Your favorite Hannibal at the Gates faction

[twgamer20197]

What's your favorite faction in the Hannibal at the Gates campaign? And with what factions did you win a campaign there? And what strategies do you suggest with your favorite faction there?
I recently finished my first campaign in Hannibal at the Gates as Rome. According to my experience at least, Carthage is the toughest opponent in the campaign. Basically first it is much better to get rid of all the Gallic factions ( with that you'll conquer both Cisalpine and Transalpine Gaul ) before they ally with Carthage. You don't need to worry about both the Etruscans and the Samnites ( I never attacked them. I just made the effort to keep them as my client states ). Also both Massilia and Empolion serve you as allies so that they distract your enemies ( both Carthage and the Gallic factions specially ). And after that in my opinion, it is not necessary to attack all or most of the Iberic factions. I investigate the technologies that increases the diplomacy with boh the Iberic and African fations in order to try to convince them to join war against Carthage or at least not to fight against me.

EDIT:
Probably Carthage will be the next faction I'll try in the campaign

[LuckyPistol]

Rome or Carthage are equally fun to play as in that game IMO, but the real fun comes from Syracuse. Much like in the Grand Campaign you are trapped between two powerful factions, each with odds to come at you (picking a side might help prolong that). I found myself relying on mercenaries in a similar fashion as Carthage might to fulfill roles that the Greek army couldn't. Politics are delicate (a civil war will cripple you) and diplomacy even more so.

The Iberians are really fun too, though I'd have to say that the Lusitani will provide a much more engaging experience in the campaign (though honestly I prefer the Arevaci). My Arevaci campaign went over 80 turns without a single declaration of war. When CA fixed how easy it was to confederate they must have missed the dlc campaigns. I confederated almost the entire peninsula before aggressively expanding; in short I steam rolled the war torn AI factions all the way to the very gates of Carthage. The Lusitani can also confederate but they have a slightly harder time since they don't have the diplomatic advantages of the Arevaci.

[twgamer20197]

When you play as the Arevaci and you are about to capture the last settlement of a faction, is it possible to choose make that faction join you confederation?

[LuckyPistol]

Sometimes. It'll hit your diplomatic trust hard though. It's easier just to capture the settlement and use your knew growth/wealth to pay off other blood related factions to join your confederation.

[Hasdrubal the Wise]

My favourite is the Lusitani, for it is much harder with them to gain control of Iberia, but once it's done, their infantry rocks!

Averaci is too easy because of the diplomatic bonus.

Syracuse can be good also, but it takes 20 turns to actually do something, and from then on, it's quite lame and easy.

Rome is probably the worst, because they are already winning and their forces are concentrated in Italy. Sometimes I spice things up and attack the Etruscans, Samnites and Syracuse as an opening move; and if Italy is united, AI controlled Carthage will lose 10 out of 10 times.

Carthage of course the big "what if", with seemingly limitless options. Sometimes I unite Africa and Iberia, sometimes only one of the two - attacking my useless allies and clients as well. Rome rarely send an army against Africa, and even if they do, they don't really send enough to take Carthage itself, so it's just maneuvering and hiring mercenaries at key moments. Iberia is of course an empire on its own, and if it is united, the AI stands no chance because it never attacks its allies, thus it will be weaker on the long run. Africa united is less potent, but much more easier to pull off.