Expert difficulty

[troymclure]

Ok all, i've heard that the only difference on expert (in regards solely to the battlefield map) are a moral boost for the enemy (and a negative to you) but i seem to get some oddities sometimes in regards to units fighting. ANyone else get this?
Here's a couple of examples...
Ghulam cavalry losing to byzatium cavalry, charging downhill, the BC had like 20 horses left chasing my 5 GC at the end. BYz had a 5 star general, i had a 4.

Another time i got my ass kicked by one of those peasant rebellions.... (i know, i know i suck ok:) ), i had about 400 chiv sergaents vs about 1000 peasants, normal frontal assualt and yes there general was better than mine, but damn it i got kicked... by peasants it's weird.

Also, had a weird one where i lost over half a group of Varangian Guard to a group of FMAA....

am i going crazy? am i already there?

ps:- These are semi-isolated incidents, i mean i must have played nearly 20 games on hard, and so far in my first 5 or so on expert, ive only noticed weird battle results these few times but i never experienced stuff like this on hard. And before you say. Oh but there's so many variables, rank, moral, hills, charging etc. etc. i can assure you that in these situations the variables should have at least been even sometimes "what i thought" where favourable even.

[PoLsKa_HuSaRiA]

I know what you mean, ive had the same done to me. 6 Groups of spears and 1 Group of Royal Knights (heir to the throne) Rank 4 and 2 Archers fall to the mighty power of... 4 units of bow and 2 UM What the...?

I dont know what happened, one minute im killing the enemy without too much worry, the next my forces are retreating across the battlefield BAH http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/angry.gif

This was fairly early in the campaign. Ive played about 12 campaigns on expert and that was definetaly the weirdest battle ever... and the most shameful http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

[Knight_Yellow]

dont worry ive whent the turks and from early to high now i just use all ottoman inf armies since they can weaken the enemy with bow fire then h2h pretty well.

even still i was shocked to see my elite hashishin 60 of them get wiped out by 60 militia seargents on equal valour i even flanked them for christ sakes http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

[pdoan8]

This is what I've read from another thread (posted by Puzz3D):

Easy: Human gets +4 morale.
Normal: no advantage.
Hard: AI gets 15% combat advantage.
Expert: AI gets 30% combat advantage and +4 morale.

With this kind of advantage in expert level, rebel peasants can be as good as your Feu/Chiv Sergeants.

[troymclure]

ahh thanks pdoan8 now it makes sense. i'm still upset with my varangian's for dying so easy but heh. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
ps:- thanks all for posting and thereby possibly preventing me from booking myself into a pyscho ward....

[Kristaps]

Hehe, that explains why AI's UM and Militia Sergeants appear so powerful in my early (before I have built up my war machinery) "Expert" games against the AI...

[chunkynut]

I have always played on normal because of the AI increase in combat damage. I much prefer it when the AI is harder to beat tacticly / strategicaly than because AI's troops have a advantage over mine.

Personal opinion tho, played a few on hard and one on expert and because i know of the advantages i see a situation and think 'God thats that 15% combat advantage/morale increase.'

[wordsmith]

30% combat bonus +4 moral boost

jeeze i started on expert and have never stopped, it doesnt seem that hard, guess it sounds scarier then it really is. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wacko.gif