best migration factions in terms of troop selection

[seleucid empire]

Although I have been playing EB for a long time, I have never really tried to do a migration campaign. my question for those of you who have done it:

Which migration factions have the best unit selection. And by best I mean the most interesting. I'm talking about specialist troops like elephants, chariots, fanatics, sword cavalry, heavy cavalry. I dont even care if the line troops are weak, i want an interesting army to fight my neighbours with

[Gorbag]

Personally I tend to use Epeiros more often than others for this type of campaign. As a Hellenic faction they can recruit factional troops pretty much everywhere along with fairly good regionals in places like Mikra Asia, the Crimea and they get elephants in India. My favourite migration campaign though was moving the Arverni to Galatia. This one, however, required a little modding to make the higher tier Galatian units available. The position does give you great access to Greeks, Thrakians, Easterners and Caucasians in the near vicinity though.

[QuintusSertorius]

Gorbag has the right of it, for my money you can't go wrong with Epeiros. If you like the Hellenic/Hellenistic roster (which they can draw on), Epeiros is a good choice, and better than Koinon Hellenon because their FM bodyguards are exceptional cavalry. You've also got the option of recruitable phalanxes (levy and regular) which you don't with KH.

On a different point, you aren't really altering the historicity of the campaign in general by removing them - by 270BC Epeiros had ceased to be a meaningful player on the world stage. So they're no great loss. Pergamon, the Bosporan Kingdom, Massalia and Kyrene are some I've tried with Epeiros, though the first two are the most viable due to their economic situation.

However, something you have to understand in doing a migration campaign is that invariably you will lose the top tier troops, not the line troops. In most places you migrate to, the highest tier of factional troops you can hope for is 4 (via a Type II government) and elephants and such all tend to need level 5 barracks (which you can't build). What you will get access to instead is a much wider range of regional troops (in a Homeland region, you can't recruit any with a Type I government), which may include some of those things you're after.

All that said, your best bet is to use the Recruitment Viewer paired with the Unit List to work out what you can get where, and whether they're any good.

[QuintusSertorius]

Hmmm, now I've got an idea, having just had a look at the RV, about playing as Epeiros right out of the Greek sphere altogether - in Gallia (and not even Massalia). Starting in Armoriae where the closest to Greek troops you can get is Celto-Hellenic Hoplitai (who would be "Keltoi trained in the Greek way of combat"). Could raid across the water into Cornovae for some added troubles (but much wealth) as you're in the path of the Casse. I might kill off the entire family bar Alexandros and start with one province and one FM.

[Gorbag]

Hmmm, now I've got an idea, having just had a look at the RV, about playing as Epeiros right out of the Greek sphere altogether - in Gallia (and not even Massalia). Starting in Armoriae where the closest to Greek troops you can get is Celto-Hellenic Hoplitai (who would be "Keltoi trained in the Greek way of combat"). Could raid across the water into Cornovae for some added troubles (but much wealth) as you're in the path of the Casse. I might kill off the entire family bar Alexandros and start with one province and one FM.

Funny you should go that route, I've done something similar once. I roleplayed the fall of Epeiros over the course of around 5 years, while marching the last surviving of Pyrrhus' sons (forget which now) north, raiding his way through Illyria and the eastern Alps with a rag tag band of survivors, until he reached Eburonum. Before pushing out the Boii in a rather epic battle. It proved rather fun to find myself, 40 years down the line, entirely surrounded by powerful enemies. I found myself confronting a 6 way alliance between Aedui, Arverni, Sweboz, Romani, Getai and Sauromatae! And I was only a 4 province kingdom. It was a blast, so much so that I may just do that again now

[QuintusSertorius]

Funny you should go that route, I've done something similar once. I roleplayed the fall of Epeiros over the course of around 5 years, while marching the last surviving of Pyrrhus' sons (forget which now) north, raiding his way through Illyria and the eastern Alps with a rag tag band of survivors, until he reached Eburonum. Before pushing out the Boii in a rather epic battle. It proved rather fun to find myself, 40 years down the line, entirely surrounded by powerful enemies. I found myself confronting a 6 way alliance between Aedui, Arverni, Sweboz, Romani, Getai and Sauromatae! And I was only a 4 province kingdom. It was a blast, so much so that I may just do that again now

The only thing that makes me hesitate is I don't know how long I could sustain a game where the only reliable line infantry I have are Keltohellenikoi. I don't want an army comprised almost entirely of them, as much as I like them, and otherwise I'd have to look to mercenaries for regular infantry.

[Gorbag]

The only thing that makes me hesitate is I don't know how long I could sustain a game where the only reliable line infantry I have are Keltohellenikoi. I don't want an army comprised almost entirely of them, as much as I like them, and otherwise I'd have to look to mercenaries for regular infantry.

Personally, if I were migrating Epeiros to Armoriae I'd do a little modding to allow myself access to Bataroas. In combination with Keltohellenikoi they would make a solid enough line.