Favorite nomad faction?

[Kevin]

there's a barbarian one, so why not a nomad one?

[Jebivjetar]

I REALLY like Pahlava.

[the man with no name]

None but Pahavla are the coolest so i voted for them. In that region my favorite faction is the Baktria:p Good idea though.

[Kevin]

So far, it's a 4-way tie!

[J.R.M]

I like them all but Pahlava gets my vote

[Jebivjetar]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[HunGeneral]

I say SAKA RAUKA

The best of nomadic warfare and the infantry of the settled peoples without the restrictions Pahlava has to face at the moment

[athanaric]

The Saka Rauka are definitely the "coolest" Nomad faction IMO. Even their basic HAs look really cool. Plus the Saka units have a range advantage over all other factions. It's a pity though that their late cataphracts are less heavily armoured than their Hai, Pahlavân and Baktrian counterparts and that they have no banner-bearer.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Originally posted by madei:

[Kevin]

Wow I didn't think the Sauromatae would be so popular

Even their basic HAs look really cool. Plus the Saka units have a range advantage over all other factions.

Really? I didn't know that

[athanaric]

Really? I didn't know that

Spatahaura Hadabara (Saka Early BG), Ysaninu Aysna (Saka Nobles) and Yukhuna Ysaninu Purma (Yuezhi Nobles) have 201.6 m range each, which is the highest range for HAs.
Payai Dunai (Saka Foot Archers) have 209 m range, more than any other missile unit in the game except for scorpiones/katapeltai and ballistae.

e: yeah and I didn't have to look up the names... maybe played EB too much...

[Kevin]

Spatahaura Hadabara (Saka Early BG), Ysaninu Aysna (Saka Nobles) and Yukhuna Ysaninu Purma (Yuezhi Nobles) have 201.6 m range each, which is the highest range for HAs.
Payai Dunai (Saka Foot Archers) have 209 m range, more than any other missile unit in the game except for scorpiones/katapeltai and ballistae.

e: yeah and I didn't have to look up the names... maybe played EB too much...

not according to the Unit Card Info Mod!
and yea maybe

[Andronikos]

Pahlava. For many reasons: units, history, reform...
Second would be Saka. I am not fan of pure nomads, so I like that ones which could turn into a settled faction. And I am also looking forward to new nomad faction(s) in EB2, desert nomads seem appealing to me.

Perhaps with EB2 this poll will have more than four options.

I NEVER said there would be ONE new nomad faction now did I?

[DaciaJC]

Seeing as nobody has stuck up for the Sauromatae (which, surprisingly, hold the most votes ), I will say that the Sauromatae are rightly considered the most nomadic of the three choices and so are my favorite. They don't become settled like the Pahlava, and they don't gain access to decent infantry like the Saka Rauka. They are almost entirely dependent upon foot/horse archers/heavy cavalry in their military, and they live a simple existence. Plus, I like their tan-ish color.

[athanaric]

not according to the Unit Card Info Mod!

What did you mean by that? I've checked their unit stats with the online unit list and my own hand-written EDU "backup". They definitely out-range anything short of a mechanical weapon.

[Kevin]

What did you mean by that? I've checked their unit stats with the online unit list and my own hand-written EDU "backup". They definitely out-range anything short of a mechanical weapon.

I was bsing, my bad. I checked and it's only a margin of a difference, but still...

Saka gets the most range but also the less armour and 30 arrows.
Pahlava has 1 more armour and 10 more arrows than than Saka but less range.
Sauro has the most armor, same range as Pahlava, and 40 arrows.

[Jebivjetar]

Pahlava rules

[Kevin]

Pahlava rules

you REALLY like Pahlava don't you?

[Jebivjetar]

you REALLY like Pahlava don't you?

yes, i REALLY like Pahlava, Kevin

[athanaric]

You know Jeb, if you post the same declarative statement more than one time without providing a sound reason (e.g. expressing a delight in their factional colour or delivering an evaluation of their unit roster), it is generally considered spam.

For me, Saka Rauka are the best Nomad faction because of:

- a very diverse cavalry roster (even when compared to other Nomads),
- superior bows with superior range,
- access to Hellenistic reform units and all Indian regionals,
- beautiful factional colour,
- badass looking units (even when compared to other EB units),
- the unique (among Nomads) ability to build Buddhist structures.

The only real downside is the weak economy, which - as of yet - cannot be improved via the "Indo-Saka" reforms (I hope that will change with EB II).

[Jebivjetar]

Yeah, you're right.

Ok.

I like Pahlava because:

1) they are the most challenging faction in EB i've ever played
2) one victory with Pahlava is worth more than it sounds
3) it's pretty hard work to expand with them, and every city you take is precious like a diamond
4) reforms- you have to plan a lot and save every penny for the first 20-30 years in campaign
5) huge army rooster after reforms (persian + hellenic units)
6) catas... man they really know how to rock n' roll
7) i like the "mission" to transform nomads into settled people, and build an empire with them

[Ali-Pasha]

I like all nomadic factions but I voted for Pahlava, because i love catas.

[IrishHitman]

Spatahaura Hadabara (Saka Early BG), Ysaninu Aysna (Saka Nobles) and Yukhuna Ysaninu Purma (Yuezhi Nobles) have 201.6 m range each, which is the highest range for HAs.
Payai Dunai (Saka Foot Archers) have 209 m range, more than any other missile unit in the game except for scorpiones/katapeltai and ballistae.

e: yeah and I didn't have to look up the names... maybe played EB too much...

Are they decent at killing at that range?

[athanaric]

Are they decent at killing at that range?

According to my experience, yes. In addition, the various Nobles have a basic ranged attack of 6, which is quite high for any archer unit and probably increases their effectiveness at long range. It is quite easy for these units to level up when facing Hellenistic or other non-Nomad armies, if you keep them out of melee.