What does increasing the campaign difficulty actually do? And where are the naval mercs?

[Ivan_Moscavich]

Like the title says, I usually play on N/N just because that's the default play experience, but I find the AI not putting up enough of a strategic challenge.

Does enhancing the campaign difficulty just give them more money? Or does it effect politics as well?

I figure they probably get more food and public order on higher difficulties as well, but the AI rarely seems to ever have an issue keeping 100% public order as it is so I don't really care about that.

More money means more troops and more buildings for them though, but too much money could break the game quickly, so what exactly does it do?



Secondly, I've not been able to recruit naval mercs anywhere in the med in this current 110 turn campaign, were they just completely removed? I always liked snagging a few archer mercenary boats down around Knossos and Egypt before, but I can't seem to find naval mercenaries anywhere.

[Augustusng]

Increasing difficulty just gives bonuses to the AI and penalties to the player, and I think it might make the campaign AI more aggressive. N/N is pretty balanced I think in 1.0.

And yeah, naval mercenaries have been removed - temporarily I hope. I'd like to see them back in as well.

[Ivan_Moscavich]

Increasing difficulty just gives bonuses to the AI and penalties to the player, and I think it might make the campaign AI more aggressive. N/N is pretty balanced I think in 1.0.

And yeah, naval mercenaries have been removed - temporarily I hope. I'd like to see them back in as well.

Ah. See I was wondering if it also gave penalties to the player. I noticed the AI became more aggressive on hard, and very aggressive on very hard. And of course on very hard the money bonus was visually recognizeable with the ai getting so many units so quickly.


Normal normal is balanced yeah, and that's generally what I play. I just was tired of Egypt eating up carthage before carthage could get big enough to provide me a decent challenge, and figured the extra money would help.

[jazebiker]

... I just was tired of Egypt eating up carthage before carthage could get big enough to provide me a decent challenge, and figured the extra money would help.

I think it varies from one campaign to the next. In the Rome campaign I'm playing right now, Carthage had all of Africa, half of Libya, Corsica et Sardinia, Sicily, plus their 2 starting Iberian settlements when I went to war with them.

Instead of expanding west, Egypt decided to move into the area normally overrun by Seleucia. That forced Seleucia to take over Arabia and Persia. Really cool. Never seen that happen in vanilla or 0.9x.

[Ygraine]

Could I borrow this thread and ask if it's possible to play VH/N in multiplayer campaigns? There's only one difficulty bar and it doesn't say if it's for campaign mode or battle mode..

[Epic28]

Could I borrow this thread and ask if it's possible to play VH/N in multiplayer campaigns? There's only one difficulty bar and it doesn't say if it's for campaign mode or battle mode..

For MP campaigns I believe CA has combined the difficulty.

Unfortunately increasing the difficulty doesn't make the AI any smart or perform better tasks, its just a "cheap" way of saying its hard because the AI receives large bonuses that are hidden to the player.

[Ygraine]

For MP campaigns I believe CA has combined the difficulty.

Unfortunately increasing the difficulty doesn't make the AI any smart or perform better tasks, its just a "cheap" way of saying its hard because the AI receives large bonuses that are hidden to the player.

That sucks. N in campaign is too easy, and everything above N in battle is boring.

[Teukros]

Could I borrow this thread and ask if it's possible to play VH/N in multiplayer campaigns? There's only one difficulty bar and it doesn't say if it's for campaign mode or battle mode..

That sucks. N in campaign is too easy, and everything above N in battle is boring.

At least for coop, there were DeI submods at the workshop that changed the campaign/battle difficulties to H/N or VH/N, but now they are gone. It redirects to nowhere:



I toyed with the PFM editor and some savegames, but achieved no success. Maybe some Modder God could manifest and enlighten us

[Cassibellane]

For MP campaigns I believe CA has combined the difficulty.

Hmmmm. Is there something wrong with my R2TW then? On Grand Campaign I only get one combined difficulty option....

[Dresden]

I think the AI does become more aggressive on the higher difficulties, even in vanilla.

As far as bonuses go, the AI does get increasing bonuses for each difficulty level.

[Ivan_Moscavich]

I think the AI does become more aggressive on the higher difficulties, even in vanilla.

As far as bonuses go, the AI does get increasing bonuses for each difficulty level.

Is there a specific way to know how much they get on each level, or is it pretty much just a ball park estimate?

Like, "on hard the AI gets X amount more money, X amount more public order, etc".

[rjacko10]

The most noticeable difference for me is that the AI gets extra recruitment slots (I think its +1 for Hard,and +2 for Very Hard). Therefore they can muster armies much quicker than you can.

[Dresden]

Yes that is correct, recruitment slots are a major one. Forgot to mention that thanks

And, to the OP, naval mercs will be part of our naval overhaul in 1.1.

[Ivan_Moscavich]

Yes that is correct, recruitment slots are a major one. Forgot to mention that thanks

And, to the OP, naval mercs will be part of our naval overhaul in 1.1.

So it's more that they have the extra slots than the extra money allowing them to recruit more units. Yeah, that doesn't sit right with me.

And as for the mercs coming back, good to know.

Since I actually like playing the naval battles, it'll be great once that's finally done and complete. I just hope you guys can fix some of the glaring issues with it.

[rjacko10]

So it's more that they have the extra slots than the extra money allowing them to recruit more units. Yeah, that doesn't sit right with me.

I didn't like it for a long while either. Especially when you are reminded of this every time an AI army enters musters stance and you can see how many units they will recruit for next turn (see number of units in top left of unit card box - I actually wish this was hidden!!).

But in all fairness the AI needs the extra troops as HI is far superior.

[Dresden]

Its actually +1 slot on VH and +2 on Legendary. So, those higher difficulties can be tough for that reason.

[Alu10]

though you cant reduce battle difficulty on legendary so its not easy for sure.

[Butan]

Hard for MPC is nice: campaign difficulty is nice on hard, and in battles you should fight it out between you and your mate, avoiding the AI; when you dont, having 2 humans managing one side and the AI on hard on the other side is balanced IMO.

[SilverCohort]

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ary-Difficulty

Opinion?

[KAM 2150]

No secret bonuses for AI on legendary would mean that you play on easy mode. Difficulty in TW games is ONLY based on bonuses AI gets.