Whats your Favorite faction?

[starlifter]

All Roman factions are easy because:

1. Their proximity to the key civilizations for a fast win.
2. Their overpowering horsie, called the Equite.
3. They can build diplomats and boats.

With these three being aggressively exercised, the game is over pronto. Fun, and fast.

Yes, all civs can build dips/boats.
And I'm talking about patch 1.5 Equites; the ones prior to that were just "monsters". And I like them!

Contrast it to the Britons, who lack #1 in particular.

But my favorite are the Germans, despite the challenge in a fast win due to lack of #1. Their horsies are vets (or should be), and annhilate all before them, even the Greeks hoplites (if carefully used). They can even mob scythed chariots if done carefully, though they should refrain from elephants; let the pikes and archers do that.

 

[Dong2Long]

But my favorite is...

Spoiler :

Germania.

 

[Hitti-Litti]

Gauls. When I started liking them? Today. I raised an army in Northern Italy and brought civilized people to Rome!

Got a heroic victory on Po river near Rome, and I killed their faction leader. I lost 50 men, they lost 500 men.

 

[Dong2Long]

from Starlifter:
1. Their proximity to the key civilizations for a fast win.
2. Their overpowering horsie, called the Equite.
3. They can build diplomats and boats.

1. The Romans & Greeks, and to a lesser extent, Carthagenians, Gauls, & maybe Macadonians, have excellent starting locations in terms of contact, diplomatic, and military options.

2. The Equite is not overpowering after Patch 1.5; I'm sure you mean the armor, and tactical shock use of them as modeled in RTW battles, though -- especially in the first few (say 20-40) game turns, where you are talking about doing most of your fighting. But they do not have the experience advantage that the barbarians can build, however. I do agree that in the final analysis, the Equite is still too overpowered, in historical context. Roman horse was crap in that era, and the Equite is a match for most of its early game foes, and it alone can turn the tide of battle, if used right.

3. More importantly, they can build and get them on boats quickly. Interesting, though, that the scipii have no port, but have boats. Hmmm.

 

[starlifter]

1. The Romans & Greeks ... Carthagenians, Gauls,... Macadonians, ...
2. The Equite is not overpowering after Patch 1.5 ...
3. More importantly, they can build and get them on boats quickly.

- Gauls really not excellent, because no [usable] navy, and no ports to quickly build a southern one (plus is need be bigger because of weakness).
- Egypt can to a diplomatic jump due to isolation, despite being in corner, if its navy survives.
- The Equite is overpowering in terms of early game use, especially if measured versus cost. If not used right, it will seem kind of weak to some, after patch 1.5 (mainly: due to lower charge and attack, more will die in a shock charge in early battles against "less" advanced enemy units).
- Scipii are two extra days behind (turns) if you need more boats; but diplomats can be made and contact is very controllable (which is key to Power Diplomacy).

 

[Aramazd]

- Scipii are two extra days behind (turns) if you need more boats; but diplomats can be made and contact is very controllable (which is key to Power Diplomacy).

IIRC, Syracuse starts with a shipwright and I always take it first.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

I believe the Greeks or Macedonians are in the proverbial "Garden of Eden" when it comes to economic and military pickings, the cities are already fairly well developed, there are many wonders a short ways away, and they are at the crossroads between Italy, Asia Minor, and the Barbarian Norths (Thrace, or Dacia if you're still in RTW vanilla, no RTR ). However, as I stated earlier, they do have a helluva time in the early game fending off invaders.

 

[Comraddict]

Seleucid also have decent starting position, with good income, but invaders from all sides make it more difficult and interesting. IMO, most interesting faction after Romans, thanks to abundance of various units.

 

[Lance of Llanwy]

In EB terms, the easiest factions are definitely Carthage, Rome, and the Ptolemies. Carthage because...
1)You have access to the best ships in the game, which allow you to control the Meditaerranean.
2)Easy access to Siciliy, especially Syrakousai. Very rich land.
3)You can also got your hands on the rich mines of Iberia fairly easily.
4)No serious immediate threat. The Romans are busy with Epeiros at first and the Iberians are a joke initially.
5)North Africa provides additional land from which to garner trade.
6)Balanced, flexible army. You also get good recruitment in Iberia in addition to your homeland and then there's elephants...
7)You make a crazy amount of money from trade.

Rome because:
1)The Epeirote garrison in Taras isn't all that scary, and you shouldn't have much trouble taking it.
2)Italia is very rich and moderately easy to capture.
3)Excellent infantry allow you to march on enemies with impunity. Skirmishers are okay, but you get your hands on Peltastai, so that's good. Not much you can do about the mediocre Equites, but oh well...ya can't have it all!
4)A lot of options and a lot of pre-occuppied neighbors. The Gauls are busy fighting themselves, the various Greek factions are squabbling amongst themselves....only Carthage is a major threat, but you can get the jump on them effectively. They basically have rich land everywhere they turn.

Ptolemies because:
1)They have A LOT of rich cities.
2)The Nile cities are extremely well-developed and allow you access to a wide variety of troops immediately.
3)You are roughly equal to the Seleukids in terms of military power, but your diplomatic situation is far better. It is very likely you won't be the Seleukids only problem for long, forcing them to divert their attention or gradually weaken.
4)Your key cities are behind the lines....but key Seleukid strongholds such as Antiocheia and Damaskos are in the front.
5)Southern expansion can be done at your leisure.

Other than those though...the going tends to be tough. The situation in Gaul is difficult for either faction to resolve before the Romans show up, Hellas is a mess no matter who you are(but especially tough for the Koinon). The Sauromatae and Yuezhi are basically hopeless, Iberia has Carthage breathing down its neck, the Sweboz start off weak and backward, Pontos, Hayasdan/Armenia, Parthia, and Baktria all have to deal with the titanic Seleukid empire, and the Getai/Thrakians/Dacians have powerful neighbors.
Aside from these three, the Casse are next easiest, and they've got a long, hard slog to unite Britannia....
Edit: The Seleukids....are a nightmare. Ptolemies in the east, constant rebellions in the west, and pesky wannabe empires all over your borders...and that's before the Makedonians show up, as they typically do...

 

[OTE_Leader]

1. Seleukids
2. Roman - Juli...

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I despise the Selucid Empire, for all the reasons LoL stated; the biggest of those problems being Aegyptus. I have problems beating the Ptolemies with Post-Marius Roman armies, but the Selucids are an absolute nightmare!

On the other hand, if, by some miraculous stroke of luck you win an extended peace with Egypt and can KO those BS Anatolian factions, you have a nice base to work with, but I suspect you would need to sacrifice land for time, and abandon your easternmost cities to the Medes.

 

[duckmanbro]

I really do enjoy the Greek Cities. Good income, some good hoplite units. But I still don't like the lack of decent infantry that aren't so useless when attacked from behind or sides. But all in all, I enjoy the Brutii the most. The Julii are too much a pain in the beginning with the Germans and British colonies...

 

[jeff744]

mine is Carthage, and the game is easy to win once you kill off the Roman factions

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

mine is Carthage, and the game is easy to win once you kill off the Roman factions

IF you can...

 

[jeff744]

you have to attack the SPQR first, losing rome after that doesn't matter, then you take Caralis, i found that the Julii will concertrate their attacks their for a while, you take sicily, which occupies the Scipii, and the Britii don't do anything unitl you are on the peninsula (work from the bottom up)

 

[ArneHD]

I really enjoy playing as the selecuids, although Carthago is is very fun.

Selecuids have an INSANE starting income, this allow them to human wave the enemy. This is my favourite taktick against just about everyone at start.

The Carthaginians are fun due to round shield cavalry. I have full stacks of round shield cavalry against a mainly infantry based rome. Concentrate your charge and nothing will stop you, once one rout the rest follow.

Of course, the round shield cavalry things only works to begin with.

 

[Hitti-Litti]

I have fallen in love with Pontus again, especially in RTR. They have tough start; must conquer Sinope and Trapezus quickly. After that you have to conquer Armenia(they usually attack first) and to keep income reasonable expand to Heracleia and Nicomedia. If you don't beat Armenia fast, you have times of troubles against Seleucids. After Armenia it's Pontus vs Seleucids in all fronts. Crush them in Turkey, and they strike from south. Win them in south, and they try to gain Turkey back and attack to Armenia.

 

[Lance of Llanwy]

I have fallen in love with Pontus again, especially in RTR. They have tough start; must conquer Sinope and Trapezus quickly. After that you have to conquer Armenia(they usually attack first) and to keep income reasonable expand to Heracleia and Nicomedia. If you don't beat Armenia fast, you have times of troubles against Seleucids. After Armenia it's Pontus vs Seleucids in all fronts. Crush them in Turkey, and they strike from south. Win them in south, and they try to gain Turkey back and attack to Armenia.

Ain't no picnic in EB either...you do have peace with the Seleukids and Armenians initially, but we all know how often the AI bothers to honor such things. A poorly developed capital, and limited options for expansion because of the massive Seleukid presence and the care one must take to keep them off your back for a while. Expansion in the west is limited by Makedonia...you already have two Successor States you can count as enemies soon enough(Ptolies and Seleukids, obviously), so provoking the wrath of the Maks(or the other Hellenes, for that matter) is ill-advised, and expansion into Byzantium; however tempting, ought to be avoided because of that. Similiarly, the Armenians limit expansion in the East. You cannot afford to fight them, lest you invite the Seleukids to take advantage of a squabble, so expansion to east is limited to Trapezous and Ani-Kamah(if you're lucky.)

The other option is Ankyra, very appetizing due to its Gaullic troop selection...but its garrison is murder. Pergamon is similiar, but you will inevitably be drawn into the Ptolemy/Seleukid war and inevitably will be fighting both of your titanic neighbors, and maybe some more of them...

 

[Hitti-Litti]

Currently I own Armenia's provinces, Ancyra, Pergamon, Abydos, Nicomedia, Sardis, Smyrna, Eusebeia and Arsenion(?). In addition to near rebel provinces and the original provinces.

 

[D'Artagnan59]

I like Seleucia. If I get my hands on Jerusalem, I just eat them alive.

Now working on Pontus, Numidia, and will kill the rest of Carthage.

Also, I nearly have Cleitos carrying the title of The Great.

Do you get that title by the 5-command rank?