Possible Factions

[Macilrille]

I agree that most Germanic tribes were too disunited at the start of EB to warrant a faction and you can argue that at in the last half of the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD they were dominant. However, a Cimbrii Faction in Denmark and a Cherusci faction in their province would be pretty nice.

Justification?
-at the time of Caesar the Cherusci under Arminus was a power to be reckoned with and challenged the Suebi confederation under Marbod after throwing of the yoke of Rome.
-The Cimbrii was apparently a power from Ca 135 BC, leading the tribes of Jutland and at that time lending the tribes of it. At Caesar's time they were all part of the Suebi, but that probably happened somewhere between the defeat to Marius and then, though they could have been part of the Suebi even at their great invasion.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Bartix must be in.

If there are not enough faction slots then they could replace some minor states like Makedonia or Romani.

[WinsingtonIII]

Perhaps the Lugii would be a good choice? Currently, eastern Europe seems like a bunch of wasted space, but I can't really suggest another faction that might take advantage of all that.

Yeah, I've definitely thought that the Lugii would be great to both balance out the Sweboz and to fill the current power vacuum in Eastern Europe. However, I'm not sure how much information there is on them at the start of the EB time frame, but that seems to be a problem all the Germanic tribes run into.

I'd really, really like to see another faction in that part of the middle east as well. Palmyra would suit me fine.

Yeah, either Palmyra or Nabatea would be great, plus they are both another Arabic faction, albeit a Northern Arabic faction instead of a Southern one, but I think the EB team has made it very clear that there is simply not enough provinces/info to warrant a second Southern Arabian faction. A Northern one is more likely, but unfortunately I still have this feeling neither of them will make it. I don't have any proof of that, but it's just what it seems like to me.

[Ibrahim]

Yeah, I've definitely thought that the Lugii would be great to both balance out the Sweboz and to fill the current power vacuum in Eastern Europe. However, I'm not sure how much information there is on them at the start of the EB time frame, but that seems to be a problem all the Germanic tribes run into.




Yeah, either Palmyra or Nabatea would be great, plus they are both another Arabic faction, albeit a Northern Arabic faction instead of a Southern one, but I think the EB team has made it very clear that there is simply not enough provinces/info to warrant a second Southern Arabian faction. A Northern one is more likely, but unfortunately I still have this feeling neither of them will make it. I don't have any proof of that, but it's just what it seems like to me.

as long as I'm around, there will be at least be a northern arabian one. you'll see.

[WinsingtonIII]

as long as I'm around, there will be at least be a northern arabian one. you'll see.

Haha I certainly hope that you're right, it gets really tedious switching off between fighting the AS and the Ptolies when you're in that region, especially since their armies tend to be quite similar.

[Moros]

as long as I'm around, there will be at least be a northern arabian one. you'll see.

So it was you who put that dead horse in my bed!?

[Ibrahim]

So it was you who put that dead horse in my bed!?

yes, it was I.

[Moros]

yes, it was I.

Glad you admit it, otherwise them policemen had to do some hard work. Anyway if you could just remain still before you computer, so they can easily find and arrest you. They should already be on their way. See you in court!

[Ibrahim]

Glad you admit it, otherwise them policemen had to do some hard work. Anyway if you could just remain still before you computer, so they can easily find and arrest you. They should already be on their way. See you in court!

[Moros]

Yeah it takes a time for them to come.Our little surreal country isn't close by. Either way they informed me that they just landed. They've taken a cab to your place so it won't take too long anymore. Though they were thinking about perhaps doing some sightseeing first.

[Ibrahim]

actually, he just arrived.

turns out he's my brother.

anyways, seriously: will there be a definite answer to the question of having a north arabian faction? the EB team keeps sending mixed messages.

[Foot]

There will be a definite answer, at some point during the preview of all the new factions in EBII (of course, we may keep some secret for the release. Who knows?)

Foot

[Moros]

the EB team keeps sending mixed messages.

Hey, let me have my fun too!

Anyway the case for an north arabian faction is't that strong. Palmyra was (as far as I know) not of much importance untill after our end date. The Qedar weren't anything special anymore. Except for the nabataeans there wasn't much special, just some minor nomad tribes and trading settlements like dedan. For the Nabataeans we have almost no historical information on their military except their late appearances in the works of Josephus. We only know they used light spearmen and archers and some cavalry and camelry. However I can't think of any archeological find of a weapon, shield, armour, or depictions from the 5th century until the late 2nd Century BC. Except for some vey unclear and not much revealing grafiti. So the only faction that in my eyes has merit, is almost unreschearchable during almost all of our timeframe.

[B-Wing]

Anyway the case for an north arabian faction is't that strong.
...
For the Nabataeans we have almost no historical information on their military except their late appearances in the works of Josephus.
...
So the only faction that in my eyes has merit, is almost unreschearchable during almost all of our timeframe.

I always dread posting my opinions on this forum since it seems a safe bet that I'm amongst the most ignorant about the topics at hand, but I'll risk sounding like a fool and say this. Does substantial, superior information on the Kingdom of Saba/Sheba really exist, relative to the Nabataean Kingdom? Prior to reading this thread, I didn't know anything about either Saba or the Nabataeans, but a brief Google search yielded much more detailed information on the later than the former. And it appears that the Nabataeans held considerably greater power during EB's time frame than did Sheba. Indeed it seems that Sheba was falling whereas Nabataea was rising. One website even claimed that in the 1st century BC, the Nabataean empire was briefly the largest in the western world (though certainly not the most powerful).

So I have the impression that there is just cause for including the Nabataeans as a playable faction, even if information on their military is sketchy. Is there really more accurate information on the Sabaeans'? And besides, Nabataea would have (for me) a more interesting position on the map and serve to provide the Ptolemies another immediate rival besides the Seleukids. In my campaigns, the AI Ptolemies just spend their first hundred turns chipping away at the Seleukids, who already have enough to deal with, only coming into conflict with the isolated Sabaeans if a province curiously rebels into their possession.

So there's my two cents.

[Moros]

I always dread posting my opinions on this forum since it seems a safe bet that I'm amongst the most ignorant about the topics at hand, but I'll risk sounding like a fool and say this. Does substantial, superior information on the Kingdom of Saba/Sheba really exist, relative to the Nabataean Kingdom? Prior to reading this thread, I didn't know anything about either Saba or the Nabataeans, but a brief Google search yielded much more detailed information on the later than the former. And it appears that the Nabataeans held considerably greater power during EB's time frame than did Sheba. Indeed it seems that Sheba was falling whereas Nabataea was rising. One website even claimed that in the 1st century BC, the Nabataean empire was briefly the largest in the western world (though certainly not the most powerful).

So I have the impression that there is just cause for including the Nabataeans as a playable faction, even if information on their military is sketchy. Is there really more accurate information on the Sabaeans'? And besides, Nabataea would have (for me) a more interesting position on the map and serve to provide the Ptolemies another immediate rival besides the Seleukids. In my campaigns, the AI Ptolemies just spend their first hundred turns chipping away at the Seleukids, who already have enough to deal with, only coming into conflict with the isolated Sabaeans if a province curiously rebels into their possession.

So there's my two cents.

The thing is while I said that I'd consider the nabataeans worthy when it comes to power, expansion, trade,... But we have little sources on them in their early stages. From the first century BC however we have a great number of sources. That's something that's true for most of North arabia. Then we have detailed friezes on armour and equipment. However this was a complete different army and it had completely different equipment when compared to the early armies. The early armies consisted out of light infantry and archers combined with some cavalery and camelry. All pretty light and mostly nomadic. By the First century these men wouldn't look that much different from the average hellene, except perhaps when it comes to his hair and skintone. Therefore we only have petroglyphs, simple childlike carved graffiti, to base of our units as they would have looked the first two centuries.

The Sabaeans have much more sources on the other hand. They left us much more than ten thousand epigraphic texts, thousands of small texts on palmleaves, many freezes. We can use later sources much better as well, as there weren't many changes in the Sabaean armies during our timeframe. (Which has to do with their isolation and archaic culture I guess). The biggest revolution was when the horse was adopted at our later timeframe. Either way as I've told before we will be having more regionals in Arabia in EBII not only in the north but in the other parts as well. Were even working on one of them as we speak.

[moonburn]

skytians for the win ?

joking ofc

i believe an alpine faction as more chances of being elected because they can be economically viable factions thanks to the nice mines, even the boii that people atribute to slovakia and bohemia i believe they bordered the northern illirians of segestica and thus acess to the alps (if they didn´t controlled that pass beteween italy and germania already )

the other chance are the helvetti

i believe that during the discussion beteween the arevaci and the lusitanians where the spanish speakers of the game where complaining about the choice of a faction some team members said they would do their best to protray the iberian reality better by including at least 1 more faction wich everyone assumed it would be the arevaci representing the celtiberians wich where culturally stronger then the lusitanii and thats from where the illergette´s discussion always come from since another historia/fan boy of iberian culture defended that illergette´s (catalunian dude??) should be included if the arevaci where going in (and good thing no vasque showed up with his 7.000 years old language/nation/culture/people ) so the iberian historic reality is even today being debated and used as a weapon for nationalism ...

the french stuff also comes to mind since just in france we could even consider including around 9 diferent factions (wich would break the arverni and eduii since some of the lands with wich they start are actually allied tribes that where fighting with one of the 2 main tribes at the time for the control of gaul or for the right to be the dominant power )

i believe that a belgium faction will finally appear to make things interesting and be a counter balance to the sweboz

syracuse for the win \o (joking again )

p.s: the ftw´s are jokes cause i defended with great passion the inclusion of those factions and people like odyseus crushed me completly :X