Preferred SS Difficulty Level

[Green Warrior]

Now that I've had SS running for about a week or so, I'd like to know what difficulty settings players prefer?

I always played M2TW at Very-Hard/Very-Hard. But I'm finding that rather too much for me when playing SS. I toned it down to Hard/Very-Hard and it was still a bit too much for me to handle. I started a new campaign recently as Byzantium (my all-time favorite) on Medium/Very-Hard and I'm finding it much more manageable.

So as you can see, it was not the difficulty of individual battles that gave me trouble; rather the difficulty of the campaign has been key for me.

I'd like to know what others have experienced and what they might advise me. By the way, I'm using the BGR supplement in my SS mod.

Thanks.

[Sir Walter]

M/M is my preferred difficulty. I never used anything else though... and Byg's E/E is like vanilla VH/VH

[soulson]

I prefer H/VH. I find that on VH/VH there are just way to many random acts of war with random nations attacking you. Like Scottland attacking me (TO) 9 turns in.

[Byg]

I like to set the difficulty of the game and the mods installed to the hardest level possible. not because I'm a great player, but because I like to have to think and I like my victories to mean something.

[Kazuhiro]

I've always preferred VH/VH, but that was before I was enlightened with BYG's mod. Now I go H/H, and its still very difficult.

[meese]

VH/VH on SS 6.2 without Bygs. I'm not particularly good with it and particularly early on, have to start over anew, but it's more interesting.

[Caesar Clivus]

VH/VH on SS 6.2 without Bygs. I'm not particularly good with it and particularly early on, have to start over anew, but it's more interesting.

6.1 on VH/VH is 6.2's M/M, just to give you some warning

[meese]

6.1 on VH/VH is 6.2's M/M, just to give you some warning

No wonder I keep failing miserably

[Tacitursa]

I like VH/VH im not the greatest player and i struggle quite alot on that difficulty playing 6.2 but thats how i like games to be.

It's a real challenge wiping out an AI faction especially france on VH/VH 6.2 but once youve put all the effort in and worked hard for it for many turns you feel much more accomplishment when you pull it off.

People always recomend starting games (of all types) on easy/medium first and then play hard mode once you have got familiar with the game. I say play hard right from the start and overcome the challenge it's alot better than steamrolling the game on easy then getting bored half way through on hard mode.

[Kawee]

Playing 6.2 VH/VH was the first time in my life that I failed completely in a MTWII campaign. I don't always get the 70 regions (mostly due to boredom) but I can usually get myself a strong foothold somewhere (Scandinavia when playing Denmark, British Isle when playing England, Italy when playing Venice) quite quickly. When I played SS 6.2 the first time, I played at VH/VH like I always do and after 50 or so turns as VeniceI still couldn't control Italy, was at war with all my neighbors, poor financial state (first time I'm broke playing as Venice), and excommunicated. I had to restart a couple more times to get a hang of it.

It's a steep learning curve but a very challenging and fun one to learn.

[Trinity]

I play with VH/M. I used to play VH/H but I would get frustrated about 50 turns in at the AIs morale boost. I'm not a great tactician but I know that I need horses to flank, or less play defensive.

[Goofy]

When I was a newb with this game, about year ago, I played with M/M. Now I always play on H/H, although I think that I soon start to play on VH/H or vice versa.

[Kawee]

How did you get France to become your vassal as Kwarezmian? I can't imagine you going to war in the first place except through crusade.

[Lemming69]

how did you get anyone to become a vassal is the question

[Tacitursa]

Take all there regions apart from 1 and surround it with a stack or two. Then siege it, Next turn drop seige and enter diplomacy.

Offer them 1-2 of there regions back and become a vassal. That ussualy works for me. Im pretty sure it helps if your global reputation is decent and your fairly chivalrous.

Nobody is going to become a vassal of some deceitfull dreadlord that's previously sacked/exterminated and executed there people during battle/sieges.

I ussualy take iverness and edinburgh from the scots then surround aberdeen , Offer them iverness,vassal,ceasefire and they ussualy accept. If they say no siege it for another turn and try again

[Aranu]

haha ill explain ^^
the French were at war with england aragon and genoa.
France had about 3 regions left then crusade came to me, when that army with Prince was near they had 1 regions left,
I offered Vassal + 1 regions and they happily accepted, next turn Rennes falls and there now surviving in turkey
My Shah had more then 10+ Dread, reputation is dispicable, but I have the biggest army! fear me

[Tacitursa]

Diplomacy is alot easier on Medium compared to Very Hard

[Sir Walter]

Diplomacy is alot easier on Medium compared to Very Hard

I've still yet to have a vassal though, even when as Moors, the Sicilians had one city left and it was under siege by a stack?!

[Radiso-FIN]

I usually play on hard campaign difficulty. Very hard makes economy too hard to my taste.
Battle difficulty is always very hard.

[Sir Walter]

I usually play on hard campaign difficulty. Very hard makes economy too hard to my taste.
Battle difficulty is always very hard.

I find Medium so good I don't bother with anything else, challenging but not impossible (all the hardcore VH/VH players are going to flame now )