Editing Greg Fulton/Fanstratics Newsletters/12 (section)

== Fanstratics Feature: 9 Playable Factions ==
If you have been keeping track, you would know I had 9 Factions planned.  In revealing the Chimerans, all 9 are now known.  Here they are in alphabetical order...
* Allegiant
* Boggish
* Chimerans
* Infernals
* Krasadox
* Necrotics
* Stoutbluds
* Thornwood
* Zubhewen

Some of you may be wondering why 9... from the start?  HoMM3 shipped with 8 Factions, with the 9th Faction, the Conflux, being added with the expansion.  Truthfully, it all comes down to expanded cultural knowledge of the fantasy genre.

Prior to 1999, the public’s ‘cultural knowledge of the fantasy genre’ was limited to classical architypes.  Since 1999, due in large part to video games, the public’s ‘cultural knowledge of the fantasy genre’ has expanded.  In 1999, if I had proposed a spell casting, anthropomorphic alligator (Gatorkin Caster), I’m relatively confident JVC would have given me a sour glare and shot it down.  Today... most people wouldn’t blink.

While Fanstratics will continue to adhere to classical fantasy architypes, there is more room to play around at the edges, and embracing this additional freedom goes an exceptionally long way to helping FST distinguish itself from HoMM3.

So, from the start, I was able to construct a comfortable 9 Factions.