Good difficulties per faction for a stainless beginner

[Zhokar]

Hey guys!

I've played the vanilla campaign several times, mostly on medium, sometimes on hard. The only reason it was ever difficult was because of the totally unreliable whacko AI.

Three days ago I found this mod, was totally fascinated and started playing (all my campaigns are early). The first time as Sicily on M/M, which was a total cakewalk that I didn't care to finish. The second campaign as Novgorod on hard was very short, I clearly underestimated the rebels and my neighbors took advantage of that immediatly. But I didn't know if that was because of the different settings or just because I messed up big time. The third try also only lasted until round 40 as Egypt on hard. Everything was going just fine, my finances and settlements were booming and then...LOL CRUSADE. On Cairo. I dieded. Is there any way to stop the crusade via politics or at least stop the wars once the crusade is over. When is it over?
Right now I'm playing as Aragon on hard and things are once again looking very grim, although it's been a blast up to now.

From what I just told you, you might understand that I doubt hard difficulty is generally too tough for me. I get the feeling it varies immensely from faction to faction and I also think I haven't gotten the grasp of some basic playstyle I need to adapt.

Can you guys help me figure out, what factions, difficulty settings and maybe general strategy I should take to have a challenging but not frustrating experience?


Thanks a bunch!

[-Myth-]

Seems to me that most of your problems come not from economic challenges but from your lack of skill in leading battles. You can generally siege and win the fight vs most/all rebel settlements at the start of the game. Make sure you use your cav and especially that general. Repeatedly charge the enemy troops to whittle them down. I haven't had the chance to play a game as a Muslim nation yet but I assume that stopping incomming crusaders will be much easier if you raise a large fleet and sink them to the bottom of the sea before they debark near Alexandra.

The armies that do manage to come trough you can hold off if you have good stone walls and archers/infantry but always fight your battles! Holding a city is easy, just box the gate with infantry and route the charging enemy.

Try making use of horse archers or mounted javelins they really help you win infavorable odds when leading your battles.

In short, at the start of any M2TW game and any mod that i've played, micromanaging battles is key to ensure rapid expansion and beating the odds (since the AI usually has more troops than you) Don't forget to (ab)use the jihad/cruasde mechanics to your advantage as well, including but not limited to joining the holy war with all stacks prior to taking the target for free exp chevrons on all your troops, using the free mercs to thrash other enemy settlements and armies along the way, using the free upkeep and the sacking option to boom your economy etc.

Also, learn to ward off choke points with forts garrisoned with one unit of peasants. The AI rarely brings siege equipment and ballitsae can't open doors in SS, so that will slow their advancement down.

[Zhokar]

I already keep the battle difficulty set to medium. I'd like a more intelligent battle AI. But since that won't happen, I'd rather take a harder campaign difficulty instead of "cheating" AI (I just dont like the idea of the morale boost to make up for AI limitations). Thanks though for the crusade and fort ideas, I'll try that. As to blocking gates while raining hell down on them and having my general charge in again and again while Schiltrom spears keep the enemy busy, I consider that common sense. I'm used to playing strategy games after all.

[Andytheplatypus]

I'd like a more intelligent battle AI. But since that won't happen...

Bam!

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=253132

[-Myth-]

Is the really bad AI included in SS 6.4 or must I install it separately? If it's so good why isn't it included (if it's not).

[Lego_Bman]

You must install it separately and about the second question i don't know why.

[Zhokar]

First of all: THANKS.
I've worked myself through the thread by now and judging from the feedback it seems to be a tradeoff between much better open field battles and behaviour inside settlements and much worse cluster...duck behaviour when the AI actually enters the settlement.
Since the improved behaviour inside is kind of worthless if you can SM-block the broken gate easily and most deciding battles are siege battles, I'm not sure if it will be a great improvement for me. I will start some custom battles though to see how it compliments my "standard" battle human intelligence.
...Chances are good I'll find a keeper after all because I am quite dull!

[newt]

You must install it separately and about the second question i don't know why.

It's already included, but your link is the newest version. An even newer version will be included in the 6.4 update

[Zhokar]

Ah. So that IS the default battle AI in SS 6.4?

[newt]

Yep, just an older version than Andytheplatypus's link

from the credits: "Germanicu5 - coding and ideas, BAI"

[-Myth-]

So we are not waiting for SS6.5, just a patch for 6.4?

[Andytheplatypus]

6.5 would be a patch.

Just like 6.4 was a patch for 6.3

[newt]

It depends on what gracul wants to call it. In my opinion he should have called 6.4 "7.0" because it changed so much.

[Zhokar]

I love it