Playing on VH/H or even VH/VH?

[Titus Maximius Thongus]

Hi guys,
I'm currently playing my Romani campaign on VH/M, really enjoying it and all. The AI makes some great moves on the campaign map, even manages to outmanuver and surround my invasion armies at times (at one point, they assassinated my 4 star general and sent 1.5 stacks to block off my army's escape while they confronted it head on with 2 full stacks)

but on the battefield however, they get trumped. By no means am I saying that I'm a fantastic general and all, but even in battles where I'm outnumbered 2:1 or greater, I come off with very, very minimal casualties and rout enemy troops (eg hellenistic elite and heavy skirmishers and hellenistic pikemen) way too easily once I achieve an envelopment. Unless I'm grossly outnumbered, the AI doesnt really stand a chance in battle.

So to give the AI more of an advantage, would it be a more enjoyable gaming experiance to play on VH/H or VH/VH?

[Mirionis9]

Playing EB on VH is really interesting and a bit difficult. It is the hardest of all the major mods. Even in the battlefield the AI has some bonuses in its behaviour. So yes, give it a shot.

[hefa]

Setting the difficulty to hard or very hard gives the AI simply bonusses without improving the tactical abilities, i.e. the troops manouver as stupid as before. Maybe you should try out Sinuhet's formation modifications for EB. I did so and I really appriciate the improvements. The AI is still far from brilliant but clearly improved and the battles are funnier now (instead of simply harder).

[Ludens]

So to give the AI more of an advantage, would it be a more enjoyable gaming experiance to play on VH/H or VH/VH?

It will definitely be more challenging, but whether it is enjoyable depends on how tolerant you are of A.I. stat bonuses. The A.I. received something in the order of +4 attack at H and +7 attack/+4 defence at VH. There is no increase in armour, so A.I. troops stay equally vulnerable to missiles and rear-attacks (IIRC there was no effect on morale, but I may be wrong). Increasing the difficulty does not improve A.I. tactics.

So, if you don't mind seeing A.I. levies beat your elites in an equal fight, then yes, increasing the battle difficulty to VH can be a good idea (H isn't quite as bad but EB is not balanced for it either). However, if you want better tactics, look somewhere else. I would try a battle formation mod. Some people also claim that using the Alexander expansion to run EB also improves the A.I.

[Egoras]

I tried VH/VH but battles were plainly annoying. +7/+4 is crazy talk!

I'm sticking to VH/H.

[zero911]

VH/VH is not that difficult at it seems from the first sight. Yes, it seems statistic bonuses for comp are huge, but in real life it is not like that. AI units are still routable and quite easily. AI armies without good general are VERY easily beatable by players armies without good general even on VH/VH. You are in trouble only when enemy troops are led by a 8-10 star general with good morale bonuses and your general is a green guy without expirience. All that can be done then - is outnumber the enemy. But if you have a decent general - battle vs enemy army led by good general can turn into something nice. I remember battles where initial forces were 4000-3000 or so and final fate of the battle was decided only by a remaining 20 cavalry men of my general charge versus last 30 infantry men of enemy So you can imagine the scale of losses to the both sides.
There is also possibility to observe heroic stances of enemy - for example 1500 elite koinon helenon - composed mostly of heavy elite infantry and spartan generals made a nice stand versus invasion force of 6000 roman legionaries (2 legions) led by green generals. Both legions were beaten in wto separate battles but I made conclusions of that battle, next time came with legionaries supported by cavalry and light infantry and the koinon helenon was on the kneels
I noticed also some nice use of elephants by comp. For example in battle versus Epirotes which was commenced during the siege of constantinople, when epeirote reilief force came to help to besieged garrison - Epeirotes kept elephants in reserve until it saw that my troops are exhausted - then a sudden charge into my main battleline by 15 of such beasts ended in total rout of my troops in 30 seconds
But in general the game on VH/VH is highly playable and enjoyable for those who love challenges and do not get frustrated by losses of full stacks of armies. Currently playing as romani, by 205 BC have fought around 320 battles of which won 280 lost 40. Control 105 provinces, all italy, spain, gaulia, africa, greece, territories in middle east and asia minor, allmost all germany. Yes, it is a challenge since you can advance only with good generals or numerically superior, which is hard, but again possible to achieve. Just be ready to failed invasions, lost good generals in unexpected situations, and lots of enemy armies. And be ready to maneuver a lot with armies - this is the key to victory. I really have troubles fighting in dense woods of norhtern europe where I am unable to observe clearly enemy or my troop movement.

[Titus Maximius Thongus]

okay thanks for the replies guys!
the only part where I see myself getting frustrated is in city battles where there is much less room to maneuver and it comes down mainly to unit stats vs unit stats. I might give it a try, although I got tons of assignments coming up so that may have to wait

cheers

[4th Regiment]

In EB 1.2 what is difference between campaign H/VH?

AI just gets some cash bonuses or some AI improvements or tricks, too?

[Ludens]

In EB 1.2 what is difference between campaign H/VH?

AI just gets some cash bonuses or some AI improvements or tricks, too?

The effects of difficulty levels are hard-coded: it's not something that the mod changes. At VH the A.I. receives 10.000 mnai per turn in addition to normal income and the EB script bonuses. It also seems somewhat more rabid in its hatred of the human player. I understand that the A.I. is also more likely to recruit mercenaries at higher difficulties (meaning that it sometimes will recruit large mercenary armies out of nowhere: not everybody likes this feature).

[4th Regiment]

Thanks @Ludens Rep +

So, my habit to play mods at H/H is proving right in therms of realism but not too artificial chelenge.

[ROFL Copter]

There is absolutely no reason to make the battle difficulty above M. It doesnt make the AI any better, instead gives them annoying bonuses.

[Titus Maximius Thongus]

but it also means that you're less likely to beat the enemy in a head on fight, thus forcing you to outmanuever them.

The most noticeable thing in VH/VH so far is that javelins do tons more damage, especially those wielded by melee infantry (skirmishes are more of a pain but not that much).

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Thought I'd give it this mod a shot over Xmas/New Year break and what a fantastic mod it turned out to be! A real challenge on VH/VH. I'm not fussed that the AI gets bonuses, it needs all the help it can get and I prefer the economic challenge when playing VH.

Just needs some work to fix cav and the CTD's