What are your favourite factions?

[Aodh Mór Ó Néill]

Coming back to EB2 after a hiatus, looking for a fresh faction to try.

[Shoebopp]

Pergamon, due to its top-level government offering a splendid selection of Galatian troops, and its position in uber-wealthy West Anatolia acting as a springboard for invasions across the eastern Mediterranean or Pontos Euxeinos. However, since you've "been on a hiatus", and want to try a faction with new features... Pergamon will (IMO) disappoint. All it has gained in 2.35a is an abusive relationship script with the Seleucids, where after "gaining your independence", you have the choice to become their vassal. Then, you will be forced to frequently give up heavy hellenistic troops from your recruitment pools unless you declined or later rebel, in which case the Seleucids will declare war on you and launch a massive invasion force into Sardis.

But hey, like I said, Pergamon is situated in an excellent offensive geopolitical location, so you can dictate how your campaign plays. I recommend invading in novel directions as Pergamon, such as the Crimean Peninsula, Egypt, Sicily, or even the Caucasus (from the Pontos Euxeinos, not from land). Invading those lands is the novel part; the fun part is holding onto these colonies with minimal reinforcements.

[Cleitus the Pink]

Depends on your preference. If you want a very intensive early start to your campaign, any of the 3 factions in Hellas are great choices as you have to make strategic choices every turn to avoid disaster and your victories will be extremely meaningful. I personally enjoyed Macedonia a lot as you're in the worst position with out even access to your capital from the beginning so it's very rewarding to enforce your hegemony in Hellas once again and expand into Asia minor, restoring the "Antigonid empire". Epeiros is also interesting as you have federalization or monarchy paths to take which is very unique (not to forget the westward expansion path which no other Hellenistic faction is meant for really). Hayastan is a very good faction to play if you like to emerge as a new empire against all odds, fighting against the strongest faction that is also your suzerain from turn 1. Though you also get their best unit from turn 1 which makes it all more enjoyable. If you're sadistic you can try the Boioi and conquer Italy in a second Celtic invasion as there are scripts giving you the option to go to war with Rome from the early game.

[Roma_Victrix]

Depends on your preference. If you want a very intensive early start to your campaign, any of the 3 factions in Hellas are great choices as you have to make strategic choices every turn to avoid disaster and your victories will be extremely meaningful. I personally enjoyed Macedonia a lot as you're in the worst position with out even access to your capital from the beginning so it's very rewarding to enforce your hegemony in Hellas once again and expand into Asia minor, restoring the "Antigonid empire". Epeiros is also interesting as you have federalization or monarchy paths to take which is very unique (not to forget the westward expansion path which no other Hellenistic faction is meant for really). Hayastan is a very good faction to play if you like to emerge as a new empire against all odds, fighting against the strongest faction that is also your suzerain from turn 1. Though you also get their best unit from turn 1 which makes it all more enjoyable. If you're sadistic you can try the Boioi and conquer Italy in a second Celtic invasion as there are scripts giving you the option to go to war with Rome from the early game.

Good points all around. As for the importance of westward expansion for Epirus, this is definitely important given Pyrrhus' invasion of Magna Graecia and Sicily, but I would argue the same rule applies to Koinon Hellenon. The latter cannot build new poleis, only upgrade existing ones, so invading territories that have a polis already installed is hugely important for creating a core factional region that can host your family members as governors and offer Hellenistic style troops for recruitment. This can be done not just in Greece and Anatolia, but also the Black Sea basin, Southern Italy, Sicily, even as far as the colonial city of Massalia in southern Gaul.

The only other option beyond creating allied oligarchies and democracies with temporary client rulers is the slower process of establishing supervised native administrations and eventually (per the player's preference) the supervised Hellenic administration. The latter slightly mirrors polis troop recruitment options, but can only be built after a 50% cultural conversion to Hellenistic polities. Recruitment can also be beefed up by building the foreign military garrison building, but these obviously come with unrest penalties requiring either a rotation of good governors or a very stable region with plenty of cultural conversion (at least above 20% to stay on the safe side).

[Spartocos Leukonovich]

Coming back to EB2 after a hiatus, looking for a fresh faction to try.

Try Lougiones, if you are paranoid, psychotisc, and just want to survive, you will enjoy it a lot. It is practically like playing Battle Brothers on veteran, just in EB.

[Aper]

Try Lougiones, if you are paranoid, psychotisc, and just want to survive, you will enjoy it a lot. It is practically like playing Battle Brothers on veteran, just in EB.

I'd very much like to play a more fleshed out Lougiones faction

[Sar1n]

Epeiros, SPQR, Ptolemaioi, Boii, Aureakoi.

[bismarck 1899]

Rome and I'm probably the only one who also likes Egypt. More because of historical significance than interesting aspects of the faction itself. I always pray for more stuff for Egypt.

[eyelurker]

Blasphemy. Nobody even mention 2 of the best starting and stronger faction that is Carthage and Numidia.

Numidian doesn't have to deal with Carthage wonky politics and Numidian reformed are both faster to fulfilled and fast to construct compare to Cartharge in exchange of Numidia having slightly more limited in unit and income potential than Carthage

[Aodh Mór Ó Néill]

Blasphemy. Nobody even mention 2 of the best starting and stronger faction that is Carthage and Numidia.

Numidian doesn't have to deal with Carthage wonky politics and Numidian reformed are both faster to fulfilled and fast to construct compare to Cartharge in exchange of Numidia having slightly more limited in unit and income potential than Carthage

I've tried Numidia a few times but the oddly-darkened portraits and every character being called "of Numida" just annoys me too much.

[Spartocos Leukonovich]

you sure about Numidia though? always between turns 15-23, Carthage attacks players Numidia in coordinated simultaneous attack. Which currently makes this faction more hardcore than Lougiones.

[Aodh Mór Ó Néill]

Rome and I'm probably the only one who also likes Egypt. More because of historical significance than interesting aspects of the faction itself. I always pray for more stuff for Egypt.

Tried Egypt recently and it was fun! You're a Hellenic faction that starts off strong (unlike KH/Makedonia/Epirus), but not sprawling (unlike the Seulukids). You start off at war with the Grey Death on several fronts (plus the scripted events), so despite your strong starting position it's by no means an easy start. The lack of Hellenic units means you have to diversify your armies and gives the campaign a real "colonial" feel. Plus your units look gorgeous!

[bismarck 1899]

Blasphemy. Nobody even mention 2 of the best starting and stronger faction that is Carthage and Numidia.

Numidian doesn't have to deal with Carthage wonky politics and Numidian reformed are both faster to fulfilled and fast to construct compare to Cartharge in exchange of Numidia having slightly more limited in unit and income potential than Carthage

It might sound crazy but Carthage would sometimes sacrifice children which makes immersion pretty hard for me.

[blackbirdgriffin]

I personnaly love the Iranian/Aryan factions, they come in 4(5 if u count the Indians) flavors, the completely nomadic Sarmatians which are really fun, quite a diverse rosters, easy to set up a base of power (essentially what you have + 1 or 2 settlements) and the bala scripts are just awsome, it's just really fun, you won't conquer a huge empire (I mean you can if u want but that's not the appeal here) yet this mechanic will thematically allow/motivate you to fight pretty much anyone you want (celts, romans, greeks, other nomads etc...

Saka Rauka : those also amazing horse lords but are so much fun, I wrote a "guide/review/smth" about them here so I'll just link it : https://www.twcenter.net/forums/show...-needed)/page6 #106

Parthian: the classic one, you essentially start as the Dahae tribe before settling as an empire and can do whatever you want take the time you want, it's really fun and the reforms feel great

Pontos: Also really fun although very very differents from the other start, early game is more around the crowded Anatolia and the black sea, it's a really fun experience and you have quite a couple of factions to fight, ally, trade with, It's very fun.

[eyelurker]

you sure about Numidia though? always between turns 15-23, Carthage attacks players Numidia in coordinated simultaneous attack. Which currently makes this faction more hardcore than Lougiones.

Admittedly playing on normal since i don't like ai buying too many mercenary and it probably make Carthage more passive since they never attack me.

So i'm pretty secured in Numidia reform and to prepare myself against Carthage