Major Factions

War Universalis/2/3 is divided into several eras, spanning from 58 CE to 1756 CE.

## **Pax Romana (58 CE)**

Dominated by the **Roman Empire**faction, this era has the least amount of playable nations due to how unbelievably big the major countries are.

This era is often criticized for the presence of the Roman Empire and how large it is and how expensive the relevant countries are.

### **Major Countries**

* **Roman Empire**
* **Parthian Empire**
* **Kushan Empire**
* **Han Dynasty**

## **Three Kingdoms (224 CE)**

This era is still dominated by the **Roman Empire. Parthia** is replaced by the **Sassanid Empire**, which becomes the new major Persian faction in this era. **Han** China has broken into three kingdoms; **Wei**, **Wu** and **Shu.**

### **Major Coutries**

* **Roman Empire**
* **Sassanid Empire**
* **Gupta Empire**
* **Kushan Empire**

**Barbarian Invasion (395 CE)**

The Roman Empire has been at war with the Barbariantribes, most notably the **Huns**, for many years now. But the great empire has been divided in two, the **West Roman Empire** and the **East Roman Empire**. Sections of the Roman Empire has fallen to the barbarians.

**Major Factions**

* **West Roman Empire**
* **East Roman Empire**
* **Sassanid Empire**
* **Gupta Empire**
* **Huns**

**Fall of Rome (476 CE)**

Rome has fallen, the gates to the city have been opened, Rome has been conquered by the **Ostrogoths** and the Eastern Roman Empire has been reformed into the **Byzantine Empire**.

**India** has broken apart with the **Gupta** faction and **Vakataka** rising from its ashes.

**Major Factions**

* **Byzantine Empire**
* **Ostrogoths**
* **Franks**
* **Sassanid Empire**
* **Gupta**
* **Visigoths**

.

**Rise of Islam (628 CE)**

The old superpowers, the **Byzantines** and **Sassanids,** are joined by a third: the Rashidun **Caliphate.** In this era, the Caliphate takes large swathes of Byzantine and Sassanid land, but still does not reach its height.

In the west, the **Franks** are a rising power, while the **Lombards** have invaded Northern Italy.

The **Avar** Khaganate has taken control of most of the Pannonian Basin.

Meanwhile, in East Asia, the **Tang** Dynasty has reunited China.

**Major Factions**

* **Byzantine Empire**
* **Sassanid Empire**
* **Caliphate**
* **Franks**
* **Tang Dynasty**
* **Visigoths**

.

**Iberian Capitulation (713 CE)**

In this era, the **Caliphate** reaches its height, being by far the most powerful country at this time. **Byzantium** retains a large chunk of its territory, but the **Sassanids** have been completely destroyed.

**Frankia** continues to gain power in the west, gradually swallowing up its neighbors, though it still does not reach its height.

**Visigothic** Spain has fallen to the Caliphate, and in its place a new nationalism arises (**Cordoba**).

**Major Factions**

* **Caliphate**
* **Byzantine Empire**
* **Frankia**
* **Tang Dynasty**

.

**Charlemagne (769 CE)**

By this point, the **Caliphate** has begun its slow decline. **Byzantium** clings onto Anatolia and Greece, but loses more and more control in Italy. **Frankia** reaches its height during this era, having around 150 provinces. Not much else happens.

**Major Factions**

* **Frankia**
* **Caliphate**
* **Byzantine Empire**
* **Tang Dynasty**
* **Cordoba**

.

**Viking Invasion (841 CE)**

In this era, **Frankia** collapses into three separate states: **West, Middle** and **East Frankia**. This changes the balance of power in western Europe forever. For the first time since the beginning of its existence, **Byzantium** has no land in Italy. The **Caliphate** loses Persia in this era, a major blow to its dominance in the Middle East.

**Major Factions**

* **Byzantine Empire**
* **Caliphate**
* **Tang Dynasty**
* **Cordoba**

.

**The Holy Roman Empire (962 CE)**

In this era, an actual faction forms: the Holy Roman Empire. From here on out, Central Europe will be divided into increasingly smaller and smaller nations. **England** is unified by the kings of Wessex in this era. **West Frankia** continues to exist, though in a slightly smaller state than the previous era.

**Byzantium** has a minor comeback, retaking a good chunk of southern Italy from the Arabs. The **Caliphate** still has no serious rival in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, in China, the long-lived **Tang** dynasty has come to an end. China once more fragments into multiple small kingdoms.

**Major Factions**

* **Byzantine Empire**
* **Caliphate**
* **Cordoba**
* **Song Dynasty**

.

**Crusader Kings (1066 CE)**

This era is regarded as one of the most balanced eras, as there are no huge empires that have complete dominance in a particular era.

**West Frankia** reforms into the kingdom of **France. Cordoba**'srule in Iberia comes to an end, with the exception of a tiny sliver of land in the south. Iberia is now divided into several Christian, and several Muslim states.

**Byzantium** continues to rule Greece and Anatolia.

The **Caliphate**'s dominance in the Middle East is finally broken by the arrival of the **Seljuks**, who threaten both the Caliphate and Byzantium.

The Russian steppe is finally unified by the **Cumans**, who can field an extremely mighty army due to their +5000/army policy.

China is unified once again by the **Song** dynasty.

**Major Factions**

* **Byzantine Empire**
* **Caliphate**
* **Seljuk Empire**
* **Cumans**
* **Song Dynasty**
* **England**
* **France**

.

**The Hundred Years War (1337 CE)**

This era used to be the last era in War Universalis 2, before the addition of the Fall of Byzantium on November 11, 2017.

A lot of changes occur in this era; the **Caliphate** is replaced by the **Mamluks**. **Byzantium**, though still a regional power, has lost most of its territory. The **Seljuks** have completely collapsed. The dominant power in Iberia is now **Castile**, and the Muslims have nearly been pushed off the peninsula.

In the east, the **Song** dynasty is replaced by the Mongol **Yuan** dynasty. Likewise, the **Cumans** are replaced by the **Golden Horde.** The empire of **Delhi** in India reaches its height during this time.

**Major Factions**

* **Yuan Dynasty**
* **Golden Horde**
* **Mamluks**
* **Castile**
* **England**
* **France**
* **Delhi**