Very Rusty an need help choosing a faction.

**Emperor Tom** · June 27, 2012, 10:32 PM

Hey guys so its been the better part of 8 months since I played ANY total war. I really wanted to play RTW and M2TW again. I cant choose a faction in RTW because I don't remember a lot of my tactics. In M2TW I love Spears, light Cavalry, and above average to good missile troops. So I went Moors, which is going well. I know I could just figure it out but I wanted to have a bit of fun. Here's how I play...I like to have at least ONE solid weakness in my forces and I don't want it to be TOO easy. I prefer SOLID but not Overwhelming Infantry, I favor BEST of the BEST archers if possible, and LIMITED cavalry which plays the real back seat. I usually use light cavalry BUT I dont do well with missile cavalry. I prefer to start out with Smaller factions. But not poverty stricken ones. Any Suggestions?

**King of Thessaly** · June 27, 2012, 11:20 PM

If you want good archers choose Egypt or Gaul. They are not small but have solid (not great) infantry and mid cavalry.

**Stath's** · June 28, 2012, 02:43 AM

Numidia, maybe?

**BM309K58SMERCH** · June 28, 2012, 06:41 AM

Greece is a nice challenge. The Brutii is the richest faction early in the game, and they'll be spamming units real fast after the Marius reforms.
Greece has great spears with their hoplite units. And Cretean Archers are the best in the game. Why not?

**caesar100** · June 28, 2012, 07:30 AM

Greek City States seems good for you- weak cavalry (but they do have light and skirmish cav), good infantry, Cretan (best) archers. Also, they start with a bunch of provinces but they're relativity small and spread out in some cases. It's a good challenge because you start out with crappy infantry, Pontus will keep sending full stacks to Pergamum, the Brutii will invade mainland Greece, and the Scipii will try taking Syracuse right out from under you.

Have fun playing whatever faction you choose!

**King of Thessaly** · June 28, 2012, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by BM309K58SMERCH

Greece is a nice challenge. The Brutii is the richest faction early in the game, and they'll be spamming units real fast after the Marius reforms.
Greece has great spears with their hoplite units. And Cretean Archers are the best in the game. Why not?

Aren't forester warbands and pharoahs bowmen better???

**BM309K58SMERCH** · June 28, 2012, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by King of Thessaly

Aren't forester warbands and pharoahs bowmen better???

I don't know, I find them easily the best in my opinion. Probably because of my strategy of using them.
Well....The Heavy peltasts of Greece can somewhat hold themselves up in battle.

Numidia seems really hard. Scipii and Egypt will quickly devour you, and you can expand only to the North or West. Basically, you're cornered.

**King of Thessaly** · June 28, 2012, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by BM309K58SMERCH

I don't know, I find them easily the best in my opinion. Probably because of my strategy of using them.
Well....The Heavy peltasts of Greece can somewhat hold themselves up in battle.

Numidia seems really hard. Scipii and Egypt will quickly devour you, and you can expand only to the North or West. Basically, you're cornered.

Well early on they are the best available because you can go to asia minor, crete or greece to get them

**Aymer de Valence** · June 28, 2012, 07:43 AM

Greece or Macedon. I'd say Macedon would be more fun as you can try to recreate Alexander's empire!

**Kuhndog** · June 28, 2012, 11:34 AM

Germania sounds like a good choice for you, they have solid infantry, good archers, and light cavalry.

**Emperor Tom** · June 28, 2012, 01:03 PM

Looking good so far guys, all are great suggestions. The Problem I have with Gaul is it's just too dang big of a starting area for my liking. I prefer 2-3 settlements to start but I think maybe Greece might be up their as well as Egypt. I just find using Chariots too dang easy. I recall a time when I smashed through Armenian and Seleucid lines with Pontic Scythed Chariots. I also remember using Gold Shields against Egypt and allowing them into my cities and letting their chariots get entrapped by their phalanxes! I play mostly defensive wars and bide my time while building up my Economy. I prefer to decimate my foes from my walls with Archers and then plow them down. I only use cavalry to run down fleeing foes. I like some light Infantry support to move quick at my flanks to protect my heavy infantry. Can the Heavy Peltasts of Greece hold their own in hand to hand?

**tudor93** · June 28, 2012, 01:11 PM

dudes, he said he wants a challenge, GCS is the easiest faction in the game, easier even than the Romans, lol
pick Numidia if you want a challenge, or Spain; you will still beat the crap out of the AI because he is retarded, but those are the least easiest factions

**Emperor Tom** · June 28, 2012, 01:52 PM

Numidia has always interested me. Spain is very hard, not for it's weak warhost but because the people are always angry....

**Aymer de Valence** · June 28, 2012, 02:43 PM

Hmmmm I just re-read your original post, and Armenia sprang to mind. Their infantry isn't that bad, especially when you get heavy spearmen and legionnaires, pretty challenging campaign at the start and I suppose you could mold their cavalry into a light cav role. Just an idea

Numidia is a good choice, but you said you didn't want a poverty-stricken start. With Armenia though, you will eventually run into the eastern steamroller known as.....dun dun dunnnnn.....Egypt

**Emperor Tom** · June 28, 2012, 03:27 PM

Egypt's Armies are rather large but I can find was around them. I remember a time when I defeated them with Parthia.....Elephants knocking them over every which way!

**Emperor Tom** · July 01, 2012, 08:52 PM

I went scipii with a twist....the Romans are not united and I made it so they dont get the later Marian Reform Units. I figured it keeps things more evened out.