Best/Favorite FFH Civ

[Peisistratos]

What is everyone's favorite FFH civ? I just downloaded the game last month and have been playing practically non-stop with my brother. His favorites are the Illians and the Calabim. I've only tried the Elohim, Kuriotates, and Doviello. I like the Elohim "tolerant" trait, and I can't stand the Kuriotates's "sprawling"ability. Doviello seem pretty good at expanding early, although I don't know much about their late-game (I won conquest pretty quickly).

What does everyone think of the civs? What are the favorites and least favorites, and why?

 

[Ororo]

I love Clan of Embers because of the Warrens and their worldspell which lets you take control of those kick-ass sons of inferno. Both leaders have a solid trait combo, though I like Jonas's a bit more. Other than that maybe Khazad and their gold-powered economy or Sidar/Svartalfar and their awesome recon line.

As for the least favourite it would probably have to be Grigori. The extra heroes might be nice, but the religions in FFH are just soo complex that I feel like I'm missing a major chunk of the game. Bannor seem a bit boring to me with their lategame spamalot. Imo Good civs in general don't have that much appeal, except for Mercurians and Malakim...

 

[Horatius]

Ilians, probably since I feel they have a lot of flavor and cool stuff and they are good as builders as much as rushers.

Playing the Sidar is also very interesting, since I think that the idea of making your military units the basis of your economy is pure genius.

Grigori is the least favorite for sure.

 

[CyberForte]

Calabim for me. I'm fond of vampires, so I like them quite a bit flavorwise, but beyond that, I like a lot of the units and buildings. The vampires themselves (even when much less OP in RifE due to not having death spells) make speed and healing a lot easier, and they're one of the best ways to get strong mages (and they have excellent magic line unitart, though I've had to re-update the boring normal mages in RifE to the awesome ones from normal FfH2). Also, the different leaders appeal to me for different playstyles, religions, and game focuses.

Least favorite of the base civs is probably the Lanun when controlled by the AI, mostly because they never ever do anything but OO and tend to get really boring. And I find OO particularly "meh." As far as playing, I'd have to say CoE or Sidar; maybe I'm shallow, but I can't stand playing civs whose units I find ugly.
-CF

 

[cain3456]

Ok, what's with the Grigori hate? They're my favorite precisely because they don't do religion. That's several techs right there I don't need to bother with. More heroes, yes, please.

 

[kekekeke]

Sheaim because I like to watch the world burn :>

 

[Breunor]

Bannor are my favorites, I just love to role-play them and their single minded determination. I also really like the Ljosalfar.

I think the Calabim are the strongest civ, maybe the Khazad as second.

Best wishes,

Breunor

 

[Selrahc]

Illians. Illians have the most toys. Not the strongest toys, but certainly a wide variety. Illian games have a very different flavour to most others, with *powerful* early Priests and easy terraforming.

Other favourites include Calabim and Clan of Embers.

Bottom 3 are Doviello, Hippus and Bannor.

maybe the Khazad as second. ((Most powerful))

?

No mages. No rangers. No horse archers. No longbowmen. No quick expansion due to dwarven vaults. Khazad have some *serious* disadvantages. The lack of a really good option for mobile forces and losing out on an entire powerful range of spells really hurts. In return they get boosted production.

Kandros is probably the best leader in the game, and that makes up for a lot. But the civilization itself? Not that great.

 

[Horatius]

No mages. No rangers. No horse archers. No longbowmen. No quick expansion due to dwarven vaults. Khazad have some *serious* disadvantages. The lack of a really good option for mobile forces and losing out on an entire powerful range of spells really hurts. In return they get boosted production.

Kandros is probably the best leader in the game, and that makes up for a lot. But the civilization itself? Not that great.

How about the druids?

Anyway, Kandros doesn't need big magic: just pumping and upgrading. You can get a bronze Stygian guard rush going around turn 150 on normal.
It's pretty sick.

 

[Selrahc]

How about the druids?

Right at the end of the tree. Long after "The second most powerful civ in the game" should have things won.

I mean, at the stage Dwarven druids come out to play the Grigori have 4 Heroic Archmages, the Amurites have a production line of priest mages, Calabim have an army of vampires led by Vamp Lords.. etc. etc. Dwarven Druids are an incredibly powerful tool. But they come at a stage where the toolbox is vastly expanded, and where in a game against humans losing out on mobile units and mage spells will be severely hurting.

Anyway, Kandros doesn't need big magic: just pumping and upgrading. You can get a bronze Stygian guard rush going around turn 150 on normal.
It's pretty sick.

The thing is... if Kandros was playing with any other civ in the game, he could do the same thing. The civilization is just a lead weight around Kandros's neck. Even the fabled dwarven production is lacklustre because Kandros gets so much done with upgrades.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

you just don't like the playstyle... Khazad are a POWERHOUSE when used right. insane production, trebuchets, dwarven shadows and druids, repair...

maybe not as broken as Calabim Flauros with aristograrian , but still very good.

 

[Selrahc]

you just don't like the playstyle...

I think the playstyle is fine and I quite enjoy Khazad games. I can flatten deity AI with the Khazad same as I can with most any civ. Khazad games are easier than most Although if judging on "How easy is it to beat the AI"... well... Priests of Winter can crush Deity AI easily, much much sooner than the Khazad, and a quick Hyborem or Basium rush will crush them just as readily while being available to all civs. I'd wager Kandros will win a Pangaea map on deity more quickly by rushing Hyborem than by trying to fight with the Khazad forces.

Against humans, the Khazad have a problem in that they can't move fast. In a game where collateral and magic wipe stacks out in the blink of an eye, this is a crippling disadvantage.

There is a difference between "Easy to play" and "Powerful". Khazad are pretty easy to play. You get to ignore whole complicated swathes of the tree, and just go bash some heads. Build a big army. I don't think they're all that powerful though.

 

[SergiuSS]

I like svarts the most 4 there Ilusions ,forest economy and hero and any other civ whit something special like Kazad and kuriotates
Grigory are the best rushers in the game you can get realy fast 2 heroes that can capture cities at safe odds but they lack the specialness
Sheiam is the easiest civ to play, you make endless stream of pire zomby and win so there is no real chalange

 

[Flipantropo]

I voted clan of embers primarily because of
1- warrens (it´s almost a heroic epic you can build in every city, all you need is masonry)
2-the palace provides body and fire mana (an infantry army supported by body/fire mages can almost outrun the enemy defenders while being able to take cities and heal while moving, i like it a lot, and the AI doesn´t know what to do against it, at least in immortal. I´m not sure if i would be able to defend against it myself...)
3-ogres are scary, and with warrens they are both cheaper and stronger than champions

 

[Ruanek]

I like the Bannor, because they're pretty fun to RP as. They're powerful militarily as well, especially because they can easily protect their mages. I do think they're a bit less interesting in terms of options, though. A non-militaristic non-order Bannor nation just doesn't seem right.

The Sheaim and Calabim can both be pretty fun, too. And the Luchirp look interesting, but I haven't done a whole game as them yet.

 

[Akbarthegreat]

Dang it, I love all of them

 

[Lone Wolf]

Roleplay-wise, Svartalfar. They know how to be evil with glamour.
I'd say that the Calabim are the strongest, especially after their early game.

 

[UncleJJ]

I like them all, and they all have something worth playing a new game for. Some are good in the early game and some grow on you as the game progresses, and many have a unique flavour. So I can't vote as I don't have favourite