Which campaign starts do you enjoy the most, and how do you handle them?

[Alwyn]

I particularly enjoy playing Carthage in the Grand Campaign. Your regions are spread out and you're likely to need to fight a two-front war soon. In Iberia, you're fighting the Turdetani; if you make peace with them, you'll probably be fighting the Edetani. In and around Sicily, you're likely to be fighting Rome and possibly Syracuse.

This provides a challenge which I enjoy. Around Sicily, I find that a fleet of cheap melee ships can reliably defeat the transports of a Roman legion, but if Syracuse attacks on land, or if Rome marches through Syracuse to attack me in Sicily, I'll struggle to hold Lilybeaum, my foothold there. Usually, I use Lilybaeum as a temporary shield against Rome and Syracuse while I try to expand in Iberia. Iberian expansion tends to be challenging, when your enemies bring armies of swordsmen which can reliably defeat Carthage's main line of spearmen.

Which Rome II campaign starts do you enjoy the most and how do you handle the challenges they present?

[Gyrosmeister]

If we talk about the Grand Campaign, I found Pergamon to be a nice campaign at the start in A.Minor and later in the Middle East. My first moves were to ally with Bithynia and Rhodos to have by backs clear while attacking the Seleucid vassals there. If you end up having to fight with the Galatians, the best strategy is to build a lot of pikes since Pergamon lacks any decent melee infantry to hold a line properly and let the AI charge into them. After that going to the Middle East is a good expansion option. Other than that Colchis has a challenging start, your best bet there from my experiments with them is to get Trapezos and some neighbouring settlements as quickly as you can before stronger factions start attacking you. I haven't played a lot of Grand Campaigns, I prefer the regional ones, especially when you can play Greek factions, looking at you Wrath of Sparta.

[LuckyPistol]

Colchis is the most enjoyable challenge I think; while Tylis and Odryssians are just as hard, I feel like Colchis has a bit more spice to it in that you have no real allies at the start of the campaign. The wrong strategic move could cost you the campaign.

But the faction I've replayed the most is probably Pontus. Your roster is Seleucids-lite and your expansion is a struggle after you take out Cappadocia. I love the bonuses, I love the position, and I love the odd rivalry with Cimmeria that you can usually alleviate at the beginning of the game.

[Morticia Iunia Bruti]

I enjoy the challenging start as Pergamon in the GC too. You can have bad luck and Sardes and Galatia declare immediately war at you. Then you have a rough start.

I also like the start as Palmyra in Empire Divided locked up between Roman Egypt and Roman Asia Minor.

Also the start as Samnites between expanding Rome and Tarent in RotR.

[Alwyn]

I like the challenge of Colchis too, and agree that getting Trapezos early helps. I had fun with Pergamon as well, I enjoy making the most of hybrid factions and their ability to rain down a storm of javelins is a sight to see. I agree that their starting position is fun and challenging.

Pontus and Palmyra sound like good campaigns to try, as well as the Samnites in Rise of the Republic - thanks for the recommendations! Does anyone have ideas about how to survive as Palmyra or as the Samnites?

[LuckyPistol]

Samnites are all about who you ally with early game and what direction you start expanding. Honestly I chose to go south and kick out the Greeks because Rome wasn't expanding at all.

I don't remember my Palmyra game much, I DO know that Aurelian isn't the major threat. Prepare for war with the East while the other Romes and Germans battle it out.