Very Hard vs Hard

[kannwar]

Ok this has probably been asked before but what are the chances i will get my ass kicked on Very Hard difficulty given that i have been playing successful campaigns for a while on Hard.

I am thinking of upping the difficulty on my next game but i have heard horror stories of people getting annihilated in the first 20 turns on that difficulty especially in Kingdoms (those campaigns have always been more challenging IMO because it seems to be harder to build an economy in the beginning).

[Conquistatore]

It really isn't very different. It is a little harder to forge alliances and the AI is slightly more aggressive.. apart from that it is the same as hard.

[Reynolds]

The best way to find out is just to try it, and so what if you get destroyed in the first 20 turns? Its only 20 turns , that would take about half-an-hour so its inconsequential, and just go back to Hard

Only really noticed one difference, everyone will backstab you IF GIVEN THE OPPERTUNITY, so even if your settlement is adjacent to your ally of 200 turns with perfect relations, Do Not garrison it with 1 unit of peasants

[France]

The best way to find out is just to try it, and so what if you get destroyed in the first 20 turns? Its only 20 turns , that would take about half-an-hour so its inconsequential, and just go back to Hard

Only really noticed one difference, everyone will backstab you IF GIVEN THE OPPERTUNITY, so even if your settlement is adjacent to your ally of 200 turns with perfect relations, Do Not garrison it with 1 unit of peasants

Wow, must be pretty bad with Milan.

[Wartower]

Which aspect of difficulty? The battle or campaign? I found that the only real difference is on battle, where the AI is much more inclined to fight to the death. As far as the campaign side of things, Hard or Very hard really feels the same.

But remember...I was dropped often as a child and was fond of eating paint chips.

[Monsieur Alphonse]

The AI is more aggressive actually to aggressive. I am currently playing a campaign on VH instead on Hard what I normally do. The AI takes less time to upgrade castles or cities, meaning more stacks filled with crap soldiers. I have ever seen so many peasants for a long time. Only later in the game I have met more stronger armies.

VH will mean that you are attacked sooner by more enemies. Once you have survived this onslaught it is actually easier.

[Viking Prince]

The AI is more aggressive actually to aggressive. I am currently playing a campaign on VH instead on Hard what I normally do. The AI takes less time to upgrade castles or cities, meaning more stacks filled with crap soldiers. I have ever seen so many peasants for a long time. Only later in the game I have met more stronger armies.

VH will mean that you are attacked sooner by more enemies. Once you have survived this onslaught it is actually easier.

Interesting point of view. I have never played on anything but vh/vh. What settings do you use?

[pileyourbodies]

I personally play hard, Very hard is just...well its annoying.

[Pink Beard]

i play on whatever button i accidantly click on. usually that's hard or Very hard .
I have to say there's only minor difference in everything besides one: on hard u will "occasionally" see a stack moving around. on very hard it isn't strange to see 2-3 stacks close to eachother. overall besides that i haven't noticed much difference...

[Silent Assassin]

The AI is more aggressive but also in battles the AI gets a great amount of moral boost

[Dewy]

The AI is more aggressive but also in battles the AI gets a great amount of moral boost

I'm going to guess you are not a modder? The main thing in battle is that the harder setting the lower the moral, not the other way around. Of course its dumb thats why the hardest settings to play is VH/M. EOR is make the moral higher for VH to make it hadr not a push over

[Pfundner]

in very hard the AI is completely un-cooperative

so if ur a fan of diplomacy stick to hard

thats the only real difference ive noticed, everyone seems to hate you

[kannwar]

Thanks for replies everyone. I think i will give it a go in my next game. I'm thinking i will try Sicily they have always seemed like a cool faction to play.

Cheers!

[Conquistatore]

Sicily? Careful of your fellow Italians, they will backstab you or attack at the first oppportunity! Be a friend to the Pope and he will be a friend to you.

[Pink Beard]

Sicily? Careful of your fellow Italians, they will backstab you or attack at the first oppportunity! Be a friend to the Pope and he will be a friend to you.

*cough* Milan *cough*

[kannwar]

Yea i know all too well what the Milanese are capable of. They will be the first on my priority list to die. In my current game as the Holy Roman Empire they never got a chance to back-stab. I saw Venice take Milan so i immediately went and took Genoa which they foolishly left lightly garrisoned. That left them with only Ajaccio which is a castle therefore they had no real economy infrastructure left and i just killed them at leisure.

EDIT: I usually try to make the Papal States my allies first thing. Gives a bit of an edge.

[Vince Noir]

I find battles are easier on very hard.

Morale is raised and so is the effect that dread and chivalry have. Essentially double. Hence, if I have a general with 3 dread or higher I find the enemy easily routes.

On medium battle difficulty they usually fight to the death.

On the campaign map, very hard on Vanilla renders diplomacy useless. The AI is overly aggressive and will more often than not betray you.

From my experince if you want a lot of action, with large epic battles that are fought to the last man - play Very Hard campaign, Medium battle difficulty.

[Dewy]

I find battles are easier on very hard.

Morale is raised and so is the effect that dread and chivalry have. Essentially double. Hence, if I have a general with 3 dread or higher I find the enemy easily routes.

On medium battle difficulty they usually fight to the death.

On the campaign map, very hard on Vanilla renders diplomacy useless. The AI is overly aggressive and will more often than not betray you.

From my experince if you want a lot of action, with large epic battles that are fought to the last man - play Very Hard campaign, Medium battle difficulty.

read the post above. Moral is not raised it is lowered, and when AI don't use family members it makes it easyer for you

[Silent Assassin]

read the post above. Moral is not raised it is lowered, and when AI don't use family members it makes it easyer for you

OK I don't know who is right are wrong here but either the AI units moral is boost up or the player moral is toned down. either way we are the two right.

[Monsieur Alphonse]

According to Lusted the morale and stamina of the human player is lowered on higher difficulties to the same level as the AI (on very hard). That is why on easy you units don't tire that much (you can run them all over the battle field) and they hardly route where on very hard an overwhelming enemy force that surrounds you can cause your units to route.