The Great Faction Breakdown
This is a general breakdown to each specific playable faction in the vanilla grand campaign. The guide will list the strengths and weaknesses of each faction and will conclude with some general challenges this faction may face and ways to succeed and win.
These are my personal observations only, each player must find their own path to victory!
I hope this guide is useful for newbies and veterans alike.
Enjoy.
France
Strengths: Fantastic unit roster, especially cavalry. Good late technology. Strong starting armed forces.
Weaknesses: Insecure starting position, potential enemies from everywhere except the west. Will most likely be involved in an extended war with England or Milan. Quite prone to Spanish and Portugese expansion/aggression. Large empire to defend and protect.
Conclusion: A challenging faction to play. If you are able to live through the dark ages and advance your technology and cities somewhat you will be a great western power in Europe and the world. France will have to content with tough rivals, Milan and The Holy Roman Empire. England will have to be dealt with aswell, by either forging a strong alliance or pushing them off mainland Europe and back to the Isles.
England
Strengths: Very secure starting position and some very good ranged units. Ability to deploy stakes, only faction with access to woodsmans guild and sherwood archers. Tough and varied medium and heavy infantry.
Weaknesses: Has to contend with France and Scotland and possibly Denmark to secure the empire. Lacks pikes and easy access to the holy lands.
Conclusion: A strong starting empire and a relatively easy faction to play, arguably the easiest. If you can secure the Isles then you will have an easy time gaining victory. Your only trouble will be keeping the French in mainland Europe and fending off sea-borne invaders. Scotland can also be a thorn in your side if they are not dealt with early. The successful leader will establish a strong and secure empire on the Isles with which to raid and invade mainland Europe, while maintaining the protection of isolation from most of the world.
The Holy Roman Empire
Strengths: Massive standing armies at the beginning and sizeable town garrisons, ability to field quite tough units, especially 2handers and tough cavalry. A well established foothold in Italy with easy access to the Pope to either support or destroy him. Has access to the Teutonic Knights with the construction of their chapter house.
Weaknesses: Surrounded on all sides by potential enemies. Very prone to multi front wars. Good tech in the late period but not as good as their serious rivals, Milan and France. Mostly landlocked provinces, means less trading income until you can secure some coastal cities.
Conclusion: The HRE will have a hard time trying to keep it's empire in one piece. The many enemies that surround you will most likely hit you when you least expect and hard. If the HRE can consolidate it's forces and protect it's borders from foreign expansion then the Emperor will have a mighty empire, equalled by none, with the ability to crush and absorb the smaller empires quickly. The Emperor will need to make use of the devastating gothic and zweihander units to ensure the empire's sovreignty and security.
Spain
Strengths: Very good pike and gunpowder units, good light and harassing cavalry. Powerful javelin throwers. Fairly secure starting position with only the Moors as possible enemies. Clear avenue of expansion and easily conquerable Portugal. Access to the Knights of Santiago with a guild. Easy access to America when it appears.
Weaknesses: Only spear militia available in the early period. Tough factions to the north and across the sea to the east. Somewhat isolated from the holy-land. Boxed in somewhat by Portugal and the Moors. Can't afford to sit idly by while the other Iberian factions expand.
Conclusion: The Spanish position is a good one and the empire is ready for expansion. The Moors pose the only significant threat and can be dealt with quickly and easily. The Spanish may struggle in the early period due to the lack of heavy infantry and spear units, but if the Spanish can survive this tough time they will have access to some of the best units in Iberia in the high and late periods. If Spain can unite Iberia under one flag, the empire will prosper and be a force to be reckoned with. The smart Spanish leader will decide to either destroy the Portugese or the Moors first, to take on both at once would not be advisable.
Venice
Strengths: Godly italian militia and crossbowmen. Very rich cities and trade. Unique Venetian heavy infantry. Quick access to the holy lands. Can expand easily in any direction.
Weaknesses: Spread out starting position makes the outlying regions harder to defend. Will most likely have to contend with the other Italian powers and the mighty Byzantines. May also have problems in dealing with The Holy Roman Empire. Depending on direction of expansion, empire may come into direct contact with the Mongols and Timurids early on.
Conclusion: The Venetian empire is a rich and fertile one that is in a good position to expand aggressively. Care will need to be taken to ensure that the rich core cities of the empire are not left defenceless against possible aggressors. Powerful enemies are near and will need to be weakened or destroyed. If Venice can maintain it's rich cities and develop strong trade, it will be well poised to deal with the impending threats from the East and other major empires who challenge the King's rule.
Milan
Strengths: Very rich starting cities with an excellent starting navy. Shares the same powerful militia as the other Italian powers. Central position, option to expand anywhere. Very good late technology and access to the
Carroccio Standard.
Weaknesses: Arguably the most hated faction in the game, other factions will try to destroy you early, especially the other Italians. Does not start with a castle region. Has to deal with tough rivals, France and The Holy Roman Empire. Mediocre cavalry at best.
Conclusion: Milan is a tough faction to play, to be successful, a leader will need to be ruthless and unforgiving in conquest and expansion. No ground can be given and no prisoners taken. The world is against you and you must stand strong. If Milan can manage to fend off the early assaults from other factions while developing a lucrative trading empire, she will prosper and continue to decimate her enemies with wealth and power.
Sicily
Strengths: Strong and unique early period units. Secure and easily defendable starting position. Can form quite a wealthy trade empire by connecting the 3 regions of Palermo, Naples and Cagliari. Palermo is the most developed castle at the beginning of the game, meaning stronger more advanced units earlier on. Advantage of the cheap and strong Italian Militia.
Weaknesses: Lacks strong late period cavalry. Is very likely to be hassled by the Moors and the other Italian factions for dominance of the Mediterranean Sea. Close proximity to the powerful and vast Byzantine Empire which will Sicily will come into contention with as Sicily expands eastward.
Conclusion: The Mediterranean is yours for the taking. You own the most settlements around the important sea and it is ripe to be turned into a great trading empire. If Sicily can stave off Islamic and other Italian aggression then she will flourish into a mighty and wealthy empire. The cunning faction leader will need to either make peace or war with the Byzantines as they are guarding the gateway to the East and the rich holy lands.
Portugal
Strengths: Excellent naval power in the late game and in the beginning somewhat. Access to unique and powerful units in the high and late periods. Strong spear units and heavy infantry. Excellent unique cavalry and access to the Knights of Santiago. Easy access to the America's when they become available.
Weaknesses: Less professional armies than the Europeans. Armies composed of more militia than most other factions. Has to fight for dominance over the Iberian Peninsula and against the hardy Moors. Also prone to aggression from Europeans in the north, namely France. Starts with only two regions under it's control which are cut off from each other by Spain.
Conclusion: The Portugese position is an interesting one. It is a strong position but relatively insecure at the same time. The big task for Portugal will be to unite the Iberian Peninsula under one flag and to push out the Moors or destroy them completely. Expansion is fairly straightforward with the best avenues being into Africa or into Europe. To be successful the Portugese will have to consolidate it's position in Iberia and ratify a policy of strong expansion in one direction.
Scotland
Strengths: Strong and varied pike and spear units that defend extremely well against cavalry. The most secure and isolated starting position in the game. Only has the English to contend with in the beginning of the game. Mostly protected from the other factions.
Weaknesses: Limited unit roster, with extremely poor cavalry. Lacks unique and varied medium and heavy infantry. Only limited ranged units. Primitive cannons and siege equipment in the late period. Only begins the campaign with a single region and no castle. Furthest faction away from the holy lands, meaning there will be next to no chance of religious glory or any meaningful relations or dealings with the Pope.
Conlcusion: The Scots are a difficult faction to play and succeed with. They have a small starting empire that will struggle to survive if it does not expand quickly. Scotland can expect to fight with the English very early on and will be at a technological disadvantage until the empire can develop further while limiting English advancement. The only saviour for the Scots is their pike and spear units which are unrivalled in the Isles and northern Europe. Scotland will need to expand quickly and either destroy or pacify the English to stay alive.
Denmark
Strengths: Has a good mix of pikes, spears, ranged units and heavy infantry with access to powerful Norse units. Quite a secure starting position with regions to the north that are ripe for conquest. Has good access to the sea and sea trade, meaning Denmark can be a wealthy nation. Good secure position from which to strike at Europe.
Weaknesses: Like the Scots, has only one region to begin the game with and no castle. Scandinavian regions are not as profitable as others and lack valuable resources. Very close to their toughest rival, The Holy Roman Empire. Quite far from the holy lands and somewhat isolated from the rest of the world.
Conclusion: The Danes will find it easy to take the northern regions to consolidate their hold over Scandinavia. Expansion past this point however will not be so easy. Denmark can expect to come into contact with The Holy Roman Empire very early on and later in the game, the Poles and even the Russians. Denmark will need to stand firm in the face of foreign expansion and forays into Danish territory to eventually make there way to the rich holy lands and win the campaign.
Hungary
Strengths: Good access to strong horse archers and heavy knights. Unique access to the Hungarian Battlefield Assassins. Fairly close to the holy lands and all their glory.
Weaknesses: Lacks strong spear and pike units, very weak militia units. Precarious starting position that can be difficult to hold and expand effectively. Surrounding regions are quite undeveloped and will need a strong investment in money, armies and time to properly develop. No sea access without expansion, cuts Hungary off from lucrative trade. Very close proximity to the Byzantines and Poland, two powerful empires.
Conclusion: The Hungarians' position is a dangerous one. With strong enemies to the North, West and South, Hungary will have to be careful to choose the right factions to befriend and to wage war upon. If Hungary can secure an alliance with Poland, this will form a powerful Eastern front to prevent and hold the Mongols and other empires from expanding Westward. As Hungary conquers the East and South, she will need to decide what to do about the Byzantines as there is no room for uncertainty where they are concerned.
Poland
Strengths: Quite secure starting position, with many rebel territories in all directions, waiting to be absorbed into the polish empire. No immediate threats to the empire. Quite strong and unique cavalry in the early and high periods.
Weaknesses: Limited infantry. Limited early spear units. Landlocked regions to begin with limiting trade. Will have to contend with the invaders from the East later on in the campaign.
Conclusion: Poland is quite a secure faction in the early period. It's only neighbour is Hungary, which is a good sister faction to establish a strong alliance with. There are many opportunities for Poland to expand, the safest route being the regions to the North, but beware. Expansion is not endless and eventually Poland will come into conflict with Denmark, The Holy Roman Empire and Russia at some stage. The challenge will be to create an empire that can maintain it's borders against these factions and at the same time, being prepared for the Golden Horde.
Russia
Strengths: Isolated and secure position in the early period. Far from any other faction and interference. Lots of rebel territories for the conquering. Very good missle and melee cavalry, strong and well armoured. Good high and late infantry and ranged units. Access to Cossack Musketeers, a superb gunpowder unit.
Weaknesses: Lacks good strong infantry and ranged units in the early period. Very lacking in spear units, poorly armoured. Very spread out regions, taking quite a bit of time to traverse the empire and much harder to reinforce regions. Directly in the path of the Mongols when they invade, usually. One of the only two Orthodox factions in the game.
Conclusion: Russia is a faraway isolated faction that is very weak in the beginning. With few and poor early units Russia will find it more difficult than other factions to expand and hold territories. Access to good and reliable units will take time and Russia will need to hold out to develop it's cities and castles to access the superb high and late unit roster. Expansion should be West or South depending on the factions you wish to contend with. The biggest threat to your empire will be a strong Poland expanding Eastward or the Mongols when they invade near Sarkel and start to expand towards Kiev. The cunning leader will forsee these challenges and prepare the empire accordingly.
The Byzantines
Strengths: Very rich empire with the possibilities of getting even richer by controlling the Black Sea and surrounds. Very strong Horse archers and infantry in all periods. Very rich starting territories with rich surrounding rebel territories aswell. Very easy to link all your cities with trade. Uniquely positioned to control all faction traffic from the West going into the East and vice versa. Easy access to the rich holy lands, meaning your empire will only become more wealthy.
Weaknesses: Very limited once other factions reach the late period. No access to gunpowder. Every faction wants a piece of your rich rich lands, meaning you are likely to be attacked considerably. Shares borders with the Turks, a faction that will want you dead. Also prone to some Italian aggression from the West as Venice and Sicily expand Eastward.
Conclusion: The Byzantines are arguably the hardest faction to play. While they will not struggle to keep up with the other factions in the early and high periods they will fall greatly behind in the late period, due to having no access to the advanced technologies being discovered at that time. Your empire is very centrally located and all the factions will want to come through your lands for various reasons, a wise Emperor will let friendly and neutral factions pass through and hold your enemies to ransom at a crossroad. The Byzantines will have to deal with the Turks, preferably very early on, for if the Turks are allowed to advance and grow the task of destroying them will become that much more difficult. The Italian factions will also need to be pacified to a certain degree as they make their way East. It would not be wise for the Emperor to fight a war on two opposing fronts of his empire, lest he surely fail. Once the Turks have been dealt with, the Emperor should be free to deal with the menacing Italians and eventually the Mongol hordes that come from the East.
The Turks
Strengths: Very strong mounted ranged units and elite Janissary troops in the high and late period. Access to the powerful Naffatun and Janissary gunner units aswell as Hashishim. Strong starting empire with very good prospects. Plenty of rebel cities for the taking the in the rich fertile holy land. Fantastic late technology.
Weaknesses: Close proximity to the mighty Byzantine Empire. Along with Russia, the first port of call for the Mongol and even Timurid invasions. Lacking in reliable infantry in the early period. Will have to contend with Egypt for dominance of the holy lands.
Conclusion: The Turks are in a relatively strong state in the early period. They have well developed cities and are poised to take over all of Asia Minor and take the fight to the Byzantines early on. The holy lands to the south are rich in population and resources and should be conquered as soon as the Sultan can spare troops. A smart Turkish ruler will understand that hordes of Mongols will on his doorstep soon enough, and be well prepared for their arrival. If the Turks can consolidate their position in Asia Minor and secure the holy lands, the empire will be well positioned and reinforced to deal with any major threats from either the Egyptians or the Eastern invaders.
Egypt
Strengths: Powerful Mamluk cavalry, both melee and ranged. Access to both Tabardariyya and Hashishim units, also has access to the powerful Naffatun. Very wealthy regions with even wealthier ones easily conquered to the North-East. Very defensive and favourable desert terrain, easy to hold an enemy at bottlenecks.
Weaknesses: Will most likely be at war with either the Turks or the Moors at some stage. Has to fight for dominance and commit a sizeable amount of men and resources to secure the holy lands. One of the first few factions to come into direct conflict with the Mongols and the Timurids. Lacking in strong early period units. A prime target for the Catholic crusades.
Conclusion: The Egyptian empire must very quickly expand to survive. The holy lands to the north-east must be taken immediately if victory is to be assured. Once these lands are part of the empire, they need to be fortified and well defended and ready to face the hordes of enemies that come to claim them. Turkey will have to be dealt with at some stage in the campaign, when the Egyptians encounter them is up to the player and their pace. The Moors will on the odd occasion begin to look menacing from the West and may need to be taught a lesson or two to prevent Eastern expansion. If Egypt can secure wealthy lands and weather the oncoming storm, of Eastern invaders and the crusading Catholics, the empire will be in a good position to bounce back in full force and embark on a quest of world domination through Eastern Europe and Asia.
The Moors
Strengths: Secure starting position with only the Iberian's to worry about in the West. Very strong and effective spear units. Strong cavalry and infantry in the high period. Access to Christian Guard, both mounted and dismounted. Quite wealthy lands to be conquered in Africa. Easy access to the America's when they appear. Mounted spear units, unique and deadly to enemy cavalry.
Weaknesses: Will have to contend with Spain and Portugal for domination of the Iberian Peninsula. Lacks some strong professional late period units. Some large spread out territories that can be hard to reinforce quickly. Will most likely be prone to Sicily expansion and possibly even the Pope's aggression. Sometimes attracts Crusader attention.
Conclusion: The Moors position can be a difficult one, if an unwise Sultan lets the catholics take control of Iberia. The Moorish people must force the catholics from the Peninsula to ensure security and survival. Once Iberia has been freed from Christian hands, Western Europe is free for the conquest. The Moors will need to beware of Italian expansion southward, if the Italians gain a foothold in the Sahara it will be difficult to expel them back to their homelands. A strong leader needs to focus the empire's resources in Iberia while also maintaining a watchful eye on Eastern Moorish lands to counter any invasion force that tries to establish a presence in Africa.
This concludes The Great Faction Breakdown of all the playable factions in the vanilla Medieval 2 Total War. I hope many people glean some valuable information from this short guide to factions and I wish you all the best in your campaigns!
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Originally Posted by Commander5xl
