How can I make the game more challenging?

[dr_guerra]

I don't mean to sound like a jerk or a show off, but I find that the game is a bit too easy. I play on very hard/very hard, and I've tried out all the different factions, I don't quicksave and quickload games if I make a mistake or lose a battle, but overall the game isn't challenging enough.

For example, if I try Civilization IV on the hardest setting, I will get massacred beyond belief.

I want a game where I actually have to struggle to exist, let alone thrive and dominate. Multiplayer is great for challenging battles, but not for campaigns.

Any suggestions? I don't know if I should mod it or do something else. I've even limited my use of certain units. The Mongols have become disappointingly easy and the Timurids aren't as difficult as I had expected. So I'm not really sure what to do at this point.

[homefry]

Turn on general's camera and only issue orders that you can see. If you can't see a unit, have the unit put under AI control.

And play a chivalric game. Have your rep as high as possible.

Only occupy cities, release all prisoners, low taxes, no spies or assasins.

[LordCrockett]

Yes, what Homefry said was basically right, also you might want to change the Rebel spawn rate. That will give you more pesky rebels to fight and deal with. More trouble but thats what you wanted right !

[Theseus1234]

also, try doing some role play

pretend you are a king that cares only about the military, and not farms
or a generous king, who will never execute prisoners, and believes that spear militia are the greatest soldiers ever

[Viking Prince]

Another suggestion -- You "know" what the AI will do, but you would never use a single Cog to transport the King and the best troops in the empire. So do not do it. Don;t take advantage of the weakness of the AI. Play as if all factions are human players. Caution means slower growth and higher upkeep.

[Winter_Is_Coming]

Play a mod. Fight against a crusade or jihad. Play with one hand tied behind your back. Play blindfolded.

[dr_guerra]

Actually, I don't play with assassins at all, because I like all my generals to have max chivalry, I always release prisoners for that chivalry bonus. People might love dread, but when you have massive city growth because of a Saintly General, it's quite good.

I generally have low taxes and a large armed force, which typically means countries are less likely to attack me.

If I move troops, I'll use a fleet of 3 ships minimum.

I'll try that General's Camera thing. Sounds interesting.

[RantingHeretic]

dr_guerra, this is something I have also been struggling with. There all sorts of ways to make the game more enjoyable, but in terms of making it harder, it seems nigh impossible. I have only felt like I was on the verge of annihilation once, and the moment quickly passed.
I'm doing the best I can to keep it fun, and I may lose a fight here or there, but without the sense of struggle or a real challenge, I can't see myself playing this for that much longer...

That said, mods are definitely the way to go. I have little experience with them myself yet, but Stainless Steel+ some of its submods impose all sorts of limitations on the player- supply lines, recruitment zones, some other stuff- which seemed to add some interesting challenges.
I am almost completed a campaign as Egypt on Lands to Conquer (vh/vh), and while the map has changed in interesting ways (Portugal as a super power? Wha?) I have been pretty safe in my Holy Land Bubble. It's been a lot of fun, but I'm too far away from everyone else to really feel threatened.
Darth mod had the most challenging battle AI I have yet played, though it still wasn't that hard. But it was a definite, instantly recognizable improvement.

I have also been unable to make it meaningfully harder though, despite role-playing and self-limitating. Massive money scripts work, but they eliminate the already fragile economic warfare component, and ultimately they just mean the computer spams an endless series of stacks at you. More challenging, but much less fun, i'm my opinion

if you have yet to get into any mods though, that definitely is the way to go.

[thatguy]

You could also play the game on a laptop. without a mouse so you have to use those crappy little pad things.

ANyway, if you havent already try the restric camera option. or the general veiw thing (thats hard and extremely fun on a map with dense fog )

[Joel92]

with scotland, create suiciadal armies and try to conquer egypt with that army without refreshing any units XD

[Sokar Rostau]

Stop blitzing.

Don't turtle.

Don't engage in multiple simultaneous wars of expansion - fight defensive wars against Poland and Byzantium while fighting offensively against Spain.

Assist your allies. Keep Scotland contained and if they take any English land take it back and donate it back to England.

Choose one or two of your most steadfast allies at turn 50ish and help them become superpowers - give them the eastern frontier so that they have to deal with the Mongols/Timurids while you consolidate your empire. Attack them last.

[dr_guerra]

You know, I don't know if you guys have tried it, but there is a game called Knights of Honor. It's not unlike medieval total war. The difference however is that the campaign map is real time. Unfortunately, they only have multiplayer on the battle map, not the campaign map. The battles however, since they are also done in real time, the campaign map does not pause. Which is interesting.

Anyways, I'd really love to see a real time campaign for Total War, just so campaign multiplayer would be available. Unless it's other humans, AI will never compare. It's the sad reality. Maybe timed multiplayer turns?

I don't know. Something more than hotseat.

(I never even get backstabbed by my allies, which is interesting)

I'll try out stainless. But I wish there was something else to add more umph.

[RantingHeretic]

Knights of Honor looks interesting, though a little like Stronghold or Medieval Lite. I'm gonna try out the demo right now.

CA put out a poll not too long ago about real-time campaigns...the response was pretty negative, but the ability to play a multi player campaign would be awesome.

I remember reading that the modder Lusted was working on an a new AI that would backstab the player when it was too their advantage.

I've never played a hotseat game for this. It just seems like it would be incredibly frustrating. I'm not that patient..

[Serious J]

Stop playing Vanilla and get a good mod like Stainless Steel or Broken Crescent. The difference in difficulty is staggering.

[dr_guerra]

Mind you, I like proper difficulty. Not tedious difficulty. I hate excessive rebellions in regions with 150% loyalty and 100% state religion, and a large reserve army in the region. It's absurd. Maxed out authority, maxed out piety and chivalry King and I still get them. Makes no sense whatsoever.

I played Broken Crescent. It's a good mod, but I'd like a larger map. It's not overly difficult though, even as smaller Kingdoms like Armenia.

Knights of Honor is spectacular. It's like Lords of the Realm but real time everything. If it had campaign multiplayer, I wouldn't even touch Medieval II. (and I love medieval II).

or if anyone has played civilization IV. You can do consecutive turns that are timed. It's quite neat and they have a brilliant multiplayer system.

I just wish someone out there would realize the massive demand for campaign multiplayer.

[gpowsang]

Here are a few ways of making the game harder:

-On the very first turn, send out a diplomat to give away all but one of your settlements.

-Use only light units.

-Inbreed the crap out of your family.

-Max out the taxes in your settlements.

Make no religious characters.


I know a few more but these are the basic ones.

[a0jc]

i enjoy going into battles with just a general and micromanage them to victory. if ur sieging, add a peasant unit to carry the rams or one siege equipment. so basically use one unit to win a battle. the results could be staggering. ever seen peasants utterly destroy Mailed Knights? neither have I, but I was close.

[Logik]

2 suggestions Play the game on VH/VH and as soon as you are strong enough attack and sack Rome. And Presto you have yourself a killer campaign.My last suggestion is when you do sack Rome just make sure you keep a couple of armies handy or if not prepare to get annihilated and get your Butt handed to you by every Catholic Faction in the game.

[LordCrockett]

"I just wish someone out there would realize the massive demand for campaign multiplayer." - DR_Guerra

YES YES YES YES YES
Thank you for mentioning this! Ever since i first played Rome Total War i have been fantasizing over a Campaign Multilayer. Every time i play a Total War game it comes into my head. The obvious problem is it would take way way longer to play than a pitched battle so it would be extremely difficult to do

[dr_guerra]

Yeah, I've done this as Sicily, had about 5-6 factions declare war on me, and I massacred Crusader army after Crusader army.

The battles themselves are just too easy vs the AI. Only humans give a challenge.