What do difficulty levels actually do?

[Franbo]

I tried finding another thread with this topic but alas failed to do so; does anyone know what ACTUAL differences the difficulty levels make?

I believe that higher battle difficulties give the enemy units more morale and campaign difficulties give the AI nations more money (shame the difficulty couldn't just effect the AI complexity). I am trying to find out quite how much benefit is given. i.e.:

• Hard = Income *2
• Very Hard = Income *4
• etc.

Does anyone happen to know the metrics for the changes?

Franbo

[Irmo]

You can check the exact differences under main.pack\campaign_difficulty_handicap_effects_tables\campaign_difficulty_handicap_effects (You need the Pack File Manager).

Main bonuses the AI gets on higher difficulty levels are (for campaign):

• More agents (twice as much on VH)
• Cheaper buildings (30% cheaper on VH)
• Tax income bonus (40% higher on VH)
• Higher Movement points (20% more on VH)
• Cheaper town watch (90% cheaper on VH)
• Cheaper recruitment (30% cheaper on VH)
• Repression bonus (+3 on VH)
• Technology research rate (30% faster on VH)
• Cheaper upkeep (40% cheaper on VH)

As for the battle AI, they get bonuses to morale, accuracy, melee defense and attack and basically all
other aspects. There are no specifics because no-one has found/posted where the file for the battle AI handicap is.

Hope this helps .

[Ascarona]

Thread answered, thx to Irno +rep
?

[AlphaDelta]

More agents (twice as much on VH)
Cheaper buildings (30% cheaper on VH)
Tax income bonus (40% higher on VH)
Higher Movement points (20% more on VH)
Cheaper town watch (90% cheaper on VH)
Cheaper recruitment (30% cheaper on VH)
Repression bonus (+3 on VH)
Technology research rate (30% faster on VH)
Cheaper upkeep (40% cheaper on VH)

Wow was it the same in M2TW? I always knew that money = difficulty, but I didnt think CA knew

As for the battle AI, they get bonuses to morale, accuracy, melee defense and attack and basically all
other aspects. There are no specifics because no-one has found/posted where the file for the battle AI handicap is.

Really?? I thought they did away with cheat bonuses on the battlefield? But having played battles on M and VH, its clear those cheat bonuses still exist.