Greetings, salutations, ave, and Χαίρετε!
What is your favorite unit in EB II, particularly the latest version, v. 2.1b? Mine has to be the brand new "Thorakitai", the Greek/Hellenistic heavy infantry unit wearing breastplate, scale, and chainmail armor. With their colorful plumes, helmets, and thureos shields, they look simply fantastic, no matter which faction is marching them into the field. And you can obtain them relatively quickly in the game (the "Thorakitai Reforms" come around 220 BC or thereabouts). The other new infantry unit that looks phenomenal is the "Phalangitai Agema" pike phalanx, and of course the heavily-armored, chainmail and breastplate wearing Hellenistic cataphracts (Kataphractoi). I'm stunned by all the new heavy Hellenistic cavalry in addition to the hetairoi, like the Molosson Agema, the Lydian Lancers, Kleruchoi Agema, etc. Even the Lonchophoroi Hippeis, a rather meh looking unit in EB I, looks fantastic and vibrantly colored in EB II.
Although the Thorakitai are my indisputable favorite, I have to give the EB II team kudos for the work done on the Roman faction. I'm not referring just to the standard Polybian and later Marian units, either, but also those "Pedites Extraordinarii" and "Cohors Sociorum", the infantry of the Italian allies. What a superb job you guys have done on those!
So, tell us, which new units are your favorites? You could also mention older ones that were great too, like the Carthaginian sacred band or Parthian cataphracts. The new Armenian cataphracts look stellar too! I know there's some new Celtic units, but I just can't remember which ones are new and which ones are old. They all look great, in any case.
On a side note, who was the little genius who thought to incorporate that Indiana Jones quote into the "charismatic" trait description for assassins/spies:
"This man has friends in every town and village. He speaks a dozen languages, and knows every local custom. He can blend in and disappear."
"Does anyone here speak English...or even ancient Greek?"
Marcus Brody would fit right in to EB II.
EDIT: As was requested below by Rad, here are a bunch of pictures of Thorakitai and Hellenistic cataphracts that I uploaded to Tumblr, along with some other new units from various factions (each faction usually has different shields, colors, and patterns for each unit's plumes, shields, capes, cuirasses, etc., so keep in mind each of these units could look drastically different for each faction):
EDIT: I've deleted all the Tumblr images and provided links to my Imgur albums instead. Simply scroll down the page to view all the pics. Enjoy!
KATAPHRACTOI:
http://imgur.com/a/nnFLs
THORAKITAI:
http://imgur.com/a/8QA7o
AGEMA PHALANGITAI:
http://imgur.com/a/bgktB
THUREOPHERONTES TOXOTAI
http://imgur.com/a/pTQ0e
LYDIAN LANCERS:
http://imgur.com/a/scj3e
THESSALIKOI CAVALRY:
http://imgur.com/a/beNBb
LONCHOPHOROI HIPPEIS:
http://imgur.com/a/zBRRG
2nd EDIT: Via PM, Rad was also interested in seeing Polybian units, since most of the Roman units shown in the previews are later Marian-era units. Therefore, I have taken it upon myself to upload a few pics to Tumblr once more. Enjoy!
TRIARII, PRINCIPES, HASTATI, VELITES, PEDITES EXTRAORDINARII, EQUITES:
http://imgur.com/a/pa14C
3rd EDIT:Adding images of the new Armenian cataphracts, because they're simply too spellbinding and amazing not to post here as an example of what the EB II team has accomplished.
ARMENIAN CATAPHRACTS:
http://imgur.com/a/kn12X
4th EDIT: new images of SPARTAN HOPLITES, THRACIAN KATOIKOI, AND THRACIAN PELTENAI:
http://imgur.com/a/5MBze
http://imgur.com/a/LfL5u
5th EDIT:
ASPIDIOTAI HIPPEIS:
http://imgur.com/URJ38pj
KLERUCHOI AGEMA:
https://imgur.com/a/Ckvg4
BAKTRIOI HIPPOTOXOTAI:
http://imgur.com/jvF6AtR
THRACIAN KATOIKOI:
https://imgur.com/a/5MBze
THRACIAN RHOMPAIAPHOROI
http://imgur.com/YohxNi9
THRACIAN CAVALRY
http://imgur.com/a/2W7Vt
LIBYAN SWORDSMEN
http://imgur.com/a/bulel
HYPERASPISTAI:
http://imgur.com/a/gxtt3