What is Your Difficulty Sweet Spot

I generally play every TW game on VH/VH (Campaign/Battle), however, starting with ETW and continuing with NTW I started playing on VH/H. This is because I found that Battle Difficulty on VH made for some unrealistic battles where the opponents militia units could go shot for shot with my line infantry and I could only win through massed artillery. I could still win 90% of the time, however, this really didn't make for the type of battle I wanted so I found Hard difficulty much more suitable for a more realistic, if not as challenging, experience.

I am curious what you guys find a good difficulty setting and if you share my experience with the Battle Difficulty setting?

Since E:TW I've started playing on H/H instead of VH/VH, it's just ridiculous seeing enemy forces become literally annihilated by artillery and then charged in the rear by cavalry and still not routing.

Handicapped AI ftlose.

N/N

I still use VH for the campaign but I have lowered it to Hard or even Normal occasionally for the battle difficulty due to the bonuses they get.

People really play the battles on anything besides VH?

I selected H/VH

They rout for me, but they recover much better/faster. All it is is a morale bonus.

Originally Posted by Shabby_Ronin

People really play the battles on anything besides VH?

I selected H/VH

They rout for me, but they recover much better/faster. All it is is a morale bonus.

With regard to the battle difficulty, for me it's not a matter of challenge because I can win on both H and VH. However, on VH I find that I have to play to win and make use of game mechanics, and pretty much rely on superior use of my artillery. Based on my experience in ETW, regular militia controlled by the CPU could take on line infantry and come out on top.

On H I can play with what I consider more 'realistic' tactics (I use that term loosely and in comparison to games on VH).

I play N/N because I didn't played Empire and I still meet dificulties in the battles and the campaign. Great game!

I started on N/N since I didn't play Empire and the completly different style of battle to Medieval confused me at first. I've worked my way up to VH/VH now though.

VH/VH for the ultimate challenge

VH/VH all day, every day

VH/VH. Preferably with the Batavian Republic. Now that's a campaign worth playing!

N/H

I suck at economy...

I found that putting the Campaign difficulty above Normal makes the AI too agressive to properly play the game ..

You work yourself to death to make an alliance with another nation, you give them money & techs, relations are very friendly .
Next turn you can count on it they either declare war or break the alliance

Battle difficulty on normal too, anything above is just ridicolous ..

so N/N over here

H/H

VH is more challenging on both obviously, but it makes the AI unrealistically agressive on the campaign map to the point diplomacy is worthless, and it makes the battles take too long.

H/N

Same here, H/N. Above normal in battles the ai gets unfair bonuses, though i don´t know exactly how much, it seems to be something reasonable thought. Iin campaign at hard the ai get a bit more agressive and everything gets more expensive, which gives some spice to things. On normal campaign i´ve found that the economy is way too easy and the enemy nations tend to attack you much less frequently. So overall i would recommend either H/N or H/H

Originally Posted by Bucefalo

Same here, H/N. Above normal in battles the ai gets unfair bonuses...

It.Just.Gets.Morale.

Originally Posted by Shabby_Ronin

It.Just.Gets.Morale.

Battle AI gets more then morale. They shoot faster and more accurate and do more damage. I found it silly that militia could fight better then my Elite Guard. That's why I don't play on VH.

Originally Posted by gord96

Battle AI gets more then morale. They shoot faster and more accurate and do more damage. I found it silly that militia could fight better then my Elite Guard. That's why I don't play on VH.

Exactly! VH in the campaign is OK. Russia invades me with 4 stacks, sure that seems plausible.

But when a unit of Armed Citizenry slaughters my elite footsoldiers in close combat - now that's just a ridiculous, and totally a gamebreaker for me.

N/N