I have some knowlege of the history of the country that I live in and living in Europe generaly means that history is all arround you (The nightschool I visit use to be a Roman military camp).
Knowing some stuff of Austrias (and some Hungarian) history I was really disapointed when playing Rome 2 and encountering the various Celtic factions that controlled the regions of Noricum and Pannonia. They were nothing but "gaul copies" which had the exact same unit roster. In the game the celtic tribes are divided between Gauls, Britains, Iberians, Thracians and Galatians.
And the unit and building rosters for the factions in Noricum, Pannonia and Hercynia: Raeti, Nori, Helvetii, Eravisci, Scordisci and Boii are all the same copied from the Gaul roster:
Only the Nori are a little exception with having Axe Warriors and Short swords added to their roster. But other than that, the different factions only have variation in their number of available Gaul cav, melee and range units.
Yet the Celtic cultures native in Noricum, Pannonia and Hercynia were not Gaul. Only the Helvetii in what is today Switzerland were.
Hallstadt Culture:
The Celtic culture of the various peoples living in that region developed out of the "Hallstadt Culture" named after a place in Austria called Hallstadt. In that place during the 19th century a significant burrialsite and settlement was found containing over a thousand graves dating back to arround 600 BC. The settlement was found to have evolved arround the salt-mine in this region. The findings show that during this era hierachicalisation of society took place, with burrial sights clearly indecating the social standings of the peoples burried. If these settlements were divided into a "castle - lower town" order is yet being discussed by archeologists. It is clear though that trade with salt flurished during that era and that that trade made those people rich. Weapons made out of bronze and goods imported from Massalia aswell as the rich gifts burried with the dead are evidence for that. The settlements were fortified and findings suggest the presents of silver, gold and bronze smithing in most settlements.
Extent and location of the Hallstadt Culture in Europe:
Depiction of bronze age Hallstadt miners:
Hallstadt mining tools made of bronze and deer antlers:
Bronze Helmet from Hallstadt:
Hilt (Handle of a sword) made out of ivory and decorated with amber:
La Tčne era:
At the end of the bronze age and the beginning of the La Tčne era (Named after archeological findings in the French town of La Tčne) iron replaced bronze throughout Noricum, Pannonia and Hercynia in the Celtic cultures present there. Yet the salt mining would continue. At 200 BCE the kingdom of Noricum evolved and ruled over greater parts of Austria, including Hallstadt.
Raeti and Kingdom of Noricum:
The Kingdom of Noricum evolved at arround 200 BCE out of a confederation of 13 Celtic tribes and was the first "political" entety in Austria. Due to technological and agricultural advances (Iron plow) the population of Noricum grew rapidly, as a result of which some parts of the population emigrated to Northern Italy into the coastal ereas arround the Adriatic. After the subjugation of Illyria, some Illyrians who refused subjugation emigrated into the North. Due to the mixing of the populations of Noricum and Illyria in that phase the peoples of Illyria and Noricum became so mixed that the Romans would refer to them with a new word: "Taurisker". Because of the rich deposits of iron and gold in Norricum the Romans built tight trade releationships with the Noricum. Until 17 AD the Kingdom of Noricum would cement it`s power by fighting the Germanian tribes to the North aswell as the Celtic tribes to the East. Noricum would control an erea streching from Lower Austria to West Hungary.
The Raeti were clturaly similar to the peoples of Noricum and inhabited the erea of what is today Tyrol, Roman historian Plinius claims that the Reati were desentants of the Etruskians. And the various letters found by holy sights do actualy show a similarity to the Etruskian alphabet.
The Reati would trade with their neighbours in honey, wax, meat, cheese, wood and other mostly agricultural goods.
The occupation by the Romans was according to some historians peacefull, but recent archeological discoveries have found that to be a myth. There were no great battles and some eras may have been occupied peacefully by the Romans, but it is proven that some regions did put up resistance against the Roman invaders.
The peoples of Noricum also worshiped different gods than Gauls, such as: Latobius, Noraia, Celeia, Teurnia, Alounae, Bedaius and Marmogius.
A recent archeological discovery in Wöllersdorf also found a Druid gravesite. Suggesting that Druids in their functions as priests, consultants, judges and warriors were also widespread in Noricum.
In the Game:
From what I read and saw on documentaries and Museums the way in which the Celts of Noricum would fight the Romans would suggest a completly different unit roster for those central European Celts:
Archery was widespread.
Chariots were used
One Roman historian recounts "white warriors" being Celts that painted their body white with lime before charging into battle.
Illyrians who had emigrated after the subjugation of their homeland.
Druids who were destinctively from the Noric Celtic culture.
Noble Horsemen (In 49 BCE the Noricum King sent Ceasar 300 noble cavalry to support his war effort)
Alot of cavalry, according to archeological findings horse breeding and the use of horses was widespread in Noricum.
The religion of the Celts in Noricum was as mentioned different from the Gauls, meaning that the temples in the game should be dedicated to other gods.
Economicaly, mining was an important part of the economy in Noricum with large quanteties of Iron and Salt being spread all accross the region which could have been reflected in the building chain. Also in agriculture, The Celts in Noricum produced and traded with honey and wax which could have also been represented.
Helmets, axe and speartips:
Chariot from Noricum:
Battlescenes from a depiction dating to the early Iron age from Hallstadt:
Depiction of Celtic Warrior from central Germany (Franken):
Replica Helmet of a Hallstadt Warrior:
Replica of a Hallstadt warrior shield:
Hallstadt depiction of Warriors from a belt bucle:
Replica Hallstadt Warriors:
Conclusion:
As you could see and read for yourself, the Celts who settled in what is today Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia were not just simple small copies of the Gauls but had their very own cultural identity. Just like the Celtibrians in Iberia, the Iceni in Britain or the Galatians Asia the Nori, Raeti, Boii and other would be correctly depiced in the game with a indiviual roser of economic and religious buildings aswell as with their own unit roster.
I guess CA simply overlooked that fact.
Maybe because it is a part of Celtic history that is not that well known. Some Austrians actualy belive that the enhabitants of what is now Austria were once Germanian, which is myth.