Recommended starting faction for FotS

[Rallehop]

I don't know what to pick. The faction specialities aren't as straight forwards as the base campaign.

[flieger]

i heard satsuma is pretty good

[ANTIHERO202]

I'm wondering as well, I'm still playing and enjoying the base game. I think I'll just pick one randomly and roll with it. :)

[BastardSword]

Satsuma if you want to be mostly left alone and just get used to playing the game. I'll list more info about the other clans later.

[REIbox99]

Satsuma is the best, other than that I'd say Jozai is the best for Shogunate at lower levels. Initial difficulties seem to be more accurate in FoTS.

Don't play Tsu, it's the Tokugawa of FoTS

[Hat8]

Satsuma is extremely overpowered. They start with more resources and tech and on the bottom so they can focus on one front.

[BastardSword]

I'm just going to focus on what makes the clans feel unique, rather than the more useless "perks" like extra experience for garbage samurai units.

Imperial

- Satsuma: start with a blacksmith so you can get units with better accuracy. Like Shimazu in Shogun 2, other clans mostly will leave you alone. They have one unique unit which isn't very useful.

- Tosa: pretty easy as well because Shikoku feels so isolated. They have two unique units but neither is very useful.

- Choshu: they have kihetai which are one of the best units in the game. They are basically more expensive line infantry but they take zero attrition during winter months, so you can be very mobile during winter unlike other clans.

- Tsu: hardest imperial clan by far because you start out surrounded by hostile shogunate clans. Play very defensively at first and keep several line infantry in all your forts to ward off constant invasions.

- Saga: Kyushu should be an easy start but it seems like other clans are programmed to be hostile to them. They have better artillery than other clans, but artillery is already so overpowered that it doesn't really make a difference.

Shogunate

- Nagaoka: they have slightly more accurate rifle troops, which is nice I guess but not really noticeable.

- Obama: +2 to repression so your populace will be slightly happier. Similar to Tsu they have a tough start because they're near a lot of hostile imperial clans.

- Sendai: they reduce siege length by 2 turns. If an enemy city hasn't been upgraded you can take it over in only one turn. This is a useful perk and lets you expand really fast.

- Jozai: they can replenish their troops while in enemy territory, except during winter. The replenishment rate is so low as to be almost negigible though. Their unique unit is pretty useless. They can be quite tough because it seems like everyone wants to invade them especially by sea.

- Aizu: tough start because it seems really hard to make any money at first with them. They have the biggest number of unique units in the game, and their replacement for levy infantry is surprisingly good and very decent at defending castles in particular.

[jscjml]

Satsuma imo. The island that they're on makes a ton of money and its kind of isolated on the side of the map.

The blacksmith they have is pretty nice too, gives accuracy buffs to gun infantry iirc.

[Rallehop]

I did enjoy playing Shimazu in a similar starting position. Thanks everybody who tuned in. Alot of great info in this thread :)