What are the factions?

[Blue_Lightning]

I'm thinking of getting this on sale due to its mix of TW style management and RTS mechanics. I have some questions:

1.How many factions are there?

2.Is there only a campaign mode or are there standard game options where you can play 1v1 on a map of your choice?

3.What is the time period and setting? Does it have Greece and Italy or only one of those? Or more?

4.Is this the game to get or are its predecessors better?

Thanks!

[Ca_Putt]

1. about 30. more in the DLC.
2. There is basically only the campaign/sandbox mode, tho there are several mods that grant alternative campaign-maps. There even is a 1v1 one. The DLC introduces Invasion-campaigns which means yo start with an army and have to find a place to settle.
3. 500-250 BC ... ish only Italy(DLC Sicily), Other regions in mods.
4. This one has: Mods and more empire management and is still being worked on. 1&2 have storycampaigns which are really nice, tho a lot of people disliked 2.

[Blue_Lightning]

Thanks for the informative reply! Since the campaign map is Italy and the store page mentions Greeks, is it safe to assume those Greeks are Epirotes? Are there faction mods for the expanded region mods? That sounds really interesting!

[Ca_Putt]

Yes and no, Epirotes are part of the DLC. The story campaign of the DLC focuses around Pyrrhus' invasion of Italy. The Greeks in the base game are the italian city states, Taras, Rhegion, western Locris, Sybaris and Kroton + those on Sicily(syracuse etc) and Crete+Makedon for invasion-mode in the DLC.
Yes, you could say so. The Iberia mod for example includes a whole array of new factions, appropriate for the area. There are also a line of "whole of europe-mods" tho those use models form Hegemony 2 for more diversity and thus need that game aswell. jus' check out the workshop.

[Blue_Lightning]

OK I see, thanks again!