Your favourite faction?

[Redcoat69]

aparently telling from my avatar i am having a hell of a war with my redcoats against the french so im playing as Great Britian

[SaDeR]

From what I understand you need to manually delete them from the windows hidden file.

I've just been overwriting my existing save, and that has been working well so far.

Why would CA do that? Especially since I barely know anything about this ETW engine.

[l3asu]

Maratha is pretty hard, especially when we all don't have a good grip on the new campaign system yet. VH/VH, by the end of the 8th turn or something I was being attacked by the Portugese, Myosre, and of course Mughals. I didn't start anything lol. This AI is vicious.

[DarkArk]

The Dutch, and having a fantastic time with it. It's great to actually lose battles that you are supposed to lose. Two 6th rates and three brigs aren't going to defeat a larger and better armed French fleet no matter what I do. Though I feel pirate fleets are a bit too powerful. The Dutch are great because they are spread out all over the world, I feel that they really are the faction if you want to see how everything works, because they have to use everything in ways that other factions don't. If I'm not careful the French will crush me easily, not something nations like Russia or Britain have to worry about necessarily.

[DarkArk]

I dont have the game (curse you Dimension 8400 ) but am a little dissapointed after having read through this that no one seems to have gone with or is recommending Russia. Is there something wrong with them? Do they smell? Is the vodka too strong?

I for one will be launching a Russian GC as soon as possible!

I've decided that Russia will be my second campaign, to serve as a contrast to the naval Dutch. It does seem that most people have decided to not play as them the first time around, perhaps for the very reason that they are a mostly-landlocked European faction. I think many people want to get out and explore everything (I know I did), whereas Russia will be stuck in Europe for most of the game.

[Ataraxie]

The Dutch also, GC/Long - fantastic spread of different places to work with, those Dutch merchant ships of doom are amazing, and kicking around the north coast of South America is a nice way to take a break from kicking around the North Coast of Europe.

[Pallantides]

Maratha Confederacy

[Nordmann]

Why would CA do that? Especially since I barely know anything about this ETW engine.

No idea, personally I think it's either a bug or a missed feature. It's fairly easy to delete the files, you just need to know where to look. Hopefully they'll add the option in-game with an update.

[Empress Meg]

Merged three threads about factions, interesting factions, and what faction people play as since these three were carbon copies of one another. I've kept the older of the two polls.

Devoirs The Empress

[Sparkshot]

I'm presently playing as the United Provinces and I was previously just eating away at Spain's empire and am flushed with coin. It was a rough start mind you. Instead of provoking hostilities from Spain, France, and other mainland powers, I built a large army and sent them off on their way to lands unknown. Originally I planned to get a foothold in North American by conquering a northern territory. Seeing how ridiculous the amount of troops a nation as small as Montagnais had, opted for India. I used my only fleet near Amsterdam as their transport which turned out to be a mistake on my part .

All my colonies were prospering, especially Ceylon which I poured money into (which now has the second largest population: 350,000). Just after I got the fleet through the portal and into the Indian theatre, Prussia (I hate them, they are as ambitious as Milan) declared war on Austria (they always do) and I decided to join them along with Great Britain. Somehow Prussia came up with a fleet out of their ass and the next turn they blockaded my Rotterdam trading port, which is 'the' trading port for the Dutch. So I have no trade coming in from the theatres and two turns later I get a notification that the United Provinces is bankrupt. So now I have to send my fleet all the way back to the Netherlands to confront them. The AI deserves credit because Britain attacked them by sea on several occasions and actually defeated them once but another Prussian fleet took its place.

The whole time I am waiting for my fleet to reach Amsterdam, UP is bankrupt and the citizens aren't happy. The Pirates decide they wanted some fun so they attacked my fleet in Curacao and surprisingly enough my humble fleet defeated them and I sent it off to Europe with their heads held high. About six turns later, my two fleets met up, merged together and decisively defeat Prussia, opening my trade ports. And it has been looking up ever since.

To briefly summarize what has happened recently. I destroyed the pirates' two strongholds and developed them into sugar plantations. The Leeward Islands became my main ship building hub. Commercial ports can't recruit powerful ships so Amsterdam was out of the question but this was more strategic anyway considering its location. I built up my fleet and transported my original army to Tejas (Texas) and they conquered the settlement. A turn later Spain asked for it and I declined. The turn after that Austria declared war on Spain and I joined them. Surprisingly enough, France refused to enter the war with Spain (yet they are still allies) which was probably because of all the trade I was doing with them in Guyana. From Tejas, I conquered all the way down to New Grenada where I stopped and focused on and conquered French Guyana after France declared war on me. I knew it was inevitable considering how many times they asked for Dutch Guyana. The next turn I sued for peace with Spain and surprisingly enough they accepted. France accepted a peace treaty a few turns later after I destroyed their raiding fleet near Madagascar. Through some cunning diplomacy I eventually got trade rights from Spain and France and now I am rolling in the dough from this trade--so much so in fact that I keep giving stately gifts to nations. I gave a thoroughbred horse to King Phelipe along with some china but he still hates me. When considering the alarming progress Prussia is making in Europe (they just recently took Bavaria and Wurttemberg, I decided to improve my relations with the Germanic nations of Westphalia and Saxony. I gave them some china too and they are solid green in terms of relations. So let this be a lesson, china is always the solution.

And now I don’t know what to do. I definitely don’t want to attack Britain considering they have the highest prestige on all fronts (774). If I attack the Marathas it will probably be a war I will never win due to the fact that it’s on their turf and they basically control most of India now. I just ended my wars with Spain and France and have no interest of bordering Prussia. I guess they will have to be my main objective now. Hopefully I can make my German friends allies or better yet, protectorates and so I can move through their territories and lend aid to fend off Prussia when and if the time comes.

[Taer]

Only up to 1725 in my first GC.... but so far I am enjoying this Faction very well.

[rex_venom]

I did the RTI and finished ep3 and didn't feel like starting over in ep4. In the GP I pick the french and Austria declared war(but non of their 10 or so allies joined them. I sent a large army down south and but them on my ships, went down around Italy and right to their territory and then took a weaker city. They then sent an equal size army at me and was able to just barely win. I spent the next few turns rebuilding my army, then I attacked a city which had only 3 civilian forces. On the same turn I went for the city Austria and was able to scale the walls, sneak my Calvary through the gate to the center. All of my infy was routing except for one unit. I was then able to hold the center for 2 minutes and capture it while all of their infy was on the wall killing me.

Then the two cities that i just took we're unhappy and started to strike. With my tired and weak army I was able to prevent one city from rebelling. However, one city rebelled and I took what ever troops i had and was able to beat them, but not destroy them. I then had to send my army back to prevent another rebellion. The rebels then raided my docks, school and farm. I offered Austria a cease fire in return for some technology Which they accepted (since they only had two cities left that are separated from one another). Now that I don't have to worry about another attack from Austria for awhile, I am able to get rid of the rebels and try and prevent another one, since they lower class is becoming restless again.

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

I'm presently playing as the United Provinces and I was previously just eating away at Spain's empire and am flushed with coin. It was a rough start mind you. Instead of provoking hostilities from Spain, France, and other mainland powers, I built a large army and sent them off on their way to lands unknown. Originally I planned to get a foothold in North American by conquering a northern territory. Seeing how ridiculous the amount of troops a nation as small as Montagnais had, opted for India. I used my only fleet near Amsterdam as their transport which turned out to be a mistake on my part .

All my colonies were prospering, especially Ceylon which I poured money into (which now has the second largest population: 350,000). Just after I got the fleet through the portal and into the Indian theatre, Prussia (I hate them, they are as ambitious as Milan) declared war on Austria (they always do) and I decided to join them along with Great Britain. Somehow Prussia came up with a fleet out of their ass and the next turn they blockaded my Rotterdam trading port, which is 'the' trading port for the Dutch. So I have no trade coming in from the theatres and two turns later I get a notification that the United Provinces is bankrupt. So now I have to send my fleet all the way back to the Netherlands to confront them. The AI deserves credit because Britain attacked them by sea on several occasions and actually defeated them once but another Prussian fleet took its place.

The whole time I am waiting for my fleet to reach Amsterdam, UP is bankrupt and the citizens aren't happy. The Pirates decide they wanted some fun so they attacked my fleet in Curacao and surprisingly enough my humble fleet defeated them and I sent it off to Europe with their heads held high. About six turns later, my two fleets met up, merged together and decisively defeat Prussia, opening my trade ports. And it has been looking up ever since.

To briefly summarize what has happened recently. I destroyed the pirates' two strongholds and developed them into sugar plantations. The Leeward Islands became my main ship building hub. Commercial ports can't recruit powerful ships so Amsterdam was out of the question but this was more strategic anyway considering its location. I built up my fleet and transported my original army to Tejas (Texas) and they conquered the settlement. A turn later Spain asked for it and I declined. The turn after that Austria declared war on Spain and I joined them. Surprisingly enough, France refused to enter the war with Spain (yet they are still allies) which was probably because of all the trade I was doing with them in Guyana. From Tejas, I conquered all the way down to New Grenada where I stopped and focused on and conquered French Guyana after France declared war on me. I knew it was inevitable considering how many times they asked for Dutch Guyana. The next turn I sued for peace with Spain and surprisingly enough they accepted. France accepted a peace treaty a few turns later after I destroyed their raiding fleet near Madagascar. Through some cunning diplomacy I eventually got trade rights from Spain and France and now I am rolling in the dough from this trade--so much so in fact that I keep giving stately gifts to nations. I gave a thoroughbred horse to King Phelipe along with some china but he still hates me. When considering the alarming progress Prussia is making in Europe (they just recently took Bavaria and Wurttemberg, I decided to improve my relations with the Germanic nations of Westphalia and Saxony. I gave them some china too and they are solid green in terms of relations. So let this be a lesson, china is always the solution.

And now I don’t know what to do. I definitely don’t want to attack Britain considering they have the highest prestige on all fronts (774). If I attack the Marathas it will probably be a war I will never win due to the fact that it’s on their turf and they basically control most of India now. I just ended my wars with Spain and France and have no interest of bordering Prussia. I guess they will have to be my main objective now. Hopefully I can make my German friends allies or better yet, protectorates and so I can move through their territories and lend aid to fend off Prussia when and if the time comes.

Thanks for your nice report +rep

I find the UP an interesting faction too, as they are small at the start and you can build your way up. War with Spain is pretty much inevitable, but I have the same problem as you: where to expand? Attacking France or GB seems like a kamikaze, and expanding to east will confront you with Prussia.

[Cynik]

Britain mostly but France are quite badass, you don't wanna mess with them early on that's for sure

[King of Kings]

Great Britain, Prussia comes a close second.

I have played both of them, Im further in my Prussia one, but I stopped it for now because it got to chaotic.

[Fredrik]

seriously why cant i still vote? ive had over 50 posts for a long time..

That's weird. I could vote and give reputation since I got 20 posts. :hmmm:

My favourite faction so far is Prussia, but I haven't played alot or properly yet because of my computer.

[DashSia]

I haven't got the game yet. But as an Iranian My favorite would be Iran (Persia of that time). I know it's unplayable, but I hope it will be just a cut and paste to make them playable such as previous games!

[Anastasios]

1stAustria

Positive
Line infantry is bigger compare with other nations by +30 soldiers
The position of the Nation is good for fast expansion, u can control Middle and Eastern Europe plus the trade in Mediterranean sea (Ottoman Empire doesnot have many infantry units in the beging and Venice is depend upon Navy, Russia needs time to expand, Prussia and Poland are the only pressure but for some reason they fight each other, so in the first 15 turns u have the time to expand to Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Greece and also conquer Venice)

Negative
U need lot of coins after the expansion as most of near regions are poor in their buildings
U need ships to secure your trade roots
and religion differences (Protestand in the North, Orthodox & Muslims in the South) is a big problem as u need untis to guard your towns.

2ndRussia

Positive
U have time to expand plus many regions under your flag (9)
Orthodox Religion can help u to move in the Balkans
Sweeden and Denmark are fighting each other, so at the North u are secure for a time
Ottoman Empire in the start is easy to defend and counterattack them
Many resources = lot of coins = technology

Negative
To expand in the central Europe u need lot of army
U need Fleet if your wish to move faster
U have to conquer many ports
Poland can be a big problem

I am used to play in Europes map
also I would like to play as one of the indian Nations (when they can unlock them) and drive the British to the sea

[Wiksel]

I prefer playing as Poland (played them in Medieval 2 as well) mostly because they're not an overpowering faction like f.e. Britain or France... plus, they have a kinky unique heavy cavalry unit, and a sweet colour scheme (which can't be said of all the factions *cough* Spain *cough*)

by the by, I'm really surprised by the impact of colour schemes, since I figure that's the single reason only 3 people picked Spain

[Ishoss]

US of A. Something about playing as backwards colonials amuses me. And I like the old version of the flag. Of course, I'll pretend that she has a Napoleonic bent to her and is set to export revolutionary ideals to Europe. Heh.

If/when we get a Napoleonic add-on and hopefully an Empire government type, I'll play as France. I can't stand the white Bourbon colors, though--if we figure out how to mod faction colors, I'll play as revolutionary France.

I'm also interested in trying out the Ottomans, although right now that faction is too big for me to deal with.

I suppose the Bourbon flag will change if the lower classes revolt. At least the Prussian flag turns into the current German one when they revolt. ()