Barbarian expansion?

[Baharr]

So, to my shame I have to confess that I have yet to properly try a "barbarian" faction campaign. I've dabbled with some of them in custom battle and such, but mostly I stick to my old favourites, the Hellenes and Parthia.

I want to remedy this before 2.3a hits, but browsing the player's guide I have one question: do all the barbarian top-level governments (Confederation) reduce your faction leader's authority? (There are some exceptions with unique government for some factions, but these seem limited to specific cities?)

If so, am I understanding the design intent correctly if I assume that this means barbarian factions have to either stay relatively small or rely on allied governments if they want to avoid massive rebellions (iirc faction leader authority affects all FMs' chance to rebel)?

[Dargaron]

What you're describing is generally only true for the continental Celtic and Iberian factions. For some reason, the Pritanoi don't seem to suffer a loss of authority when they implement their post-reform top-tier government, and likewise with the Sweboz (since they generally spread recruitment via tribal buildings rather than govs).

To my understanding, since you're leading a specific Gaulish/Boii/Iberian tribe, what Confederation represents is admitting an entire other political group into equal status with your own tribe: they get the same kind of preferential treatment when it comes to spoils, arbitration, ritual prestige, etc. However, every time you do this, you tick off the other folks who already have that "equal" status, since you're basically shrinking their share of the economic/prestige pie. Hence, the reduced authority.

Most of your possessions will either be Allied City (in areas that are already Western Tribal States/Urbanized Tribal States, or in areas with decent local AoRs) or Migrations (in areas with crapy AoRs and foreign culture). In my Aedui campaign, I generally had three confederation govts (counting my original capital, since that was pre-2.3): one in the Rhineland in that big province whose name I don't remember, one in Tolosa, and one in Talaeduoi. These were my recruitment centers, supplemented by troops from the Allied States.

Note that an Allied City is different from an Allied Oligarchy/Democracy: it's a factional government and can be governed by a regular FM. It just represents a member of your confederacy who are in a significantly subordinate status to your starting tribe, and any other tribes that you've Confederated.

[Baharr]

Excellent explanation, thank you!

[YourMadDoc]

It means that main armies of confederation need to be under command of a ruler and heir, or under most trusted, not most skilled FM's. Once ruler proves himself by conquest or leadership, everyone but most disloyal nobles should be fine.