So Whats So Great About Byzantium?

**westy159** · February 25, 2006, 01:59 PM

In my popular (but now dead) "What faction Will You Play As First?" topic the majority of people here chose Byzantium. What is so great about this faction? Give me all the details, i want to know why this ones a favourite, it intrigues me, and maybe i shall play with them first.

**Spiff** · February 25, 2006, 02:21 PM

I think its the fact that they are in most senses the heir of the power house that is Roman Empire, it makes them interesting. Also the fact that historicaly they were doomed to failure may be seen as a challenge to many.

**Gottskalk** · February 25, 2006, 03:06 PM

Bysantium: the falling giant. Pretty interesting faction. Carries ancient traditions into the medieval ages. Has heavily armoured multi purpose cavalavry. Starts with good territory and the greatest city in the world. Ends its existence within the cities once great wall when technological advancement finally becomes its undoing.

Personally a really cool faction.

**hellheaven1987** · February 25, 2006, 04:14 PM

Well, usually because it is the most challenging faction... have a lot of money, territory and enemy!!!!! But personally I would like to control small country and beat up the big one!!!!!

**Hiroki** · February 25, 2006, 05:29 PM

Eh, yeah, pretty much what everyone has already said. It is why people love to play the Ottoman Empire as well in games that feature them.

**Ahiga** · February 25, 2006, 05:37 PM

They seem wholly unique in terms of culture. While Western Europe all sort of had a homogenous feel in the medieval age (There wasn't as drastic a difference between England and France and HRE, compared to the difference of the Celts, the Romans, and the Carthaginians, in my opinion), the byzantines have a look and feel that seems to set them apart, mixing east and west.

**Stalins Ghost** · February 25, 2006, 07:06 PM

The heir to the greatest empire of the ancient world
Great Variety
Difficult Situation
Placement- It's in the middle of the map- plenty of different ways to approach the game.
Legacy of being one of the best factions in the last MTW
CONSTANTINOPLE!

**byzantineklibanophori** · February 26, 2006, 02:43 AM

I second that CONSTANTINOPLE!!!

**Zenith Darksea** · February 26, 2006, 04:01 AM

It's a chance for Greco-Roman society to reassert civilisation over the barbarian West and East. They get a really interesting unit roster and a unique strategic position. And yeah - Constantinople! Who wouldn't want to be the Byzantines?

**bggeneral2** · February 26, 2006, 05:21 AM

Yes, Byzans...... great enigma.

**Tritio** · February 26, 2006, 06:39 AM

For me, it is the challenge that interests me, together with many other factors that have been mentioned above. I challenge myself to reverse their fall and restore their empire that 'could have been'. How could the Byzantines have fared had I been command? Would they have fallen? Could I have prevented the fall of the heir of the Empire of the Sons of Mars? What if the potential of Constantinople had not been wasted? I always look forward to the challenge. Sadly, the challenge is often lacking. In MTW, I was never ever in danger of losing and dying. Pity... which is why I prefer their situation in Europa Universalis 2.

**Fuji** · February 26, 2006, 02:25 PM

Probably have a large variety of units/buildings to

**westy159** · February 26, 2006, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by Ahiga

They seem wholly unique in terms of culture. While Western Europe all sort of had a homogenous feel in the medieval age (There wasn't as drastic a difference between England and France and HRE, compared to the difference of the Celts, the Romans, and the Carthaginians, in my opinion), the byzantines have a look and feel that seems to set them apart, mixing east and west.

dont you mean heterogeneous not homogeneous then? sorry for nitpicking or whatever

EDIT: Opps i just mixed the homo and hetero up. Hope i never do that in real life if you know what i mean

**Spiff** · February 26, 2006, 05:35 PM

nah i think homogenous was the right word, the nations of Europe were all pretty similar minus the respective languages

**Zenith Darksea** · February 26, 2006, 05:47 PM

Homogenous sure was the right word.

**DasBoot** · February 27, 2006, 11:25 AM

I'm looking forward to taking on the challenge of rebuilding the empire after the didsaster of Manzikert, and also to the fact that the Byzantine starting position puts them in immediate contact with the western teutonic states to the west, the magyar Hungarians to the north and the Muslims to the east. Also the Byzantine heavy cavalry were immense, and more disciplined than the Frankish and Norman knights. Also, the Byzantines were almost always outnumbered in their battles and had to win using trickery and superior tactics, the underdogs in many ways. Their tactical tradition was excellent, if the Frankish crusaders had adhered to the principles of Maurice and Leo they would have done much better in the Levant. Anyway, who wouldn't want to start with Constantinople? The old Roamn knowledge is best preserved there, they make the best seige equipment. Historically the Byzantines at this point were beginning to base their army around mercenaries again, as they had at the time of the fall of the Western Empire, and this, amongst other things, lead to their downfall. I want to try to fight with a native army to win back territory seen by the Byzantines as rightfully theirs, and then take on the world!

**Owain_Glyndwr** · February 27, 2006, 12:17 PM

Byzantium was one of the best factions in MTW. They had the coolest unit (Byzantine Infantry) and in all eras had the most potential. It's MTWII successor has a lot to live up to...

**purple elf** · February 27, 2006, 04:41 PM

they had cool units and they like a few people had said were pretty individual inbetween east + west so that made them ace and the fact they were the last remenants of the roman empire made them cool too