Scythia (and others) with non-Reduced AI Bonuses

[Sextus Molestus]

I just downloaded XC but haven't started a campaign yet. I play on Easy/Easy difficulty, because I am, and will forever remain, a spineless noob. I want to have the AI Bonuses to add some spice to the game - I like difficult campaign AI but don't like the monetary "penalty" I suffer on difficulties above Easy (rather, I like the monetary bonus I'm granted on Easy).

However, from your experiences, how bad does Scythia (and other potential superpower threats) get with AI Bonuses on, on Easy difficulty? I'm not one to nerf everything that becomes a threat, but I certainly don't want expansion north (as the Greeks) to be a boring, neverending, horse-archer chase.

I'm debating whether, if I use AI Bonuses, to "nerf" Scythia by multiplying all of their cavalry upkeeps by 1.5, and making horde unit upkeeps 100 rather than 0, but I don't want to have them be completely destroyed in the first twenty years or so if they aren't too much of a problem. I define too much of a problem as them consistently expanding into German lands and getting as far south as Seleucid or Pontic lands, as well as taking over Thrace single-handedly. This is too much orange for me.

[Zarax]

Well, with what we did in the past few versions the orange death should stay confined mostly to the steppes.
Worst case all you need to do is a quick reinstall...

[Sextus Molestus]

If it's not too much of a burden, what did you do to confine them?

[Zarax]

Mostly reduced bonuses and serious AOR limitations...

[CaesarVincens]

You are more likely to face a "teal death" than an orange death these days.

[Sextus Molestus]

Thanks for the information, I'm planning a reinstallation in which AI Bonuses are not reduced and it's completely clean, meaning, I do not edit the base unrest and change them all to 0, and I do not nerf Scythia. We'll see how it runs.

I must also extend my compliments to the makers of XGM and XC - you have all improved this game enough to keep me having fun with it for quite an extended period of time. Great modding!