Favourite Faction

[oj121]

Right then guys i think its time for a listinng of our favourite factions!!!

Ive gotten quite fond of Dyfed as I have found probably spent the most time with them so far. I love those axe men that they produce!! Carved Powys to pieces.

Come on favourite faction and reasons why!!

[Soggius Chippius]

Still Dal Raida because of its position in a vice grip between several factions. Makes for lots and lot of fighting.

[Gavmundo]

Already? How has anyone found the time to play more than one? :hmmm:

I've only played Dumnonia and am really enjoying it but quite fancy playing the Saxons too. So many factions to choose from and so different to RTW that its like having a brand new game! Might not even have time to play MTW 2 when it comes out

[Antagonist]

I don't have any single favourite, but there are a few which I'm particularly partial to:

Elmet - Very challenging, lots of battles and their unique unit is the only cavalry archer unit in the game (so far)
Seaxe - Again, very difficult with lots of intense fighting. Seaxisce Billweras are probably my favourite unique unit of them all, and I generally really like the Germanic unit roster.
Ui Neill - In addition to being my "ancestral" faction, they have the most interesting position of the Gaelic factions and quickly come into conflict with all of them, and they have to deal with rebellions as well. Plus they get chariots as well as a bad-ass unique.

Antagonist

BTW Soggius: Good point, but it's spelt Dal Riada.

[Morg]

I've only played Gwent on the campain so far, so there my favourite so far, I love those long range guys.
I also like the look of Dyfed and those axemen look great

[Gaius Baltar]

Dynfeint - great starting position, nice starting cav formation.

Llydaw - yes, of course its in France. Somewhat isolated and hemmed in by large and powerful rebel formations. Very challenging in the current set up. With the possible inclusion of a Franks faction on the mainland, this would become even more interesting. However, IF you do manage to take over the mainland, you would most certainly threaten the Isles in a powerful fashion.

Ynis Manaw - another challenging faction with an interesting start position.

[Casanova]

I would have to say Connacht, I love their infantry, with their missile weapons. Also I love their paganism, it will be fun converting ireland back to pagan ways. Dyfed is fun also, love the axemen, but its a tough start. I havent even gotten 10 turns in, and my cities are depleted of people, theres no one left to die!

[FootballKing]

Right now I'm playing as the Rheged. Basically they started out with lots of regions along the western coast of Britain. Once I got past the -31000 in my initial starting treasury it was all downhill from there. The unit selection is great and very balanced, and I now have the largest treasury and the most lands.

[Gavmundo]

Right now I'm playing as the Rheged. Basically they started out with lots of regions along the western coast of Britain. Once I got past the -31000 in my initial starting treasury it was all downhill from there. The unit selection is great and very balanced, and I now have the largest treasury and the most lands.

Nice to see how diverse the players are. Plenty of different factions mentioned already. I thought that my £27k deficit was bad! It certainly makes you appreciate cash when you don't have any

[Agraes]

I started a campaign as Gwynedd some days ago, hoping to have a long try for this time (modder's curse, you always thinks about changes, stop playing and spend the night modding).

The key with Gwynedd is to avoid attack Ynis Mon Gaelic rebels, because you soon fall in conflict with Dyfed and the powerful Rheged. As always, cavalry was the key. I took Ceredigion on the first turn, then concentrate to Dyfed with Cadwallon. I got the luck to find Aircol and Gwrtipawr and wiped them quickly, tooking Caer Myrddin, while their two other settlements go to rebels.

While my field army was campagning in the south, Rheged attacked Din Arth, killed Owain, Cadwallon's brother, and took the place. I add then to fight them almost continously. The Rebel Gaels attacked me too, but thanks to my cavalry I managed to wiped out their army, however they took Din Conwy - quickly taken by Rheged. Then I attacked Lleyn and took Caer Segont on the Gaels. Ynis Manaw, my ally, send an army on Ynis Mon, starting besieging Abberffraw. But they backstabed me - my revenge was terrible, they asked cease fire several times, I exiged 5000 gold, but then they re-attack. Rheged was still attacking almost each turn.

Always successful on the field (with 5 teulu units!), having good economy, in 493 AD I add retake Din Conwy, Din Arth and Abberfraw, plus Lis Castell on Demetae rebels.

I plan (when Ill go back at my flat with my good comp!) to take Caer Beris on rebels, then send a fleet to Ynis Manaw... and after this, a massive raid on Rheged?

[Stuie]

I avoided the Gaelic factions when testing, saving them for the release version. So I'm FINALLY playing an Ui Neill campaign and loving it! My first battle to remove Dal Riada from Ireland was one of the best I've ever played in an RTW mod.

[swabian]

My favourite factions currently are 1. Saxons. 2. Connaght. 3.Ynis Manaw. Which doesn't mean that there is any faction i don't like.- The pitcs are very interesting as well f. ex. As Antagonist, my fov. unit are the Billweras (and Wulfbyrnies of course and i like the Saxon setup because its one of the most difficult of all (ever has been in any version). The Connaght are cool by nature, due to their cool special units and difficult starting position. Its the height of fun to conquere Ireleand with Connaght and then invaed the shores of Britain =D. Ynis Manaw is a fascinating mix of Briton and Gaelic culture and it is als very challenging.

[Siegwolf]

First off great mod. Secondly the Saxons are sweet they seem to have pretty powerful infantry. By the way could someone tell me what buildings are needed to train the Wulbyrnan?

[Antagonist]

There are 3 elite Germanic units whose recruitment is tied to the highest level of one of the 3 possible pagan temples (so you can only recruit one in any specific settlement) They are:

Sacred Circle of Donar - Hraefnhelmas (raven-helmed naked berserkers)
Sacred Circle of Frigg - Wuduwasan (elite foresters with longbows and spears)
Sacred Circle of Wotan - Wulfbyrnan (ATW celebrity unit )

So for the latter, build a shrine to Wotan and then upgrade your settlement until you can construct a Sacred Circle, the final upgrade to a temple complex.

Antagonist

[swabian]

Edit: Nothing to add to what Antagonist said. I start a unit guide beginning with the wulfbyrnan. Have a look.

[swabian]

Can anyone recommend a faction with to me with heavy infantry and cavalry but minimal missile troops? I despise the use of missiles...

Archers can only be recruited in relatively small groups and it takes quite long to field them. They will also run out of ammo before they can act overpowering in most battles. So its definately impossible to dominate the map with masses of archers.

As for javiln throwers and the like... every faction has them, but they are not too powerful. Their range is mostly limited and there are not many units that are capable of throwing more than 2 volleys. An exception are the Germanic Angonweorpas, which are available later in the game. The Angon was probably the most effective throwing weapon that has ever been devised. Angonweorpas are capable of throwing three really deadly volleys, but thereafter they are easy prey. The Engliscan Angongemacan can throw two volleys, but the effect is not that terrible because their numbers are limited.

I don't think you have to be worried about missles however

[Alexanderthefantastic]

Can anyone recommend a faction with to me with heavy infantry and cavalry but minimal missile troops? I despise the use of missiles...

[Agraes]

Gaels got lot of troops able to throw javelins before charge, but they are mainly various types of infantry.

I guess if you want heavy inf, go Germanics: Saxons, Jutes, Engle. Jutes got also cavalry as unique units (and bodyguards).

[Casanova]

Started a new Campaign as Ynis Manaw today (I cant seem to finish any one campaign before starting another), so far its been the most fun yet. You dont start out with much in the way of resources, and your surrounded on all sides, with no allies. I sent a contigent down to the rebel island south of the capital and picked that up without a fight (it was undefended), and hoped that my neighbors would remain peaceful for a time whilst i built up my cities. I tried to gain an alliance with all of my neighbors but they would have none of that, in fact they wouldnt even trade with me.

I knew that sooner or later either Rheged or my northern neighbors would attack me, all I could do is pray that they were invaded by someone else first so that I wouldnt have to go at alone in my weak state. I did manage to pull off an alliance with the Picts only to regret it a short time later after I realized they were being eaten alive by 4 other factions.

After about 4 turns of rather peace my instincts proved true when I was invaded by Rheged, thank god my Faction Leader was close by with a sizable army (well not really sizable, but sizable when you consider how few troops I had), and he was able to score a heroic victory against Rheged. He then went on to score 3 more Heroic Victories in a Row against our eastern neighbors in Rheged. Sorry I dont remember his name, but damn he is the toughest faction leader I have ever had, and his body guard unit of horseman is unstopable. In one battle against Rheged I was outnumbered 3 to 1, against seasoned troops, but my faction leader and his horseman proved to be unstoppalbe, in charge after charge, they routed and ran down the enemy, sometimes i wonder if he is really human. I swear he must eat entrails for breakfast.

Sadly I knew however, that victories alone against Rheged would not win the war, I simply did not have the manpower or gold to hire the troops I needed to seige and hold the enemies cities. Then in my moment of dire need the enemy offered me an olive branch. Would I become their protectorate? I though about it, sure, why not? It will give me a powerful ally in Rheged, and the ability to wage the sure to come war with my northern neighbors whilst my east flank is protected. The next turn I saw my northern neighbors crossing my border with several units, and knew what was coming, so I attacked, and the fields of slaughter began once again.

Right now I am holding one of their cities, and poised to strike on the capital just as soon as a I take on one full stack with my ragtag army of 400 men, but I know surely i will rue the day, my faction leader and his horseman will not let me down.

[swabian]

Fine Feedback!

I think Tudgual Manau, leader of Ynis Manaw, is the best military commander on the whole map at the beginning. Even Arth isn't that good.

Do you put your armies in the settlemennts? I think armies don't have a detering effect when they are put outside of settlements or forts. If you guard your borders by putting your armies in settlements, the liekelyhood of getting attacked is lowered a lot, but its not 100% save of course.

With Ynis Manaw it might be good to try to instantly attack the next settlement of a hostile faction that can be defended best after conquering the province.
so it could be eventually a good investment, if you put all your starting moeny in mercenaries. Therefore i'd suggest to try to hire the mercenaries on the territory of a hostile faction, so they can't be hired by them any more in case of confrontation.
However, consolidating from the start is probably very risky with Ynis Manaw.