...not at all.

Session abstract, next August 4, XVth World Economic Historic Congress, 2009:

The Iberian Transatlantic Commercial World in an era of Reform and War, 1750-1821

Over the course of the eighteenth century, Spanish and Portuguese colonial commerce expanded rapidly with far reaching effects on the region's economies and societies. In the second half of the century, agents of the Spanish and Portuguese Crowns introduced political and economic reforms designed to "modernize" their commercial systems. The Bourbon and Pombaline reforms attacked vested interests, dismantled long-standing institutions, and lifted barriers to trade, all with the goal of boosting Crown revenues, expanding imperial commerce, and reducing territorial and economic encroachments by foreign powers. The resulting "golden era" was abruptly interrupted by the outbreak of the Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon and ultimately paved the way for independence of most of the Latin American colonies. This panel explores and assesses the wide ranging social, political and economic economic effects of trade expansion, commercial reform and international war on the Iberian transatlantic world of the late eighteenth century.

I highly recommend this book:
http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8285.html
"Sovereign and Revolution in the Iberian Atlantic", Jeremy Adelman; it shows how the Portuguese and Spanish empires responded to the pressure of rival states and merchant capitalism in the 18th century.

[Jolt]

People seem to be assuming Portugal will be a clone of Spain because they are geographically close. Which is a really silly way of judging a faction. Prussia is next to Poland-Lithuania, yet no one has claimed they will be identical.

At this point in history there was very little to differentiate world powers. Most factions will have near identical unit rosters, as they did at the time. Portugal will be as similar to Spain as Spain will be to France, or Britain will be to Prussia. Very similar units with different uniforms, maybe different stats and one or two special units for flavor.

The only way to truly differentiate factions would be to start making things up. And we know where that leads (flaming pigs and Roman ninja).

People suggest Portugal shouldn't be in because they were on the decline. But the US didn't even exist. I know who I'd pick to be more likely to win in a fight .

Indeed. If anything it is the Thirteen Colonies which are a clone of the UK. They speak the same language, use the same currency, share the same culture; Things which do not happen in two countries which had been apart (by then) for 600 years.

[ljperreira]

Hmmm....so I think theyre done announcing factions (after Marathas). And of course, its been said that Portugal is definately not on that list. Im very disapointed. I mean, Portugal wasnt even included in MTW, in MTWII they were just added as an extra Kingdom to steamroll (Spanish accents, and Conquistadores??!!). Now it seems Portugal is being swept under the rug again...just another nation to steamroll, again. Im actually a bit offended. I know I shouldnt take it personally, but you know....