Faction.

**MECC143** · August 11, 2013, 02:09 AM

Which faction should i choose, i mean a faction that's interesting, challenging, and not too strong/weak,
I've been playing Crusader States, but the Fatimids, Seljuks, and the Byzantines keeps kicking my behind, sometimes all at once

Which faction is the well balanced one?
btw i play my campaigns on H/H

**Rushwithoutmercy** · August 11, 2013, 02:13 AM

Byzantine Late Period.

**MECC143** · August 11, 2013, 05:13 AM

All right, thanks mate, ill give the Byzantines a try.

**Satrio Eko** · August 11, 2013, 07:04 AM

Scotland are good for beginner player since they start in rather secure position and decent armies

**Hidden Sage** · August 11, 2013, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Satrio Eko

Scotland are good for beginner player since they start in rather secure position and decent armies

This is also true for Sicily and (to a lesser extent) Norway. Sound rosters, relative geographic isolation (Sicily is in the middle of the map, but few AI factions take to the sea for invasion, so it's only to the north they need be concerned).

**Claudius Julianus** · August 11, 2013, 08:01 AM

Genoa has also nice campaign in your setting at H/H just make an alliance with Venice and Pope in the start, also in the first round go for Pisa before Pope go there.
Well Byzantines is hard on your setting H/H at late period because you start at war with Venice and Seljuks but is very nice campaign

**❋ Flavius Belisarius ❋** · August 11, 2013, 11:30 AM

☧ Roman Empire ☧
For those who want a realistic campaign but don't want it to stop at turn 25, this is the perfect campaign.
Since I like to conquer real territories and then hold them,(for example, take all French cities) I must turtle a lot when I get all these cities because I want a lore-friendly kingdom.
But with the Roman (Byzantine), there is no time for turtling if you want to recreat the great Roman Empire.
It takes time to reconquer Italy via Sicily, and then to spread to the east and finally protect the Empire against the Mongol invasions once the territory is greatly extended.
Check this thread: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?518224-Whats-your-favorite-faction-in-medieval-2-total-war

**MECC143** · August 11, 2013, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Claudius Julianus

Well Byzantines is hard on your setting H/H at late period because you start at war with Venice and Seljuks but is very nice campaign

Yeah, I kinda noticed that on the 2nd turn.

Originally Posted by ❋ Flavius Belisarius ❋

☧ Roman Empire ☧
For those who want a realistic campaign but don't want it to stop at turn 25, this is the perfect campaign.
Since I like to conquer real territories and then hold them,(for example, take all French cities) I must turtle a lot when I get all these cities because I want a lore-friendly kingdom.
But with the Roman (Byzantine), there is no time for turtling if you want to recreat the great Roman Empire.
It takes time to reconquer Italy via Sicily, and then to spread to the east and finally protect the Empire against the Mongol invasions once the territory is greatly extended.
Check this thread: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?518224-Whats-your-favorite-faction-in-medieval-2-total-war

Hhhhmm... Interesting campaign You got going there, yeah, there is no time for turtling, at war, at two fronts on the start, and thanks for the link.

Originally Posted by Satrio Eko

Scotland are good for beginner player since they start in rather secure position and decent armies

Someone else in the house is playing Scotland at the moment, so i cant

Originally Posted by Hidden Sage

This is also true for Sicily and (to a lesser extent) Norway. Sound rosters, relative geographic isolation (Sicily is in the middle of the map, but few AI factions take to the sea for invasion, so it's only to the north they need be concerned).

Ill give Sicily a try.

i would +rep you guys, but cant

**Rushwithoutmercy** · August 11, 2013, 05:25 PM

Byzantine Late period is very rewarding, mainly because you are forced to deal with the Turks and expand East. By the time you consolidate in Greece and Turkey the Mongols will be closing in on the Tigris and Euphrates. If you manage to overcome all the obstacles in the first 80 turns then you'll still enjoy the campaign without getting bored. Fighting the Mongols is also great fun. Byzantine Scholarii are the best heavy cavalry in the game, at least when it comes to facing other heavy cavalry, so if you enjoy amassing cavalry and fighting the Mongols cav-cav then yeah, you'll have a blast.

There's just something special about playing as the Byzantines in the late period, really.

**MECC143** · August 11, 2013, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Rushwithoutmercy

Byzantine Late period is very rewarding, mainly because you are forced to deal with the Turks and expand East. By the time you consolidate in Greece and Turkey the Mongols will be closing in on the Tigris and Euphrates. If you manage to overcome all the obstacles in the first 80 turns then you'll still enjoy the campaign without getting bored. Fighting the Mongols is also great fun. Byzantine Scholarii are the best heavy cavalry in the game, at least when it comes to facing other heavy cavalry, so if you enjoy amassing cavalry and fighting the Mongols cav-cav then yeah, you'll have a blast.

There's just something special about playing as the Byzantines in the late period, really.

True that man, right now the Turks stopped attacking, they joined their Jihad, now its my time

**Satrio Eko** · August 12, 2013, 07:03 AM

Someone else in the house is playing Scotland at the moment, so i cant

what, did one of your families play SS too?

i would +rep you guys, but cant

you need, err i think 20 post or more to rep someone

**MECC143** · August 12, 2013, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by Satrio Eko

what, did one of your families play SS too?

Yeah, my brother

Originally Posted by Satrio Eko

you need, err i think 20 post or more to rep someone

and had my account for 2 weeks

**MECC143** · August 13, 2013, 12:25 AM

Question, what should be my staple unit(playing as Byzantines), as i noticed, im up against alot of horse archers (Hungarian ones, not Turks)

**Rushwithoutmercy** · August 14, 2013, 02:14 AM

Originally Posted by MECC143

Question, what should be my staple unit(playing as Byzantines), as i noticed, im up against alot of horse archers (Hungarian ones, not Turks)

A good few of your units have a significant number bonus in comparison to similar units from another faction. Close the gap as fast as you can with your light cavalry. Use your javelins, and of course use what is essentially the best generals bodyguard in the game. Scholarii are amazing too.