The Creative Assembly has put out some more information about a new Rome 2 DLC, the Black Sea Colonies Culture Pack, and Total War Attila factions.
Three Factions Revealed for Attila
The Eastern Roman Empire, the Vandals, and the Visigoths now have wiki entries on the Total War website. I usually find myself playing as the Byzantine Empire in other games, so the precursor civilization of the Eastern Roman Empire is appealing to me. However, the barbarian tribes have no starting territory, similar to Barbarian Invasion, so that is very appealing as well. I have enjoyed playing barbarian factions in the Rome 2 Grand Campaign, so I’m looking forward to seeing more information come out before I decide who to play as first.
New DLC: Black Sea Colonies Culture Pack
The new DLC announced today, the Black Sea Colonies Culture Pack, unlocks Pergamon, Colchis, and Cimmeria as playable factions in the Grand Campaign. The free faction is Massilia, a favorite of Total War fans. I’ll admit, I too would like to play Massilia, mostly due to it’s interesting, but precarious, start position. This DLC and Free-LC will release November 20th, so a week or so from now. Below is the information taken from the page:
Black Sea Colonies Cultural traits:
- Greek Knowledge: +5% to research rate
- Far from Home: +2 cultural conversion
Cimmeria
Background:
The Cimmerian Bosporus has been fought over for its resources and strategic importance for millennia. The adventurous Greeks of Miletus, in Asia Minor, formed several colonies around the Black Sea coast during the 6th and 7th centuries BC in order to exploit its resources for trade with the wider Greek world. By the beginning of the 5th century BC their government had gravitated from classical Greek democracy to control by a single family. The current ruler, Satyrus, conquered nearby Greek cities, heralding the birth of the Cimmerian Kingdom, and a dynasty of rulers that endures to this day. Despite this strength, Cimmeria remains under threat from the surrounding nomadic tribes, and from the avaricious gaze of nearby Pontus, whose military strength may yet prove its undoing.
Faction Traits:
- Tyrants: +5% corruption Bosporian
- Fertile Lands: +5% wealth from agricultural buildings
- Multiculturalism: -25% unhappiness from all foreign cultures in own territories
New units:
- Scythian Hoplites: Armed in the Greek style with spear and shield, these medium infantry are solid defenders.
- Cimmerian Heavy Archers: A truly multirole unit, these heavily-armoured archers trade their bows for spears when the enemy draws close.
- Cimmerian Noble Infantry: Noble Infantry are drilled to a peerless standard in the classic hoplite style.
- Picked Peltasts: Accurate and determined, these javelin-armed skirmishers can pack a devastating punch.
Unit roster:
- Greek/Scythian hybrid
Unique Buildings:
- Prytaneion Rose Marl Building
- Sanctuary of Demeter
Pergamon
Background:
Although a minor player up to that point, Pergamon came to prominence during the struggle of Alexander the Great’s Successors for control of his fragmented empire. An ambitious lieutenant named Philetaerus acquired control over the fortress city and led Pergamon into a new golden age of culture and learning, building an impressive acropolis and a temple to Pergamon’s patron goddess, Athena. Not yet a kingdom in the truest sense, the time is right for expansion beyond its current borders. There are also new threats to be faced from Galatia, the duplicitous Pontus and Cappadocia. Pergamon must be strong if it is to meet these challenges and fulfil its destiny as a mighty Successor state.
Faction Traits:
- Great Builders: -10% to all building costs
- Military Underdogs: +10% non-mercenary recruitment cost
- Town Growth: +4 growth in all provinces
New units:
- Agema Spears: The cream of Pergamon’s infantry, these elite defenders will hold the line against the odds.
- Pergamon Noble Cavalry: Hardy and proud, the lance-wielding Noble Cavalry of Pergamon can execute a devastating charge.
- Picked Peltasts: These elite, javelin-armed skirmishers are trained to a superior standard.
Unit roster:
- Greek/Hellenic/Galatian hybrid
Unique buildings:
- Great Altar of Pergamon
- Library of Pergamon
- Spring of Asclepius
- Baths of Asclepius
- Sanctuary of Asclepius
Unique technology:
- Pergaminus
Colchis
Background:
Far to the east of the Black Sea, at the very edge of the Greek world, lies Colchis. A place of legend, it is said to have been the final destination on Jason’s quest for the Golden Fleece. Around the 6th century BC, Greek traders from Militus arrived to construct a thriving mercantile economy from this former Persian satrapy. Its current ruler controls a powerful Greek trading state with strong Scythian influences and a nobility who extol the finest qualities of both cultures. His warriors fight in the Greek fashion, yet the ferocity of their nomadic past is very much alive. As such, Colchis has set out to conquer much of the land around it – to absorb further Scythian tribes, and as many former-Persian lands as possible, into his burgeoning empire.
Faction traits:
- Trade Crossroads: +15% trade income
- Golden Legacy: Major diplomatic penalty with Greek factions
- Assimilation: +4 happiness from presence of other cultures
New units:
- Colchian Nobles: Heavily armoured and drilled to blunt the mightiest charge, Colchian Nobles are a force to be reckoned with.
Unit roster:
- Greek/Eastern hybrid
Unique Buildings:
- Temple of the Golden Fleece
- Trade Centre
I think the Black Sea Colonies Culture Pack will be good. It adds three Greek factions that people have expressed interest in playing, as well as the perennial favorite Massilia as a Free-LC.
Cimmeria looks the most interesting of the three, and I will give it a shot after Massilia. The Cimmerian Heavy Archers sound like the Dacian Heavy Skirmishers, which do alright in melee combat. But archers with spears? That sounds great against cavalry on paper, but we’ll have to see if that is the case.
One annoying thing I am already expecting is that since the surrounding peoples are steppe factions, you’ll be facing a lot of horse archers and melee cavalry. Greek factions typically have excellent spear units to counter melee cavalry, but usually poor ranged units with which to counter horse skirmishers/archers.
While playing as Baktria, I had to mass recruit slingers in order to survive the early game against Parthia and other horse archer-heavy steppe factions nearby. It’s not terribly fun, but it really does push you to improve your playing skill. The Black Seas Greek factions have Picked Peltasts and the Cimmerians have Heavy Archers, so maybe it won’t be too awful.
Green Man Gaming is selling the Black Sea Colonies Culture Pack currently with the -10% due to Pre-Order, but if you use the code NOVEMB-ERGMGX-20XOFF, you’ll get an additional 20% discount if used before November 21st. I paid $5.76 for mine, which isn’t bad at all. The link is here.