Making E:TW challenging

Well while we wait for CA or Mods to make the AI a bit better on the strategy map I was wondering what ideas people have to make the game more challenging. My approach is to follow some of the rules the AI follows.

I will be playing on H/H like always and I think I will try to build Austria into a colonial power in the America's and India. I will play on the world domination setting.

Additionally..

- I will not attack a trading post (since the AI does not)

- I will not transport troops on ships (since this is a limitation of the AI but I plan to try and trade for overseas possesions)

- I will not move into enemy territory unprovoked in the first 5 years

- I will not attack a region's capital city without spending at least 1 turn raiding an outside town/resource or sieging the city for at least a turn (this gives AI some chance to respond and I think is simlar to how it plays)

- I will not attack any of the 12 major faction's capital city (but I will raid other possesions in the capital region)


EDIT - I will play with medium unit size as there are rumors the battle AI handles this better then large

So if you want to post how this is stupid and CA should fix the game please add that to one of the "Game is too easy threads".

However, I would love to see posts with simliar ideas on role-playing / evening the playing field with the AI while not playing totally stupid. I am mainly looking for startegy map ones as the Battle AI can play well enough at times (at least it responds well enough to how I play battles).

Try this: Play Prussia on VH/H

Take the capital of Lithuiania-Poland, capital of Austria, destroy Saxony, and continue whatever war with ALL the new enemies you've made. It's very difficult... I tried this blitzkrieg, I did all this, and I found myself over extended. I made peace with Austria and it took me a while to get peace with Poland, however three allied minor nations of Austria still at war with me started raidng my farms and villages, and sent full stacks to deal with me. They took back 2 region capitals and now surrounding my capital.

After that I gave up on this campaign. Like 10-20 turns about? Really fun though... I was thinking, "Maybe the AI isn't that bad..."

Do ALL of that and better than I did in 10-20 turns. True blitzing. Reminds me of what Hitler did really.

Invading Poland is the only thing that comes close to what Hitler did.

Also, Godwin's law has been invoked, although the thread had nothing to do with controversy whatsoever.

heh, handicapping myself isnt my idea of fun =P.

by all means, go challenge yourself though....O.o;

Quote:

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Originally Posted by A Very Super Market

Also, Godwin's law has been invoked

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:smash:

Sorry God's Grace, you lose.

Is it possible to just change the "king's purse" that the AI factions get from the base 3000 to something like say 10-15k a turn. Seems like just giving the AI a lot of money may help cover up some of their other shortcomings through pure number of units.

Playing with France I sold all but Newfoundland to various other European factions that lacked overseas possessions. What affect this will have on game play is yet to be determined, but maybe they will fight it out in America as they do in Europe. Seems like you have a pretty good set of house rules started though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dogfish

:smash:

Sorry God's Grace, you lose.

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Makes you wonder how they deal with that on 'Hearts of Iron' forums. :laugh4:

I suppose it is similar to Hitler in that it's a shameless landgrab.