A Challenge....

[*Frozen-Roman.]

Hello, I am relatively new to SS but not Medieval 2: Total War (played that game since the day it was released).

In Medieval 2: Total War, a challenging faction for me was Portugal or Novgorod (and perhaps Sicily, though not as much).

In SS I realize everything is difficult and challenging, though I would really like to hear what other peoples opinions are on challenging factions, I'm a player that loves a challenge and therefore Ill play on VH/VH, Savage AI etc....

So what would be a challenging faction for me to play? - So far I've played as HRE and I'm enjoying it. It is fairly challenging, though are there even more challenging factions within this mod!!??

Thank you in advance.

[Ediblemittens]

Scotland...

English took me by surprised an basically vanquished me in 12 turns. So if you want a campaign where you'll have to be on your feet right off the bat, I recommend that one.

[Epic28]

Difficulty varies between Early and Late campaigns. Early Era HRE is was one of my favorite campaigns to play as well as a Late Era Byzantine campaign, (if you can recapture the rebelled Greek cities your golden) but in terms of the most difficult factions to use I would have to say the Crusader States would be probably one of the most enjoyable/most challenging.

[*Frozen-Roman.]

Thank you everyone. I shall give The Crusader States a go, if not then The Byzantine Empire looks to be very challenging what with reclaiming the Greek lands and eradicating Turkey....

I am currently playing Late Era, is this a bad move if I want a challenge? - Should I be doing Early Era instead?

Thank you again, everyone that replied. It is appreciated.

[Epic28]

Thank you everyone. I shall give The Crusader States a go, if not then The Byzantine Empire looks to be very challenging what with reclaiming the Greek lands and eradicating Turkey....

I am currently playing Late Era, is this a bad move if I want a challenge? - Should I be doing Early Era instead?

Thank you again, everyone that replied. It is appreciated.

I personally think every campaign in Early Era is easy and I also hate waiting 100 some odd turns for units better than Feudal Knights so I just jump straight into the Late Era campaigns, theres still some wiggle room for expansion on a few factions, but not much. Byzantine Late Era is much more difficult than the Early Era counterpart, your immediately at war with Turks and Venice and have 5 Greek rebel cities (Constantinople being your main concern) all with full rebel army stacks that you'll need to take out.

This is my Late Era VH/VH Byzantine Empire that I just kinda fizzled out on because I'm tired of chasing Sicily around to wipe them out and get a victory screen

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[*Frozen-Roman.]

I personally think every campaign in Early Era is easy and I also hate waiting 100 some odd turns for units better than Feudal Knights so I just jump straight into the Late Era campaigns, theres still some wiggle room for expansion on a few factions, but not much. Byzantine Late Era is much more difficult than the Early Era counterpart, your immediately at war with Turks and Venice and have 5 Greek rebel cities (Constantinople being your main concern) all with full rebel army stacks that you'll need to take out.

This is my Late Era VH/VH Byzantine Empire that I just kinda fizzled out on because I'm tired of chasing Sicily around to wipe them out and get a victory screen

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

That's a nice empire you've built. It would seem The Byzantine Empire is a nice challenge for me then, I've already started the campaign and it's already starting to prove a challenge, which I'm loving.

I'm currently laying siege to Constantinople, it wont be easy! - Which is what I want: A challenge.

@Epic28: Thanks for the advice. It is appreciated. (+rep).

[Jambat]

I am currently playing Late Era, is this a bad move if I want a challenge? - Should I be doing Early Era instead?

Depends on the factions. Late Era Roman and Crusader States are probably the hardest fights you will get in the game. Also, being able to expand with the Teutons or Mongols is a fantastic draw for LE games.

Early Era is usually easier, but it's big draw for me is the expansion and building up your nation from the ground up.

[David93]

Depends on the factions. Late Era Roman and Crusader States are probably the hardest fights you will get in the game. Also, being able to expand with the Teutons or Mongols is a fantastic draw for LE games.

Early Era is usually easier, but it's big draw for me is the expansion and building up your nation from the ground up.

Are you joking me, they dont even come close to hard, try the cumans late era.
Also, you can always put BGR, longer assimilation and limited activities on. Dont do that while playing the cumans though, it just wont end well lol

[ihranator]

Basically any faction that is either scattered or very small.

[ITC]

TO and CS, Lithuania.

[Re_Minder]

Try taking down Byzantium Early Era with anyone in ~40 - 50 turns. Should be fun for ya.

[PerXX]

Try the HURB Submod, and start a Abbasid Campaign.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=405904

Pros:
Start with a Huge City (Baghdad)
Start with some very nice units available in Baghdad, including Naffatuns.

Cons:
Will struggle to recruit anything of value outside Baghdad for a while.
No natural borders to protect your land
Smack between Fatamids, Crusader States, Seljuks and fairly soon the Kwarezmians.
Likely first target for a Crusade.

[napoleonic]

Try the HURB Submod, and start a Abbasid Campaign.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=405904

Pros:
Start with a Huge City (Baghdad)
Start with some very nice units available in Baghdad, including Naffatuns.

Cons:
Will struggle to recruit anything of value outside Baghdad for a while.
No natural borders to protect your land
Smack between Fatamids, Crusader States, Seljuks and fairly soon the Kwarezmians.
Likely first target for a Crusade.

the most important factor with playing as abassid is only whether or not baghdad get crusaded...

now when I think about this, playing as the seljuk with gracul AI maybe thougher than abassid due to :

1. your empire stretched almost like a straight line across anatolia and persia, reinforcing settlements will not be easy
2. you start at war with roman your arch enemy, crusader states that directly bordering 2 of your settlements and fatimid
3. you also directly bordering with kwarezm and abassid which with gracul AI cannot be guaranteed not to attack you even as an ally; cumans sometimes may get your way too as well as european crusaders will always be a threat for muslim factions
4. your offensive infantries is limited

I will try playing this campaign

[Lifthrasir]

I usually play SS6.4 with Gracul AI, RR, Longer Assimilation and BGRIV. In that config, I find any faction quite challenging.

[SonofPeverel]

I usually play SS6.4 with Gracul AI, RR, Longer Assimilation and BGRIV. In that config, I find any faction quite challenging.

Agreed....if you want a challege just add BgrIV and get after it

[el Cid]

If you want a challenge, try late period Kwarezmian Empire.
The Mongols are on your doorstep from turn one, so you'll have something to focus on. xD

[AspisPhalanx90]

Agreed, Kwarezmian late. Early is easy in the beginning, but you better be prepared for the 1200s or life becomes a nightmare...those damn mongorians..

[gord96]

all good replies. as someone above said, first thing you should do is use Gracul's AI if you want a tougher challenge. Savage AI is more easygoing.

[ByzantineCaesar]

The late era Kwarezmian Empire is the toughest. You could also try out the Cumans in the late era for an epic campaign against the Mongols, easier than the Kwarezm. Look here for a SS 6.3 AAR by the genius Skantarios of the Cumans and their endless (really, endless) war against the Mongol Hordes of Gengis Khan. Pagan Vengeance

[Ichon]

The late era Kwarezmian Empire is the toughest. You could also try out the Cumans in the late era for an epic campaign against the Mongols, easier than the Kwarezm. Look here for a SS 6.3 AAR by the genius Skantarios of the Cumans and their endless (really, endless) war against the Mongol Hordes of Gengis Khan. Pagan Vengeance

I am not sure why people think late era Cumans are easier than K-Shah... heard that a few times now. If you start actually at the late era start its very hard if you can't get peace with Mongols and if you play Gracul or even Savage CAI it often is impossible without donating several cities. You get a few turns to prepare.

Skantarios does some epic AARs but you have to realize most of his starts are modded. So in Pagan Vengeance he mods the start to 1200 and thus gets to play some 50+ turns before Mongols arrive in force. That is HUGE- try playing without that preparation and not being forced to migrate. Not that he doesn't do awesome in the battles he fights but if you start a Cuman late era campaign expecting to be able to fight right away with the large armies you see in his AAR from the start... its not like that at all. Distances Cumans have to travel and the very low developed cities they have access to make it very tough. K-Shah starts right away at war but also had more starting resources, much easier access to higher developed cities and more favorable terrain for a long defensive war. If you can't hold the bridges with Cumans at the start you are flooded with masses of Mongol armies.