Urban Tribal States vs western/eastern tribal states. What are the differences?

[Nine]

What's the difference between Urban Tribal States and western/eastern tribal states?

[Genghis Skahn]

So we only have so many culture slots, and too many different cultures to represent. Western Tribal States are Celts and Britons; Urban tribal states are Iberians, Getai and Indians(because game limitation reasons); Eastern Tribal States broadly include a crap load of eastern and african cultures. Pontos/Hayasdan start out eastern tribal, Nabatu and Saka convert to Eastern Tribal, and etc etc. It's broad nature is a result of game limitations as well.

[myarta]

The idea there was to make Iberia a different culture than France, which is a different culture from Germany, etc, because it doesn't make sense that someone could conquer all three of those areas and not have people be upset about being ruled by foreigners. Iberias, Getai, and Indians were picked to use the same culture because they're not very likely to share borders, so no one gets an easy cheat of being able to set up Indian government on the Danube and have the locals be quite comfortable with that.

If the base game permitted more options, it could be a little more nuanced.

[Hellenikon]

The game allows for 10 religion slots, so the decision to have say Carthage and Rome share culture isn't something hardcoded. I think the current layout works ok, but i don't agree with it, i would definitely suggest changes. If you want some idea it would look something like this: semitic (egypt?), italic, iberian (getai too), hellenic, celtic, germanic, nomad, iranian, indian, anatolian?
For reforms instead of changing cultures, i would add unrest by script to represent resistance to changes, in general i don't like the idea of having cultures that only appear after reforms and aren't really used otherwise. Also to represent minor cultures that are there, but not faction uses them, i think the rebel "independent" could be used. Ex. proto slavic, anatolian, maybe even egyptian/african to represent their want for independence. The "province" building would convert to this native culture no matter what.

[Colos1987]

The game allows for 10 religion slots, so the decision to have say Carthage and Rome share culture isn't something hardcoded.

Actually, it is hardcoded. The best solution would be to install their own specific culture slot, but then you would have to sacrifice another slot, which is probably used by more than 1 factions. Not a good solution, indeed, but the best we have, IMO.

think the current layout works ok, but i don't agree with it, i would definitely suggest changes. If you want some idea it would look something like this: semitic (egypt?), italic, iberian (getai too), hellenic, celtic, germanic, nomad, iranian, indian, anatolian?

The EBII uses is more like a socio-political system, instead of culture as in an anthropological sense. Like how they identified themselves as a community. You would need MUCH more than 10 culture slots to represent every cultural group on a map as large as this one.

For reforms instead of changing cultures, i would add unrest by script to represent resistance to changes, in general i don't like the idea of having cultures that only appear after reforms and aren't really used otherwise.

I think you are referring to Eastern Imperial. Indeed, it is not used at the beginning of the game, but it's there in settlement details, in varying ratios, in every settlement that once belonged to the Persian empire - a remainder of old times. Also, I think about 6 factions can convert to this "culture" upon reforms, even if played by AI.

Also to represent minor cultures that are there, but not faction uses them, i think the rebel "independent" could be used. Ex. proto slavic, anatolian, maybe even egyptian/african to represent their want for independence. The "province" building would convert to this native culture no matter what.

Actually, this one is in the game. Everywhere you have Allied State as government, the "culture" 'Eleutheroi' will increase up to 25% (I think), representing local customs.

Colos