Nearly 90% of the factions lack cavalry. And whats up with the ever increasing difficulty?

[fishdish]

I think someone should do a submod, that keep the current AI difficulty and that offer an alternative easier AI (3.1 or modifikation)
Thus one can choose and make large parts of this disscusion meaningless.

(maybe Germanicu5 could do something like this)

[Baron Samedi]

I think someone should do a submod, that keep the current AI difficulty and that offer an alternative easier AI (3.1 or modifikation)
Thus one can choose and make large parts of this disscusion meaningless.

(maybe Germanicu5 could do something like this)

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=390535

[smoesville]

I've only played it a little but i have to say i like the slower recruitment, but then i do like a challenge and usually play at VH/VH. There has been a slight shift in difficulty IMO but comparing the difficulty settings that are named for vanilla isn't a good idea. As someone said hard is now VH and so on but that to me is great since it's not just boring army after army in my experience as it is in some mods. In all honesty people keep complaining how the evil factions are too hard esp. Isengard when they should wipe the floor with Rohan. Something that i think they forget is at the start of the mod it's still what 50 years before the war of the ring which is 200 turns or something? The whole mod has become more like my Dúnedain submod, less troops but IMO great fun with long recruitment times and a challenge to keep as many men as possible alive. ME is not a populous world even when compared to Dark Age europe (on which it's based) and though many want bigger armies it needn't be that way. In my experience smaller armies that matter are better than large armies that you can replace easily, in essence they are your men, keep them alive, Alexander couldn't summon men from nothing, losses matter as they should.

On the matter of cavalry, i would say it's accurate and makes rohan and harad more unique and powerful if you know how to use them. The only cavalry i recall apart from them are the Noldor of the first age, none are mentioned in Akallebeth and i doubt the numenoreans would be great cavalry since they were renouned seafarers, horses and seafaring don't mix.

Also Alreadyded i think made a submod/test that makes the Ai allies help out more which is cool and makes things a bit better/easier at times.

[fishdish]

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=390535

I know, and I use it, because i love the improvements.

Overall imo the Ai behavoir in 3.0 is much better, also the money/stackspamming balance.
But I can understand some players(mostly new) , that this game is hard or not easy.
It is suppossed to be like this.

Anyhow I am sure a mod like "Mod for beginners" or " 3.0 light version" with a couple more features for easier beginning,
would significant help newcomers(and reduce criticism)

(baron, dont get me wrong, i love your submod, but my though is about a more complex mod for beginners.)

[FC Groningen]

I think that if we got rid of the "this game is supposed to be played on vh/vh", most complains would disappear. I'm struggling as well on vh/h and that is also because I tried tricks that worked in 2.1 and less or not at all in 3.0. I'm the kind of gamer that likes to get his ass kicked if he messes up (only in gaming ), but if you don't feel like it, play on hard or medium. It is called "medium" for a reason after all.

[Ngugi]

@ fishdish
Wouldnt it help people to just play TATW at easy or medium instead of making a submod for it? I do not miscredit the idea, it could be good, but potentially its a work around?
Sometimes it sounds as people are hellbent on playing on harder levels for the sake of it instead of the one that fit them; as well as not acknowlidge that the 2.1 challenge-rates are not the same as in 3.0 due to the changes that has been don.VH is now VVH and thus one who had a though time with VH in 2.1 should play H or M instead in 3.0.

@ FC'
True enough; while the game is made with VH/VH as goal by the hard core player KK its certainly not any problems playing at less beating levels

[fishdish]

@ Ngugi

I am not sure, in which amound of gameplay impact the decreasing of difficulty from VH to H or H to Medium has. My AI modding skills are to limited to evaluate this.
As far i can hear it from players in this forum, it should help.
In this case, I totally agree with you.

In the other case, if decreasing the level difficulty to easy/easy , wouldnt help enjoing the game due the challenge, then I think such a "3.0 lite version" could help out.


Its only my opinion, and the guys who have knowlage about modding and this could answer such questions.
And indeed King Kong answered, where he said that VH/VH is not a obligation to play this mod right.


So in summary, its just the point of view of the situation. If someone blame the mod for being to difficult, while playing on VH and not decrasing the diffuculty to easy.Then its not the modders fault.
But if "easy" dont help then one could do something to help out.

[Modestus]

Observations from a person who never played any version of TATW before 3.0.

Playing High Elves on hard I reached a level of economic and military strength that would just about allow me to muster enough forces to act as security for a Lady Gaga concert, I could not afford to improve any of my towns except very very slowly and as my towns folk are not the most fecund people in Middle Earth most will remain as hovels well into the fourth age.

When you do slowly expand you find no self-respecting High Elf would live there and God forbid it was a successful mission as this could present you with even more mouths to feed, thanks a lot for the 2 Elven archer units and with my 3 new generals I am now in debt..... once again.

What little troops you do raise spend their days going back and forth trying to defend this urban decay and why any Orc would even be interested is a mystery and can only be explained by Saurons need to search every orifice to find the One Ring.

Edit 22\12\11 : I better say that I am also finding this game addictive and love my Elven Archers, once defending Imladhras I created a storm of arrows that devoured the Orcish army head first as it attacked along the narrow pathway.

In the end I did add the mod that tweaks settlements growth and incomes because playing the vanilla was pure torture, I honestly think something is wrong when some successful missions or new family members (coming of age) can put you into debt.

[Cauis Cosades]

Good Lord, Why are you complaining?
KK made this amazing mod out of the goodness of his heart and because he wanted to. He's not paid to do this.
If you can't do it on VH/VH, then play it on a different difficulty. If all are to hard then why don't you ask politely for someone to help you mod it and make it easier. As I said, KK made this because he's nice and his mods tend to be more difficult. So, instead of complaining about KK not catering to your needs, why don't you ask for help?
Don't ask me though, I'm a terrible modder.

[Korsan82]

Deedlit I agree with every word you say.

This game has awesome designers, art workers, techies, scripters and whatever. The only thing this game lacks is a real gameplay balance. Not only is the difficulty level too high (maybe because of dozens of "i beat the game on VH/VH on 2 turns" posts) but the units are horribly unbalanced. Examples for this are again the super units which don't die in normals ways but require flanking and rear charges (when clearly arrows are more logical) and in general require too much micromanagement.
I don't enjoy doing everything right, spotting the danger in time, ordering all my units to take out that danger just to see the target is smiling at me and doesnt even lose a single unit.. just annoying if you ask me but that's a different story.
I hope your next release will be a complete balance overhaul between factions and between all the units.

[Ekaddon]

Do any of you take lore into consideration at all? I find that 3.0 is far better than previous versions lore-wise. This time in the TA is supposed to feel gruesome, most infrastructure has fallen into decay, the races have become weak and old alliances are all broken. The elves are leaving, their power fading, Dwarves are isolated, Gondor and Rohan are in decay... The Dark lord is returning!

I suppose that I think very much like KingKong, since to me most games today are too easy and especially shortlived. TA however gives me the chance to for once actually spend time with the game, waiting and watching the world develop at a "realistic" pace.

I have no problems fighting the now far better Rohan troops, and I have only recruited 4 units of Uruk Hai by turn 100! To me it all comes down to using the terrain and a superior general. Then even my Raider/Reaver/Snaga can take on Theoden w/full stack, and win with some 30-40% casualties. The remaining units are enough meet the next weakened Eored.

Really, how bad can you be at this game? I simply can not find another reason to feel that the game is TOO hard.

And to the difficulty, on VH/VH my last campaign as Isengard (3.0) is something I have waited for in a game before (CoW comes close).. nearly 100 turns and only now do I have 5 settlements. For a long time I was down to only Isengard, at one time i only had the two Dunland towns. Saruman is still kicking around, slightly insane and paranoid by now, with gold chevron Orthanc units and Raiders, all of whom have fought from the beginning. I actually feel, that this is me commanding the fate of my "empire"!

[Plumo]

@Ekkadon
I agree with you. I also like taking my time for it. Some people hate losing settlements, but it's part of the mod IMHO.

In my Dale Campaign I was fighting an intense war with Rhun, Fighting hard over every settlement between us. I loved it. But when Sauron finds the One Ring and attacks you with a full stack uber-army, I was in big trouble

[muller227]

Deedlit I agree with every word you say.

This game has awesome designers, art workers, techies, scripters and whatever. The only thing this game lacks is a real gameplay balance. Not only is the difficulty level too high (maybe because of dozens of "i beat the game on VH/VH on 2 turns" posts) but the units are horribly unbalanced. Examples for this are again the super units which don't die in normals ways but require flanking and rear charges (when clearly arrows are more logical) and in general require too much micromanagement.
I don't enjoy doing everything right, spotting the danger in time, ordering all my units to take out that danger just to see the target is smiling at me and doesnt even lose a single unit.. just annoying if you ask me but that's a different story.
I hope your next release will be a complete balance overhaul between factions and between all the units.

I guess this is a taste issue, the super units well yeah Mumakil give headaches. Its not like we are Brit tank crews trying to bounce rounds into the belly of a King Tiger, while be tracked by that damned 88. It is just a computer game.

The unit imbalances are actually what makes this a much more tactical game. You have to plan for these units, all the way back in the construction phase of your cities. I got by for a long time without artillery until this mod. Napoleon called it the Queen of Battle for a reason, and I finally have had to learn how to deploy it and use terrain to dodge it, util my cav can get to it.

All in all, unit imbalance is the core of the game, Eldar Swords kick orc infantry butt, but strangely enough you better steer clear of the lowly skirmishers. One unit of them will do unholy damge to your expensive unit if you are not paying attention. BAI flanks much better now. So you better keep a mobile reserve to deal with it, or better yet terrain permitting hide a light archer unit in a good position and let the flanking maneuver develop and shoot the hell out of their backs. It does take a lot more micromanagement but I sort like that.

[FC Groningen]

Again, to the people that say the game is too brutal on them, have you tried to simply pick a lower difficulty? If so, what is the problem?

edit: For Mumakil, some AP units work very good like the Dwarven units or the Pelargir marines, but best still are catapults. Since you also need them to dodge garrison scripts, it always pays off to have 1 unit of those with you. Any battle with a catapult has replay value as well if you're into that. (try your luck and hit the general)

[PerXX]

Again, to the people that say the game is too brutal on them, have you tried to simply pick a lower difficulty? If so, what is the problem?

What? NO! My mom says I'm awesome! I cannot win easily on the highest difficulty, so surely there must be something wrong with the game!

[muller227]

Again, to the people that say the game is too brutal on them, have you tried to simply pick a lower difficulty? If so, what is the problem?

edit: For Mumakil, some AP units work very good like the Dwarven units or the Pelargir marines, but best still are catapults. Since you also need them to dodge garrison scripts, it always pays off to have 1 unit of those with you. Any battle with a catapult has replay value as well if you're into that. (try your luck and hit the general)

UMM!! I think you misunderstand, I actually prefer the difficulty, getting my ass beat by computer is not a problem. I was trying to point out that TW is an entire process and it is getting harder which is good. Its still not Like the SS get a life version, which thouroughly beat me up.

[FC Groningen]

UMM!! I think you misunderstand, I actually prefer the difficulty, getting my ass beat by computer is not a problem. I was trying to point out that TW is an entire process and it is getting harder which is good. Its still not Like the SS get a life version.

Then I did not aim at you. In fact, I got the same as you and like some punishment in games. I hoped to hear from people that DO mind the current difficulty and why lowering the difficulty won't solve it. It is by no means to look down on anyone. Just asking for a clarification. IF people need tips/strategy guides, a lot of people would be more than willing to help out.

Tl;dr, there is no shame in asking for help/lowering the settings.

[smoesville]

Do any of you take lore into consideration at all?

I'd agree on this completely. The balance also means by the 100+ turn there isn't two massive empires to the exclusion of everything else. Like in an XGM campaign where it was baktria, seleucia and thrace that owned the world in roughly equal portions.

[Maximillian Returns]

What? NO! My mom says I'm awesome! I cannot win easily on the highest difficulty, so surely there must be something wrong with the game!

lol

[Lazy]

I find this thread funny... pls do not take this harrasing or something
I was about to create a thread about the game beeing too easy! Way too easy! ( on vh/vh with Baron Samedis Submods, but only the ones who make it harder ).
Of course sometimes I loose a battle or a settlement... but as I am a thinking human ( who builds watchtowers and makes plans ) every single defeat is somehow an advantage if I do it right!

Defending is the best part... put three bodyguards in a settlement that the AI wants very badly...They will send up to 7 crappy units to attack => 3 charges with every bodyguard and heroic victory!
I learned that in my first game as Rhun... I defeated the complete field army of Dale with this method as the AI is forced to "invade_buildup" if its "empty"...

or
Put inside a settlement 1 unit and hide 2 bodyguards near it ( forest ), the AI will never learn what you are doing... they will send like 3-4 units every 5 turns!
Sometimes heroic victory too... just charge into the dalesmen and retreat...
at this point big thanks for the battle AI! It´s way better then everything I played until now!