Just seen this at the .com - worth considering :-)

[Germanicus75]

"I've played two campaigns so far. The first one I started as England on M/VH, and I chose medium for the campaign difficulty because I hoped this would tone down the blood thirsty, backstabbing AI. At first it seemed O.K., I kept peace with France while I smashed Scotland. However, this was only done by keeping a full stack right on their borders. As soon as I sent that army on a crusade, France broke our alliance and sieged my castle. Then Denmark attacked...then Milan blockaded my port... 10 turns later I was at war with everyone around me. This campaign is on hold until the Timurid crash bug is fixed.

The second game I played was with Turkey on H/VH. This ended up much worse. By the time I quit playing that campaign out of rage, I was at war with every single catholic faction thanks to a never ended crusade, Egypt backstabbed me within the first few turns, and the Mongols were throwing themselves upon my walls. The final straw came when a full stack of Moors (my allies) was moving through my land on their way to Baghdad while on a Jihad. I ended up capturing Baghdad leaving their army in the middle of territory. Their were two crusader armies, and countless mongol armies I hoped the Moors would help me with. Instead, they sieged my capital the next turn. I was at war with every faction except Russia...

After all this, and reading about others frustration at the diplomacy AI, I swallowed my pride and decided to give Easy campaign difficulty a try. I sparked up a game as Sicily on E/VH, and must say that so far I'm impressed. I have an alliance with HRE and Venice that has lasted the whole game, even though I control Florence which borders them both. Mind you I'm only on turn 60 though.

Whats really interesting is that the HRE, Venice, and I have teamed up against the Egyptions, Byzantines, and Milan (who've been excommunicated). Meanwhile, I have "very good" relations with every other catholic faction while my reputation is at "reliable" (after taking a small hit from attacking byzantium with venice)

I've also happily noticed that, although the AI is far less aggressive (read sensible), it will still put up a good fight. When I sieged Antioch while on a crusade, Egypt sent up a full stack to relieve the city, something I've never even seen them do before. After several other small battles, in which I took Aleppo, they came to their senses and suggested a ceasefire. I've also landed an army in Greece, and the Byzantine's have almost kicked me off.

The only downfall I've noticed so far is that money is barely of a concern right now because I have so much of it. However, I'm not sure if this is because of a bonus given through the difficulty level, or because I'm making much more in trade because I'm not at war with the world. Here are some other changes I've noticed from this quick campaign about the differences between easy and hard.

-Agents gain experience at the same rate as the AI. Ever notice that your merchants can sit on a resourse the whole game without gaining any experience while the AI blasts you with an army of super merchants. Not anymore, same with other agents as well.

-Effects of squalor seem to be reduced. However, this may be because I've slaughtered everyone in Antioch this time around. :evil

-Lots more money than I'm used to. However, this may be the result of good trade relations and not some kind of bonus.

All said and done, playing on Easy seems to put you on a level footing with the AI. I've only played 60 turns so who knows, maybe when I go back and play after posting this, my faithful allies will backstab me for no apparent reason. It also seems like I may have to play with some house rules as the game won't be so hard when you don't have to battle the entire world. For those frustrated with the diplomacy, I suggest you atleast give it a try and see what you think."

[savage_rabbit]

The "no-money concerns" thing troubles me.

The problem is that enemies need to be both not-very-aggressive (in comparison to how they usually are in Total War games) AND difficult to topple, with major consequences for doing such a thing. As it is, they're a bunch of weaklings that struggle to suppress your power and if they gain in power themselves, they immediately use it to try to quash you and anyone else around them.

They should factor in things like Europa Universalis did, where if you attack an enemy without justification, you receive a major upsurge of dissent, so your populace had better be very content/pleased with your reign before you go conquering for the sake of conquest. I would be elated if they did such as this. I don't know if modders could ever work anything like this in though.

May I add that it is simply too easy to keep your people content, far easier than even in Rome. I snatch land from people that had been formerly independent for ages, and they're just as happy as larks.

[Lavastein]

Because the people in middle ages didnt give a crap who was their lord. they barely saw them anyways. A peasant is a peasant.

[savage_rabbit]

Because the people in middle ages didnt give a crap who was their lord. they barely saw them anyways. A peasant is a peasant.

That is just ignorant.

[danes]

Because the people in middle ages didnt give a crap who was their lord. they barely saw them anyways. A peasant is a peasant.

while this is partially true, i think savage_rabbit meant that the people who have a voice in policy will not like you. the nobility/gentry, landed commoners etc.. even if the commen pesantry dont see the regents themselves, the medieval society is very hierarchical (feudal) meaning there are different strata. the middle tiers of which DO have influence and DO have an affect on "public opinion."

[Gungalley]

The "no-money concerns" thing troubles me.

I get that on Medium setting too, after the initial take off period (which i think is the toughest).

[Anarion]

VH on the Campaign Map? VH on battles, giving the enemy a lot of bonusses, higher damage, greater morale for all troops from the same or similar barrack systems? Well, I'm totally for greater morale but that can be edited anyway. I don't want to fight uber-units as if all the other factions but me had a spartan-like drill. It means the enemy has to cheat in order to be able to defeat me. How the hell is that the only way to play? I'd rather have them set up a better AI with more flexibility and logic in management, adaptability, better deployment and reaction in battles than just bumping their attributes. That's brute force.

Plus, why is it so interesting to have war on all frontiers? Enemies gang up on you, defeat you, then tun on each other while Mongols and Timurids take over the world. An AI which combines all its force to destroy you, then destroy itself (Europe). How clever.

[Curtis13]

VH on the Campaign Map? VH on battles, giving the enemy a lot of bonusses, higher damage, greater morale for all troops from the same or similar barrack systems? Well, I'm totally for greater morale but that can be edited anyway. I don't want to fight uber-units as if all the other factions but me had a spartan-like drill. It means the enemy has to cheat in order to be able to defeat me. How the hell is that the only way to play? I'd rather have them set up a better AI with more flexibility and logic in management, adaptability, better deployment and reaction in battles than just bumping their attributes. That's brute force.

.

Wrong. Read the developer blog on the website. In MTW2 difficulty doesn't change stats. They even say VH in battles is the most realistic because it has full moral and fatigue settings.

[thefish7]

Wrong. Read the developer blog on the website. In MTW2 difficulty doesn't change stats. They even say VH in battles is the most realistic because it has full moral and fatigue settings.

Where is this blog? I couldn't find it while looking on the site. I always want to play on a level field (used to hate the way Civ just cheats, doesn't get any smarter for example)... so is VH just an even field while M has some penalties for the computer player?

[Darkiemond]

n the begginning relations seem to go up just because you had trade agreements and some years of peace. But later they deterirate unless you do something. Give other factions small gifts once in a while, like 100 florins, or a map. And make sure to have a diplomat close by in case you need to 'talk' to another faction.

Yea, it is true other factions often declare war by blocking your ports, but often they don't actually attack. Don't attack factions that declared war on you if you don't wanna be at war with them. Your relations deteriorate because attacking and they will be much less likely to make peace afterwards. While if you don't attack them, relations will stay normal.

Here's what happened to me a couple of times:
I play as Spain (Medium) , Venetians declared war on me by blocking my port. Two turns later their fleet left and they haven't done anything to me. Then 2 turns later they proposed a ceasefire and i managed to make them to give me one of their regions for it.

The only two factions I had problems with are France and Milan, they declare war for no reason and don't want to make peace no matter what. I haven't had any fights with Milan and they agree to a cease fire if i bribe them (gift) but they brake it in a couple of turns. France didn't want to make peace or accept my gifts even before I started attacking them. By now I already captured all French regions except one and they still aren't agreeing to peace.

In general, I gotta admit, I don't like the diplomacy in MTW2.

[zarg]

He should just learn the consequences of his actions. Dollars to donuts the idiots marching troops through allied territory or something, not realizing its as good as a declaration of war.

If you keep your faction relations with your allies high, and don't impose your will on them too much, you STAY alliess. Playing on easy just means you cant deal with part of the game, sorry.

[Cadmium77]

He should just learn the consequences of his actions. Dollars to donuts the idiots marching troops through allied territory or something, not realizing its as good as a declaration of war.

If you keep your faction relations with your allies high, and don't impose your will on them too much, you STAY alliess. Playing on easy just means you cant deal with part of the game, sorry.

TW gamers have to realize that there's no shame at going down in flames....as long as you're playing VH/VH, which IMO is the only way to play.

[DarkKnight]

TW gamers have to realize that there's no shame at going down in flames....as long as you're playing VH/VH, which IMO is the only way to play.

Its just not fun to be playing a 16v1. It should be 1v1v1v1v1... with the exception of when alliances are formed, those factions should work together while there alliance lasts. And there alliance should last as long as it is mutually benefitial. It shouldn't end as soon as the AI determines that it is turn #10 and time to invade along with every single other neighbor you have.

[DSword]

TW gamers have to realize that there's no shame at going down in flames....as long as you're playing VH/VH, which IMO is the only way to play.

Okay, ive seen this everywhere. In sorta new here. What does "VH/VH" stand for??:hmmm:

[DarkKnight]

Okay, ive seen this everywhere. In sorta new here. What does "VH/VH" stand for??:hmmm:

Very Hard Campaign Difficulty and Very Hard Battle Difficulty.

VH=Very Hard
H=Hard
M=Medium
E=Easy

[Spurius]

TW gamers have to realize that there's no shame at going down in flames....as long as you're playing VH/VH, which IMO is the only way to play.

And even on VH/VH, its only marginally harder than RTW - better for me, as RTW was getting too easy even with one hand on my back (aka house-rules).

What people should keep in mind is that any AI is not as good or versatile as a bright human, so only indeed by adding bonuses everywhere to it, the game can keep up. And so do most players, with toggling fow off and the ever-handy reload. Don't think those are not bonuses either.

As for the backstabbing behaviour on higher levels, go and read some history - for EVERY silly/stupid/disgusting/irrational thing you can see in the game, there is a historical analog to be found.

I am at war with everybody that dares to cross my path, so what? If you really NEED your allies, you are darwinistically challenged anyway. And guess what - all their former allies are the first to make peace with me again, as long as I don't share a direct border - distant friends are the easiest kind - trade is no problem either - and they are usually the biggest local players, and that is what counts, there. My fellow muslims? If the Moors would get too smart or anything, I can just start a Jihad against a big neighbour of theirs, and good riddance - without ever joining it myself, no penalty there. Pure real-politik and powerplay. How extraordinarily like RL.

(and if I lose a battle, it gets *interesting* - and if I want, I can reload until I win it gloriously, or better - grow wise and NOT have my empire depend on the outcome of single battles)

[RusskiSoldat]

TW gamers have to realize that there's no shame at going down in flames....as long as you're playing VH/VH, which IMO is the only way to play.

Playing with campaign difficulty on hard is horrible, as factions apparently declare war on you for no reason no matter what happens.
In my current game as Venice, Hungary randomly besieged one of my cities.
Previously I made a trade agreement and map exchange with them, and have since then not interacted at all.

[VaeVictis]

I was getting frustrated fighting all factions at once in my previous M/M campaign.

I noticed alliances were only good if you didn't border the allied faction.

Once you expanded next to them, they would certainly attack.

I modded the descr_strat.txt file diplomacy settings using the same file used in the Deus Vult mod.

To my suprise, alliances hold much better and I have not yet been attacked by a bordering faction.

The Pope had to actually tell me to break off my alliances with certain less pious factions.

Factions still engage in hostilities but I have seen them call cease fires, etc.

It seems war is not so much of a deadlocked affair with the tweaked diplomacy settings.

The mod also features the same map but with landbridges between England and mainland Europe, and Sicily and Sardinia/Corsica which definitelly will help Sicily and England/Scotland expand off thier islands.

I will have to test these things further to see how well it works.

I didn't realize that the AI got bonus stats on agents in Medium difficulty.

If they put up a decent fight on Easy I may have to try that with Hard battle difficulty.

[Sulla's Dog]

I was getting frustrated fighting all factions at once in my previous M/M campaign.

I noticed alliances were only good if you didn't border the allied faction.

Once you expanded next to them, they would certainly attack.

I modded the descr_strat.txt file diplomacy settings using the same file used in the Deus Vult mod.

Where is this mod available?

[mercja]

Well guys we can all say this game is a little tougher and the AI is obviously more aggressive on the campaign map. They constantly besiege but with weak armies. I wish CA could correct this.