Faction Group Evaluation

The various factions have specific starting strengths and weaknesses and possibly access to more and better units via the skill tree. The player should know strengths and weaknesses of his chosen faction and adapt his play style to exploit oppportunities and deter threads. It is esssential to let these strengths, weaknesses and future skill access filter through any strategy the player might develop in the course of the game. More in-depth faction-specific strategies and information is available at the relevant faction page, but gernerally speaking


 * strengths should be leveraged to maximise external opportunities (Offensive Strategy)
 * strengths should be leveraged to minimise external threats (Conservative Strategy)
 * weaknesss should be countered through exploiting oportunities, i.e. building strengths (Competitive Strategy)
 * weaknesses and threats should be countered by building strengths (Defensive Strategy)

Etruscan
For more detailed Information see the dedicated page for Etruscans and the faction specific pages.

Strengths
 * Best heavy cavalry, solid roster in general.
 * Access to the heaviest cavalry in the game, as well as a lighter cavalry option.
 * Access to Archers (good missile range).

Weaknesses
 * Their heavy hoplites and light cavalry are 40% smaller in size than comparable units.

Opportunities
 * Can get access to Hoplites once cities are a little developed.
 * Can unlock Swordsmen through the skill tree in the late game, these are stronger in melee than the Roman legionaries but do not have a ranged attack.

Gallic
For more detailed Information see the dedicated page for Gauls and the faction specific pages.

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities
 * Best missile units, aggressive infantry
 * Access to light melee cavalry.
 * Access to the best Archers (widest missile range) and the best ranged section in general.
 * Immidiate access to heavy warships, i.e. no need for skill research.
 * lacks heavy units
 * Only ones to never have access to Hoplites, but can get light swordsmen units in the early game.
 * Can unlock heavier swordsmen through the skill tree in the late game. These are a bit stronger in melee than the Roman legionaries but do not have a ranged attack.
 * Can unlock medium cavalry through the skill tree in the late game.

Greek
For more detailed Information see the dedicated page for Greeks and the faction specific pages.

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities
 * Heaviest infantry and most powerful early game. Lack cavalry and ranged.
 * Immediate access to Hoplites without needing to develop cities first.
 * Hoplites have the best stats in the game, and they can also get access to Hypaspists which are the heaviest hoplite-type brigade.
 * No melee cavalry, only Mounted Javelineers.
 * Somewhat lacking in foot ranged units, but their Peltasts can be quite versatile.
 * Can unlock Phalangites and Ballistae through the skill tree in the late game.

Illyric
For more detailed Information see the dedicated page for Illyrics and the faction specific pages.

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities
 * Similar to Greeks except infantry is weaker but more versatile.
 * No melee cavalry, only Mounted Javelineers.
 * Somewhat lacking in foot ranged units, but their Peltasts can be quite versatile.
 * Can get access to Hoplites once cities are a little developed.
 * Can unlock Swordsmen through the skill tree in the late game, these are like the Roman legionaries but do not have a ranged attack.

Latin (Roman)
For more detailed Information see the dedicated page for Latins and the faction specific pages.

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities
 * Has a medium melee cavalry unit (Equites)
 * Very weak starting units.
 * No other cavalry options than Equites
 * Lacking in ranged units
 * Most versatile late game infantry
 * Can get access to Hoplites once cities are a little developed. However, their hoplites have the lowest stats in the game.
 * Velites, Hastati, Principes and Triarii can all be unlocked through the skill tree in the late game, these are all versatile infantry units that make up for your lack of good units in the early game.
 * Most of the late game melee infantry can throw javelins.

Sabellic
For more detailed Information see the dedicated page for Sabellics and the faction specific pages.


 * Basically a copy of the Latin/Roman roster with some minor stat differences.
 * They have a tweaked stat balance which makes them slightly stronger than Latins in the early game and slightly weaker in the late game
 * They don't get an equivalent to the Triarii but otherwise have the same units (though some have different names)

Sicilian
For more detailed Information see the dedicated page for Sicilians and the faction specific pages.

Only available through The Eagle King DLC. They are basically Sabellics with weaker cavalry but better hoplites and easier access to hoplites. (The strategy might also be different since you're surrounded by Greek factions)

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities
 * Similar to Greeks they have immediate access to hoplites and their (light) hoplites and heavy hoplites have the best stats in the game, but unlike Greeks they do not get access to the Hypaspists.
 * Similar to Illyrics and again Greeks they are extremely lacking in cavalry, only having mounted javelineers.
 * Similar to Latins/Sabellics they are lacking in ranged units. Unlike Greeks they do not have immediate access to peltasts, and would need to progress through the skill tree to get access to the comparable Sabellic Javelineer unit.

(adopted from Fristi61 on the Steam Discussion page)