Need Help Deciding Next Empire...

[Sextus Molestus]

Umm...hi there! I have a bit of a problem. I'm trying to figure out what faction would be good to play as next in the vanilla version of the game (no mods for me, sorry to those who really love them and would suggest them, but no mods for me). I've played as the following factions, all on Easy/Easy except one:

Scipii
Julii
Egypt
SPQR
Britannia (M/M, didn't work out for me, I think I expanded too fast)
Armenia (still in progress)

I really enjoyed the Roman factions, due to their infrastructure and variety of units. But the only reason why I do not immediately start up a new campaign (probably Brutii) is because I worry that it hasn't been long enough since my last SPQR campaign, and it'll just get old and boring as a repeat of that one.

Egypt I loved playing as, again because of infrastructure and unit variety, but the one time I played as them I conquered nearly the entire world (save like all of Gaul and Germania and Britannia, but I got the picture, lol). I suppose it's an option, but I'd rather do something new/else.

With Britannia, I just didn't really enjoy it much. The unit selection and infrastructure (to me) was crappy, probably due to the 3 tiers rather than 5, and the jump up to Medium (whoa, big man) made it not too fun for me - I'm more of a casual player. I don't think I'd like another barbarian faction, at least one like Britannia (and I assume they're similar, correct me if I'm wrong).

Armenia I'm playing as now, and it's alright...I haven't accessed 4th and 5th tiers yet, as it's still pretty early on, but I have (albeit hypocritcally) made my armies exclusively horse-based, just for the fun of it, but this has turned out repetitive. I do not believe adding Eastern Infantry to them will remedy the monotony of firing volley upon volley of arrows at my enemies (yes, infinite ammo was on for this one).


Ugh, for those of you who had the courage to read through all that, you may analyze that I like variety and depth. I want to be able to kill enemies in many different ways, and want to be able to build a lot of buildings. I like to play on Easy, but have considered (just for hahas) pitting myself against the world on a Very Hard campaign as some obscure faction, as a sort of last desperate stand type thing (I don't know, lol).

My idea: Greece or Macedonia. Your idea(s)/suggestions: ?

[Legio]

Dacia! They have a good mix of troops, a good starting position, and archers from low level barracks.
The Greeks are good as well.

[Sextus Molestus]

Dacia won't just be a repeat of Britannia, my esteemed friend? I've heard from numerous sources that it's a barbarian faction, but haven't seen its units for myself nor have I investigated if they can build up to 5th tier cities.

[Legio]

Dacia won't just be a repeat of Britannia, my esteemed friend? I've heard from numerous sources that it's a barbarian faction, but haven't seen its units for myself nor have I investigated if they can build up to 5th tier cities.

They only go to tier three.
It has Spear Warbands, Archers, Falxmen, Chosen Archers, Chosen Swordsmen, Light Cavalry, Noble Cav, and some artillery.
It is less of a steamroll than Brittania, especially if you head south or west.

[Sextus Molestus]

Heh, their starting position reminds me of a frequently said line by Russian enemies in GTA:IV - "Even your tiny Balkan brain must know you are surrounded!"

We'll see, but I'm still leaning toward Greeks/Macs.

[Xavier Dragnesi]

They only go to tier three.
It has Spear Warbands, Archers, Falxmen, Chosen Archers, Chosen Swordsmen, Light Cavalry, Noble Cav, and some artillery.
It is less of a steamroll than Brittania, especially if you head south or west.

I've never heard of them having spear warbands :hmmm:But otherwise, yeah, Dacia is far different from Britannia, and is an interesting faction to play.

[Elite Peasant]

Why not give Thrace a try then. They have an interesting mix of barbarian (falxmen) and greek (Phalanx) units, plus access to artillery and a greek-based building tech tree. Plus an interesting starting position. Surrounded by potential enemies.

[Seigi]

Macedonia, their unit are awesome eps those phalanx

[Sextus Molestus]

Thanks very much for the replies. I'll try to remember to notify you which I eventually decide to play as via this thread.

[aznflea]

barbarians are boring as hell to play wtf is ppl on about?

greece is boring because what you do is get lots of armored hoplites and wait for the enemy to stop killing themselves. enemies with siege weapons kinda screw you over and catching routers are risky due to your only decent(?) cavalry being your general and even your general is really low tier cavalry. their archers are except mercs from rhodes or crete.

maybe you should play carthage?

[D.B. Cooper]

Seleucid Empire?

[aznflea]

yeah thats actually not a bad idea. the beginning years are challenging and very fun and their unit variety later on keeps them fun

[C-Rob]

Seleucid! You get scythed chariots- a nod to britannia, you get the challenge of having multiple enemies- and many of them having very different ways of fighting!, and unit variety is superb!

[SonOfAlexander]

You have got to be thr Macedonians I can't even believe you considered the Greeks! They have a starting position and all they have going for them at the end is Spartans and Armoured Hoplites! MACEDONIANS RULE! Pontus and Seleucid are good too but tough to get going. The Germanicans would be a great idea too !

[Sextus Molestus]

Apologies to all but I believe two of you - I picked Macedon. It's going very well.

[Double A]

Thrace - Barbarian/Greek mix, have hopolites and powerful barbarian infantry. Come off with crappy calvary though (bad Greek calvary + bad Barbarian calvary = WONDER TWIN POWERS ACTIVATE!)

Carthage - crapy early infantry, no archers, except for the one that are on the backs of...
ELEPHANTS!!

Pontus - Greek/Eastern mix, have HA's and phalanxes!

[aznflea]

i cant stand the appearance of eastern generals. they look like such pansies. i just cant stand the look of my generals portraits.

[Mediteran]

try carthage

[Yojimbo]

Try the Seleucids they are challenging, very, very rich once they take Egypt's lands and they have a powerful army later with legions elephants and tough phalanx.

[Sextus Molestus]

I'm still engrossed in my Macedon campaign, in which I have halted all expansion further into the Balkans (figured I don't need an extra front to attack, I'll just hold it from the occassional Julii army).
I'm taking Sicily right now, bribing my way out of fights due to my being extremely rich and it being Easy (bribes are not so costly).
The Brutii have stopped trying to take back Apollonia, so I can send an army guarding the border there north a bit every once in a while to sack the next city up that the Julii always seem to take. However, the Brutii did send a family member with some troops to take my undefended Kydonia, so I massed together a six-unit-strong cavalry army from Sparta, Corinth, and Athens to exterminate the invaders - none escaped the ensuing battle, not even the general.
And in Asia Minor, my campaigning went well for a time until I lost most of my field army due to foolishness (overconfidence in one battle against the Pontics, as well as the fact that I can't retrain the Phalanx Pikemen that the army consists (or consisted) of because all the Pontic settlements I take are towns.) But I just landed a refined army with basic to powerful troops in Asia Minor under the great general and faction heir Cleitos (first general with a helmet on in his picture), who was born with four or five command stars. The Pontics will soon feel more wrath than I could supply with my diplomats bribing away everything they sent at me.

Wow that was long winded. Oh well, I guess if anyone cared, it'd be the TWC community!