Camel Gunners really are in a league of their own.The Moors also get Camel Gunners, which are essentially mounted musketeers, and start off close to Timbuktu, where a few merchants can make several thousand florins per turn. Sure, you don't get them until late in the game and all the other infantry the Moors can field are mediocre, but their baseline stats of 16 attack and 22 defense, low upkeep and good morale and stamina more than make up for it. Think Highland Nobles and Noble Swordsmen are bad? Try the Moors Dismounted Christian Guard unit.Pair Highland Nobles with some Noble Swordsman for shock attacks and a bunch of pikemen to ward off cavalry or accept counter-charges, and you'll destroy nearly everything. Scottish infantry are some of the best in the game, especially on a charge, and are pretty cheap compared with most other factions' infantry. Cavalry are squished outright by the range of pikemen that the Scots can field. The reason for this is because when you've got 1,200 screaming, painted, claymore-swinging Highland Nobles charging you, no amount of arrows or bullets are going to save your ass. The Scots don't get high-end gunpowder units and have relatively weak archer units.Also, the Scots have Highland Nobles which, when fully upgraded, cleave through most infantry and cavalry like a chainsaw through tapioca. The Scots have access to Noble Swordsmen, who are basically Dismounted Feudal Knights on steroids.
It will almost guarantee winning against any other stack of army costing the same or even more, provided that general skills don't differ too much.
The Russians may also qualify: while they start with the weakest roster of any faction (and territory that is difficult to both conquer and control), any city of theirs with the Huge Stone Walls upgrade can build Cossack Musketeers, a top-tier gunpowder unit, the instant blackpowder weapons become available.Firearms also pierce armour like tissue paper. If sheer number of men killed in a single go won't cause rout, then the debuff will. Musketeer ashigaru, when firing at troops right in front of them, will simply slaughter whatever is in front, while survivors will be under the debuff effect of firearms to morale.
The game infamously combines general's skill with combat prowess.Taking over the clan's fief from rebels was significantly easier. It was possible to wipe out any of the clans by assassinating or killing in battles their heirs and then the daimyo himself, triggering Non-Standard Game Over.The Takeda clan will sometimes start with an heir who has Honour 5-6 in addition to their Daimyo with Honour 6.Kensai with decent Honour/Weapons/Armour can put down whole peasant rebellions, add a few to your uber-general's army and watch them carve everything up, excluding the Heavy Cavalry lead by heirs/Daimyos, Warrior Monks and high level Naginata Cavalry.Even a middling Hojo player could sweep the campaign map before the first European contact. They're nearly invincible and can wipe out entire clans if used right.