FoG: Empires Nations Tier List

Author: Verdict Games Editorial Team Last Updated: June 10, 2026

The Bottom Line

Rome and Carthage are the strongest, most forgiving nations and the best for beginners, the Hellenistic successor kingdoms and Epirus are powerful but more demanding, and the Greek states and smaller powers are rewarding challenges — but because legacy lets even a small nation win, read the tiers as strength and ease, not as the only nations worth playing.

Summary

Which ancient nation should you lead in Field of Glory: Empires? Each has a different strength, starting position and path to legacy, and some are far friendlier to learn on. This tier list ranks the major nations by overall playability — starting strength, position and how forgiving they are. You will learn why Rome and Carthage top the list for power and ease, where the Hellenistic kingdoms and Greek states fit, and how to read the tiers, since legacy lets even a small nation win.

Who This Is For: Field of Glory: Empires players choosing which nation to play Intermediate

Key Points

Legacy keeps everyone viable — even small nations can win on legacy, so the tiers rank strength and ease, not whether a nation can win.

Rome and Carthage lead — strong economies, good positions and forgiving starts make them the best nations for learning and for power.

Hellenistic kingdoms are strong but demanding — the successor states and Epirus are powerful yet face tougher positions and rivalries.

Smaller powers reward challenge — Greek city-states and minor nations face harder starts that test an experienced strategist.

How to read this tier list

A crucial caveat before the ranking: in Field of Glory: Empires there is no nation you "must" play and none that cannot win, because you win on legacy rather than on conquest. A small, well-built nation can out-score a sprawling empire, and legacy stays earned even through decline, so any nation is capable of victory in the right hands. This tier list therefore does not rank which nations can win; it ranks the major nations by their overall playability — starting strength, strategic position, and how forgiving they are to learn on and to play. A higher-tier nation is stronger and more forgiving, which makes it easier and a natural choice for newer players or for raw power; a lower-tier nation faces a harder position, which makes it more demanding but, for many players, more interesting. Plenty of experienced strategists deliberately pick smaller powers precisely because building a legacy against the odds is the appeal.

Read the tiers, then, as a guide to difficulty and strength, not to which nation is "right." If you are learning, start high; if you want a tense, legacy-focused challenge from a difficult position, the lower tiers deliver exactly that.

The exact nations available and their positions depend on your chosen start and scenario. Whatever you pick, remember that legacy — not the size of your empire — is what wins, so a nation's potential is about more than how much land it starts with.

The nations tier list

This ranking weighs starting strength, strategic position and how forgiving a nation is to play, especially for newer strategists. It is about ease and power, not whether a nation can win on legacy.

Rome The strongest, most forgiving start. A solid position, room to grow, and a powerful trajectory make it ideal for learning and for raw power. The classic beginner and great-power pick. Carthage A rich economy and a strong position make Carthage a powerhouse, with naval and commercial strength. Forgiving and capable, an excellent choice for learning or for a wealthy empire.

Hellenistic kingdoms (Seleucids, Ptolemies) Great successor states with strong militaries and economies, capable of building huge legacies. More demanding than Rome, often facing contested positions and powerful rivals. Macedon & Epirus Powerful military nations with strong early armies, but precarious positions among ambitious neighbours. Strong in capable hands, less forgiving of mistakes than the top tier.

Greek city-states & Syracuse Cultured regional powers with high legacy potential for their size, but contested positions among strong neighbours. A rewarding, culture-focused game for players past the basics. Regional kingdoms & mid powers Capable nations with a real foothold but real rivals, balancing growth against tougher surroundings. A solid intermediate challenge that rewards careful play.

Small tribes & exposed minors Hard positions with little starting strength and dangerous neighbours, demanding experienced play. Fully able to win on legacy against the odds, but a real test rather than a gentle start.

S tier — Rome and Carthage

These two are the strongest and most forgiving nations, which makes them the best places to learn and the easiest to build a great empire with. Rome is the classic pick: it begins in a solid position with a powerful trajectory and room to grow and recover from mistakes, so it gives you the breathing space to learn the game's many systems while still building toward a dominant, high-legacy civilization. If you want to learn Empires, or simply lead a great power, Rome is the natural answer. Carthage is its near-equal, built on a rich economy and a strong strategic and naval position; it can grow into a wealthy, powerful empire and offers a slightly different flavour, leaning on commerce and sea power. Both nations let you focus on learning and building rather than fighting for survival, which is exactly what a newer player needs and what makes them so strong.

A tier — the Hellenistic great powers

The A tier holds the powerful successor states and military kingdoms of the Hellenistic world, strong nations that rank just below Rome and Carthage mainly because they face tougher, more contested positions. The great successor kingdoms — the Seleucids with their vast territory and the Ptolemies with their wealthy heartland — are major powers capable of building enormous legacies, but they sit among powerful rivals and sprawling, sometimes unstable domains that demand careful management. Macedon and Epirus are formidable military nations with strong early armies — Epirus especially can punch hard early — but they occupy precarious positions among ambitious neighbours and are less forgiving of mistakes than the top tier. For a player past the basics who wants a strong but more challenging great-power game, full of classical character, the Hellenistic kingdoms are a superb choice.

Nation	Strength	Best for
Rome	Strong position, powerful trajectory	Beginners, great-power play
Carthage	Rich economy, naval and trade power	Beginners, a wealthy empire
Seleucids / Ptolemies	Large, powerful successor states	Experienced great-power games
Macedon / Epirus	Strong armies, aggressive early play	Players who like military pressure
Greek city-states	High culture and legacy for their size	Culture-focused, tougher play

B and C tiers — the rewarding challenges

The lower tiers are not weak nations so much as harder positions, better suited to players who already know the game. The Greek city-states and powers like Syracuse are cultured regional players with high legacy potential relative to their size, but they sit among strong neighbours in contested regions, making for a rewarding, culture-and-diplomacy-focused game that is tougher than a major-power start. Regional kingdoms and mid powers have a real foothold but real rivals too, balancing growth against difficult surroundings in a solid intermediate challenge. The C tier holds the small tribes and exposed minor nations: hard positions with little starting strength and dangerous neighbours, demanding experienced, careful play. Crucially, because of the legacy victory, even these nations can absolutely win — a small power that builds its legacy cleverly against the odds is a genuinely satisfying achievement — so they rank low for difficulty and starting strength, not for viability.

Choosing your nation

The practical takeaway is straightforward. If you are new, or you want to lead a dominant power, start in the S tier with Rome or Carthage — their strength and forgiving positions let you learn and build without fighting for survival. Once you are comfortable, the Hellenistic great powers offer stronger, more demanding games with rich classical character, and the B and C tiers provide genuinely tough, characterful challenges for experienced players who relish building a legacy from a difficult position. Because the legacy victory means any nation can win, let the tiers guide your difficulty rather than dictate your choice, and pick the nation whose story and challenge appeal to you. To turn whichever nation you choose into a thriving, high-legacy empire, see our empire guide and war guide; if you are just starting out, the beginner guide covers the fundamentals.

Match your strategy to your nation's strengths. Rome and the successor kingdoms can build legacy through power and expansion; smaller, cultured nations build it through development, culture and clever diplomacy. Playing to what your nation does best matters more than copying a one-size-fits-all plan.

FAQ

For strength and ease, Rome is the standout — it begins well placed, grows powerfully, and is forgiving enough to learn on, which makes it the classic pick. Carthage is close behind, with a rich economy and a strong position. But 'best' depends on what you want: because you win on legacy rather than conquest, each nation offers a different path, and many players enjoy the challenge of a smaller power that must build its legacy cleverly rather than by sheer size.

Rome, by a clear margin. It starts in a solid position with room to grow and recover from mistakes, so its strength gives you space to learn the game's many systems — regions, buildings, economy, decadence and war. Carthage is another forgiving choice thanks to its strong economy and position. Avoid small, exposed nations and tribes until you are comfortable, since they punish inexperience far more harshly than a major power does.

Yes, and this is one of the game's best features. Because you win on legacy rather than by holding the most territory, a small but well-developed, cultured nation can out-score a sprawling empire, and legacy stays earned even if you later decline. So a minor power that builds its regions, culture and prosperity cleverly can absolutely win, which is why the lower tiers here reflect difficulty and starting strength, not whether a nation is capable of victory. Smaller nations are harder, not unwinnable.

Yes — the great successor states that emerged after Alexander, such as the Seleucids and Ptolemies, along with Macedon and Epirus, are powerful nations with strong militaries and economies. They rank just below Rome and Carthage mainly because they often face tougher, more contested positions and powerful rivals, demanding more careful play. For a player past the basics who wants a strong but more challenging great-power game, the Hellenistic kingdoms are an excellent, characterful choice.

The Greek city-states and similar regional powers are entirely playable but face harder, more contested positions, which makes them better suited to experienced players. They often have strong culture and the potential for a high legacy relative to their size, but they sit among powerful neighbours and must navigate a crowded, competitive region. Played well, they offer a rewarding, legacy-focused game that leans on culture and clever diplomacy more than raw conquest, but they are a tougher start than the major powers.

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