Which is better, Thrace or Dacia?

[The Good]

Which is better, Thrace or Dacia? Although I do like these two factions (even if they are non-playable in Vanilla Rome Total War), they are often regarded as the worst of all the factions (them or Numidia).

Thracians: have both native Thracian (barbarian for those unfamiliar with the Thracian people) units, and Greek units (phalanx units). Poor cavalry for the most part, and lackluster missle units.

Dacians: similar to the Thracians (ethnically are even related), but with more typical "barbarian" units, such as Chosen Swordsmen, Chosen Archer Warband, Warband (spearmen), in addition to the Falxmen which Thrace has too (Dacia should have had Bastarnae though, as Bastarnae tribe lived closer to Dacia than Thrace).

In my opinion, both have unfortunate starting locations, as the Macedonians down south will conquer one or both of them sooner or later. If the Thracians are lucky, they will just conquer Dacia, but then the Romans will just conquer them eventually too.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

I think Thrace is better. They are both two interesting factions with interesting units. However, when it comes to playing them, especially against other people, we tend to avoid using them cos of either what we have seen happen to them in campaign (proving that they are pretty bad) and from influences and talk that say that they are bad.

[The Good]

I think Thrace is better. They are both two interesting factions with interesting units. However, when it comes to playing them, especially against other people, we tend to avoid using them cos of either what we have seen happen to them in campaign (proving that they are pretty bad) and from influences and talk that say that they are bad.

I know what you mean, and besides, at least the Thracians have two ports. The Dacians don't have any, they're inland.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

I think overall, the perspective is that the more civilised the nation, the usually better it is. The Thracians have an army and country mostly based on the Greeks, though there are some barbarian units, so it's usually considered better than the Dacians. Anyway, I know that I can beat Egypt with Thrace, but I can't do it with Dacians

[Cmdr_Sdxo]

Thrace. Pretty much simply because at least in my campaigns two of the world's three superpowers(I count the romans as 1) 2 use chariots a lot. I don't ever again want to encounter the british chariot spam without phalanxes *shudder* . As with multiplayer, I'd go with Dacia. In my(although limited) mp experience I found Dacia to be the harder opponent to face.

[Iustinianos]

In my experience Dacia is better then Thrace. Though I never played them I fought both of them numerous times. Dacia has always been a stronger enemy in my campains, and Thrace often doesn´t get any further then their starting settlements.

[Prince_of_Macedon]

I'll move this to Battle Planning. That's where all of the "Which Faction is Better" threads are (including several of my own).

[The Good]

OK thanks Prince of Macedon!

[Habelo]

hmph, i thought that thrace was pretty good:S
and dacia too. but then again i dont play that much on multiplayer(everyone want like massive idiot battles with 2000000000 as the ing sum, why?!).

[Kamos]

I always preferred Dacia myself.

[Nay]

thrace is so much better!
the dacians get big, but they are WEAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[King_StuvartiniusIII]

Thrace is better, in vanilla a couple of times they have rampaged and taken over all macedonia/greece, a bit of pontus, all dacia, most of scythia, some of germany and patavium in north italy. Dacia only ever take pannonia, pripet, bohemium and that one way up north with the funny name (domus dulcis domus or something)

[Old_Scratch]

I'd pick Dacia. They get the standard barbarian army, which can be decent, but they also have access to ballista’s and mercenary horse archers.

[Al Merko]

In classic online game (10000 denarii, Grassy flatlands) Dacia owns Thrace. They have Chosen swordsman, archers and horse archers. Thrace has pikes and Bastarnae but lacks cavalry and armor.

[RoutingUrban]

Im not a big campaign person but the 2 Iv played Thracia took over scythia, Dacia and Macedon.

Idk why but this happened both times.

[The10thLegion]

Dacia is awesome, you can use the falxmen and wheel around the slow phalanx and cut the enemy down to pieces

[Mithradates]

I think Thrace is the better at least in the campaign, they have good field army (pikemen) and good siege army (falxmen), they have stone walls plus their temples are very good and their starting location gives more space to move around than the Dacian starting location.

(if played by the player, tha AI is not that good with either of them)

[Selifator]

I have seen in a number of advanced campaigns that the Dacians conquered the Tracians, Scythians and north of Macedon.

[Confederate Jeb]

Both are actually pretty fun to play as, and I like both factions units, so I guess it comes down to the color.....THRACE WINS!!!!

I just love the fact Thrace is both Greek and barbarian. It rocks.