The Greek States Culture Pack adds a new playable Culture including three new playable Factions to Total War: ROME II; for use in Single or Multiplayer Campaign modes and Custom and Multiplayer Battles. The Greek States Culture Pack adds diplomatic Athens, shrewd Epirus and formidable Sparta as playable factions. Each offers range of special tactics to achieve cultural and martial victories, and lethal elite units to crush foes in battle. The Greek States share a number of common goals, philosophies and general diplomatic aims. However, they are defined by their fierce independence and between them demonstrate a huge variety in approach to civil and military challenges that often brings them into conflict with the wider world, and each other. Features New Features: New Playable Factions – Athens, Epirus and Sparta each offer a unique new way to experience the campaign, with their own rosters of powerful military units, distinct traits and play styles. The Athenian pursuit of enlightenment grants them technological and cultural bonuses; Sparta’s dominance over the Helots allows them to maintain a larger slave population; and Epirus enjoys bonuses to settlement exploitation stemming from their village-confederation origins. New Cultural Traits – All Greek States benefit from a bonus in battle when defending their own or an allied territory, a bonus to wealth generated by their capitals and an increase to the rate of cultural conversion within their borders. New Cultural Objectives – Greek States have their own new set of military, economic and cultural victory conditions, as well as sharing a unique set of bonus objectives drawn from Greek history. Additionally, each faction will have to contend with its unique events and dilemmas. New Military Traditions – Each of the Greek States has a unique top-tier military tradition: Athenian fleets may be honoured as Children of the Aegaean, improving the ramming ability of their ships whilst allowing them to secure more income when raiding; Spartan armies may be remembered as Peers of Leonidas, improving their melee defense capabilities and reducing their upkeep; the armies of Epirus may be feared as Hounds of Molossus, granting them greater charge bonuses whilst allowing them to keep public order problems in check. New Units:In addition to the intimidating unit rosters of each faction now playable for the first time, the Greek States Culture Pack introduces a variety of unique and especially elite and deadly forces. Mercenary Veteran Hoplites – [available to all playable factions] From glistening spear points to earth-shaking tread, a phalanx is a sight and sound to inspire dread. With these veteran hoplites, that dread is sold to the highest bidder. Thureos Hoplites – [Unique to Athens] While the linen breastplates worn by these men may look flimsy, they are cool, practical and surprisingly tough. As with all hoplites, the men inside are also practical and tough warriors. Thorax Hoplites – [Unique to Athens] These heavy hoplites are marked by their bronze breastplate armour, a sign of wealth and status. They are armed with spears and hoplon shields, and use the phalanx formation to batter enemies into submission. Agrianian Axemen – [Unique to Epirus and Macedon] The Paeonian tribe of Agrianes are fierce fighters. As well as terrible killing tools, their axes are also climbing hooks for rough terrain. No sensible general would not use them in an assault. Aspis Companion Cavalry – [Unique to Epirus and Macedon] A king’s companions in battle are his nobles and esteemed friends. It is an honour to be a companion, to ride forth with javelin and kopis to fight for your lord and master. Heroes of Sparta – [Unique to Sparta] Embodying the spirit of Thermopylae, the Heroes Of Sparta bear their spears and shields with fierce pride and unrivalled mastery. Polybolos Repeating Scorpion – [Siege Deployable available to all Greek, Roman and Carthaginian factions] Able to make short work of even the most heavily-armoured opponents, this repeating bolt thrower sacrifices the ordinary Scorpion’s range in return for a rapid rate of fire. Tortoise Armoured Battering Ram – [Siege Deployable available to all Greek, Roman and Carthaginian factions] Combining devastating ramming power while affording protection to its crew, used well the Tortoise more than makes up for its lack of speed and manoeuvrability in open ground. New Buildings: The Monument of Lacedaemon – [Unique to Sparta] A symbol of Sparta’s overridingly martial culture, The Monument of Lacedaemon brings cost reductions to military recruitment, significantly increases the morale of land units in the province and a global morale boost to existing units. Oracle of Dodona – [Unique to Epirus] This sacred grove is the domain of the priests and priestesses of Epirus. The Oracle of Dodona increases city growth, provincial happiness, wealth, and the global conversion of other factions to Hellenic culture. Acropolis – [Unique to Athens] A symbol of Athenian high culture and engineering excellence, The Acropolis also provides extra garrison forces to Athens, improves the city’s abilities to withstand sieges, and increases Athenian agents’ Authority actions. Faction History: Athens Athens has long been famed for its cultural achievements, from buildings such as the Parthenon, to the plays and works of Aristophanes, Plato, Socrates, and Sophocles. In many ways, Greek culture is defined by Athens. Its military focus has long been its navy; however, continuing the traditions of the classical era, its citizens are also expected to contribute both infantry and cavalry to its armies. Epirus Epirus is a Greek kingdom formed of numerous small villages and towns, rather than the great cities of the south. An agriculture and fishing-based society, Epirus nevertheless maintains a balanced army on the Alexandrian model, consisting of cavalry, archers, peltasts, phalangites and war elephants. They also make extensive use of mercenaries from throughout the Greek-speaking world. Sparta With every aspect of their lives and society geared towards warfare, Sparta dominated the Greek world and continues to produce arguably the finest soldiers of the Hellenic period. The slaves and non-citizens of Sparta enable their citizens to pursue warrior perfection as soldiers and champions. Trained and hardened in battle, their warriors and leaders are the embodiment of military discipline and virtue.