I've also played a bit of Cimmeria, interesting spot, great archers – they don't get pikes though. The playable factions represent key powers within the Greco-Roman, Barbarian, and Eastern cultures, and each offers a notably different and deeper form of gameplay experience from those in previous Total War games. But I also played and enjoyed a whole lot Macedonia, Parthia and Media. But then again, I am also subjective because I like that period of time in the Roman Republic a whole lot. Regular pikemen work just fine in campaign all the way through, you've got a lot of hoplites for your flanks, and you can cover your relative weaknesses with mercs - top ranged units right in your home province, Rhodian slingers close by, and if you go a bit east you find Cappadocian cavalry, go west & there's Campanian horsemen. For me, the most interesting faction is Rome because of the way they did the auxiliary units and the way to recruit them after the Marian reforms. It's murder on rear charges and trashes any regular cav you're going to face in the early game.Īthens isn't so bad. I don't know of any other faction that starts with an elite unit (besides their generals.) Against early units, that thing is great. Hidden selling point: you get a unit of companion cav to play around with from the very start.
Haven't tried Seleucids - they've got a great roster and a nutso diplomatic situation so probably fun :DĮgypt's got a nice position (I think they're one of the biggest factions at start, and helpfully, it's a whole province) and a great big roster to play around with.īaktria's a lot of fun too - Hellenic infantry + good skirmishers + horse archers + cataphracts + elephants! And you just get to stomp your way from east to west. Discussions, strategies, stories, crude cave-drawings, and more for Medieval 2, Empire, Shogun 2, Rome 2, Attila, Thrones of Britannia, Warhammer, Three Kingdoms, Troy, Pharaoh and others. Walk into any university lecture on the Roman Republic, say Total War Rome: II is better than the original and a fight may break out. A subreddit for the Total War strategy game series, made by Creative Assembly. But they get there and also benefit from cheap agent use. Released in 2004, Rome: Total War was the real breakout hit for the series well over a decade later it is still the best. Pontus doesn't feel much like a Hellenic faction at first - you'll be using a lot of Eastern spearmen & hillmen. All the Hellenic factions I've tried are pretty good.