if its possible to be rebels or pirates i will use them.

I don't like the principles of the French Revolution, but I can't help being a Napolean fan. I am a fan of Napolean only in one area; military tactics. I will most likely use 3 factions consistently, for the first few months anyway, the USA (seems they will be a faction if I can believe the pic promoting ETW) Poland, and France.

As in MTW2, I will rarely use Eastern factions. I just like killing them.... In RTW I am finally using an eastern faction alot (Armenia). This is due to boredom with the other factions I had been using.

Hmm perhaps I was wrong about you having to finish the RtI campaign before you can play the Grand Campaign. We'll have to wait and see.

I do know that the US wont be in the Grand Campaign(as they are the thirteen colonies at the time), only the Road to Independence.
And yes pirates will be their own faction(though not playable), with their base chosen randomly in the Carribean at the start of the game. Time to go a' pirate huntin'. Arrg Im sure it will be modded into a playable faction.

I might go with the Austrians for my first stab at the grand campaign.

Prussia and Holland(The Dutch) hands down.

can any one guess what factipon i will use?

lol Celtic.....

After playing about 50 multiplayer games I have settled on Poland for land combat and USA for naval engagements.

Im Prussia 95% of the time but I'm starting to like Russia in early for 2on2's.

Austria and Spain are my choice and sometimes GreatBritian

after unlocking all the factions I am definetly a fan of hungary in 1v1.
They have all the elite guard units and they also have some of the cheapest jagers in the game costing less than 500 (430 I think). On 10k I get 3 guard cavs, 5 guard inf and 5 jagers useing the rest of my money on exp. The basic strategy I use is to set up my jagers in 2 row wide with cavalry behind them, then i set up my guard behind them. I usualy break guards off to the side and keep falling back with jagers keeping there line out of range, if they send cavs to kill my jagers my 3 guard intercept there cavs. If they send cavs at my guard unit, well thats there fault as my guard will make quick work of them.

I didnt realize austrias jaegers cost 430 large line and cheap jaegers....lucky buggers

My Faction of choice....

Before the update, I played Poland, and Sweden mostly. Taking advantage of their cav of course. Now Ive been playing Prussia (which is actualy worth playing now) and The Dutch. Prussia's new expansion unit, the Bosniaks are nice with a cost of 700 and a charge bonus of 27! But their 2nd Hussars are where its at, possibly the best light cav unit in the game now I think. Also they have the frei-korps which are line the us marines with a 90 range and 50 accuracy, havent experimented much with them yet. With the dutch, They have scots, a type of line that are 850g and fire en masse. Also Swiss infantry with a slighty better accuracy than line, are fairly cheap. The Blue guard is pretty nasty, comparable to spanish walloons and russian elite line.

Those are the factions I've been playin, and some of the reasons why!

Yea after the new update prussia is one of the top factions now with its bosniaks and 2nd hussars complementing there force. Elite units cost alot but I think any army with out at least 2 is in a world of hurt, the 60+ reload make quick work of any line unit and the morale boost is a must have or you will have half units routeing at the first sign of trouble. Im realy at a loss on who my favorite factions is right now....